All our reviews

Visit: January 2019. I arrived in Anjar from Baalbek and had to rely entirely on my preloaded (I was not able to get mobile internet in Lebanon) Google Maps directions. I couldn’t find any signs pointing towards this WHS. Even within Anjar itself there is no clear signage. It is quite a shame how low key this place is, as in international comparison it is a very nice and deserving WHS.

Once arrived, there is free parking right in front of the entrance. Opening times are as generous as in most places around Lebanon (one more reason to like this country), so I didn’t have to worry about that.

The first thing I noted was that despite the moderate elevation drop of only 200m, Anjar was completely snow free, while Baalbek had been covered in a thick layer of snow. Unfortunately, the snow was replaced by mud, which made walking on parts of the site kind of a Super Mario hopping from stone to stone adventure. Nevertheless I really enjoyed this Umayyad town with the clear roman layout. The lack of safety standards means it’s no problem to walk on the city walls and explore parts of the town that are probably left out by the tour groups or maintenance. There were only four other tourists on site and one guy in the ticket booth. Plenty of unspoiled photo opportunities. Take your time to explore and you will find different districts for governing, housing, shopping and religion.

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Caesarea was the very first site I visited on the private small-group tour I took in Israel, Jordan, and Palestine back in April-May of 2018. We drove north from Tel Aviv and had our National Park passes stamped for the first time out of many. The tour of the site started with a short film of the history of the city, which was remarkable to say the least. The site, being our first Roman ruin out of many, also seemed quite remarkable.

We toured the ancient theatre, through all the pedestals of Roman carvings found on site, which we would later find to be a staple in ruins in Israel, past my first public toilets which our guide sat on to demonstrate, and finally to the edge of the water where we saw the remains of the palace, now mostly underwater. A few scattered simple mosaics were still visible by the shore. It is said that the site extends far into the water, so much that there is an underwater park for all the remains there. From that viewpoint, ahead was the hippodrome and at the far end of the shore, the crusader fortress. A few kilometers' drive away, however, was the most unique part of the site, the aqueduct by the beach. Out of all the structures I saw, it appears the most authentic and interesting despite being outside the park boundaries.

After a few days, however, the impact of Caesarea greatly waned in the shadow of …

I visited this WHS in July 2019 as a very convenient stopover while driving from Lake District National Park towards Edinburgh. This WHS can be seen as one of a series of similar industrial sites in the UK, namely Derwent Valley Mills, Saltaire and New Lanark. All three WHS aren't wow destinations or top WHS but all offer an informative visit to how UK's industry and working conditions looked like during the last century or so.

Of the three I'd pick the Derwent Valley Mills as it is well presented and you can see some machinery still working. Even though my least favourite is Saltaire, New Lanark wasn't much better. At least there were a couple of information boards and I was surprised by the roof garden which was so ahead of its time. But apart from that, everything else was pretty much empty or geared mostly at school outings not WH travellers. The trail to the Falls of Clyde was pleasant enough mostly because I always had wanted to visit them (because of my name though!). If you're staying over in New Lanark during the peak months, you can also arrange a night walk at the visitor centre to spot the resident badgers.

There's a big free of charge visitor parking lot just before going down towards New Lanark and the panoramic view from there is worth having. However, after a couple of photos, you're better off walking back to your car and parking near the visitor …

Site visited in November, 2013. Finally it has been added to tentative places. One of the best petroglyph site I have ever seen, can be compared only with Tamgaly in Kazakchstan. 

The best place to start exploration of the site is a small town of Corire, some 3 hours by bus from Arequipa (doable as a day trip if you stay in Arequipa). While in Corire you have 2 options to reach the site. One is walk - around 3 km from Corire center (mind that the last part of the road is barren lanscape with no shadow - in hot days it may be difficult. Other option is to take a taxi from central Corire. The taxi will take you there, wait for you and take you back to Corire, prices are negotiable.

On a way from Corire towards Toro Muerto there is a small visitor's centre and ticket booth. If closed someone will come to you while you are visiting the place. As far as I remember official entrance fee was around 5 peruvian soles per person.

