Plovdiv to Athens: 7 oldest settlements in Europe

Delve into Europe's ancient heritage as we uncover the continent's oldest continuously inhabited settlements, each a testament to millennia of human history

Argos is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with a history dating back to at least 2000 BCE. It was a major center of Mycenaean civilization

Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe, with evidence of settlement dating back to the 6th millennium BCE. It was originally a Thracian settlement called Eumolpias

Athens is one of the oldest cities in Europe, with a history spanning over 3,400 years. It was a significant city-state in ancient Greece

Larnaca is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Cyprus, with a history dating back over 4,000 years. It has been inhabited by various civilizations

While not in Europe, Jericho is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with evidence of settlement dating back to around 9000 BCE

Valletta is one of oldest cities in Malta, founded in the 16th century by the Knights of St. John. Evidence of settlement since neolithic times have been found