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I visited this WHS in November 2018 basing myself in Ravello for 3 nights. Even though I enjoy roads with lots of hairpins and heart-stopping curves, I would avoid driving during the peak summer months. Parking, traffic and driving in general can be a nightmare even during Autumn-Winter so I can't imagine what it's like in the summer months.

Even though there are several hiking treks and panoramic viewpoints over the Mediterranean, I very much prefered the ones to be had at the Cinque Terre in Liguria. Overall, from land I found it quite similar to the Cote d'Azur in France. I promised myself to revisit and explore the Costiera Amalfitana by boat which I think could be a better alternative to enjoy this WHS.

My personal favourite viewpoints were from the narrow roads and few parking spaces just before (top right photo) and after Positano and from the expensive Villa Rufolo in Ravello. My favourite cathedral exterior was the one in Amalfi while my favourite interior (mostly because it surprised me) was the one in Ravello with its mosaic and marble pulpit by Bartolomeo (bottom right photo). Another worthwhile viewpoint is from the roof terrace of the Chiostro di San Francesco in Sorrento at sunset from where there are excellent views of the Costiera Sorrentina, the Stacks or Fariglioni of Capri (bottom left photo) and the Vesuvius in the background on one side, and the Costiera Amalfitana on the other.

From Ravello, I must say that …

I visited this WHS in October 2018 and made good use of the underground parking. Its location is quite in the middle of nowhere and perhaps together with its enormous size, this helps to keep the number of visitors down. Then again, apart from its size, it definitely isn't one of Italy's best WHS and certainly not one of the best palaces on the WH list.

Unlike other palaces, you have to pay an entrance ticket to view both the gardens and the interior. You cannot view the gardens for free (unless you specifically visit the great restaurant near the fountains and are happy with just a panoramic view of the gardens and palace - more on this later). The interior itself was enjoyable as we had the palace completely for ourselves but I wouldn't recommend paying just to view it. The highlight of the interior is the magnificent Teatro di Corte, one of Italy's best theatre interiors by far, which is only open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 10:00 to 13:00, thanks to the volontary work of Touring Club Italiano. The palace and gardens are so huge that most of the time there isn't enough staff to look after it!

The gardens are quite simple but make for a lovely walk in Autumn (there's also a shuttle service to the fountains or a horse cab). The highlight of the gardens are the lovely fountains with marble statues and the artificial cascades which reminded me a lot of …

Ignoring Els’ rule to "always do Angkor last on any trip involving Angkor" I opted for one last WHS visit on my way to the airport in Phnom Penh: Sambor Prei Kuk. The site is conveniently located close to the main road between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. So this was simple stop over, splitting a long bus ride into two more manageable legs.

Sambor Prei Kuk was the first capital of the Khmer Empire and predates Angkor by 300 years. Initially I was worried to get a worse version of Angkor. But the age difference clearly shows in artistry and architecture and sets the site apart. It does have the same jungle setting with trees growing in and on top of buildings. But due to the way smaller crowds (if any) Sambor Prei Kuk is a more intimate experience.

So in summary, the site felt like a nice last visit complementing my Angkor experience. So I would argue that Els original rule needs a revision.

Getting There

The next big town is Kampong Thom. Most buses running between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh will stop here. You can buy tickets at your local hotel or a travel agency.

Via minibus it took 2.5h including pickup at my hotel to get from Siem Reap to Kampong Thom. Travelling on via normal bus to Phnom Phen the journey took 4.5h, 30min spent on a break and at least 1h spent in the terrible traffic of Phnom …