Toro Muerto petroglyphs are located in the upper part of La Candelaria village in vast valley. As of 2013 the area was completely unmarked, no paths, no signs, you just go and see on your own. Thousand of stones, rock, the majority of them were with some kind of carvings - typical scenes as in other places - hunting scenes, animals, people, different symbols. But what really matters …

On my trip to Greece in 2014, I visited the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens and the Theatre of Delphi on tours of the Athenian Acropolis and the Sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi, respectively. The Theatre of Dionysus is quite small and not that impressive, but better preserved than the nearby larger Odeon. I only really viewed it from above, and it wasn't a very memorable sight. The theatre at Delphi seems larger and better preserved than the one in Athens. I also had a better view of it from the bottom.

As a whole, the Ancient Greek Theatres do have OUV, and they are definitely symbols of innovations in art, not to mention demonstrations of innovations in acoustics and architecture, but does that make them better grouped together? Theatres are essential parts of ancient Greek cities, and as stated in the justifications of OUV, are completely connected to other parts of the cities. That's the problem with this serial T-list site: the individual theatres are more coherent sites with their respective cities than with what seems to be a somewhat random selection of theatres around Greece. They were built at different times, under different conditions, tell different stories of different cities, and lie in various states of preservation. A serial site this big can't have every site considered revolutionary. We also shouldn't forget that other essential parts of an ancient Greek city exist, and theatres shouldn't be the only structures highlighted in every single ruin now. Theatres are …

Oh Galilee! As a Christian, it is a wonder how all the steps of Jesus' early life are less than 2 hours' drive in this region. Back in 2018, I visited Nazareth, Cana, Mount Tabor, Zippori, Tiberias, Magdala, and the Mount of Beatitudes on a small-group private tour. Indeed, they are all holy sites, and it feels greatly spiritual to walk in Jesus' footsteps and be in the sites of great miracles and mysteries. However, I can't say that this is a site worth inscribing on the list. All the significance lies in religious intangible aspects, as in Nazareth, Cana, Mount Tabor, and the Mount of Beatitudes, where only modern churches stand, although Nazareth does have a few Roman-age remains including the alleged house of Mary on the lower level of the church. Tiberias is now a modern city with not much to see related to Jesus. That leaves Zippori and Magdala.

Zippori is a normal ruined Roman city, and the preservation and restoration of structures is generally poorer than in Bet Shean. However, Zippori's mosaics are extremely intricate and well-preserved. A walk through the synagogue in the lower section of the city reveals colorful floor mosaics of a various people and creatures in a rich agricultural landscape. Walking up the hill, one would come to the poorly-preserved Roman theatre, the iconic Crusader-Ottoman fortress with a sarcophagus used as a block, and the highlight of them all, the Roman villa with the best preserved Roman mosaics of Israel, including …

Visit: January 2019. Byblos is a good place to start a Lebanon WHS trip. I arrived at night, after an easy 45min drive from Beirut airport. Be aware that the same trip during the day can take 2-3 times longer due to heavy traffic in and around Beirut. To add another bonus, accommodation in Byblos was also cheaper and I could park my car in front of the hotel, close to the core zone.

The site opened at 8am and I must say I really liked it. As usual, I was the first visitor on site and enjoyed unspoiled views over the area. I can’t add much about what to see within the archeological zone. It’s a mix of remains from different cultures and times with the Crusader Castle as the dominant feature. It took me around 2 hours to see it all.

Outside the ticketed zone there is a tiny fort at the harbor and a roman street with columns in the new part of the town. They are both within walking distance. The “old souq” is very small and rather a zone for restaurants. The town is very touristy, so you won’t have trouble finding food or an ATM.

From Byblos you can easily reach several TWHS (Batroun, Tripoli) and the Qadisha Valley.

This serial nomination has 8 different proprieties, six of them having an additional specific entry as their own on the tentative list. I had a chance to visit four of them on my trip to Central Asia in June 2019. Ancient Penjikent and Ancient Town of Khulbuk are reviewed on their specific entries.

Two components are therefore reviewed: Yamchun Castle and Hissar Castle.

These two castles stand on two totally different extremes. Hissar is heavily reconstructed, extremely popular with Tadjik for wedding, and very close to Dushanbe. Yamchun is in the empty, isolated and magnificent Wakham valley, in the extreme south of Tadjikistan, about two days drive (on very very bad roads) from Dushanbe.

