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Site visited just recently, March 2020. As it was already fully described by others I will add just one thing that was not underlined. Whoever visited that place prior 2011 had no chance to view the site by any means as the whole place looked completely different. By viewing google maps I found this: Google maps image

That is a view of Valongo Wharf as it looked in 2010. If the link is not working, try to place Pegman (this yellow man on Google maps) on the small unnamed road, just where the lettering of Praca Jornal do Comercio is located on the map. Instead of remnants of Valongo Wharfs you can see a street and parking place, all asphalted. Just imagine that 1-2 meters below the the surface there are ruins what is now called Valongo Wharf

Site visited December 2015. This compact site is easy to dismiss only as a usual side trip from nearby Persepolis. The monumental necropolis of Persian kings with numerous rock reliefs is impressive enough to be a World Heritage Site. But there are certain reasons which make inscription complicated.

I guess almost everyone visit Naqsh-e Rostam and Naqsh-e Rajab on the same day trip with Persepolis so the logistics are the same. Just ask your chauffeur or taxi driver to stop at these sites before or after Persepolis. I visited this site after Persepolis and before heading to Pasargadae.

Naqsh-e Rostam 6 kilometres north of Persepolis is an ancient necropolis of four Persian kings from both the Achaemenid and Sassanid periods. These large tombs have been cut in to cliff face high above the ground. The facades of the tombs have been carved in the shape of cross. The entrance to each tomb is at the center of each cross. On top of the entrances are large carved panels. The horizontal beam of each of the facades is believed to be a replica of the entrance of Persepolis. Underneath the tombs are rock reliefs, the most famous of which shows the Roman Emperor Valerian held captive by king Shapur I.

The tombs are believed to belong to following kings: Darius I, Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I and Darius II. There is also a fifth unfinished tomb which is likely that of Darius III. The tombs were looted at the …

The City of Valletta is an incredible sight when arriving by boat, as sandy fortress walls rise up from the harbor, topped with gardens, church domes and spires, and tiers of balconied houses. When the sun hits the city, it is a beauty to behold.

Valletta, like Malta's other two World Heritage Sites, is among the oldest sites on the UNESCO list. I visited the site in late November 2019, but since I had only a limited amount of time on shore and I had a plan to visit all three Maltese World Heritage Sites, I was not able to devote as much time to the city as I had wanted (and it didn't help that I bled time by taking the wrong bus to the Hypogeum). Consequently, I was unable to visit St. John's Co-Cathedral, for which I know I need to return. That said, I did attend an evening service at the Collegiate Parish Church of St. Paul's Shipwreck, which has an exquisite interior and relics related to St. Paul, who, as the name implies, was shipwrecked on Malta.Both the Upper Barrakka Gardens and the Lower Barrakka Gardens were beautiful to stroll through, and I enjoyed wandering the streets all decorated for Christmas. Unfortunately there were some protests underway against the Maltese government when I visited, so some of the area around Parliament and the Auberge de Castile, which houses the Prime Minister's office, was closed off.

Valletta is most famous for being the home of …

This place is quite far from the main tourist routes in Argentina, but our route ran from Cordoba to Mendoza and the park was practically on the way. So we decided to enter and we absolutely did not regret this decision. I don't think you can get there by any other means of transport than your own car, because the park itself is in a remote area - the nearest larger towns are 100 km away. After entering the park you have to travel a dozen or so kilometers along the dirt road and you have to do it with your own transport, because the park does not offer it. Admission to the park is free, only some guided tours are paid. But free trekking routes are enough to admire the beauty of this place. The park itself is somewhat reminiscent of Ischigualasto, although the rock formations are slightly different. It is also much less frequented. For us, the biggest plus was the opportunity to see the condors, which we didn't see in Ischigualasto. Archaeological works are also underway in the park and one of the sites can be admired along the way, but the remains are not particularly spectacular. It is difficult to say whether the park is different enough from Ischigualasto / Talampaya to justify a separate entry on the list. Certainly, however, from a tourist's point of view it is a place worth seeing.

