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Jerusalem is one of the greatest, most historic, and holiest cities in the world. Literally more than half of the world subscribes to a religion that considers Jerusalem a holy place, if not the holiest city of all. Now, the World Heritage Site of Jerusalem consists of the historic center within the walls, but just beyond the south side of them, through the eponymous gate, lies Mount Zion. This hill is a symbol of the identity of the state of Israel, and it has countless mentions in various Abrahamic religious texts as it refers to Jerusalem itself. There is much more than symbolic significance in this little hill, however. I visited Mount Zion in May 2018 and it really is home to very important religious sites. The Dormition Abbey was our first stop, which was finished in 1910 with a circular body and a crypt. Over at the Cenacle, the Room of the Last Supper or the Upper Room is a Crusader-era church turned mosque, and shows legacies of both religions with the Gothic vaulting and a mihrab. The ground floor below houses King David's Tomb, one of the holiest Jewish sites. The hill is just as much a demonstration of the relevance of religion in this city as the walled city itself, and together, they make up a great landscape of holiness and abode of world religions.

Compared to other colonial towns in Central America (and quite possibly the whole new world) Antigua has no equal. We arrived at night and the first impression was of how wide the streets are. Totally unlike other old towns which usually feel so cramped. It is beautifully preserved and maintained and the historic area is much larger than I expected. Make no mistake, this is a well-oiled tourism machine used to lots of visitors passing through. But rather than going the overly tacky route, they cater to foreigners with nice hotels, pretty cafes, good food and clean streets. There always seemed to be something pleasant around the next corner to find and even with only a single rainy day to visit (we couldn't even see the surrounding volcanoes) it was easy to see why so many people end up spending longer here than initially planned. 

My only complaint is that they charge high fees for every ruined convent and site. They need some kind of tourist pass for the whole town which includes most or all of the sites. Many of the ruins you can see from outside through the gate or over the fence though and that was good enough for us. 

Vega island by itself is a lovely hiking spot for fresh air, some history, flora and fauna spotting. The main issue is that the ferry to the island is expensive enough to turn away potential visitors. There are many places along the coast that have the same scenery without that pricey crossing. The main draw is the eider duck and you have probably read that the ducks aren't easily spotted on the island. In fact they mainly come here during nesting season (April) and during that time visitors are not welcome. Hotels are closed and the locals don't like a silly tourists scaring the ducks away. Every house, every barn, every boat and even wheelbarrow become potential nests for the female eider, forming the connection between ducks and humans it has received world heritage status for. In the end this is about money, as a down jacket from Vega is one of the most expensive pieces of clothing you can imagine to buy. Thus maximizing the amount of eider ducks nesting is the key.

So I visited Vega in early July and it was still rainy and chilly. I saw a few ducks in the fields and marshes. There are a couple of things to do, first is the "museum", rather expensive for a quick tour of the history, and the second is hiking. I spent the rest of the day doing that although the paths were muddy and it wasn't that enjoyable. There were signs for an activity …

I visited this WHS in July 2019 for the first time in my life (despite of living not so far from it - about 2 hrs by car). If you have Lombardia Carta Musei, Parco Nazionale delle Incisioni Rupestri di Capo di Ponte is included in your card (otherwise, ticket is 6€). Parco Archeologico Nazionale dei Massi di Cemmo has a free entrance.

I was very lucky, since - by chance - that day there was a special night opening of Massi di Cemmo and Parco Archeologico Comunale di Seradina-Bedolina, with a guided tour with the Park director, so we could get very interesting explanations. Also, drawings are better seen with raking lights (i.e. early morning, sunset, or night with a raking lamp). 

So, we started with Massi di Cemmo, they're the easiest to see, the park is in the centre of the town (I guess you can also walk there from the station), they are 2 big vertical (drawings are on the vertical side) stones so this saved them from centuries of damages from snows, people walking and so on. Then we started walking with the director and a group to the Seradina Bedolina Archeological area. He guided us to the most important rocks (big horizontal rocks, so carvings are very thin) and talked about the different carvings, he also told that carvings here have different subjects from carvings at Naquane.

