Primeval Beech Forests

2.50 J_neveryes Canada - 14-May-25

This review is of Bulgaria's Dzhendema Reserve, which I hiked through without initially realizing that I would be in an UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

My actual hiking goal was Bulgaria's tallest waterfall, Raysko Praskalo, which is located in Central Balkan National Park.  Approximately 1.5 hours after starting the hike, I encountered a sign informing that I was entering an UNESCO World Heritage Site, which puzzled me as I had no idea that I was even in the vicinity of one.  The mountain forest provided a very pleasant hike, but I would not have known about is specialness but for the sign.  I believed that I hiked for about an hour in the forest before another sign informed me that I was exiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

National Museum of Qatar (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 13-May-25

I have a strong fascination for National Museums and every time I visit a “new” country, I try to take one in. What I am interested in is how countries present their history. It’s like a 5-minute pitch they have to give about “Tell me about your country”. This is very difficult to do well: where do you start, and where do you end? What stories do you tell and which ones do you omit? I recently visited the museums in Jordan and Iraq: the Jordan museum really struggles with a lack of authentic content and representativeness, while the one in Baghdad is an excellent Archaeological Museum but doesn’t cover the whole story.

Tubbataha Reefs

Boj Egypt - 17-May-25

Reasonable scuba divers will agree that, as far as the possibility of marine life encounter is concerned, luck is a constant factor, along with all other environmental conditions, as well the divers’ skill and general behaviour. “It’s not an aquarium down there after all,” is an easy but a necessary caveat. In that regard, I and my fellow divers thank ours lucky stars for the Tubbataha superlatives experience (dive safari in March 2025). 

However, to fully appreciate the site, it would be necessary to look back and stocktake decades of efforts from various stakeholders in Palawan - academe, fisherfolk communities, national and local government agencies, NGOs, international organisations, etc., whose efforts made Tubbataha currently a model for marine site conservation

Tubbataha Reefs

3.50 Clyde Malta - 14-May-25

I visited this WHS in Spring 2025 thanks to a special meet-up (9 pax) organised by Thomas Buechler on a liveaboard catamaran for 2 nights. The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is made up of Tubbataha Reef (South Atoll and North Atoll) and the smaller Jessie Beazley Reef, located in the middle of the Sulu Sea 150 kilometres southeast of Puerto Princesa. It lies at the apex of what is known as the Coral Triangle, a global centre of marine biodiversity. The natural park is a bird (also a Ramsar site) and marine sanctuary with a very high density of marine species, especially coral, with 72% of all coral genera in the world.

Copán

4.00 Clyde Malta - 12-May-25

I visited this WHS in Spring 2024 as a 2 night 2 day trip excursion from Guatemala. Arriving late in the afternoon as opposed to an early morning border crossing meant that there was no traffic at all, something that should be taken in mind as we saw long queues to cross the border from Guatemala to Honduras on our return.

Thi [...]

Antigua Guatemala

3.00 Clyde Malta - 12-May-25

I visited this WHS in Spring 2024 and spent a couple of nights here, mostly to be able to visit early in the morning and around sunset when it isn't so crowded. The nearby active Fuego and Acatenango volcanoes frequently sent up huge plumes of ash in the sky every now and then, just as a reminder of why the earthquake resistant Baroque architecture was necessary here.

Having extra time and entering Antigua Guatemala from three different locations (Lake Atitlan, Tak'Alik Abaj and Santiago de Guatemala) during my stay in Antigua Guatemala, I allowed brief stops to also cover some of the minor locations scattered around the old town, namely Finca Retana and Finca El Portal (some of the oldest fincas in the region for coffee production), San Bartolomé Becerra (a small church but portrayed as a highlight during Holy Week processions), San Juan del Obispo (now an interesting museum) and San Cristobal El Alto (remains of a chapel). It must be said that these minor locations alone don't possess any particular OUV that truly enhances the main old town location or indeed cover it if anyone were to miss out on visiting the old town for any reason

Brugge

5.00 Andrew_Kerr UK - 11-May-25

I've been to Brugge three times and I'm yet to be disappointed.I know we are all different but I really struggle to see how people rate Brugge at three stars. It's a 5 star tourist destination. One of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe, the "Venice of the north" with it's extensive canal network (although I dislike that tag) and several UNESCO listed sites besides the Historic Center of Brugge itself.Yes, it does get overrun with tourists (what do you expect?) and it can be expensive but it's still one of the great sights in Europe and definitely the best in Belgium

Rideau Canal

3.00 J_neveryes Canada - 13-May-25

I have a soft spot for this Canadian World Heritage Site as I lived in Kingston - the end (or start) of the Rideau Canal - for four years during my university days. 

Kingston is an attractive city, in my opinion, with a good collection of 19th century limestone buildings.  A particularly interesting building is the Neoclassical Kingston Penitentiary, which housed some of the most infamous criminals from 1835 to 2013. The “Kingston Pen” is now a museum with guided tours.  

The monasteries of Tatev and Tatevi Anapat (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 13-May-25

Seeing Tatev pop up as a potential WH candidate for 2028, I had to dive deeply into my memory for an opinion. Fortunately, I still have my diaries in Dutch available.

I visited in 2005, as a day trip from Yerevan with a car + driver. It’s in the direction of Iran and it would take us 5 hours to get there. We regularly encountered large trucks with Iranian number plates. The chance that they are bringing something to Armenia is greater than getting something, but Iran is (compared to Azerbaijan and Turkey) a good neighbour. We also got caught up in very large herds of sheep twice, accompanied by shepherds and dogs.

Village de Sidi Bou Saïd (T)

Joel on the Road Australia - 07-May-25

The dossier for Sidi Bou Said speaks glowingly of an important Mediterranean hilltop town, with palaces and big houses and important religious shrines and so on. The reality (at least for our visit) was a typical Mediterranean tourist village, featuring a packed main street with souvenir stalls, Nutella crepe vendors and so on.

We spent an hour or so here and honestly didn’t find much of interest. It was cold and raining steadily during our visit, so it wasn’t the sparkling jewel we had semi-expected. The highlight for us was Dar El Annabi, a restored old mansion built in the traditional style. It was interesting to wander around, a felt like a very fancy version of Dars we had stayed in elsewhere in Tunisia.

Quirigua

3.00 Clyde Malta - 11-May-25

I visited this WHS in Spring 2024 as a detour from Antigua Guatemala before heading to Copan, Honduras. It is rightly famous for its superbly carved and preserved sandstone stelae, 9 of which are protected only by thatched roofs. There are small information boards in front of each stele with hieroglyphic texts and sculpted calendars. The huge trees full of birds surrounding the current site of Quirigua are a mere reminder of the jungle which used to cover these stelae. Old photos of the site can be seen in the small on-site museum, together with photos of the recent flooding. The wooden UNESCO WHS plaque has been changed with another carved one recently.