The ruins of Yamchun castle lie at 3000 meters, along the long and superb Wakham valley. There is a feeling of the end of the world, in the highest mountains region of the Pamirs, close to where the Himalayas, the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush and the Tian Shan ranges meet. Both sides of the valley are bordered by 6000 meters snow-covered mountains (6723 for Karl Marx Peak). The slopes of the mountains are very arid, and only the bottom of the plain show some green, along the Pandj river on the bottom of the plain. The Panji marks the border with Afghanistan. Travelling there independently is possible, but difficult (rough roads, very few amenities, numerous check-points) so I went on an organized trip of the Pamirs Highway (roughly an itinerary from Osh …

I visited the Chocolate Hills as a child, and though I don't remember a lot from that age, I do remember the majesty of these wonders. The Philippines as a whole is quite rich and diverse in its karst landscapes, and these hills are one of the most unique, aesthetically perfect, and extensive (high concentration across 3 municipalities) of them all. Neighboring Cebu also has an interesting karst landscape in the form of the Dalaguete Range, and on a clear day, one can see the extremely jagged mountain ridge from the sea. The view of them from a boat ride in Moalboal reminded me a bit of the ruggedness and beauty of the Dolomites. As neighboring extensive karst hillscapes raised by tectonic conditions and aesthetically refined by erosional forces, maybe they would go well together as a World Heritage Site. I know that there are already so many karst landscapes on the list, but I think that these karst sites in the Visayas fill a special niche of aesthetics and extensiveness in an insular highland setting that an OUV can be established that is distinct from any other karst landscape out there.

Somewhere in genuine Transylvania, where Cluj meets Alba, the fairytale-like village of Râmetea is found, within a walking distance from Colțești. Situated just at the bottom of the Apuseni Mountains, it portrays an image of the Middle Ages, frozen in space and time. This specific area is part of the universal patrimony and comes together with Holoko, a village situated in Hungary – two twin villages, which possess a spectacular architecture that dates back to the XVII century, combined with just the right amount of modernism.

Râmetea, which has been populated ever since the ancient Roman times, has slowly become an important a crafts-center, having represented the ore reserve back in the day and having encouraged every other related industries. The amount of money that has been made by those who used to melt metals for a living has undoubtedly supported all art-related domains. The mix between the Saxons and those of the Szekely Land has led to the creation of an unique and incredibly beautiful local costume and of some amazing traditions. The village museum, located at the top floor of the building that still functions as the town-hall, offers a vivid image of a past that has somehow been preserved with time. The chairs that round the table found at the entry have sculptures that depict beaks of birds, which are placed facing one another if the hosts are in a good mood. Otherwise, the chairs are placed in antagonistic positions, which lets the guests know there’s …

"Global City", indeed. Lisbon is one of the world's most important historic cities for launching the world into the Age of Exploration, but how much of that same Lisbon is left? Not much, as in place of the primary components of this long gone seat of worldly power stands Pombaline Lisbon, for which the few remains from the earthquake were demolished to create a brand new city from scratch. Indeed, much of the OUV claimed by this T-list site is based on what once stood and what now stands in that district. The sad truth is that this global city is no more, in structure and in present-day context, but Lisbon as a historic city does show itself in other areas.

I visited Lisbon in May 2017, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. On the day I arrived, I spent the afternoon in the hill district of Alfama and its highlight, Castelo de São Jorge. The district is more aesthetically pleasing than the 18th century Pombaline area, as the buildings seem older and more interesting, and the roads weave around in a labyrinth across the hillside. This was the old Muslim quarter, and this layout is all that really remains from that period. A short walk uphill leads to the citadel of São Jorge, which contains a great viewpoint of Lisbon, an archaeological museum of the site, and a bunch of peacocks that hang out in the trees and yards. Then of course, there's the main castle, or castelejo. It's …

Central Park was without a doubt my least memorable T-list experience. I visited way back in April 2011, not knowing anything about its history, and truly, nothing at all seemed special. I don't even have a single decent picture of it. It was just a park! The normal trees, rocks, lakes, pathways, whatever... 8 years later, I've realized that this was exactly why it's such a special place. It's like any other city park - because it was an influence on every other city park. Everything is normal - not because this was just another forest they put some paths in, but because the park was planned out to seem that way. It seems natural, but it's been touched and molded by man every step of the way. Today, it serves the exact same purpose it was so carefully built for, a retreat and place of relaxation for the urban population. The goal has been planned and executed perfectly, and that's why Central Park is so special.

