Best ancient cities to visit worldwide

An ancient city is a whole settlement rather than a single monument: streets in a grid or climbing a hill, a forum or agora, temples, baths, houses, shops and, outside the gates, the tombs. What survives varies widely. At Pompeii and Herculaneum the streets keep their paving, kerbs, painted walls and even upper floors; elsewhere you read the plan from foundations, column drums and a few standing arches. Look for the small details: cart ruts, stepping stones, shop counters and graffiti.