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape

2.00 Zoë Sheng Chinese-Canadian - 09-May-25

I did the "lazy" thing and just parked at Lake Surprise, part of Mt Eccles National Park, which is easy as long as you have your own car. It was way back in 2018 so maybe things have changed now - for one it's actually inscribed as a UNESCO property now and the path around the lake is actually clear. Back in the days I met with the caretaker (more of a hippie that was doing this on the side) and he was a bit concerned that logs had fallen onto the path - and he made sure I would drive safely to avoid hitting 'roos - mkay.  The path around the lake is usually quite easy and doesn't take too long. You can see plenty of birds this way too. From this area you can hike more inwards for the lava tunnel and "natural" bridge

Wooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval Anatolia

2.00 Zoe United States - 12-May-25

I recently visited Aslanhane Mosque (in Turkish, Arslanhane Camisi) in Ankara as I was already in the city for the day due to a flight connection. This Seljuk mosque, built in 1290 CE, seems to be a lot smaller and less interesting than the other locations of this WHS. Thus, I wouldn't recommend it as a stop to anyone besides WHS travelers. I have seen a lot of Seljuk mosques/madrasahs, of comparable age, that are more stunning and visually intriguing during my time in Turkey (the Çifte Minareli Madrasah in Erzurum, built 1265 CE, if you want a rec)! However, what makes these hypostyle mosques interesting are the wooden beams inside, thought to have originated from the Mongol invasions half a century prior, according to UNESCO

Garni and the ‘Basalt Organ’ Columnar Joint (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 09-May-25

I visited this recent addition to Armenia's Tentative List in March 2005. It's actually surprising that it took them so long to put it forward, since Garni is one of the country's best-known sights. I went on a day tour (a combo with Geghard Monastery), organised from the Soviet hotel Erebuni and costing 10 dollars. There was only one (Armenian) fellow passenger.

At the first stop, we know for sure that Yerevan is behind us: the air here is clean and fresh, the surroundings green. We stopped at a monument for a poet. His favourite spot for inspiration was this view of Mount Ararat. This, snow-covered, is clearly visible today.

Wadi Al-Hitan

3.00 Frédéric M Canada - 17-May-25

During my trip to Egypt in February and March 2025, I spent three nights at the Zad El Mosafer guesthouse in Tunis in the Fayoum and Lake Qarun region. I used Tunis as a base to visit Wadi Al-Hitan, Gebel Qatrani, and Soknopaiou Nesos. I organized all these activities through my guesthouse. What's more, they also arranged transport to Alexandria, with stops at the monasteries of Saint Pishoy and Saint Macarius the Great and Abu Mena.

My first day in Tunis was spent [...]

Val di Noto

3.00 Twobaconsandaboston Australia - 09-May-25

This WHS was last reviewed in 2021, so I thought I would provide an update in 2025.  We have been based in Syracuse (another UNESCO site) for the last 3 weeks and used this location as a base to explore all 8 of these Baroque Towns.  On average we spent about 3- 4 hours in each town, I think if you spend any less you are not doing each location due diligence to explore the OUV of each site.  Ragusa and Modica were a long day trip by train to explore both on the same day.  Scicli, Noto, Catania and Militello were all individual day trips by the Train

ShUM Sites

4.00 Sturuss Germany - 11-May-25

I visited 3 out of 4 of the ShUM sites in May 2025 and was very impressed by my experiences. Prior to my visit I was tangentially aware of various elements of the history of Europe's Medieval Jews, but these sites really gave me an insight into a side of European history that I knew relatively little about. The sites were well set up for visitors and there is now the ShUM-App, which contains information in German and English for all of the sites. If you have heave headphones with you then you can use it as an audioguide, although I just read the text. The app also contains all of the important information about opening hours, entrance fees, and important customs all in one convenient place

Djerba

1.00 Joel on the Road Australia - 07-May-25

Djerba is a cultural landscape that reflects how local people survived and thrived on a harsh desert island. The dossier and the inscription criteria speak of overcoming the unique challenges in finding food and water, building shelters, developing an economy, defending themselves, and so on. This sounds interesting enough, though a bit vague like most cultural landscapes.

However, almost none of the inscribed locations reflect these criteria. Of the 31 locations specifically mentioned, 25 are mosques, along with a catholic church, a synagogue, and a souk. Which honestly makes this inscription baffling.

Tak'alik Ab'aj

2.50 Clyde Malta - 11-May-25

I visited this WHS in Spring 2024 as a day trip from Antigua Guatemala. The day before my visit I was lucky to spot some original stone sculptures on display at the second floor of the National Museum of Guatemalan Art or MUNAG in Antigua Guatemala. It is best to leave very early as the mostly one lane roads to Tak'alik Ab'aj can see quite a lot of heavy traffic, mostly due to the banana plantation trucks and workers. Make sure not to visit on Mondays as otherwise the excellent Museo Caracol del Tiempo with most original stelae and sculptures will be closed. Spanish-speaking guides offer their services for a tip both at the museum and at the archaeological park.

Vatican City

5.00 Jgriffindor6 United States - 14-May-25

I initially thought that I would not be able to add much to the discussion in regards to the sites I visited in April 2025. I mean, what can yet another American tourist say about something as heavily visited as the Vatican? I did decide to visit during the year of the Jubilee, which I thought would add another layer to the experience, at least in an anthropological manner. 

However, the day before I was about to leave, the world received the sad news that Pope Francis had passed away

Çatalhöyük

3.50 Zoe United States - 12-May-25

I visited this site in May 2025. As mentioned, there is a brand new museum that is really well-done. There's interactive screens and buttons you can press to learn about the different reasons Çatalhöyük is important. For instance, Çatalhöyük showed evidence of a egalitarian society, with no difference in the treatment of men and women. No one home unit was more elaborate or larger than another, also seen as evidence towards this point. There is, additionally, a replica of the houses on site (pictured) that you can freely walk into and get a feel for what it might have been like thousands of years ago. Other facilities on site: cafe, bathrooms, gift shop, and lookout tower. I was a big fan of the museum and found it to be really interesting

Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands

2.50 Els Slots The Netherlands - 07-May-25

The Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands, being a distinct Floral WHS, never appealed to me much. Still, it was a shoo-in in 2021 as IUCN easily confirmed its global significance (“one of the two most important refuge areas of Arcto-Tertiary geoflora in western Eurasia”; the Hyrcanian Forests are the other one) and was also happy with the site management. I visited the same location as several other reviewers, Mtirala National Park, but happened to do so on a sunny day in May, with the rhododendrons in full bloom.

Paquimé

2.50 Clyde Malta - 11-May-25

I visited this WHS in spring 2024. I drove to Nuevo Casas Grandes from Hermosillo airport (8 hrs) and apart from a few military checkpoints along the highway where the Trump wall is visible, the only minor issue were the many potholes. If you happen to have a rental car with hub caps, I suggest removing them or buying straps as otherwise you'll most certainly lose them while driving to/from Paquimé. Keep in mind that it can get very cold after sunset and especially in the morning with the formation of morning dew; but after that it quickly gets very hot.

Ichkeul National Park

1.50 Shandos Cleaver Australia - 07-May-25

Visiting a site like Ichkeul National Park, where it's not clear what if anything you can visit, is a lot harder to plan by public transport than by car. Especially when you've just arrived in the country, aren't yet confident with louages and can't speak French. A staff member at our Tunis hostel recommended we request a permit at the Ministry of Tourism (he had unsuccessfully tried to visit within the last year or two), but other sources said a different department was required.

We decided to go ahead without getting a permit, as we weren't too keen on wasting time in government offices. At the last minute, we changed plans from taking a bus or louage to Mateur to taking a louage to Menzel Bourguiba. After all, the latter city was almost on the edge of the lake - our back-up option to tick off a visit

Litomysl Castle

1.00 Ludvan USA - 08-May-25

The Litomysl Castle is on my penultimate day of Czechia WHS circuit.  I am not going to add much to the comments already posted except for my experience, or lack thereof during the visit. 

1) the site is under renovation so the side of the castle is covered by scaffolding and screening. The Sgrafiti are therefore not visible from the entrance side. The other side with the lawn is enclosed by construction fencing, thus you can’t get a photo.  I was lucky to sneak in for a few photos when the construction crew was changing shifts and opened the gate. 

