From Larnaca to Argos: 10 oldest cities in Europe, more than 3000 years old (11 photos)

The oldest cities in European countries, where many people live centuries later and where tourists come.





Millions of people love to visit Europe, which is home to many historical monuments and locations. People have lived here for several tens of thousands of years, and some of the oldest cities are still inhabited by people and are considered attractive parts of the world for tourists. We will tell you about 10 old-timers among the cities in this article, and we will start with the “youngest”.

Greek Trikala - 3200 years

The city has been called the "hidden gem of Greece" and its history dates back to the 1200s BC, and the earliest signs of human habitation in the region were found in the Theopetra Grotto and are approximately 50,000 years old. At different times, the city was part of different cultures, such as Macedonian or Ottoman, which could not but be reflected in the architecture of the city and the artifacts stored in its museums.



Portuguese Lisbon - 3200 years old

It’s curious, but the Portuguese capital is 400 years older than Rome, and the city itself was founded by the Phoenicians, trying to colonize a number of settlements located on this land. Until the Dark Ages, the city wandered from hand to hand between the Romans, Greeks and Germans, but then became a major center and part of the country's port system.





Cypriot Larnaca - 3300 years old

It is a port city in the southeast of Cyprus, built by the Mycenaeans in the 13th century BC. For a long time it was part of Assyria and the Egyptian kingdom. Unfortunately, several major earthquakes destroyed many ancient attractions, but Larnaca still remains the oldest settlement on the island, making the city interesting for tourists.



Greek Thebes - 3500 years old

Archaeologists have found that Thebes is one of the oldest settlements of the ancient Mycenaeans, and in past times it was the third most important city, second only to Athens and Sparta. Today it seems that Thebes is a thing of the past, and its days of popularity are numbered. However, almost 23,000 people still live there, there are museums and theaters, and residents carefully preserve their history.



Greek Chania - 3700 years old

This is the oldest settlement located on the island of Crete. Its first foreign settlers were the Greeks, and since then the city has seen many civilizations come and go, such as the Arabs or the Venetians. Today Chania is an atmospheric city by the sea with a population of 110,000 people.



Italian Genoa - 6000 years

It is this city, and not Rome, that is the oldest city in Italy in which people have always lived. The first traces of people on the territory of modern Genoa date back to the 4000s BC, and the first inhabitants were the ancient Ligurians. They not only gave the settlement a name, but also outlined its borders. Today, Genoa is still one of the most charming and popular cities in Italy, and a major port in Europe.



Greek Larissa - 6000 years old

It is an important historical city in Thessaly. Historians claim that it was this city that gave the world the national hero Achilles, and that Hippocrates, to whom doctors take an oath, spent his last days. Today Larisa is one of the largest cities in Greece, with a developed culture and economy.



Bulgarian Plovdiv – 6000 years

Although the Bulgarians themselves claim that the city was inhabited 8,000 years ago, archaeologists have not found evidence of this and are based on discovered artifacts that are 6,000 years old. For a long time it was under the rule of the Macedonian kings, who contributed to the growth and development of Plovdiv. Today it is a major metropolis of the country, recently recognized as the European Capital of Culture.



Greek Athens - 7000 years

The first small human settlements in this area date back to the 11th millennium, but the city itself was founded later. Over the centuries the city grew and developed, but it became the capital only in the 1200s AD. Although Athens has had its share of ups and downs, it is now the capital of Greece with 700,000 inhabitants.



Greek Argos - 7000 years old

Argos is the oldest city in Europe, founded slightly earlier than Athens. Argos has a population of just over 22,000 people, although its fame has faded over the years. True, there are still a few noteworthy places, such as Larisa Castle.