Visitors go to see ancient temples and tombs, and travel sites often recommend the hot air balloon trips.

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In addition, the city is peppered with old city walls, temples, pagodas and tombs from Han Dynasty rulers, including the Hanyangling Tomb, which houses Emperor Jingdi and his wife Empress Wang.

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But at the cliff-top ruins of Cyrene, the only foreigners scrambling over the temples, baths, theatres and tombs are a team of Italian archaeologists.

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Opened in 1866, this incredible cemetery boasts 250, 000 square-metres of eclectic art nouveau sculptures including Greek temples, elaborate obelisks and giant, glass-fronted, marble tombs that could pass for houses.

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