Ayutthaya

4.00 ZCTLife USA - 06-May-25

Many years ago, I traveled with the famed Lonely Planet book, South East Asia on a Shoestring, the storied ‘Yellow Bible’ of discount travelers, my prize possession.  I remember traveling around Thailand in those days, taking colorful 3 wheeled Tuk-Tuks, eating simple Pad Thai street food, and staying at the cheapest guest house hostels I could find.  I remember watching a truck filled with children stop at the end of a touristy street, unload two dozen street urchins, and drive to the other end of the street to pick them up after they had collected their begging money

El Pinacate

3.50 Clyde Malta - 11-May-25

I visited this WHS in spring 2024. At first glance El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar National Biosphere Reserve seems to be made up of two completely different components. By visiting the great Schuk Toak Visitor Centre (usually closed Monday to Wednesday, but not always) and its interesting lava trails + 5 kilometre dune trail (closed in summer and when temperatures get too high), you'll already get a good overview of the site (especially the Gran Desierto de Altar National component) and its OUV.

The mausoleum of Nakhichevan (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 05-May-25

This TWHS is a good excuse to visit the Azeri exclave of Nakhichevan. Its peculiar geographical location may also improve its chances of ever getting nominated to a WHS, as (a) it substantiates Azerbaijan’s territorial claim, and (b) the Great Leader (the Father) Heydar Aliyev was born in Nakhichevan. They’d need to do something about their proposition, though, as the Tentative Site Description is poorly written and even the site name makes no sense (it should be plural).

Getting to Nakhichevan from mainland Azerbaijan nowadays is only possible by flight, as since COVID, all land borders have been closed (before 2020, entry via Turkey or Iran was possible; the border with [...]

Grand Canal

3.00 Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero The Philippines - 11-May-25

During my visit in early 2014, I was not aware of the Grand Canal nomination despite it gaining inscription later that year. But visiting Suzhou and going out of the railway station already allows a fair glimpse into this massive engineering marvel deserving of many superlatives. The canal stretch fronting the railway station is already quite visually pleasing as it is backdropped by massive Pingmen Gate and a nearby smaller water gate; this section of old city wall was rebuilt in 2012. The old city's Ring Canal is part of the Suzhou Section of Jiangnan Canal, and true to its function it is still being used by far-reaching cargo boats and barges that are vital for commerce and transportation as well as by tourist boats that can go to the more popular scenic areas. 

Satpura Tiger Reserve (T)

Kurt Lauer USA - 06-May-25

I visited the Satpura Tiger Reserve during Christmas of 2023.  Satpura is the largest of the Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh.  Due to its larger size Tiger sightings are less frequent than the smaller and more visited reserves in this region of India.  

I did three safaris in the core region, spending two nights at the Buffalo Resort (not to be confused with the Buffalo Lodge, located an hours drive away in Pachmarhi - which serves as the Park's headquarters).  My first two safaris were a morning and then an evening jeep safari.  The terrain was mostly grassland, small rolling hills and shrubs.  There were numerous deer species, Indian Guars, and the highlight four sloth bears. The park also allows a limited number of people to do a walking safari with a group of rangers.  This was definitely a highlight of the trip, as it's the only tiger reserve in the area that allows this activity. Tiger sightings are rare - as a matter of fact the rangers told me it only has happened once before in the past year

Coa Valley and Siega Verde

3.00 CugelVance Germany - 26-Oct-24

I visited the village of Vila Nova de Foz Coa on oct.,the 19th and 20th,2024.

I had booked a tour "Canada do Inferno" through the official website of Coa Parque weeks before for sunday morning, october the 20th. On the 19th I arrived at Pocinho by train and by pure luck I got a taxi to my accommodation.

Before I took the taxi, I had visited the dam and the closed (but nevertheless accessible) former train and car bridge of Pocinho. Highly recommended, especially since it only takes a short stroll to get from the train station in Pocinho to both places. 

Flemish Béguinages

3.00 NoahFranc Germany - 30-Apr-25

After visiting my sister-in-law in Antwerp, I requested a stop in Lierre on the way back. It was an easy half-hour drive from Antwerp through beautiful countryside, but I understand that the city is also easily-reachable via train, so it's easily combined with visits to Antwerp and/or Brussels. 

Lierre is, on the old, a lovely, quiet little town with a main square maybe not as flashy as Brussels or Antwerp, but still very charming. The belfry on the Stadhuis is also WH as one of the 23 belfry-towers. There is a famous prisoner's gate and a small astronomical tower worth seeing as well, all close together. I also recommend getting some vlaaike, a baked delicacy specific to Liere that tasted a little like a tiny pumpkin pie. 

Divrigi

3.50 Els Slots The Netherlands - 27-Apr-25

I am happy to be the first to review the Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği after restorations ended in May 2024. The complex lies uphill above the Old Town; if you arrive by car it is best to follow local signposting to “Ulu Cami” to avoid the worst of the town’s narrow streets. There’s plenty of parking near the building. I don’t know whether it was like this before, but there is a landscaped park at the foot of the hill, from where you can admire the full complex with its characteristic hexagonal dome.

The Bodrum Castle (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 25-Apr-25

There only appears to be one other review of the Bodrum Castle here and it's quite negative, but also fairly accurate.

Coming from Wales, we have some pretty spectacular castles ourselves and there are fine examples of excellent Crusader castles all over the eastern Mediterranean and I don't think this is one of them.

There's been so much development around the harbour area that it's often not even in sight. You need to be out at sea to get a proper view and honestly, as castles go, it's nothing special.

Aranjuez

4.00 2Flow2 United States - 18-Mar-25

Some World Heritage Sites loom large and will stun and wow people no matter who you are or where you are travelling from. I think of my time at Victoria Falls or Jerusalem and how immediately accosting those were. Aranjuez is not a site such as those, and that's okay, it's in the "majority" of sites. Aranjuez, like many of the historical cultural sites, will vary in what it offers to the visitor based on how much you effort you put into learning about it.

So what is Aranjuez?

Aranjuez was the "summer palace" location that the Spanish monarchs would retire to in the 1700s and 1800s

Hiraizumi (extension) (T)

Lithobates Canada - 26-Mar-25

Visit date(s):         October 5 & 6, 2024

Nearby sites on trip: Hiraizumi 

Overnight location: Onsen near Ichinoseki 

Location(s):  

• Takkoku-no-Iwaya (photo)
• Cultural Heritage Center (There are other sites listed, but the staff at the cultural centre suggested that they weren’t worth the trips because they were archaeological sites without access for visitors.  Some artefacts from them were in the centre.  There were photos of some others that are in the Tokyo national museum.)

Travel method(s):  car

Hiraizumi

3.50 Lithobates Canada - 26-Mar-25

Visit date(s):           October 5 & 6, 2024

Nearby sites on trip: Hiraizumi (extension)

Overnight location: Onsen near Ichinoseki 

Location(s):  

• Môtsû-ji
• Kanjizaiô-in Ato (photo)
• Chûson-ji
• Mount Kinkeisan
• Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage Center, on Mount Kinkeisan (There is one other site listed, but the staff at the cultural centre suggested that it wasn’t worth the trip because there wasn’t really access for visitors.  Some artefacts were in the centre.  There were photos of some others that are in the Tokyo national museum.)

Travel method(s):  car and foot

The Ancient City of Nineveh (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 27-Apr-25

Nineveh is yet another classic name on the list of Iraqi TWHS. Although it was present as a trade colony at the time of Ancient Mesopotamian civilizations early on, Nineveh’s heydays came with the Neo-Assyrians in the 9th century BC and spanned a relatively short period. It was their last capital and the end of the Assyrian Empire. In its time, it even was the largest city in the world. This Historical Travel Guide explains what you might have seen there when you were lucky to visit it in the 7th century BC. 

