Thomas Jefferson was one of the United States' most fascinating Founding Fathers, not only serving as president and author of the Declaration of Independence, but also displaying keen interests in arts and science, which can be seen in the two components of this World Heritage Site. Monticello is an architectural joy to visit, as the many reviews on this site testify. The Academical Village of the University of Virginia is just as impressive, and is familiar territory for me from visits in my collegiate years. Jefferson intended the Rotunda and the Lawn, which is flanked by two rows of pavilions and dorm rooms, to be an environment in which faculty and students could live and study together, fostering academic growth. The Rotunda, home to classrooms and a beautiful library, remains under reconstruction, but should reopen in 2016. The Lawn is still worth a visit, though, to observe the different neoclassical styles of the pavilions on each colonnaded row. Only students in their final year of college can apply to live on the Lawn--in dorm rooms heated by fireplaces and without bathrooms--and it is considered a privilege to be one of the 54 selected each year. Faculty selected by the University's Board of Visitors live in the upper floors of the pavilions, continuing Jefferson's ideals of a joint learning environment for students and faculty.

Logistics: A car is probably the best way to navigate between these two sites in Charlottesville, Virginia.