Then, on Sunday morning, we went to Naquane (we walked there from our B&B, but …

Site visited in August, 2019, Just a few weeks after inscription. Nice surprise. I managed to see 2 components out of 3: coal storage facilities located in Padang (port of Emmahaven), and mining town Sawahlunto.

Initially visited those storage facilities in Padang – area is not marked by any means – you should use location from a website (exact coordinates 0°59'28.7"S 100°22'51.6"E). Site consists of warehouses, infrastructure and different machineries connected with coal. The whole site looks as unused and a bit neglected for some time but is still fenced – the only access is from western part of Jl Tj. Priuk road. As for August 2019 the site looks as completely unprepared for mass tourism but you can visit all places at your own risk – some areas are not very secure. The site can be reached from Padang central area (around 7 km) by Go Jek or by local public transport (minibuses). Sawahlunto itself is a small mining town located some 2 – 3 hours from Padang. You can easily use public transport (regular buses are from Jl Dr. Sutomo road), approximately hourly during the day.

The city looks prepared for tourism. There are several hotels (different standard), homestays (there is an office that gather all homestay offers – they can call and reserve such a place for you – standard also different), restaurants, museums, tourist information center – there is a decent map of the area with information in English. Places not to miss in …

Honduras has a reputation that is enough to scare off most visitors from making a lengthy visit. Fortunately Copan Ruinas is very close to the Guatemalan border and is easily reached from there both independently or by tour/tourist shuttle. There are several sections to this site including the museum and tunnels and with all the separate fees it is one of the more expensive Mayan WHS to see. 

We covered the most central parts and didn't make it out to the Sepulturas section and it still took us a couple hours. Compared to other Mayan ruins what really sets this one apart is the quality and quantity of stele and carved detail, especially in the hieroglyphic staircase. It was nice to visit without huge crowds and still be able to climb over large sections. The huge trees still growing out of the rubble make for some great photos too. 

The nearby bird park has also been reintroducing Scarlet macaws to the area and there were a couple dozen hanging around near the entrance. They are beautiful birds and it's not surprising that the Mayans of Copan used a lot of macaw imagery in their hieroglyphics and decor throughout the site too. I only give it 4 stars though because a full visit to the site is overpriced for the region. 

The Trinity Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad is an active monastery and one of the most important centres of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is a Lavra – originally a term for a cluster of hermit’s cells (now only visible here at the gate church), but also a sign that the monastery is high up in the orthodox church hierarchy. It has been the seat of the Moscow Patriarchate until 1983, although it was closed during the early communist years (1917-1946). It’s also an educational center for young priests.

I visited Sergiev Posad on a day trip from Moscow by interurban train. The slowest trains cost 360 rubles (4,60 EUR) for a return trip and are very frequent. Just as Clyde noticed in his review from 3 years ago, there’s a constant coming and going of salesmen and -women through the carriages: advertising such necessities as woolen socks, glue, children’s books, ‘leather’ wallets and plastic toys.  

From the Sergiev Posad railway station, exiting to the right and following the road for about 15 minutes, it is an easy walk to the monastic complex. Taking this route, you’ll be presented with an exquisite panorama of the whole complex with its turrets and towers (see photo 1). It’s a very pretty ensemble, especially when seen from a distance. Up and close it comes across as a bit Disneyesque. Lots of what you see nowadays stem from the 18th century (after a fire in 1746), so the baroque style is heavily …

Lima is a great city to explore -- I must state that up front -- but the central historic district which composes the World Heritage Site was not as impressive to me as other historic districts I have visited in Latin America, such as Mexico City or Quito. Walking through the district in October 2018, I made brief stops in Plaza San Martin, centered around a statue of its eponymous hero on horseback, and the Iglesia de La Merced, with its neat baroque facade, before making my way to the more charming Plaza Mayor. This plaza turned out to be the most fascinating of the historical sites I saw in the city center (to include the San Francisco Convent); perhaps it was because the sun finally came out to shine on the yellow-walled mansions with box balconies surrounding the square, or perhaps it was the unexpected military band playing in front of the palace. That said, my best memories of Lima aren't from the historic center, but rather from exploring around the coastal Miraflores and Barranco neighborhoods, walking through the Magic Fountains at night, hiking around the Pachacamac pyramids outside the city, and enjoying an excellent dinner overlooking the ruins of Huaca Pucllana. Lima as a whole is certainly worth a visit.