Vizcaya Bridge

3.50 2Flow2 United States - 26-Apr-25

I was expecting to be pretty underwhelmed by this WHS (after all, it is just a bridge...) but it was actually quite a bit better than I expected! I visited this during March 2025, during the year my wife and I have been living in Spain. We had a trip to the nearby San Sebastián planned, and so rented a car specifically for the purpose of doing a day in Bilbao where I knew I we could see this bridge.

Unfortunately for me, our other activities took a bit longer than expected, and parking in Bilbao can be a bit tricky. Be aware of that if you are bringing personal transportation into the city as opposed to public transport

Hué

4.00 CugelVance Germany - 26-Apr-25

Time of the visit:22nd -26th,april,2025.

On the 22nd I arrived in Hue around 15.00.I just took a long walk around a large part of the inner outer areas of the citadel without entering the citadel as it was quite late.The following day I entered the huge citadel around 11.00 am and stayed there till around 17.30.It was an extremely hot day so that I needed far more time to visit all sections within the big citadel. The heat made me take far more breaks than intended.On a cooler day 3 h would have been sufficient to visit the entire citadel.

Hatra

3.50 Els Slots The Netherlands - 26-Apr-25

Hatra is one of the stars of the National Museum in Baghdad: it produced those funny statues of men with curly hair and a surprised expression, raising one hand as if to say “Hi!”. The ancient city, built by the Parthians, dates mostly from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. With its columns and capitals, it clearly was inspired by the “global” architectural trends of Classical Antiquity.

The archaeological site of Hatra lies a bit of a drive from the main highway, in the desert

Isole Eolie

3.50 Twobaconsandaboston Australia - 22-Apr-25

We based ourselves in Milazzo off the Coast of Sicily and the closest port to the Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands) for Day trips.  Our visit to the islands consisted of a long day trip to 2 of the closest islands being Lipari and Vulcano.  We utilised Liberty Lines being local ferries around the islands rather than undertaking with a tour company.  Ticket prices were reasonable with a lot of flexability for ferry times, and we could take our Boston Terrier dog with us.  Lipari was more urbanised with a lot more infrastructure, activities and sites.  We particularly enjoyed the old castle area with the Basilica di Dan Bartolomeo and the archaeological ruins in the area

Khinalig

3.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 04-May-25

Khinalig isn’t visited much by our community – it is too remote to feature on a first itinerary of Azerbaijan. A direct drive from Baku takes 4 hours; so it should be in our Remote Cultural WHS connection. I got there via a day tour from Baku by the Azerbaijan Travel Company (booked via the cheaper GetYourGuide). They run daily group tours with an English-speaking guide, which are surprisingly popular. It included some other short stops as well (Candycane Mountain and the Red Village (the town of the Mountain Jews, where the synagogue now has been closed and is guarded by Azeri soldiers because of Gaza tensions)), but when you go on your own I’d recommend doing Khinalig only as it is by far the most interesting part.

Göbekli Tepe

4.50 Zoe United States - 24-Apr-25

I visited Göbekli Tepe back in March 2025. As mentioned, you can take the bus from the stop outside the archeology museum. The archeology museum itself is a must-see; but you need to budget at least a couple hours for it. It's giant and covers a wide range of history in the region -- including, of course, Göbekli Tepe. Once you finish the museum, you can head outside for the bus, which leaves on the 45 of the hour (sharp, too, so don't get outside at 9:47 or you'll miss it!). The bus only takes contactless credit card or Urfa Kart, so don't bring cash. It's about 1 USD

Samarra

3.50 Els Slots The Netherlands - 24-Apr-25

Although best known for its Spiral Minaret, Samarra is much more. It’s the archaeological site of a city that was the short-lived capital of the Abbasids. They built it as a planned city in the countryside, away from the populace of Babylon, to create “a new royal culture revolving around sprawling palatial grounds, public spectacle and a seemingly ceaseless quest for leisurely indulgence". Consider it an early version of one of those new capitals that you also see in Brazil (Brasilia), Indonesia (Nusantara), Myanmar (Naypyidaw). The site is spread across 10 locations in and around the modern city of Samarra, and several of those were visitable in April 2025, although the checkpoint density still is higher here than elsewhere in Iraq.

Fontainebleau

4.00 Laetitia Yin - 21-Apr-25

The Château de Fontainebleau offers an exceptional journey through eight centuries of French royal history. Less crowded than Versailles, it provides an intimate and immersive experience into the lives of monarchs from Francis I to Napoleon III. Visitors can admire the splendid Galerie François Ier, the Emperor’s Throne Room, and the private theatre of Napoleon III—each a testimony to evolving styles from Renaissance to Empire.

The surrounding gardens are equally breathtaking. The Grand Parterre, designed by André Le Nôtre, is among Europe’s largest formal gardens. The English Garden offers a peaceful contrast with winding paths, exotic trees, and romantic views, including the Carp Pond and the charming Pavillon de l’Étang.

Ogasawara Islands

3.00 ZCTLife USA - 23-Apr-25

I traveled here years ago while teaching English in Tokyo.  I had a vacation, had already traveled widely, and this place caught my eye, for its obscurity.  Administratively, the islands are part of the city of Tokyo, even though they’re on the same latitude as Okinawa, much further out into the Pacific than any other Japanese islands.  Iwo Jima, where the US Marines raised their flag on 23 February 1945, is part of the island group, but civilian visitation is almost completely restricted.  Another island was also off limits when I visited, due to a Japanese military base.  At the time, traveling by ferry in the cheapest class seemed like an interesting travel experience, and I remember lying around on fake tatami mats, eating snacks and drinking beer

Pergamon

2.00 Rolf Noreg - 17-Apr-25

The most surreal experience I've ever had at a museum. The upper part was full of people and clean, but the lower half with the agoras and the Olympeion was totally empty, with cows grazing and pooping everywhere, and nighly illegible signs. The UNESCO sign was also missing because it was broken? How does that even happen lol? 

Fun fact: Pergamon is the origin of parchment

Kyiv: St. Cyril's and St. Andrew's Churches (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 18-Apr-25

Coming from the UK, where all our great cathedrals and abbeys are built of stone with no colour on the exterior save for the stained glass windows, the cathedrals and churches in Ukraine are opulent by comparison, particularly the baroque churches such as St Andrew's (pictured). Beautifully painted in pastel colours and finished with gold leafing it's a truly sumptuous example of rare Elizabethan Baroque.Within a very short distance there are the equally impressive, St Michael's Monastery and St Sophia's Cathedral (already a UNESCO WHS listing) so I don't quite see why there should be a separate listing, in fact it's a little confusing, just include them in the existing one

Workers’ Assembly Halls (BE) (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 30-Apr-25

The Workers' Assembly Halls, a nomination led by Denmark, is one of the more prominent upcoming serial transnational initiatives. It is aiming for inscription in 2027. They represent the international democratic labour movement of the years 1850 to 1950. This isn’t a popular subject in the 21st century, but “we” (the workers in the countries where the labour movement had a significant impact) owe perks like the 8-hour workday and holiday bonuses to them. 

Among the 7 proposed Assembly Halls in 6 countries is “De Vooruit” in Ghent, Belgium. It has just appeared on the country’s tentative list (April 2025), and is definitely part of the final selected group that is preparing a nomination and it has received funding to do so from the Flanders government. I visited it on November 9, 2024, on a guided tour

Ahwar of Southern Iraq

4.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 23-Apr-25

This should have been split into two WHS: one for the sites of the Ancient Sumerian civilization, one for the “New” Marshes. ICOMOS and IUCN suggested to do so and saw OUV in both, but inscription was rushed through and now we’re stuck with a messy inscription and an unrecognizable site name. 