Maybe it is not the best itinerary to start a Japan trip with one of its absolute highlights, Ancient Kyoto, and end it with the Mozu-Furuichi Tumuli. And I usually prefer to plan my trips with a top destination in the end. On the other hand, Kyoto was a perfect introduction to Japanese culture, architecture and food.In September 2019, I spent five days in Kyoto, including a half day trip to Himeji-jo. I managed to visit 12 and a half of the 17 inscribed locations, I only left out the three northernmost sites – Kamigamo Shrine, Enryakuji, Kozanji – and Saiho-ji (which requires pre-booking). At first, I was a little worried about the busy schedule - three temples a day - and was prepared to skip a couple of sites, if necessary. Quite the contrary, not a bit of “getting templed-out”, I really enjoyed exploring all of these temples and shrines.

First, a few comments on the individual sites (in the order of my visits):

Kinkaku-ji or Golden Pavilion: the view of the pavilion with the pond in the foreground is iconic, and probably every visitor to Kyoto has taken this photo. However, there is not much else to see, and the interior was closed to the public, so all in all a little overrated.The Zen temple Ryoan-ji was one of my favorites, it is most famous for the minimalist rock garden.Ninnan-ji was a pleasant surprise. I was most impressed by the huge Nio-mon gate with its …

The purpose of this nomination is to commemorate the expedition of General San Martin, who, after forming the Army of the Andes, crossed the mountains to free Chile, this time still belonging to the Spanish Crown. The nomination consists of six passes located high in the Andes, just off the border with Chile, as well as the El Plumerillo camp, located in present Mendoza, where the Army of the Andes was formed. Of the seven locations, I only visited El Plumerillo, which is by far the most easily accessible. There is not much to see there - several soldiers' barracks, period clothing and furnishings, San Martin's room, etc. The flags of Argentina, Chile and Peru - three countries that consider San Martin as a liberator - are waving in the center. After what I've seen, I don't see much chance of inscribing this nomination. The idea of ​​commemorating this expedition does not appeal to me, although perhaps if Chile and Peru were interested in a joint effort, the chances of being included would be bigger. Probably visiting one of the mountain passes would make one look at this nomination with a more favorable eye - Argentina proposed an entry not on cultural, but on mixed criteria, so the extremely spectacular Andes should definitely be its strength.

This place is right up UNESCO's street, so if the inscription process takes place this year, I should imagine this will almost certainly be successfully inscribed.

It was also a lot more up my street than I expected. Although this is a relatively small area, we enjoyed strolling amongst the exhibition halls, gardens etc, even though it only lasted around 20 minutes!! Sadly the main exhibition hall attached to the wedding tower is currently undergoing major restoration work, so is covered in scaffolding. I liked the Swan Temple particularly.

My favourite part though was the artists houses. I understand that most are now in private hands, but it would be great if the opportunity arose, for at least one of them to be accessible to the public. Again Olbrich House is being restored so the exterior tilework is not really visible at this time. I liked all the houses but the standout one for me is the Behrens House.

Overall I didn't expect the colony to feel so 'complete', so obviously different from its surroundings, and so easy to interpret. The design ideals represented here are very well preserved in the architecture, and remain authentic despite the disruptions of recent history.

We have visited a few of these fortifications, but recently saw two more, meaning that I felt I could 'tick off' this site now.

Previously we had visited the fortifications at Villefranche-de-Conflent on a holiday to South-West France. Although we stayed in the village and endured a ride on the Petit Tren Jaune, I cannot in all honesty remember much out the Vauban elements. I can recall walking on the ramparts and thinking how pretty the village and its setting were, and have photos to prove it, however I certainly did not pay sufficient attention to listed elements.

Then last year we attempted to visit the incredible citadelle at Besancon. So successful were Vauban's fortifications here that we couldn't get near and drove around for over an hour trying to find somewhere suitable to leave our motorhome so we could visit. Impenetrable indeed!! We did manage to get a good look at the citadelle but only from ground level. Another near miss.

So earlier this year our route south from the UK gave us an opportunity to try to visit three more, Arras, Longwy and Neuf-Brisach. Sadly, a rare day of snow meant we didn't dare stop at Longwy, but we have at last been successful and visited the other two.

Arras was first, and I must admit, I liked the citadelle here, and the town too, very much. Nick-named the 'beautiful, useless one' by the residents, it might not have had a successful military history, …

In early February 2020 I took a bus from Poitier to Saint-Savin in the evening and came back in the early afternoon on the following day to Poitier. This bus continued all the way to Châteauroux. The time table was found under train (not bus) here.

