UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. UNESCO has dubbed 1,052 different important landmarks around the globe UNESCO World Heritage sites, sites that represent cultural significance and impressive human undertaking. Over one thousand sites…that’s a lot of sites. Visiting World Heritage Sites is one of my favorite traveling activities, since one of the things that makes traveling so addicting is the fact that there is so much culture and history in parts of the world that are so disparate from what we’ve always known and what makes us comfortable. But visiting every single site in one lifetime? With almost one hundred added to the list since 2013, the rate of growth makes it probably impossible to check every single one off the bucket list, unless somehow scientists find a way to increase the average human lifespan by about two hundred years or so, give or take.
Thus far, in my flitting travels throughout Europe and the United States, I’ve happened across 30 World Heritage Sites (my progress towards seeing all 1,052 is truly impressive and astounding). Here are some of my favorite European sites, and as a bonus, some of the easiest to visit and enjoy!
Belgium:
La Grand-Place in Brussels
Considered by many the most beautiful main city square in all of Western Europe, Grand-Place is a blend of public and private buildings, with references to the square dating back to the 12th century (that’s a pretty old square, if you ask me). It is now lined by the City Hall with its accentuating bell tower, restaurants, and the Museum of the City of Brussels, but originally was a contributing part of the mercantile city by being home to the Lower Market, which was an open-air marketplace selling anything from meats to clothing. Even though the city and the square was destroyed over the course of only a few days in 1695 by French forces, Grand-Place was rebuilt to reflect its former glory and to this day consists of a blend of Gothic and Baroque architecture. It is also home to the famous Mannekin-Pis and the flower carpet, a million bright begonias in a beautiful pattern stretching the length of the square, popping up biannually in August.
Czech Republic:
Historic Center of Prague
For anyone who knows me, you know this is my favorite city in the world (so far, as there are billions still to discover. The vast number of places still to discover actually stresses me out). But just LOOK at this city. There is endless stuff to do and see and eat, including Charles Bridge, the astrological clock, Prague Castle, the John Lennon wall, and trdelník, but beyond that, the city has always been one of the most prominent hubs (and has heavily contributed to the development) of Christianity in Europe, and it is a blend of architectural designs from all different historical periods. AND, as if that isn’t enough, it also is associated with big and influential names like Kafka and Mozart.
France:
Pont du Gard
Pont du Gard is part of the Nîmes Aqueduct, built in the first century to carry spring water to the Nîmes Roman colony. Of all Roman aqueducts still standing today, Pont du Gard is one of the two most well-preserved. After the fall of the Roman Empire, it was used as a toll bridge for a short time, and is now a popular tourist destination in the South of France, overlooking the Gardon River and acting as a beautiful backdrop for kayakers.
Historic Center of Avignon
This World Heritage Site includes Avignon’s Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge. Avignon was the seat of the papacy in the 14th century, and though the Papal Palace has not been home to the pope for a good 600 years, it is still a huge tourist hotspot due to the art galleries within the palace, the role it played in Christian Europe development, and the well-preserved architecture. It is also one of the most dominating parts of the medieval city, and about 13% of the city’s residents live within its medieval walls.
Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne
Another South of France destination, and a really, really cool one. This medieval fortress is the largest fortress in all of Europe, and one of the most impenetrable cities in the region during Ancient Roman times. It secured a spot on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list because it is such a good example of a medieval fortified city, and also because of the impressive restoration work carried out in the 19th century.
Click here to read more about Southern France’s best places to visit.
Italy:
Venice and its Lagoon
Venice is situated on a lagoon covering 50,000 square kilometers, with almost 120 little islands separated by canals. The city is a unique achievement in that it is a conglomeration of creative architectural and hydraulic designs. Having to float on 118 tiny islands does not allow for willy-nilly construction; it takes careful planning. It has had a notable influence on architecture and art around the world in this way, as well as via the many artists that came out of the city of Venice.
Poland:
Historic Center of Warsaw
Warsaw and Poland in general have a very special place in my heart. There is something very special about this country, full of people who have overcome some of the greatest hardships in history. The city of Warsaw was named a World Heritage Site in large part because of its 85% annihilation in 1944 by Nazi Germany in response to Polish resistance and Warsaw Uprising. For about 20 years following the annihilation, the city was rebuilt, with an emphasis on conservationism, rebuilding many of the historic streets, castles, and churches. Warsaw’s Old Town was rebuilt to really reflect its earliest version, to build upon the original, pre-war Warsaw, which makes it a popular gathering place today.
Spain:
Works of Antoni Gaudí
If you know me, once again, you’d also be aware of how much I LOVE Barcelona (I love everything, but Prague and Barcelona in particular). This city is eclectic, modern, and funky, and a LOT of that is attributed to the works of Antoni Gaudí during the 19th and 20th centuries. He offered a ton of designs to Barcelona and the areas surrounding Barcelona, and attributed to the Modernism movement of Catalonia in the early 20th century, which then influenced subsequent modern construction. This photo is taken from Parc Güell, one of his most notable and famous sites of artistic expression, but there are many other examples throughout the city, which contributes to its incredibly cool and unique vibe.
United Kingdom:
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is perhaps one of the most universally well-known World Heritage sites, earning its spot on the ever-expanding list because it represents impressive technological achievements in prehistoric times — considered the most architecturally sophisticated stone circle in the entire world (how many other stone circles are there in the world, though? If we’re being honest, is that a particularly awe-inspiring fact?). A really cool aspect of the stone circle is that it was built in several stages thousands of years ago, and it was constructed by a society that left no written records. Because of this, a lot about the iconic site remains unknown, including the technique used to construct it. And, of course, there are a number of myths surrounding the stones, a popular one involving extraterrestrial life.
Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey
LONDON. There’s nothing more London-esque than Westminster Abbey, so visiting this World Heritage Site is basically a given if you’re going to be spending any time in this city. Westminster Abbey has always been considered a great representation of Gothic art and its growth over the years, but it is also representative of the many centuries of monarchy and power in the United Kingdom.
What are some of your favorite, easy-to-visit European UNESCO World Heritage Sites? What about less well-known World Heritage Sites?