I will focus my review on the Marshes and not on the archaeological sites

Sassanid Archaeological Landscape

2.50 Zoë Sheng Chinese-Canadian - 22-Apr-25

I visited in 2019 just after it had been inscribed although the signs still didn't have any UNESCO logos. It was in English though, and well written, all that matters. There are many locations by the way. I stayed at a small place in Atashkadeh and had the Ardashir Palace just next to me but on the day of arrival it was too late - I saw it in the dark but why I would bother to check out shades. In the morning it was a good time to visit. In retrospective I may have added more of the sites on my journey but I don't find these too interesting. It was free and unprotected but for the flimsy gate. It may have better protection now but it's also in the middle of nowhere so nobody really "threatens" these. I think no maintenance is more of a hazard.

Mount Etna

3.00 Twobaconsandaboston Australia - 22-Apr-25

We based ourselves in Taormina for 4 days in early April 2025 to immerse ourselves in this location, as it is a beautiful coastal town (up in the hills) with an amazing amphitheatre and character itself (not UNESCO).  We were blessed with a wonderful view of Mt Etna from Taormina for the first 2 days and then the cloud cover came in.  We choose a local tour company for a Morning Tour of Mt Etna which was 75 Euro per adult.  The tour company picked us up at 8.30am for a leisurely drive up the Northeastern slope of Mt Etna where we then hiked for about an hour and half along the slope of Mt Etna amongst the lava flows and landscape.  Snow was still visible across the top of Mt Etna, although we only went up to 2000 feet

Wadi Al-Salam Cemetery in Najaf (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 16-Apr-25

Najaf in Southern Iraq is the holiest city for Shia Islam as it holds the Tomb of Ali – “the” Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed and with whom the Shia split from the lineage as recognized by the Sunni. He was assassinated in 661 in nearby Kufa and buried in Najaf (though some believe his remains are elsewhere, the Caliphs since the 8th century have recognized Najaf as the place and it developed into a huge pilgrimage site). 

The Tomb of Ali is now housed in a glitzy mausoleum, rebuilt and embellished over and over again

Great Smoky Mountains

4.00 Darren013 United States - 18-Apr-25

My family went over spring break to the Sevierville area. We stayed in a nice cabin with wonderful views of the mountains in a very secluded hamlet. I went on two hikes. One was through a little river, and then we went into an almost tropical environment. We walked through some beautiful wildflowers and stopped at a picturesque waterfall at the end. The other hike we went on was the Alum Cave/Mt. LeConte Trail, and it was the most beautiful trail I have ever seen. The first mile you are traversing through a river, and then you go through an arch rock natural formation that is pretty cool. Then you start going up a little bit, and there is a beautiful corner that you can climb on and see the view below

Jelling

1.50 Zoë Sheng Chinese-Canadian - 19-Apr-25

I visited this site back in September ‎2017 (compare the picture Frederik Dawson posted and mine you'll see it's exactly the same as five years before. I think it will always look like this although the glass covers might change). In 2017 the museum was new, I think, and it's DEFINITELY worth a visit for more than just the Jelling stones but overall Viking info. You can even go into Valhalla - I mean, literally? Jelling is a must visit but why the low score from me and from most visitors? Well, it's important - but not worth seeing the stones themselves. In fact the picture of a stone would probably be enough anyway. You have to stand in front of it and think "oh, wow, so this was planted here and that's why there are Christians in Denmark afterwards"

Babylon

3.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 15-Apr-25

I made it to Babylon in April 2025. There’s a lot to explain here – we’re missing a Solivagant-style PhD review, so I have tried my best to cover a few subjects to better be able to understand this WHS. I based myself on the official nomination documents, web searches, and the wonderful book “Mesopotamia, Ancient Art and Architecture”.

First, the Babylonian Empire itself. We had a connection here already. I’ve redone it to distinguish between the “Old” or “First” Babylonian Empire and the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Remains of the first (2nd millennium BCE) are hardly existent at the Babylon WHS. It focuses on the Neo-Babylonian empire, about 1,000 years younger and a relatively late stage in the history of Mesopotamia overall (it is Chapter 12 of 14 in the aforementioned, chronologically ordered book). The King of Babylon (most notably Nebuchadnezzar II) regained regional power and started a monumental building scheme that centered on his capital, Babylon and included the famous Ishtar Gate

Old City of Mosul (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 22-Apr-25

The northern city of Mosul is the odd one out among the Iraqi (T)WHS. On the one hand, it is probably the one most severely damaged during the recent conflicts (though nearby Nimrud has been hit hard as well). On the other hand, it is the only one that has been subject to a full-scale international rescue mission, which has also brought in internationally accepted restoration and conservation standards.

The Old City of Mosul stands for a thus far unrepresented part of Iraqi history: that of the Turkic-Mongol invasions (though a nomination will also include its Ottoman remains). The Turkic Zengid Dynasty ruled the area of northern Iraq and Syria from Mosul from 1127–1222

Seville

3.50 Alikander99 Spain - 06-Apr-25

I visited this world heritage site on March of 2025. Well technically I had already been, but it was so long ago I barely had memories about it and I crucially didn't go to the alcazar. 

So after reading extensively about Islamic architecture I decided it was time to re-visit the city. 

The world heritage site itself is a bit weird. It comprises three buildings built in different time periods for very distinct reasons. Their main point of connection is that they're right in front of each other. 

Angkor

5.00 CugelVance Germany - 13-Apr-25

Time of the visit of Siam Reap: 26.03.-5.04.2025

As soon as I arrived in Siam Reap I bought a 7-day pass( You have 1 month to use up the 7 days) for the unesco complex of Angkor Wat and went immediately to the temple Angkor Wat where I spent around 3h till sunset.It was a very hot day and the temple was totally overcrowded with visitors from all parts of our planet.The next two following days I visited the unesco sites Preah Vihear near the Thai border as well as Koh Ker. I also visited the Angkor National Museum (strongly recommended as it helps you to understand quite a few things better when out in the Angkor Wat Complex),the war museum and the cultural village ( a kind of surreal cambodian disneyland,quite big) in Siam Reap. I carefully planned the next six days to divide the massive temple complex into six manageable sections

Baghdad Rusafa (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 14-Apr-25

Behind this long site name hides what could be called “Old Baghdad”, the area from which the Abassid Caliphate (762–1258) ruled and where the Ottomans later had their headquarters as well. It is closely tied to its position on the eastern river bank of the Tigris, and the Tentative Description also proposes it as a City of the River, like Paris and Budapest. Baghdad nowadays markets itself as the ‘Capital of Arab Tourism 2025,’ and this is a focus area in the city for tourists. The area has been in a rehabilitation process since 2017 (it had been neglected and damaged in the decades before) and is bustling again

Ani

4.00 Zoe United States - 06-Apr-25

I visited Ani in April 2025 so I thought I would give an update on the site now :)

Getting to Ani was very easy. There is a small bus that will take tourists to the site everyday at 9am starting at Gazi Ahmet Muhtar Paşa Konağı. The shuttle stays at Ani until 12:45, when it departs back to the same location. Here is the site that lists the updated minibus times, in case they change in the future. The drive is about 50 minutes, and you can pay with credit card or cash -- 100 tl per person. I found the ~2.5 hours at the site more than enough to explore everything and take in the beauty of the natural landscape. Ani accepts MuzeKart if you have it; otherwise, the foreigner price is 8 euros.

Cueva de las Manos

Kbecq Belgium - 07-Apr-25

To add another (practical) perspective to J_neveryes’ recent review: we also visited Cueva de las Manos in March 2025, but from the Northwest. 