Visited this site in September 2018 as part of weekend trip to Tajikistan. It took approximately 3 hours to cover 250 km through picturesque Zaravshan river valley (nomination for 2020 as part of Silk Roads: Zarafshan Corridor) to the site. Sarazm was already inhabited over 5,000 years ago (and this lasted for 1,500 years) and is one of the most ancient cultural place on the earth. It doesn’t look much remarkably: there are five covered archeological digs with clay structures. I was trying to identify the place with round structure looking very similar to small Roman theatre located in Excavation V (this view is featured in a number of old photos as the postcard of the site), but currently there is nothing left resembling this structure, probably it was covered with clay for preservation purpose somehow. The site was discovered only in 1976. Tiny on-site museum has some basic finds and photos of presidential visits to the site. Going back to Dushanbe I also visited ancient Penjinkent ruins, where many Sogdian frescos were found (and moved to Saint Petersburg’s Hermitage). As per the guide, more frescos were identified on-site by the recent dig-outs; they have been conserved and will be unearthed during next season.     

I visited this WHS in November 2018 staying overnight in Paestum. The long opening hours even in Autumn mean that you can time your visit in a way that it gets dark by the time you exit the archaeological site of Paestum and the three main temples are lit up (top left and bottom right photos). You can also revisit on the same day if you stay overnight and if you love buffalo mozzarella cheese and mozzarella in general you'll have a feast when in the area.

The Greek temples of Paestum are really striking in size and detail and are comparable to the inscribed ones of Agrigento are other ones in Sicily (Segesta or Selinunte). Unlike, Agrigento you can still walk 'inside' the roofless temples to get a closer look at the architecture. It's incredible that these ancient buildings stand tall and mighty while the rest of the 20th century towns and cities nearby are mostly crumbling!

Apart from the largest and most impressive structures - the Temple of Neptune, the Basilica and the Temple of Ceres - there are other interesting things to see such as the heroon, the ekklesiasterion, the amphitheatre and also the high city walls which are one of the best preserved defensive walls in Magna Graecia.

The museum is really worth visiting and included with the entrance ticket. Just in front of it is a white marble UNESCO plaque on the Paestum part of this WHS which is quite easy to …

Ur was once an important Sumerian city state near the mouth of the Euphrates river, at the coast with marshy surroundings and regular floods and adverse weather impacts like erosions.Ur was already occupied as early as 6500 BC during the Urbaid period, but had its peak during the Sumerian period about 3000 BC. Buildings were made out of mudbricks and mud plaster. The main temple, Ziggurat of Ur, was built during king Ur-Nammu reign about 2040 BC. His codes of law (Hammurabi) is the oldest existing deciphered law writing in the world, the original at the Louvre museum, but replicas in many places including the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad. On the basalt stele are 282 laws including the famous “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” rules. Ur is also mentioned four times in the Old Testament and in the Book of Genesis as the birthplace of Abraham 2000 BC.The site was first excavated 1853 by the British Museum and the British Vice Consul in Basra who also uncovered the Ziggurat (main temple dedicated to the Moon god Nanna)It was later on reconstructed, including its monumental staircase. However, the third level has collapsed, and its present height is 17 meters from the original of 26. Ur is surrounded by 2 ramparts constructed during Sumerian and Babylonian times. The closest city with infrastructure is Nasariyah, it has decent hotels and restaurants and at present no security problems. We have also visited Uruk where we could talk …

Have you ever wanted to go to Bhutan but were put off by the high fees (which aren't really that high if you think about it being all inclusive but anyway)? Well you can go to Bhutan for free! But there is a catch. You need to a) go to India, b) visit Manas NP, and lastly c) ask/persuade your guide to take you across the border. The border is less than an hour from the park entrance near the park ranger quarters but there are no border guards, no passport checks, there is a small hut and an open gate so maybe it is used sometimes or it was used before. Okay for one this ain't Paro so you will not continue to the Tiger's Nest on this trip. Second you will not see much because the guide won't risk taking you far in.

