Perfectly preserved: 15 amazing destinations where time stands still

If you could turn back time, life could become a marvellous maelstrom of memories. For there are still some cities in the world where the past has been so perfectly preserved, that time travel seems to be a distinct possibility.

A gorgeous street of medieval architecture. A series of grand squares that have survived since the age of the conquistadors. A riverbank where the same daily rituals of life have been performed for time immemorial. A city pulsing with the roar of vintage cars.

Suddenly, history comes alive, and it really does feel as though you can turn back time after all.

While we all love the futuristic vision of Tokyo, the 24-hour energy of New York City, the innovative technologies of Busan and the advanced planning of Singapore, sometimes we just long for a time when life was a little simpler, easier, more straightforward.

Nostalgia perhaps isn’t what it used to be, but there’s something incredibly life-affirming about visiting a place that really celebrates its past and honours its history as the foundation of its future.

It appeals to the whimsical in us, fires our imagination and stirs our collective memory. It can apply the world over, whether it be in places as different as India’s Varanasi, where the Holy Ganges has witnessed life unchanged through the centuries, or New Zealand’s magnificently maintained North Island art deco city of Napier.

There’s just something about a carefully conserved past that doesn’t fail to awaken something deep within us. Here’s our choice of the places around the globe that well and truly pass the past test.

Aix-en-Provence, France

The Place des Quatre-Dauphins.Credit: iStock

The backstory If you think you recognise the beautiful countryside around this city, you may know it from the paintings of Cezanne, one of its most famous residents. But the city itself is an exceptionally beautiful time capsule too, with its fifth century cathedral and university, its hundreds of fountains and a proud lineage going all the way back to the Romans in 123 BC.

See + do Visit the splendid Gothic Saint-Sauveur Cathedral with its gorgeous stained-glass windows, the Place des Quatre-Dauphins, the landmark Fountain of the Rotunda and the city’s finest street, the Cours Mirabeau.

Don’t miss Taste (literally) the history of the city, too, with traditional Provencal cuisine, like bouillabaisse and ratatouille paired with a glass of fine wine.

Essentials To see the lavender bloom, go June to August, but the city is pleasant throughout the year, although most crowded in May. Stay at the four-star Grand Hotel Roi Rene Aix-en-Provence Centre. See aixenprovencetourism.com/en; all.accor.com

Williamsburg, US

The backstory A main player in the American Revolution, Williamsburg was capital of the Virginia colony from 1699 and has remained a town defined by its history. Actors in colonial costume wander the streets, regularly re-enacting scenes from life as it was back then.

See + do Visit the American Revolution Museum for the stirring story of the fight for freedom, follow the Powhatan Creek Trail linking historic sites and have a go at the Colonial Escape Room to test your own resources and resilience.

Don’t miss Visiting the site of the 1781 Battle of Yorktown, one of the turning points of the American War of Independence.

Essentials Visit in autumn and spring for the best temperatures and lovely foliage. Stay at the Williamsburg Inn. See visitwilliamsburg.com; colonialwilliamsburghotels.com

Napier, New Zealand

There are scores of art deco buildings in Napier, New Zealand, including the National Tobacco Company Building.Credit: iStock

The backstory In 1931, a massive earthquake destroyed the centre of Napier, a coastal city on the east coast of the country’s North Island, which locals immediately set out to rebuild. As a result, the new centre was made up entirely of classical, Spanish mission and art deco buildings, leaving the city with one the most complete collection of art deco structures in the world.

See + do There are scores of art deco buildings, with some of the best including the National Tobacco Company Building, The Daily Telegraph Building and the Napier Municipal Building and the Masonic Hotel, which has guest accommodation, including the suite Queen Elizabeth II stayed in, in 1954. It’s like being on a 1930s film set.

Don’t miss The viewing platform on the beautifully restored Marine Parade, perfect for selfies. Refuel afterwards at the area’s many wineries.

Essentials Visit in the summer, from December to February with the city’s popular Art Deco Festival held from the middle of February. Stay at the art deco-inspired The Nautilus, overlooking Hawke’s Bay. See napiernz.com; nautilusnapier.co.nz

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Bukhara remains a beautifully conserved ancient medieval city.Credit: iStock

The backstory An important stop on the fabled Silk Road trade route between East and West, Bukhara remains a beautifully conserved ancient medieval city, dating from the ninth century, with hundreds of old mosques, minarets, schools, roadside inns and colourful bazaars. Captured by Genghis Khan in 1220, in 1506 it was seized by the Uzbeks who’ve held on to it, fast, and made sure nothing changed.