We had some trouble fitting in Cueva de las Manos in our Chile and Argentina trip and in the end the best solution was to fly from Santiago to Balmaceda (in Chile, on the border with Argentina) and drive to Cueva de las Manos by rental car. The flight to Balmaceda landed in the morning, but taking into account some potential uncertainties (time needed to cross the border?, would the flight be on time?, …) we decided to drive to the Perito Moreno area on day 1 and visit Cueva de las Manos on day 2.

Ancient City of Ondong (T)

CugelVance Germany - 07-Apr-25

Time of the visit: april the 7th,2025

For 90.000 riel(roughly around 21,5$) a tuktuk driver took me from Cambodia's capital Pnom Penh to Oudong's temple mountain.The journey took about an hour. The driver stopped right next to the tourist information office, where I got a map of all the temples. A few meters away are the stairs leading up to the temple complex. The driver was willing to wait three hours. By the time I reached the top of the stairs, my shirt was soaked with sweat from the high temperatures

Brâncusi Monumental Ensemble of Târgu Jiu

1.50 Jakob Frenzel Germany - 03-Apr-25

August 2024 - On our way from southern Romania back to Hungary we still wanted to make a stop at this freshly inscribed WHS. It was the so far hottest day on the trip. And there was large traffic jam when we approached Targu Jiu.

So not the best visiting conditions. Additionaly, when we passed the column, there was no spot to park or even halt for a short moment. So only I jumped out, took some humoristic photos and we continued to find a public swimming Pool. It wasn't that easy but we succeeded and spent the night on its parking lot.

As-Salt

2.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 11-Apr-25

I hadn’t planned on writing a review for this one, but I feel the need to step up for As-Salt a bit, as the current reviews are too harsh. I even believe that people posted gloomy pictures of the site on purpose! I often measure how I like a site by the number of photos I take – there were 101 here, even on a cloudy day and a Friday when many things are closed.

Sure, its OUV is debatable and the overhanging electrical wires and white water tanks have eluded the city’s beautification committee. But do we want the real world to be turned into folk villages? What I found in As-Salt is a homogenous cityscape, built against a hill and made of a distinct yellow, almost golden limestone

Jomon Prehistoric Sites

3.50 Lithobates Canada - 25-Mar-25

Visit date(s): September 29, 30, October 1, 2024

Nearby sites on trip: We were in Shiretoko several days earlier.

Overnight locations: Eniwa, Rusutsu, Hakodate 

Location(s):  Some locations were accessible but unstaffed when we visited, so we did not visit all of the associated museums.

• Kiusu Earthwork Burial Circles (visited small site center, Chitose City Buried Cultural Properties Center, a few kilometres away, is closed most Sundays)
• Kitakogane (Kitakogane Site Information Center closed at 17:00)         (photo of shell mound)
• Takasago Burial and Irie (visited the excellent Irie Takasago Museum between the sites)
• Ofune (visited small site center)
• Kakinoshima (Hakodate Jomon Culture Center closed at 17:00)

Travel method(s):  car, foot

Sümela Monastery (T)

Zoe United States - 26-Mar-25

I visited Sümela Monastery in fall 2024. It is possible to reach it via tour from Trabzon, although you can also drive yourself, if you prefer. The walk inside involves a lot of steep stairs up and down -- keep that in mind when choosing your shoes! You can also explore a lot of the rooms, which involves ducking and squeezing into various corners of the monastery. Unfortunately, a lot of the wall art is vandalized and you can find a lot of graffiti where ever you go on the site. There are not any plaques explaining what you see in depth, only some sparse signs that say what each room would have been used for. However, I think with the addition of signs that explain the historical context, the site would be greatly improved. The price for foreigners is steep

Les Plages du Débarquement, Normandie, 1944 (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 29-Mar-25

Les Plages du Débarquement, Normandie, 1944, are better known in English as the D Day Landing Beaches in Normandy.The five beaches that make up the D Day landings are (from west to east) Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword and they stretch along the Normandy coast from Isigny-sur-Mer in the west to Ouistreham in the east, spanning a total distance of 75 kilometers.It is possible to visit the most prominent sights in a single day with the use of a car. And along the way there plenty of significant things to visit. Every small seaside town and village seems to have a monument to the landings often in the form of a preserved tank or a pillbox

Desembarco del Granma National Park

3.00 Triath - 31-Mar-25

Visited in January 2023.

The national park is listed as a heritage site because of karst terraces and a lot of endemic wildlife, but it’s difficult to see it. Only one trail is available to tourists in the park (El Guafe archeological trail) on the tour from Bayamo, with some nature attractions included, a giant 400-year-old cactus is interesting, but birds fly here in the spring, during the rainy season. Local Indians used the caves for ritual purposes, including for offerings to the “water idol”.For lunch, the guide took us to Cabo Cruz fishing village, where we could eat freshly caught lobsters and fish, and at ridiculous prices

Petrified Forest National Park (T)

Lithobates Canada - 26-Mar-25

Visit date(s):         February 5, 2025

Nearby sites on trip: Grand Canyon 

Overnight locations: Flagstaff and Winslow. For people interested in the architecture of Mary Colter, there is a beautifully restored railway hotel in Winslow. It was a highlight of our week in Arizona. 

Location(s):

• Visitor Centers
• Giant Logs and Puerco Pueblo trails.                                                         (photo of petroglyphs at Puerco Pueblo)
• Almost all overlooks
• Blue Mesa drive
• Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark

Travel method(s):  car

Kitanglad and Kalatungan Mountain Ranges (T)

Boj Egypt - 04-Apr-25

I summitted Mt. Kitanglad in August 2024, after hiking more than 8 hours of steep, muddy, rocky, slippery terrain. It is the fourth highest mountain in the country, and graded 6/9 in terms of trail difficulty.  

It is nominated as a mixed site, to recognize the cultural heritage values of the indigenous cultural communities (ICC) living the mountain range. Few wooden altars can be noticed along the trail - a place of prayer for ancestors and mountain spirits; most are hidden from hikers and only the ICCs know where they are. 

Samar Island Natural Park (T)

Boj Egypt - 04-Apr-25

There are four areas comprising this property: (1) Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park, (2) Calbiga Caves Protected Landscape, (3) Jicontol Natural Park; and (4) Taft Forest Philippine Eagle Wildlife Sanctuary. In March 2025, I visited Sohoton Natural Bridge Park, arguably the easiest to visit among the four, given its proximity (only an hour or so) from Tacloban City, a major urban area of the Eastern Visayas region. 

Several studies already prove Samar Island Natural Park's biodiversity and geoheritage values. Instead I will commend the positive impact of engaging local communities (especially those living within the park), i.e., members of the cooperative serve as tour guides, entertainers, food caterers, kayak and boat drivers, etc

Umm Al-Jimāl

3.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 10-Apr-25

Despite its relative obscurity, Umm Al-Jimāl has been praised as “an archaeologist’s dream”. It’s not hard to take pictures here that would make it look like a Roman-Byzantine site, and the even earlier Nabataeans passed here too, but 90% of the site consists of vernacular architecture based on locally available and finely cut basalt stones. The site museum glorifies the “indigenous people [probably Arab nomads who settled down].. who continued their traditions and were no puppets of the various rulers”; the OUV is also solely based on the rural lifestyle of these Hauranian people

Diyarbakir Fortress and Hevsel Gardens

2.50 Zoe United States - 30-Mar-25

This site covers a lot of ground and is hard to get a feel for on your own — just the walls of the city themselves are the 2nd widest and longest complete defensive walls (after only the Great Wall of China)! However, I found that visiting the Diyarbakir Archeology Museum first gave great contextualization for the rest of the city. Price is 3 euros for foreigners in Spring 2025.