To get to Manas I took the train from NJP after returning from Darjeeling. It takes a good 6 hours but I find the 2AC beds adequate to nap and have enough space to feel luxurious. The Indian police also eradicated the peddlers a couple of times and it was quiet for a bit. Once you reach Barpeda Road the world looks very suburbian. There are tuktuk lined up east of the station who probably expect to take people to Manas in January but not so much in November, and I am quite sure I was the only tourist in the park who came …

When we were compiling our List of Missing Sites in 2014, two sites from Myanmar made it into the Top 20: Bagan and the Shwedagon Pagoda. The history of Bagan is known and it will be submitted again without a doubt in the coming years, but why wasn’t the Shwedagon Pagoda even on Myanmar’s Tentative List until December 2018? Could it be because it is an active religious site and they want to keep it sacred? Or is it too strongly connected with political activities such as the August 1988 call for democracy by Aung San Suu Kyi addressing 500,000 people there, or the uprise from monks in September 2007?

I scheduled a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda on my very first afternoon in Myanmar. I had arrived a bit later from Bangkok than anticipated, so I headed out there only at 4.30 p.m.. The site supposedly is on its best at dusk anyway. I entered via the western gate, after paying the 8000 kyat entrance fee for foreigners (about 5,60 EUR). This gate comes with escalator stairs, not a very usual sight in a temple complex but quite handy as the pagoda lies on a hill. You have to leave your shoes behind already downstairs so this became my first barefoot escalator experience.

I had seen Shwedagon’s enormous gilded pagoda already from the air. There aren’t many highrise buildings in Yangon, so this still is the city’s major landmark. Up and close it’s mainly the glittering golden …

[WHS #0038: Visited on April 29, 2017]

Taishan is inscribed in all 6 cultural criteria and criterion vii (superlative natural phenomena or natural beauty). Listed prior to the idea of cultural landscapes, inscription under criterion vii seems odd today as Taishan’s natural beauty/phenomena is short of being universally exceptional. The views at the top is pretty but typical of mountain vista. Rather, it is in the harmony with the cultural aspects where Taishan stands out not only in terms of its architectural elements but also of the ideas it represented and originated.

Like a true pilgrim, I climbed Taishan in the middle of the night hoping to reach the summit in time for the sunrise. Taking the 8PM train from Beijing on a Friday night, I arrived at Tai’an just after midnight. A quick cab ride from the station brought me to the Red Gate, the starting point the climb.

Night climb was as popular as any time of day, evident from long lines at the ticket counters when I arrived. Climbing up with lots of people made the journey less spooky and elevated it into a communal experience with everyone having the same goal. The route was dotted with many stone inscriptions and temples but only a few were visible in the dark with a torch. There were pit stops along the way where you see people curled-up in the rented sleeping bags. There were also stores selling different beverages to reinvigorate the journey up. On …

In many ways, Grand Place in Brussels looks the same as it did in the 17th century. There’s a Starbucks now and a couple of chocolate shops and outdoor cafés, but the stunning architecture of the square’s old buildings dominates everything and makes the modern additions fade into the background.

Even though I’ve seen dozens of magnificent squares in Europe, this one made me stop and catch my breath. Between the gilded facades and the soaring bell tower of the City Hall, I could not figure out where to look first.

On one side of the square, the City Hall is the focal point not just of the square but really of the center of Brussels—at 315 feet it can be seen from around the city. The tower is topped with an enormous statue of the archangel Michael slaying a devil. It’s been much the same since its completion in 1454. Facing the City Hall, the Gothic-style King’s House now houses the City Museum. The sides of the square are lined with beautiful Baroque merchant houses, many with ornate rooftops and golden decorations.

One of the interesting things about Grand Place is that it doesn’t have a church, which is relatively uncommon for old squares. That missing piece emphasizes Grand Place’s initial purpose as truly a market and business-oriented square.