Back in 2018, I visited a great many sites in the Galilee region of Israel. While many were just the usual pilgrimage sites, I intended to visit a few destinations a bit off the beaten track. One of which was the ancient ruins of the town and synagogue of Korazim. It ended up being one of my favorite little places in Israel.

Korazim is not on the normal tourist circuit by the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The site lies in the hills above Capernaum and Tabgha, about a 15 minute drive away. I took private transport to get there, and as we approached, the basalt rocks were especially eye-catching. The contrast between the green sloping fields and the black outcroppings was strangely beautiful, and along with the stormy weather and lack of people, made for a unique aura even before entering. The parking lot was empty aside from a couple of other private cars. A short walk down the trail would show what all that black rock came to be used for: construction. Every block of the ancient town, said to date from the 4th century CE, was made of the same rock that protrudes from the ground all around.

While only foundations of most buildings remain, the old synagogue still stands, albeit not without damage. Many intricate basalt carvings used to decorate the building now lie on the floor or on pedestals, including the pediment of the facade. The structure still, however, forms an enclosed …

I visited this WHS in July 2019 and spent 5 nights here; 3 based near Ulswater and 2 based near Keswick. To try to cover as much ground as possible I did a combination of driving through nerve-wrecking narrow country roads as well as a number of different hikes.

Even though it is a cultural landscape WHS, the Lake District could easily have been a mixed site. There aren't very remarkable historic sites around Lake District National Park although I must say I really enjoyed the Stone Circle of Castlerigg, Wray Castle and what's left of Pullney Bridge which was hard hit by the 2015 floods.

My favourite lakes were those of Ulswater (photo) and Wastwater. Apart from the very pleasant easy walks of Friar's Crag and Centenary Stone, my favourite hike at Ulswater was the uphill hike around Gowbarrow Fell, past the touristy Aira Force Cascades.

My favourite driving experiences and stopover points were at Honister Pass (with short hikes to lovely waterfalls) and at Kirkston Pass with a number of mandatory stopovers at the Kirkston Pass Inn, one of the highest pubs in the UK. At Buttermere, make sure to stop by the Syke Farm Tea Room for great ice creams. Of all the lakes, Windermere was by far the most busy and the least interesting and 'outstanding' in my opinion. Nonetheless, the Claife Viewing Station and Courtyard are a good spot for a panoramic photo.

Tarn Hows and Black Crag were another highlight …

Pombaline District versus Global City, the debate of the century! Let's be real here, Lisbon is definitely a world class city. It undoubtedly deserves its own World Heritage Site. I visited in May 2017, and I had a great time there, but my only experience of Pombaline Lisbon was basically a drive-thru. On the taxi from Belem back to the hotel uptown, I requested that we drive through the Baixa area, especially by Praça do Comércio and Rossio. It's quite a grand district, but not because of the landmarks. It's just the structural essence of the district, it just looks formal, maybe even uniform. That uniformity may get bland for some, but not for me, I rather liked the grid pattern and blocky architecture in the heart of a European city.

This isn't just any grid, it's a great project. It's a masterpiece of urban planning and a pioneer in antiseismic architecture, fire safety, and hygiene for cities around the world, especially back in the 18th century when it was built, with stricter guidelines than ever before. Just how monumental this new Lisbon was is enough to stand alone as a WHS. Although I'm not against expanding the site to encompass other districts of Lisbon, this is easily the stronger, more coherent T-list site with a clearer and more manifested OUV, and it has the better chance of inscription as it is.

Wow, for the vastness of Fjordland National Park, let alone Te Wahipounamu, it's really surprising that the waters of the fjords themselves have been left out of the inscription. They are basically the essence of the fjord, and contain a unique but still connected ecosystem with the rest of the park. Many people, including myself visit this daily through the fjord cruises in Milford Sound. One would never expect the tip of the fjord to already be the sea, as steep cliffs and mountains, littered with hundreds of little waterfalls, block the views of the curving fjord. However, on the small outcroppings above the water, masses of seals cover the surfaces. The water all around is a deep dark blue, still a pristine environment for all the creatures we see and don't see. All in all, this site should be a very obvious and significant extention to the already majestic site of Te Wahipounamu, adding important, and unique yet relevant biological and geological value.