See + do In town, it’s all about the fabulously historic buildings. The fifth century Ark Fortress is the oldest structure in Bukhara, with several museums inside, a mosque and stables. Before entering take a look at it from the Bukhara Observation Tower opposite. Meanwhile, the Poi Kalyan is absolutely dazzling: a courtyard with a minaret – that captured Genghis Khan’s imagination – a mosque and a school.

Don’t miss The Old Bazaar, where traders tout their wares under yawning brick domes, to give you a taste of what life was like for those selling and buying in the early days.

Essentials Visit in spring – April to June – or in autumn, September to November, to avoid the 40-degree heat and -15 cold. Stay at the four-star Mercure Bukhara Old Town. See uzbekistan.travel/en; all.accor.com

Bruges, Belgium

Bruges emerged intact from the two world wars that raged around it.Credit: iStock

The backstory Those lovely canals, the medieval streets around them, the picturesque little bridges, the massive halls … Bruges emerged intact from the two world wars that raged around it, and is an absolute showcase of a historic city.

See + do The Roman Catholic Basilica of the Holy Blood is reputedly the home of a cloth soaked in Jesus’s blood and don’t miss the 366-step climb up the 15th-century bell tower for the magnificent views over the city. Then there’s its most visited attraction, the Historium, which uses Virtual Reality to allow visitors to time travel back to 1435.

Don’t miss Taking a boat ride on the canals to get a real flavour of the city, with its houses lapped by the waves, the reflections of buildings in the water and having to duck under the lowest bridges.

Essentials The warmest months are June to August. Stay at the Boutique Hotel Sablon, the oldest hotel in the city. See visitbruge.be/en; hotelsablon.be/en

Guernsey, The Channel Islands, UK

The island of Guernsey has an unspoilt coastlist.

The backstory Visiting Guernsey is like travelling back to a much simpler time of emerald green fields, lowing cattle, quaint villages, quiet beaches and an unspoilt coastline, as well as historic treasures like 3500 BC neolithic standing stones, an 800-year-old fortress, castles, author Victor Hugo’s home during his time in exile, and World War II fortifications.

See + do Watch the daily midday firing of the gun at Castle Cornet – with its four museums inside its walls – by soldiers in 19th-century costume. Have afternoon tea at Government House, check out La Vallette Underground Military Museum and stroll through Bluebell Woods.

Don’t miss Spot the puffins at Puffin Bay from March to July. They’re among the island’s original inhabitants.

Essentials The best months to visit are from May to September. Stay at the three-star Duke of Normandie Hotel. See visitguernsey.com; dukeofnormandie.com

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

The impressive Old Town Gate.Credit: iStock

The backstory Uruguay is in many ways the hidden jewel box of South America, and Colonia del Sacramento, its oldest city, is also its most glittering stone. Founded in 1680 and fought over through the ages by Portugal, Spain and then Brazil, the historic quarter is a fiercely guarded photographic fiesta of cobblestones, colonial stone houses, tiled roofs, narrow lanes and generous squares, surrounded on three sides by water.

See + do This is a city for dreaming. Enter via the impressive Old Town Gate and wander its picturesque streets, stop and gaze at its colourful homes, sit in the sunshine in the Plaza de Armas, visit the country’s oldest church, Matriz, check out the drawbridge and feel that time has stopped its march.

Don’t miss The Insta-worthy beauty of the 17th-century Calle de Los Suspiros (or Street of Sighs), where women used to wait to comfort the sailors returning from long voyages.

Essentials The weather is mild year round. Stay at the four-star Radisson Hotel Colonia Del Sacramento close to the old quarter. See welcomeuruguay.com; radissoncolonia.com

Varanasi, India

The backstory One of the oldest living cities in the world and the holiest of India’s holy cities, Varanasi, on the banks of the Ganges River in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, is the spiritual heart of the country. Author Mark Twain once described it as older than history, tradition and legend, and looking “twice as old as all of them put together”.

A sadhu or mystic on the Ganges, India.Credit: iStock

See + do Wandering around the riverbank is a fabulous way to absorb the atmosphere as all life – and death – is played out in plain sight, unchanged over the ages. Locals, pilgrims and visitors alike bathe, wash their clothes and give offerings to the gods, while massive funeral pyres billow smoke into the air.