Across from the museum, you can walk along a portion of the wall by climbing some steep stairs to reach the top. You can also get a view of the Hevsel gardens in the distance

Construction de la Co-principauté d’Andorre (A) (T)

Tony H. Finland - 31-Mar-25

I visited Andorra as a day trip from Barcelona in March 2025. The 7 hours I had in the country were enough to visit 2 of the locations of this TWHS, which compensated the fact that I couldn't visit the Madriu-Perafita-Claror valley WHS.

I first walked from Andorra La Vella to Santa Coloma, it's just a 30-minute walk, mostly along the river. On your way to Santa Coloma you get great views of the Roc d'Enclar, that is also part of this TWHS. The church of Sant Vicenç d'Enclar looks very picturesque on top of the rocky hill and against the mountains rising behind it. I have no clue how you can get on top of the Roc d'Enclar where the church is, it must require some serious hiking!

Caves and Ice Age Art

4.50 Puessergio - 30-Mar-25

I visited both Geißenklösterle and Sirgenstein Cave. I went during off season, so the larger and more impressive cave in that section was closed to the public.

But for the other two: 

Really lovely place. At first glance the caves are underwhelming, they basically look like any other small cave that you have seen. However there's something fascinating about being in a place where people were making art 40k years ago. It blew my mind as soon as I entered the caves. 

The walk/run/bike between the caves is also very very beautiful and worth taking your time to connect with it. And the Blaubeuren museum is a must. 

Alejandro de Humboldt National Park

3.50 Triath - 31-Mar-25

Visited in January 2023.The park is the main center of endemic species (and all kinds, both flora and fauna) in Cuba, and in general the largest ecosystem of rainforests in the Caribbean region.It is located on the eastern edge of the island, near the city of Baracoa, with the foundation of which European colonization began here. Getting there is not so difficult, first you need to get from Santiago de Cuba to Baracoa. Initially, I planned to book a tour to the park from there, but the owners of Airbnb flat convinced me that there was no point in this, it was easier to take a taxi to the park and back. The road is very bumpy, you have to shake quite a bit

Palau de la Musica Catalana & Hospital de Sant Pau

5.00 Ming_9734 Taiwan - 30-Mar-25

The Palau de la Música Catalana, built between 1905 and 1908, is a masterpiece of Catalan Modernism and Art Nouveau. It is the crowning achievement of the renowned architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Due to its contributions to architecture, music, and culture, it was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, along with the architect's other notable work, the Hospital de Sant Pau. It is also the only concert hall in the world to be listed as a World Heritage site.

The Palau de la Música Catalana was funded by the Orfeó Català, a Catalan choir, and designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, one of the three great architects of Barcelona. The design fully embodies the Modernist style of Barcelona, incorporating an abundance of colorful stained glass mosaics, ceramic tiles, wrought-iron art, and intricate sculptures. The building cleverly utilizes natural light and natural imagery. Compared to the more famous works of Antoni Gaudí, Domènech’s style focuses more on the use of mosaics rather than curving, irregular lines

Fortified Manasija Monastery (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 27-Mar-25

On a damp October day I visited the Manasija Monastery on the way back from a day out at Resava cave and Lisine waterfall which made for a very pleasant day of sightseeing.The monastery was okay, as a building it was functional, nothing particularly impressive about it, a typical Byzantine style, orthodox church and monastic buildings and the fortifications were quite interesting but I did detect a certain amount of negativity towards me, as a tourist, from the priests inside the monastery and an Irish nun who ran the gift shop. I mean, if you don't want tourists don't have a gift and souvenir shop.I love Serbia, it's one of my most visited countries but I have come across this negativity from the orthodox world several times there which is a shame

Knights Fortifications around the Harbours of Malta (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 08-Apr-25

I agree with the comments of others here, this nomination makes little sense, the city of Valletta is already a UNESCO site, it's a tiny city, the smallest capital in Europe, and the fortifications are an integral part of the city.
It looks like an attempt to draw more tourists in to be honest.
Don't misunderstand me, the fortifications are impressive and made from that beautiful honey coloured stone that makes Malta so unique but it would be a travesty to get a separate listing when many places in need of inclusion are left out.
Many cities do have multiple listings, London and Paris are just a couple of examples, the difference here is that the whole city of Valletta is a UNESCO site so it already encompasses all elements.

El Escurial

5.00 2Flow2 United States - 23-Mar-25

My visit to El Escorial was in November 2024 as a part of my nine months living in Madrid, Spain, and I have to say, El Escorial continues to stand out as one of my favorite sites in the country. The monastery is just massive and stunning beyond words... every time you think you've seen the final room, there is another one full of incredibly intricate, lavish detail sitting beyond the next doorway, and it continues on and on like this for hours. Frankly, a lot of the royal palaces in Spain are quite large and have a lot of distinct, highly decorated rooms, but El Escorial has them all beat. El Escorial was built both as a religious complex and a royal setting blended together

Ellis Island (T)

Carlo Sarion Philippines/New Zealand - 23-Mar-25

I visited Ellis Island along with the Statue of Liberty on a fine day in Dec 2024. I felt that it was timely to write a review of Ellis Island, given the current administration's stance on immigration, and I also think this site deserves a place on the World Heritage list.

Voluntary immigration

To my knowledge, UNESCO has not done a specific thematic study exclusively dedicated to potential World Heritage Sites associated with voluntary and large-scale immigration. In this context, voluntary immigration involved immigrants who sought better economic opportunities, escaped persecution, or wanted to reunite with family. 

Fortress of Suomenlinna

3.50 Andrew_Kerr UK - 06-Apr-25

A short ferry ride across the bay from Helsinki, Suomenlinna makes for a pleasant excursion from the Finnish capital.Apart from the many fortifications there is quite a lot to see on the island, or, more correctly, islands as Suomenlinna is spread across 3 or 4 closely connected islands, joined by bridges.Inside the fortifications there's a tranquil world of duck ponds, quaint houses, little inlets with boats and yachts moored and lighthouses. It's all very rural and a far cry from the city a few minutes away.The views back across the bay to the city are worth the trip too.I did find that the best views of the islands are from the Helsinki - Tallinn ferry that sails very close to the iconic, Kings Gate, the main entrance to the old military fort

Shiretoko

4.00 Lithobates Canada - 26-Oct-24

Visit date(s): September 25 & 26, 2024

Nearby sites on trip: Jomon prehistoric sites, although they are not very close. We saw our first one 3 days later.

Overnight location: Utoro

Location(s):           Shiretoko National Park: Goko lakes hike, Furepe waterfall hike, Cape Shiretoko sightseeing boat, Shiretoko pass drive, Rausu Kanketsusen Geyser (photo)

Travel method(s):   Car, foot, boat

Travel duration:  Less than 10 minute drive to the park.  Less than 2 hour drive to the furthest point on the other side of the peninsula.  We reentered the park at the field house on the north side.

Cittadella (Victoria - Gozo) (T)

Caspar Dechmann Switzerland - 21-Mar-25

Victoria has a few things going for it: Firstly the view from the elevated citadel all over Gozo and beyond is spectacular. The is, when you enter the town walls,  a nice compact square with stairs ascending to the Cathedral, with a cupola and impressive baroque tomb stones inside. Downtown, there is another basilica dedicated to St. George with a baldacchino which is an obvious smaller copy of the famous one in St. Peters in the Vatican by Bernini and a lovely, Byzantine chapel with mosaics. Like its sister-town of Mdina on Malta the high walls of the citadel are impressive site from far away and every direction. 