We’ve been to Bath, England twice, once in 2016 and again earlier this year. Each visit (once in winter and once in summer) made a significant impression on us. I’d wanted to visit Bath for over two decades, having heard about this cool town from a local girl at a summer camp years ago. Bath did not disappoint.

In many ways, there’s really two Baths…and we loved both of them. There’s the town’s history as Aque Sulis, a Roman outpost built on the banks of the Avon River. The town was founded at the spot of a naturally occurring hot springs. Even today, visitors (like us!) enjoy bathing in the warm Bath springs waters. No matter how much time you have in Bath, a dip in the healing waters is essential!

But there’s another Bath here. The city is jam packed with incredible examples of Georgian architecture. Georgian architecture being the period of British history when the country was ruled by the first four kings all named George (from 1714-1830). We love Georgian architecture and felt we were right at home here in Bath!

The town is charming, the hot springs are wonderful, the culinary scene is exceptional, so it’s easy to see why over four million people a year come to this university town to see it for themselves. A pro tip: stay overnight. Many people come to Bath on a day-trip from London, Bristol, or Cardiff. But the magic of Bath is at night when …

Kazan had been on my travel radar for quite a few years, so I knew I had to make a southern detour there during my Russia-by-Rail trip. Not only is it a mini-hotspot with 3 WHS within easy reach, but it is also the capital of the Federal Republic of Tatarstan (which sounds kind of exotic). In reality, it is a modern, Russified city. It is very clean and I liked that every car stopped in front of zebra crossings when a pedestrian approached! I stayed for 3 days and started my explorations with the oldest Tartar fortress that still exists in Russia: the Kazan Kremlin.

From the Kazan railway station, it is only a 20-minute walk to the Kremlin. It is not difficult to find the fortress: there are signposts everywhere, also in English. Kazan was one of the host cities of the Football World Cup last year, and they have retained an international touch. This year they organized the World Skills Games: an international competition among young artisans, from gardeners to tilers. The logos of these Games, which ended in late August, can still be seen everywhere in the city.

Just like the Kremlin in Moscow, the Kremlin in Kazan is the place where you will find the important and oldest buildings in the city. The slightly leaning, brick Söyembikä tower for example. The President of Tatarstan lives in the green palace next door. Federal republics like Tatarstan have their own constitution, and their own president …

Maybe it was the perfect weather or the howler monkeys or the thousands of butterflies, but Palenque ended up unexpectedly being our favourite Mayan site on this trip and second overall (after Tikal). It has probably found the best balance between restoration and jungle setting, protection and letting you climb/explore, while being large enough to explore for hours without having to get lost or walk long distances through areas of no interest, Touristy but not too crowded also. Unfortunately we visited on a Monday and the museum was closed. 

Palenque is not hard to get to, it just takes some time so go the distance but is worth the effort. We arrived from San Cristobal de las Casas by colectivo through Ocosingo in 5 hours. Buses go the long way and take over 9 hours. We left "directly" to Xpujil through one of the colectivo companies. This only took 6 hours and involved taking a colectivo to the highway junction north of town and them putting us on a passing bus from there. Interjet also currently flies directly to Palenque from Mexico City. 

For what it's worth, we were warned by several people before arriving that Palenque was a hotbed of food poisoning so maybe a little extra care is due when in town. 

Amsterdam Canal Ring

There’s no place quite like Amsterdam. What makes it so special (and why we loved it) is the canal ring around Amsterdam. From our first walk along the canals, we had fallen deeply in love.

The 165 canals are criss-crossed by bridges. Getting lost in the canal ring was the best way to see the city. Wandering along the canals, we explored shops and stopped at local cafes and restaurants to eat Dutch food.

The highlight is the 75-minute canal cruise. It was the best way to explore the canals and take in the city’s unique architecture. The best views are from boat-level!

Arguably, the most famous site within the canal ring is the Anne Frank House. In the secret attic, the Frank family hid from the German Gestapo for 25 months. Frank’s autobiography was mandatory reading for us in school, so we were thrilled to see the small attic annex. It was a sad experience, but important.

The curious church of Our Lord in the Attic was another favorite destination for us in the canal zone. The protestant church, a clandestine church, hidden in plain sight for over 200 years, was a remarkable experience.

The impressive canal ring inspired similar canal projects in other cities around the Netherlands. We loved seeing Delft, Haarlem, and other cities. Amsterdam makes a great base for day-trips around the Netherlands.