Don’t miss A visit at dusk to the Dashashwamedh Ghat close to Vishwanath Temple, one of the oldest and most sacred flights of steps down to the river, where the spectacular Aarti fire ritual, with chanted prayers and rhythmic drumming, is held every day.

Essentials It’s cooler between October and February, but the monsoonal months from July to September can be pretty breathtaking. Stay at the five-star Taj Ganges, a magnificent mix of old-world charm and contemporary comfort. See incredibleindia.org; tajhotels.com

Havana, Cuba

Vintage American cars along the Malecon in Havana.Credit: iStock

The backstory Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, Havana is a city that has been so isolated from the outside world for so long, great swathes look as though they’ve been preserved in aspic. Visit soon before recent economic reforms, better internet access and a loosening of travel restrictions bring economic growth, the repair of crumbling buildings, more new cars and more tourists.

See + do Go on a walking tour of the historic quarter, take a taxi ride in a vintage car around the sights and saunter with the locals along the old Malecon seafront parade for the sunset. In the evening, drink a cocktail in one of the bars lining the 17th Century Plaza Vieja.

Don’t miss The huge Necropolis Cristobal Colon cemetery where you can experience history up close, with more than 800,000 graves and some awe-inspiringly elaborate mausoleums and tombs.

Essentials Havana is best between December and March when it’s warm and dry. Stay in the historic house Loma del Angel, close to the Revolution Museum in Old Havana. See cubatravel.cu; lomadelangel.com

Kyoto, Japan

Maikos in the streets of Gion, Kyoto.Credit: iStock

The backstory For more than 1000 years from 794, Kyoto was Japan’s capital and its huge historic renown saw it omitted from the World War II atom bomb target list. It’s a stunning city, dripping in history, filled with ancient Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples, imperial palaces, gardens and wooden houses.

See + do Walking through the tunnels of Torii – red Japanese gates – in the quiet forest to the Fushimi Inari Taisha is one of the most magical experiences of Kyoto, while visiting the Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, or Pure Water Temple, also feels a particularly timeless treat.

Don’t miss Stroll the Higashiyama district, a maze of narrow streets and historic wooden buildings, keeping a keen eye out for gaggles of women in traditional Japanese dress.

Essentials The best times to visit are spring (March to May), or autumn (October and November). Stay at the Amber House Gion, a traditional-style machiya wooden townhouse with old Kyoto charm. See kyoto.travel/en; oldkyoto.com

Five more nostalgic places to visit overseas

Old Delhi, India

Founded as a walled city in 1648, today it’s still a seething, tangled mass of people, alleyways, markets, bicycles, rickshaws, motorbikes, handcarts, food stalls, noise and smells. Top sights include the historic Red Fort, the Jama Masjid Mosque, Humayun’s Tomb and Chandni Chowk, one of the busiest markets in India, wonderful for people-watching. See delhitourism.gov.in

Fes, Morocco

The oldest of the country’s four imperial cities, dating from around 789, ancient battlements and stone towers still partly encircle Fes. It contains the ninth-century Qarawiyyin Mosque as well as the sanctuary of Idis I and the tomb of his successor. In the backstreets, large open-air leatherwork and pottery factories still operate, and donkeys carry goods down the warren of alleys; Fes has the world’s largest car-free urban area. See visitmorocco.com

Glasgow, Scotland

Famous for its Victorian and art nouveau architecture that dates back to the country’s largest city’s emergence as a centre for shipbuilding and trade, Glasgow has many museums and galleries. These include the red sandstone Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the space-age Glasgow Science Centre and the gorgeous Willow Tearooms. See peoplemakeglasgow.com

Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Tradition and culture … The Marquesas.

These are said to be the most isolated 12 islands on Earth – 1500 kilometres north of Tahiti towards Chile – mountainous, wild and stunningly beautiful. The six inhabited islands have managed to avoid too many visitors and, as a result, have preserved their indigenous culture magnificently. Bi-annual festivals of music, dance and tattoo are massive celebrations of their way of life. See tahititourisme.com.au

Honolulu, US

In the capital of Hawaii, glimpses of the “old Hawaii”′ can still be found. The neighbourhood of Kapahulu, O’ahu, is full of vintage Hawaiian shirts, colourful shaved ice, retro surfie cafes and traditional “ono” Hawaiian food. There are also plenty of live performances of hula, with frequent festivals, competitions and displays for visitors. See gohawaii.com