Old Town of Lijiang

3.00 Shwabb1 - 20-Mar-25

The previous reviews seem to focus on the components of Dayan Old Town and the Heilongtan Pool, both of which are located in the centre of Lijiang. I visited neither but had the opportunity to see Shuhe Old Town, a more distant part of the site. As a whole, it appeared to me as one of the many tourist-oriented Chinese old towns that are commercialized to such a degree that the authenticity becomes questionable. However, some things stood out to me about Shuhe specifically. Obviously, as the town represents the Naxi minority, its architecture is a bit different (I especially enjoyed the roofs)

Tilaurakot (T)

Jarek Pokrzywnicki Polska - 20-Mar-25

Site visited in November, 2024.

Nepali proposal for inscription in 2026. Once a capital of ancient Shakya capital city where Siddhartha Gautam spent his princely life before he became Lord Buddha. According to data presented on information board at the entrance Tilaurakot is the best preserved Early Historic city and hinterland in South Asia. Occupied between 900 BC and 1000 AC. Archaeologists revealed remains of early village transformed in the 6 century BC (Kushan Period) into a fortified grid-planned city with many later structures (temples, houses, palaces) constructed in brick

Oporto

3.50 2Flow2 United States - 18-Mar-25

Oporto! March 2025 visit. I think my expectations for this city were a bit too high. It's certainly nice and you won't regret visiting here, but in my opinion the experience wasn't mind-blowing. You can easily see all of the most important sites within one and a half days in the city and feel content. In general, everything is colorful and covered in tilework ("azulejos"). It's a city that pictures well, especially in the sun. Everything worth seeing is all in the city's center and can be walked to – no need for public or private transportation.

Cueva de las Manos

4.00 J_neveryes Canada - 20-Mar-25

My review will cover how we visited Cueva de las Manos from the south and also provide an update on the ticket price situation.  We visited the prehistoric site in March 2025.

El Chalten to Gobernador Gregores: Light rain causes detour

Our visit to southern Patagonia started in El Calafate, where we rented a compact car (automatic drive) for five days at the cost of 416,688 Argentinian pesos, which was $549.86 Canadian (or approximately $383 USD).  We decided to rent a car because bus tickets around Patagonia were very expensive.  For example, a return bus ticket between El Calafate and the town of (not the glacier) Perito Moreno would have cost as much as a whopping $728 Canadian (or approximately $508 USD) for the two of us.

Meteora

4.50 CugelVance Germany - 15-Mar-25

Visit: march the 14 and 15th,2025

Meteora is a first-class whs which plays in the top of the league.I visited all 7 monasteries ( 6 inside and one only from outside )

But first things first: on the 14th of march I took an ktel bus from Thessaloniki early in the morning to Kalampaka via Trikala where I arrived around 13.15. 

I went straight to the tourist information office to get a map of the area. However, I accidentally walked into a travel agency, Meteora Travel. Well, I got a map from them and an offer for a so-called sunset tour at 3 p.m. and a hiking tour at 8 a.m. for the following day. Each tour for 35€, combined 60€.

Bunce Island (T)

Mihai Dascalu Romania - 17-Mar-25

I am now on a Lupine tour in March 2025. Even though it was not on the schedule, five of us payed extra to get here and we're taken there by Bassie from Lupine West Africa +232 76 947442. From Freetown it is more than an hour on a speedboat (what the locals call a speedboat, just a bigger dingy with a Honda engine). You go up on Sierra Leone River, passing by the ferry loading, passing by a railroad that ends up half way above the river and it is used by Chinese to load the iron ore. Then passing by Tasso Island, much bigger and full of locals. 

San Juan de Ulua (T)

Little Lauren Travels USA - 16-Mar-25

In search of UNESCO sites, I have certainly visited more Spanish and Portuguese forts than any sane person would.  And there’s not much unique about this one.  However, it is similar to many enlisted properties and it was very historically important.   To be exact, this is the oldest Spanish fort in North America (started in 1535) and was one of the most important during the colonial era, since Veracruz was the main seaport connecting Central America and Spain during the colonial era.  Therefore I give this a thumbs up as a nomination. Given the revamped listing in 2022, I could see Mexico moving forward with a nomination

Bursa and Cumalikizik

3.00 Zoe United States - 16-Mar-25

Bursa is easily accessible by ferry and/or bus from Istanbul, making it worth a day trip or two to see. I used the Moovit app to navigate the public transportation system, for which you can use a contactless credit card to pay for. The sights in the city center are easy to walk from one to another, but if you want to go to the village of Cumalikizik you will need to use transportation. There are minibuses and city buses you can use -- note that minibuses can't be found online (ask around to find them) and you will need to pay in cash. I used the city buses, though, and it worked out just fine.

First Coffee Plantations

2.50 Triath - 01-Apr-25

Visited in January 2023.

Coffee is certainly not a native crop for Cuba, and even the Spaniards who arrived preferred cocoa for a long time, but from the mid-18th century they tried to grow coffee, though not very successfully on the western plains. Everything changed at the end of the same century. On the neighboring island of Hispaniola (Haiti), where coffee production was quite successful, a slave revolution occurred, and those French planters who were not slaughtered by the former slaves escaped, including through the Windward Passage to neighboring Cuba. There, with the Spaniards, everything was still the same. The slaves did not rebel, and it was possible to continue to exploit their sweat and blood

Risco Caido

2.00 Triath - 01-Apr-25

Visited in January 2024.

This object is dedicated to Guanche, original inhabitants of the islands, it is believed that they were Berbers who sailed from the lands of modern Morocco (although it is unclear how they sailed to the Canary Islands).The life of these aborigines was quite simple: they grazed sheep in the mountains, grew corn, used clay vessels, but did not own metals. They lived in caves, and this lifestyle was preserved even with the change of population until the 20th century.In the mountains of Gran Canaria, painted caves were also found, which were used for ritual purposes, since the carved triangles on the walls are recognized as symbolic vulvas, and the rituals are considered to be associated with the cult of fertility

Cienfuegos

3.00 Triath - 01-Apr-25

Visited in January 2023.

Cienfuegos, although founded late (1819), quickly became the center of the Cuban sugar industry, an important port through which the sweet gifts of the local nature were exported across the seas and oceans, enriching the local oligarchy. The city does not overlook the Caribbean Sea itself, but stands by the bay (just like Santiago or originally Havana), the narrow entrance to which was conveniently protected from pirates with the help of fortification systems. There is a small fortress here too. UNESCO, however, liked not the fortifications this time, but the urbanism. Cienfuegos is considered the first and one of the best examples of the embodiment of the urban planning ideas of the Spanish Enlightenment in Latin America

Workers’ Assembly Halls (Argentina) (T)

J_neveryes Canada - 17-Mar-25

On a Wednesday morning (March 2025), I observed that the CGT building was open.  I asked a man at the reception desk if my partner and I can take a look at the lobby.  After taking a few photos and as we were about to leave, the man at the reception asked it we would like to see the "salas" and directed another staff person - who spoke no English - to take us around.

The voluntold guide then took us up a flight of stairs to Salon Felipe Vallesse, which is a medium sized auditorium

Møns Klint (T)

Philipp Peterer Switzerland - 18-Mar-25

Møns Klint claims its OUV from the glacial landscape formation and being part of one of the world's largest glaciotectonic complexes. But much more significant what is described as “scenic value”, which means the cliff is simply nice to look at.

As the aesthetics are a big part of this, I selected a day for the visit I knew the sun would shine

Møns Klint (T)

Szabolcs Mosonyi Hungary - 14-Mar-25

I visited Møns Klint on a beautiful summer day in 2016, followed by Stevns Klint (WHS) later that same day. While both are impressive, I remember talking to my fiancée about how Møns Klint should be a WHS (it wasn't even a TWHS at the time). It brings me again to a question I often wonder: some sites really have it all, but what makes a great WHS otherwise? Is it more about being spectacular even to a visitor who lacks background knowledge about the site's significance? Or does real value lie in historic/scientific/religious importance?