The bus arrived in Sanit-Savin at 19:30 and dropped me off right in front of the possibly best restaurant in this village that closed at 20:00, so I rushed to my airbnb accommodation and came back before 20:00. I think this is the kind of restaurants that still exist in French countryside that serve great food at moderate price. 

The following morning I explored the Abby Church with the audio guide and the brochure. I examined the famed painted ceiling by lying on the pew, as there was nobody else in the church. 

I noticed that the columns painted with pastel colors were fairly common in this part of France. Only a day before I saw them at the Church of Notre-Dame la Grande and to the lesser extent at the World Heritage Church of Saint-Hilaire, both in Poitier. The Church of Saint Pierre in Chauvigny also has them. 

This WHS is about the Abby Church, but I also explored the monk's quarters and the museum. I believe this is a Catholic monastery, but I thought the monk's cells (photo) were rather luxurious. They reminded me of something totally opposite, i.e., the still-working monk's quarters at the Soji-ji, one …

Despite the start of Corona pandemy and the closing of all museums in Argentina the house of Le Corbusier in La Plata was still open to the public. I knew roughly were it was and almost ran past, but a nice guy that was the cashier stopped me from passing by. It costs not even 200 Pesos and I was able to run through the whole building without any restrictions. Only some drawers were locked but many cupboards were even openable. Not having any touchpoints with Le Corbusier before I checked his Wikipedia article in beforehand and what striked me most and made me dislike him was his assumed sympathy to national socialism in times of Nazi Germany. However being in the House I was able to focus on his architectural work. It is really a nice house that he has built for a doctor in La Plata shortly after WW2. I would like to live in it although it´s slightly too big for me and my girlfriend. Especially fancy is the tree in the middle of the were open house building that you can stand beside on every level of the house from the trunk to the crown. Also the terrace facing northwards towards the street and of course the lunchtime sun I really liked. It would also be a great house for some hide and seek or chasing games as there are many different spots to hide and many different ways how you can come to the same …

At first glance, the Stari Grad Plain is not particularly interesting - just a large amount of farmland. But, after exploring it for a day, I have a new appreciation of the site. The agricultural practice here are really interesting and seeing them up close with local producers is lovely. But, even more than that, the Stari Grad Plain should be seen as the backdrop for some wonderful exploration. My biggest tip is to hire a bike and use that to get between to all the various things to do around Stari Grad. The plain itself is criss-crossed by paths that you can ride along. I found it so peaceful to pedal through the farmland, looking at the dry stone-wall boundaries with the olive trees or vineyards in between. Throughout the plain are small chapels that are worth stopping at. There are also a few producers and restaurants that you can visit (check in advance if they'll be open or if you need an appointment). The coastline at the edges is also stunning. But it's the towns I really liked. Vrboska is small but charming, Jelsa is great to sit for a meal or a drink, and there are some interesting sights in Stari Grad itself - I would particularly recommend the Stari Grad Museum, Tvrdalj Castle, and the Dominican Monastery.

WHS#46

I grew up going to school in an Hijas de Jesus institution in the Philippines. Salamanca was always a place I had wanted to visit, being the place where the congregation was founded, but also because it always sounded like such an interesting and historic city in the stories we were told about it. I could finally attest to that after visiting in May 2018. My family and I visited one afternoon in transit between Madrid and Lisbon. Trains from Madrid depart from the Chamartin Station, passing by Avila and its distinctive walls before arriving in the city of Salamanca. First, we took a taxi to the Hijas de Jesus school just to see what it was like. El Colegio Sagrado Corazon seemed to be closed for the day (was probably a weekend), but it was conveniently right below the hill where the cathedral towered prominently, so we walked up and into the side entrance of the cathedral - which turned out to be the exit (oops!). That turned out to be a blessing in disguise, though, because the cathedral was closing, and if we gone to the actual entrance, we would've wasted time taking pictures of the beautifully messy Churrigueresque facade and possibly missed the closing time. Anyway, the exit first brought us to the somewhat disheveled cloister and the many unique side chapels, then to the Romanesque, clearly older, Old Cathedral. Some interesting medieval frescoes and designs can be found here. Overall, it's a very solemn …