It is possible to visit the City Museum. Although the exhibits are a little bit dry, it does give a good sense of the history of …

According to everything we've been taught at school, Vlkolinec is a gem and a true beauty of Slovak rural architecture. One of the places you have to see, one of the treasures of our cultural heritage. As you can probably guess from my star rating, I don't share the enthusiasm. Sure, the village is nice, it has been inhabited for a very long time and the architecture, though a bit bland is truly typical of what you will find on other Slovak villages. A tiny museum, a gift shop cum small gallery, walk up and down, you can reach some hiking trails from the top of the village. Or arrive by car from Ruzomberok, there's a parking spot by the village and a short hike couple of hundred metres. Similiar experience to Holloko and Holasovice, but if you want to see a cute Slovak village, head to Cicmany, they're very pretty.

To me, the caves of Aggtelek and Slovak Karst are the best WHS we have and I'm very proud of it. Depends of course on the cave you visit, but if you had been born, let's say in Eastern Slovakia, you would have visited most of them by the time you've finished your compulsory school attendance. Summer is the best time to visit, when there's a season. Most of the caves are closed off for winter, one or two are open. I would recommend visiting the Domica cave, either from Slovak or Hungarian part. Hungarians have it opened all year round and are much more accomodating than my compatriots are, I am sad to say. There's an underground river you can ride and you will cross border and the interior decorations are pretty. Another stunner is Dobsinska ice cave. Ochtinska Aragonite cave has beautiful decorations and colourings. If you manage to find yourself skiing in Jasna and the Demanovska Freedom cave is open, do see, it's also lovely.

Tyre is an easy hour and a half hour drive south from Beirut. Many official travel advice recommend against travelling to this part of Lebanon, but the southern border is peaceful now and though the area looks a bit rough around the edges, the double site is very nice. We started with the Al Baas site with ruins of a Roman hippodrome, tombs with holes dug out probably by grave robbers, large cobbled route with a lovely arch. And outside it, a bit of a dishevelled town that makes it really interesting. There's a museum on site, but it's in a process of a very gradual restoration, with no info when it's going to be ready for visitors. To get some information on the site, just read your tour guides before the visit or buy a booklet from the ticket office. There's a parking on-site and the entrance is a bit inconspicuous, so just trust your online maps.

The second site is Al Mina about three kilometres away in a residential area. There is a street across the entrance, we found parking spot easily there. On site are loads of columns, a lovely views of the sea with a submerged harbour. There's also some kind of large rectangular space that we read was apparently an arena for water sports. And a couple of mosaics, but don't expect Old Paphos or Villa Romana. A nice visit we finished by stopping at Sidon by the Crusader castle (there's loads of restaurants …

Qadisha Valley has gorgeous views and very pretty nature. We arrived via a scenic route, through a mountain pass Bcharee from Bekaa Valley. There is Cedar of Gods cedar tree reserve and some monasteries included in the inscription. Some are only reached on foot via some hikes. As I am not very keen on those, Ivan took Els' advice from her review and chose the Monastery of St. Anthony of Khozaia which can be reached via car all the way to the entrance gate. Check your maps as the turn from the main road is quite sudden. The monastery has a church that is carved into a cave and a quirky cave shrine all in dark, except for the illuminated statue of the hermit. The views from the monastery are stunning and the monastery very peaceful. We enjoyed it very much.

You can spend a day in Qadisha Valley if you wish to, taking numerous hikes, visiting the Deir Mar Elisha - a monastery turned into a museum or the other monasteries. Best way is to have your own car, or you can arrange a day tour from Beirut.

In November 2018, I visited Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, which as its name might reveal was established in the eighteenth century as a settlement for freed slaves. By the early nineteenth century Freetown had became a British Crown colony, and I tracked down several of the remaining colonial-era buildings, including the original building at Fourah Bay College, the oldest college in West Africa, just a short walk from the National Railway Museum. I made my arrangement with Bimbola Carrol at VSL Travel.

Even though Ivan and I both agreed Anjar is one of the less exciting world heritage sites of Lebanon, but given the overall impresiveness of the heritage of Lebanon overall, it means a lovely and a very interesting visit. You can go either by organized tours from Beirut, or just rent a car and drive yourself around all of Lebanese WHSs, though be careful, Lebanese are quite some drivers and not fond of using indicators. Anyway, Anjar lies in the Bekaa valley, about three kilometres away from the Syrian border. The population of the town is, as I've later learned, almost completely Armenian (they ran away here from the Armenian genocide of 1915).