Logistics: Lima's historic center is very walkable; it is also accessible from many other parts of the city by bus.

When I went to Bethlehem, USA (Pennsylvania) this summer I wasn't sure what to expect. A colonial quarter from the 18th century. There is a parking lot right next to the "entrance" below the bridge. Everything is free. The houses are in decent condition but can only be seen from the outside as far as I know. Maybe there are special days to visit them. It is nice to see how the buildings form a village: a dye house, butchery and so on. Those, however, are very often found in Europe and in fact this site is aiming as a transnational extension to Christiansfeld in Denmark. Having the same over in the States is unfortunately nowhere near special in my opinion, and I don't find that unique enough. I wasn't a fan of the Danish town but it was at least a living town, not these abandoned buildings. A national treasure maybe but even then I'm not very sure. The place had zero visitors when I was there and doesn't seem very keen on attracting any. FYI this is 2h from NYC by car.

It wasn’t much to look at. Some concrete pillars, some buckled girders, some plastic sheeting. Beyond it, the compound was scruffy and dilapidated. Old women in trances lay on the steps, naked children washed from bowls, flies swarmed around the matoke and the scent of incense hung in the air. I was in the presence of royalty…

Visiting the tombs of the Buganda kings at Kasubi in north-west Kampala really represents the dual nature of being a Unesco World Heritage hunter. Because I was interested in World Heritage Sites I knew that the tomb of the kings had been almost completely destroyed by a fire (was it an accident? was it arson?) less than two years previously and so was unlikely to repay a visit. But because I was interested in World Heritage Sites I also knew that I had to visit it whilst in Kampala. Such is ones lot!

And I was glad I did. Even with the central tomb (the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga) severely damaged there was enough to see to reward the 10,000 shilling entrance fee (and the fight through Kampala’s notorious traffic to get there). While the site may not have been altogether sacred it was certainly ceremonial and so that entrance fee got us a guide, Fred. We entered through the large, low guard hut. Being a guard is a hereditary post filled from certain clans. Service seems to be lifelong, judging from the age of the guard I met. Fred explained …

First of all, I do believe in the OUV of Magellan's Route. I think it's one of the most historically significant itineraries in the world, and definitely the most significant that goes all the way around the world, being the first one. I think there are definitely sites in the world that still show the direct legacy of this voyage. All that said, I don't think this is the way to go.

The truth is that most of the places visited by the Magellan-Elcano (yes, credit Elcano with the first circumnavigation, not Magellan) voyage do not contain much if any remaining concrete evidence or legacy of it. Yes, the sites may be the same, but sites are not to be preserved simply for being part of a route if they don't show any direct legacy of the route. Here's my suggestion: Only the most relevant sites and those with preserved concrete legacy of the voyage should be inscribed (of course excluding the monuments put forward by Portugal, sorry), these being Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Spain, where the circumnavigation started and ended; Puerto San Julián in Argentina, where the crew overwintered and mutinied; the eponymous Strait of Magellan in Chile, the newly discovered passage to the Pacific; and Cebu in the Philippines, where Magellan died and more importantly, a cross and a statue of the child Jesus have been left, preserved, and have made a lasting cultural impact on. The last one, of course being my hometown, is the place …

This nomination includes a large amount of islands and I am not sure if all would be inscribed, if that ever happens. I visited the one place that would surely be the heart of this nomination: the Islas Ballestas. The islands are an easy day trip from Paracas. It is not allowed to land, but the boat drives by very close so you can spot the abundance of wild life. We saw sea lions, penguins, pelicans, and many other birds. You can clearly see and scent the guano all around the island. Truly an unforgettable experience and highly recommendable if you are in the region.

Paracas is best reached by overnight bus from Lima. It’s on the Lima-Arequipa route, same as Nazca WHS.

In July 2019 Dubrovnik acted as a base for my exploration of its WHS "hotspot". I spent only one full day in Dubrovnik proper but returned every evening for a few days for a meal and a stroll, so managed to acquire a certain level of familiarity with the town.

