Five preserved pieces of “Ye Olde World”

1. Bruges, Belgium. Bruges enjoyed great prosperity from the ninth to the fifteenth centuries, but eventually slipped into decline, finally rediscovered by wealthy nineteenth-century Europeans drawn to the town’s quiet, aged charm. Frozen in time, having managed to escape damage in both world wars, Bruges has emerged as the perfect tourist attraction with its intimate, winding steets living up to even the most inflated tourist hype. However, make sure to see it out of season or in the early morning before the hordes have descended, otherwise it can become unbearable.

2. Vindabona (Hoher Markt), Austria. Buried below street level in Vienna’s oldest square, and accessible through what is now a sushi bar, is the remains of the Roman camp - Vindabona. Today, two large houses still remain, revealing the complex heating systems which the Romans developed to see them through the harsh Austrian winters. The fact that Vienna bustles stories above the quiet remains of the old Roman ruins adds an eerie edge to the site.