I feel a bit sorry for people who only visit Mont St Michel as a day trip. Part of the magic of this spectacular site is seeing the way it changes colour at different times of the day and takes on a whole new image as the tide changes. I spent two night there and I would like to share some of my tips for visiting Mont Saint Michel. Firstly, stay for at least one night. In the evenings, you get some amazing views of the sunset from the banks on the southern side of the bridge (eastern is probably slightly better but western side also works well). And in the morning the island is a spectacular colour at sunrise from the western banks on the southern side of the bridge. The tour groups start to arrive at about 9am (or a bit later) so you can walk around the island town without the crowds to get good views of the alleyways. Many businesses won't be open until later but you can visit them with other tourists. Also, try to get into the Abbey as soon as it opens so it won't be too busy. There is a lot to see inside and it took me about two/three hours to go through it all (and even though I could've spent longer). The main church is amazing but it's the Merveille that really takes away your breath! I was lucky enough to get access to the roof of the church for …

This is the first WHS I saw and visited outside of my home country and possibly the WHS I revisited the most. It is also the first one I had a souvenir from, and it introduced me to the world of geology.

My first primary school outing was a 3 hour flyover flight over Mt Etna. I still clearly remember the red molten magma spewing out of the snow capped volcano crater. It was a mindboggling experience as I wasn't expecting to see snow and lava at the same time. In my imagination they were two separate landscapes. Another image which I'm sure is still relevant is that of the many locals building their homes anew, literally on top of their previous houses engulfed by lava.

The volcano's size is quite impressive and it is quite common for tourists and locals alike to get lost or require the intervention of a rescue team. So if you plan to venture a bit off the beaten track, consider going with a knowledgeable guide. It's relatively easy to get close to the top using the cable car and eruptions take place practically every year. To appreciate any OUV this WHS might have, make sure to visit some of the several geological features already mentioned by other reviewers. That said, the best photo opportunities are from quite a distance away. Probably the most iconic is the view from Taormina's Teatro Greco.

Once you land at Catania airport you can't miss the …

I've now been to San Gimignano twice. The first visit, I popped in for a few hours and walked around, thinking that was enough. The second visit, I stayed for two nights and saw a whole new side of the town. For those who have time, this is what I would recommend! In the mornings before the tour groups arrive, the streets are deserted and you can explore with nobody but the local cafe owner in sight. In the evenings, the colours of the sunset are incredible. There's also no shortage of things to do in San Gimignano. Obviously the towers are the most prominent feature and I would recommend climbing the Torre Grossa for amazing views and the Torre e Casa Campatelli to see a different style. But make sure to see the artworks in the Palazzo Comunale and the exquisite frescoes of the San Gimignano Cathedral. Also don't miss two other important churches - Church of Sant'Agostino and Church of San Lorenzo in Ponte. There are also various museums and craft shops that you can visit to fill the days, and the famous Gelateria Dondoli really is all it's cracked up to be! I would also recommend taking a stroll along the small country road called the Via Vecchia per Poggibonsi to get great views of the town and its towers at sunrise or sunset. During the day, San Gimignano feels very touristy but its still authentic underneath with lots of local residents living in the historic centre. …

We were sitting in Wellington having (probably) another pricey NZ beer. It was Friday afternoon and we were planning to drive to Tongariro the next day (Saturday) with the Transalpine Crossing, New Zealand's most famous hike, planned for Sunday. It was then that we decided to check the national park website again to take a look at the trail. But instead we found a big info box stating that a Rahui had been put in place and all trails were closed. Rahui wtf?

You need to know that Tongariro is still a holy site for the local Maori. That's also why it's a mixed site. When someone dies in the National Park, they believe the spirits of the mountain need a time of peace. So they close down all trails along the mountain and that's a rahui. This happens repeatedly each year as hikers regularly die on the mountain. In an effort to make the risks associated to the crossing, the authorities in 2007 renamed the trail from "Tongariro Crossing" to "Tongariro Transalpine Crossing". 

To cope we rearranged our plans and hiked on Monday. And while Sunday was sunny, Monday was the opposite: rainy and windy. Views were really limited and when we came down the mountain I was fully soaked. Luckily, we also visited the Southern part of the National Park on Saturday, so I got some nice views.