The WHS is 8th century Umayyad town that has kept to the tradition of Roman city planning with two main streets perpendicular to each other. It's a lovely architectural park to walk around. There are info boards scattered around in English at important parts of the site. We made it around 10 a.m. on Saturday morning, along with a busload of European tourists, so the place was a bit crowded, so if you want to have it to yourself, arrive a bit earlier. But it's stil more off the beaten track, at least according to the Lonely Planet, which doesn't have Anjar listed at all. And from Anjar, follow on to the Baalbek. Not the other way around, Anjar will be a bit underwhelming.

Byblos is one of the towns that, along with likes of Jericho, Damascus, Plovdiv and Athens claim to be the oldest continously inhabited cities of the world. As far as Lebanon goes, it's the easiest one to visit, a chilled under-an-hour drive up north from Beirut. Well, as long as you won't get stuck in traffic jams, that are especially painful in the evenings (we enjoyed them on our way back). The town is very touristy and milking its potential to the last drop. There's a free parking spot that's well signposted, or, if you fancy yourself very lazy, you can make use of the vallet parking right by the entrance, we spent about 3 euros on that.

The site itself is pretty, but a bit of a mishmash of everything: a crusader castle with lovely views from the top and then Roman ruins. Including one of the smallest theatres I've seen. The site is quite extensive, you can choose which parts to explore. There are signposts in multiple languages around. The castle doubles as the museum with some excavated exhibits. It's the most touristy of Lebanese WHSs, many people around, so visit early to beat the crowds. We visited en route from Qadisha valley, used the offline maps as the highway exit and the whole road is not that well signposted. Oh and if you want to stock up on souvenirs, this is the place to do so.

Save it for the last if you can, because not only is Baalbek the most stunning WHS of Lebanon, but even after couple of hundred sites visited, many many Roman ruins included, it still blew our minds and exceeded all our expectations. Just wow. 

Baalbek site, located inside Baalbek, the administrative centre of the Bekaa valley and one of the places you wlll be advised against travelling to in Lebanon, contains spectacular ruins of Roman temples of Bacchus, temple of Jupiter and temple of Venus. They were built on a magnificent scale, 23 metres high, with columns 2.2 metres in diameter. The sheer scale of everything is mind-blowing. I enjoyed climbing on top of one of the large Corinthian-style column head. Another awesome thing, you can walk around, climb wherever you want, without some nasty local guard whistling at you to shoo away (greetings to Delphi). There are two museums on-site: one in the medieval tower and another in an underground tunnel on your way back. There's also a small tourist info centre by the ticket office, though at the time of our visit it was blessingly vacant with some booklets of other sights, in Arabic only.

We got there with a car, passed some checkpoints on the way, but nobody checked our passports, the soldiers just waved us away with attests to the calm situation in the area. No Hezbollah check points I've read about in other blogs. But you will feel it's a Hezbollah territory, especially …

In November 2018, I spent two days at Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary on the outskirts of Freetown, which works to rescue and rehabilitate chimpanzees orphaned by the illegal pet trade or the slaughter of their mothers for bushmeat. I made my arrangement with Bimbola Carrol at VSL Travel.

Visited in Nov 2018 as a day trip from Belo Horizonte. Due to disappointingly frustrating bus connections to the other neighbouring towns, this is the best way to visit. There are buses almost hourly throughout the day to BH though.

With that in mind, it is worth the trip out. The church is nice, but The Prophets are fantastic and really set the site apart. The best approach is to come up the steep hill on foot, passing the chapels and building up to the Prophets above to get the full effect of their majesty and power and overall setting as it was intended.

Unfortunately there isn't much else in Congonhas worth lingering for so make sure you have an exit strategy, however you arrive.