Objectively, Dubrovnik has to be considered an impressive walled town, well deserving its fame as “the Pearl of the Adriatic”. And yet, for me, it left less of an impression than Split. This could be due to the town plan: the core of the Dubrovnik is mainly about two parallel east-west streets with public spaces at both ends; small streets run perpendicular to those two and turn into stairways that run up to the elevated parts to the north and south; the northern elevation roughly retains grid structure, with auxiliary east-west streets as subsequently higher terraces; the south side attempts to depart from the grid but only a little. The ordered geometry inside the magnificent walls is mostly due to the fact that Dubrovnik had been largely destroyed by an earthquake in the 17th century and rebuilt alongside post-Renaissance sensibilities afterwards. But it does create a bit of a visual dissonance for me: the wide-angle views of Dubrovnik are ever stunning, while at close inspection the town feels somewhat contrived.

The walls are an unmissable attraction specifically because of many opportunities for wide angles above the roofline. The 2-kilometer long circuit takes over an hour to complete at …

There’s a reason the film wasn’t called Gorillas in the Dazzling Sunshine. My first view of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest was of a wall of foliage climbing the valley wall opposite, wreathed in skeins of spectral blue mist. The knowledge that the following day I would be setting off into the jungle on foot to search for mountain gorillas was thrilling.

I had booked my permit in advance – but not dramatically so. The whole trip to Uganda was fairly last minute and so I had only made my reservation a month ahead of time. There was the risk that all the permits would have been sold out. I was lucky. With hindsight, starting from Buhoma gave me the best chance of getting a place. At the time of my travel there were seven groups of Mountain Gorillas ‘habituated’ to human presence. One is in the southern Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (on the Tentative List) and the other six are located in Bwindi. There are four trailheads. From Ruhija in the east of the park the Bitakura group can be tracked. From Rushaga in the south the Shongi group can be tracked. Els visited Nkuringo in the south west, from where the Nkuringo group can be tracked. And in the north-west, from Buhoma, three groups – Mubare, Rushegura and Habinyanja – can be tracked. Buhoma was therefore ‘Gorilla Central’ and this was where I stayed in some community-run bandas just within the park gates.

When I arrived at …

I visited Copenhagen back in April 2015, and Amalienborg is a great sight to see when walking between Kastellet and Nyhavn. It's essentially a city square surrounded by the 4 identical facades of the palaces. There's nothing too special about the palaces themselves; the uniqueness simply lies in this beautiful symmetrical layout, but does the layout alone make it World Heritage worthy? It's not an absolutely mindblowing or revolutionary idea, but it's the one aspect that could give the site the OUV it needs to be successfully inscribed, at least in my eyes. In the European region, there are just too many palaces that overshadow Amalienborg, and for now, that's the main idea that will continue to keep the title away from it. However, Amalienborg, to me, is one of the biggest jewels in Copenhagen's crown. Like the other reviews, I'd say that a "Historic Copenhagen" of some sorts that includes Amalienborg would definitely make a better site.

Hulbuk is a medieval town on Southern Tadjikistan, in the village of Kurban Shaid (Pingan on google map, near Vose). It lies next to the main road from Dushanbe to Kulab (and from there to the Pamir highway).

It is on the TL as “Palace of the Governor”, but appears for to be for examination in 2020 (although incomplete) as ”medieval town”. It also appears on “Silk Roads in Tadjikistan” project, sometimes written Khulbuk, sometimes Hulbuk.

Hulbuk was the capital of the Banijuridsm, Turco-Iranian dynasty reigning ca 847 to 963, vassals of the Samanids (who ruled Samarcande) and their successors, until its destruction, probably by the Mongols.

The site consists of a citadel, which measures 170 x 60 meters, and a lower city to the north and east of the citadel. Early excavations, started in 1953, concentrate on the citadel, and the lower town has only recently been looked at.

The striking figure of this site are the walls of the citadel which have been rebuilt to their idealized size and style from 2005 on, completely surrounding the ruins. 12 meters high, with round towers and a monumental entrance portal, they do look what they are, a modern Disneyland-like reconstruction.