In the end, it turns out that the rahui was put in place thanks to …

WHS#45

Everything they say is true. You will get lost in Marrakesh. It's dirty. It's stinky. It's crowded and commercial. The buildings are crumbling. It's extremely hot and dusty. And it's very interesting. They say you either love it or hate it. Well, I both hated it and loved it, in that order. After riding the night train from Rabat, my family and I arrived in the Marrakesh train station early in a May 2017 morning, checked into a nearby hotel, and slept. Of course, we decided to check out the medina later in the afternoon, but not before checking out the Jardin Majorelle (not WHS, but I recommend you check it out). Upon arriving at Djemaa El Fna, the first stop was at a pharmacy to buy argan oil to bring for people back in the Philippines. First impressions weren't too great; the square was bustling, but it felt all too familiar and somewhat touristy. Nothing was really catching our eyes the way we imagined the magical city of Marrakesh would be. The "pinkish clay" was more like dull muddy brown. The single impressive monument around, Koutoubia Mosque, was closed for non-Muslims. Luckily, we met a licensed tourism official who brought us to a great restaurant nearby. Mint tea, tagines, couscous, salads, and pastillas galore! I was also treated to my first sight of belly dancing. On the not so great side, that dinner was also the most expensive on the whole trip, and that was a trip …

In January 2020, we spent a week on the Southern island of New Zealand in and around Te Wahipounamu. When people say the Southern island is the more beautiful of the two, Te Wahipounamu is the main reason. It offers fjords, forests, glaciers and mountains in abundance that are very little touched by humans.

We started around Te Anau with a half day hike along the western shore of Lake Te Anau. It takes you directly into a massive fern forest. The next day we did the mandatory Milford cruise. It's takes you out to the ocean along the high cliffs of the fjord. You pass plenty of waterfalls and if you are lucky, you get to see some dolphins. The weirdest part is that the surrounding mountains seem so small, when in reality they climb above 1600m.

Personally, I enjoyed our stops along the way to Milford better than the actual cruise. You get several view points, most notably the Mirror Lake and the Eglinton Valley view point. If you are into rough hiking, you can hike to Lake Marian. We tried. But we got lost along the way. And due to time pressure from having to catch the ferry, we had to return before reaching the lake.

Two days later, we drove in a single day from Wanaka to Greymouth with stops at Fox and Franz Josef Glacier. This is the second mandatory component of any visit as the west coast is just stunning. First, …

I visited only one location of this WHS in October 2010. Even though I'm not a fan of modern architecture, I was positively impressed by some of the iconic buildings in New York City. It felt like being in a movie, as many of those buildings featured in many films I had seen.

I remember seeing the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum for the first time after an enjoyable NBA match at Madison Square Garden and a stroll in Central Park. Its unique architecture and white colour make it stand out among the regular vertical high rise buildings, without being an eyesore or too much of a contrast, which I personally find is the main problem of most modern architecture (such as for example the other Guggenheim in Bilbao).

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum's interior is equally as impressive as its exterior, not for its eccentric art on display but for its architecture. The spiralling ramp in the cylindrical part of the building was my personal highlight and in a way it reminded me of the Musei Vaticani's famous spiral staircase designed by Giuseppe Momo in 1932.

I really hope to visit Fallingwater, the waterfall house described as Frank Lloyd Wright's "most beautiful job" to be able to take in this site's OUV on a much smaller scale, especially after the negative experience I recently had in the Tugendhat Villa in Brno, Czechia.

The first time I heard about Pingyao was not on this website, but in the Lonely Planet guidebook for China. They were extolling the virtues of this most historic Chinese town as one of the top tips for China. Having been fooled by Lonely Planet's so called top tips repeatedly before and after, I didn't prioritize getting there the first time I went to China (Beijing area).

Eventually, I read up on Pingyao and it materialized as one of the places I really wanted to see. In China. And globally. What I often find lacking in Asia are consistent cities, the likes you find plenty in Europe. Places where you can just get lost and stroll the roads, always finding new small treasures. In most of Asia, you find some old buildings or single blocks squeezed between modern concrete towers. Supposedly, Pingyao was different...

The backstory of Pingyao is similar to other sites. For centuries, Pingyao was the financial hub of China. In the 19th century due to the foreign colonial incursions, the financial center moved to the coast (Hongkong, Shanghai) and the town was largely forgotten. Nowadays, it is a tiny city even for German standards (42.000 inhabitants), let alone Chinese where it wouldn't even count as a suburb.

The slumber protected the city center from the blessings of modernity. And it also was not subject to the demolitions of the culture revolution. So, within its city walls (the largest remaining in China), it stayed the …