I briefly looked to the exterior of the site while on a tour group of the Pamir Highway. Our group leader told me that they used to include a visit to Hulbuk on their tour, but that the walls look so unauthentic that participant …

Visit: January 2016. It is quite difficult to get around Bahrain without spotting at least one of the burial mounds. They are numerous and spread around the island. Just be aware that not all of them are inscribed. I mainly visited A’ali field, passing by other fields by car. The place is far from touristy. It’s actually next to a military premise and the soldiers there checked my camera to make sure I did not photograph their structures. There is not much to see anyway. The fields look like the work of a giant mole. At the time of my visit (2016) there was no information on site and no special protection of the mounds.

I must admit I am not especially fond of Bahrain. I didn’t warm up with the country and tried to visit as many TWHS as possible in order to avoid having to go back. None of them were good. But luckily my efforts paid off with this visit. I understand the value of these mounds, but due to the lack of information and the fact that it’s just a bunch of hills this was a dull visit.     

Just drive down Shaikh Salman southbound. You will see the mounds from the highway.

This propriety is 30 km east of Pendjikent in Tajikistan. As the border is now opened, it is easier to visit on a day-trip from Samarkand (e-visa necessary for TJ)

The small mausoleum of Mukhammad Bashoro was built in the XI-XII centuries both as a mausoleum and a mosque. It is one of the oldest in the region. A portal with rich decoration made of teracotta was added in 1332. Mukhammad Bashoro was a respected expert of the Khasish (the prophet’s sayings and deeds) who died in 866 might have been buried here, and a mausoleum was later built to replace a previous mosque.

It is necessary to take a taxi to get here. Local people tend to refer to this place as Mazor-i-Sharif (literally meaning the Tomb of the Holy Prince), so mention it to the taxi driver. In the town of Gusar, a signposted road goes south to the end, up to a parking area. On the left is the mausoleum, and right in front is the guardian’s house, where permission to visit should be asked (and a tip given).

The portal is a masterpiece of medieval art, richly decorated in terracotta, with writings and some rare animal figures (like fish), and entrance is by an old wooden door. The inside consist of several vaulted room, some with graves, some for prayers, all interconnected by small hallways. In the main room lies the mihrab (indicating the direction of the Kaaba) and a tall tree …

Bonaire is a huge marine park. Everything from the shore, technically the high-water mark, to the 60m mark is part of the park including Klein Bonaire island. Bonaire is also diver's paradise. There are almost 100 dive sites, almost all are shore entry, they are accessible and marked by yellow rocks and have (or should have) dive information posted at location.

The usual thing to do is to bring all your gear, rent a pickup, sign up for an unlimited air package with one of the copious dive shops (I swear every fifth building is one) and just dive on your own, well, with a buddy preferably. No need to pay extra for a dive guide, boat transfer is optional unless you dive around Klein Bonaire. If you go diving at the northern tip, Washington Slagbaai NP, you need a 4WD.

You pay a $45 marine park fee else you can't get any air/nitrox. If you only go snorkeling or non-diving it is only $25 and maybe not even checked. Please pay for a good cause. The NP is also free if you paid for the marine fee.

So whereas this is a dream to easily dive wherever you want, the reefs were quite average. I saw more octopi than other places but that's about it. I am always for protecting nature but as WHS no way. I still had a good time, don't get me wrong, but pleasure in the site does not equal to the …

Plovdiv is one of several cities that claim to be the world’s oldest. I visited Bulgaria’s second largest city before the community meeting 2018, covering a bunch of TWHS on the way. The Bachkovo Monastery, the Alexandrovo tomb, the Neolithic Dwellings in Stara Sagora and Kazanlak WHS are all close.

It’s certainly not the worst place in Bulgaria. The old town is small but very nice, with some traditional houses. The Roman theatre is still occasionally used for shows and theatre performances. The new town has a rather communist flair, but offers a good variety of restaurants and shops. Further, there is a second TWHS within the city, the Bishop's Basilica and Late-Antique Mosaics of Philippopolis. None of the sites is a real highlight, but the ensemble of sites at least justifies a visit to Plovdiv.

The town is best reached by car. It’s on the A1 between Sofia and Burgas.