All our reviews

Schonbrunn Palace was a great experience. We were able to travel there by train and when you first view it from the outside; I think it looks a bit tired. Once you start exploring and touring, your opinion changes. The garden was nice but not overly done. the yellow of the palace gives it a different appearance in different light. The interior was beautifully decorated. It is definitely a place to visit when in vienna.

Banff, Jasper,Kootenay and Yoho are all amazing parks. We began our trip at Lake Louise and traveled north on the icefields parkway to Banff and later Jasper. Stopping all along the way. On the way back, we hit Kootenay and yoho before heading to Waterton Glacier and Glacier. It was an incredible trip. the icefields in these parks were still evident. Elk and deer were everywhere. Hiking was incredible and offered opportunities for even those looking for an easy path. The water, due to the mountain sediments is an amazing color! Each area has something special to offer and there are a lot of wonderful waterfalls. I think Mt Edith Cavell was one of my favorites!

When we arrived in Greece, we were informed that we had to see the Acropolis right away because they were going to close it for several days for repair. Despite being very tired after a long flight, and hot since it was in August and we didn't have time to change into cooler clothes; we were excited to see these incredible ruins! The Parthenon was laced with ladders and supports but it was still awesome. To imagine how old it is and how long it has survived, was amazing. Much of the deterioration you see is a result of different countries taking pieces of the monuments years ago. this pilfering was apparently common long ago. The area is large and spread about. There is a lot to take in and the time passed quickly before closing. We were able in the following days, to visit the Ancient Agora and the Theatre of Dionysius , the Temple of Zeus and the Temple of Poseidon. There were so many old structures that I wasn't sure why more were not included as World Heritage sites.

Athens held a wealth of history and old architecture. It is a place where you can easily spend several days exploring.

I loved Vienna! It was an amazing city due to its' history, palaces, artwork, churches and music. We spent several days here exploring both the city and the outskirts. Transportation by the train was easy and inexpensive. ?The food was excellent and the people very friendly. Within the city, they almost all spoke some English but just outside the city, not so much. Vienna was my first experience in a European city and it was magical! My grandmother was from Austria so the trip held some sentimental value as well.

We spent time in quito on both ends of a trip to the Galapagos. It was a beautiful city surrounded by mountains and churches! The people were extremely friendly and we spent time walking throughout the city. We visited the Bascilica and climbed the tower to the top where we could see the volcano in one direction and the statue of the virgin in the other direction. The Plaza of Independence was centrally located and a gathering place for the citizens. Over by the San Francisco plaza was a wonderful art store with locally made souvenirs. The streets are narrow and very hilly...reminding me od San Francisco in California. The climate was great and while the altitude was bothersome to some people; I didn't notice it. It was a very specail visit and added a great deal to our Galapagos trip.

Yellowstone is an amazing park! It is unlike anything else you have ever experienced. that first look at Old Faithful going up sends chills through you. The beauty of the park lies not only in its' geological uniqueness but but its' rolling plains where you can see bison, deer, wolves, bear....The geysers are beautiful both in their silence and their explosions. Looking into some of those blue pools is like looking into eyes. I happened to experience a sunset by the Old Faithful area. It was one of the most amazing experiences. the sky was a dark orange and the smoke of the geysers intertwined with it. There is so much to do in Yellowstone and a variety of choices on where you can stay. due to its' location; we combined it with a trip to the Tetons.

We finally made it to the Everglades last February. Outside of the Galapagos, it was one of the most amazing places I have been to see the variety of birds and wild life. I was not prepared for the amount of things we would see. February is a great time to visit....water levels are low so the birds, gators, storks etc are all around the watering holes. The Anhinga Trail was one surprise after another! The animals had no fear of us and there were fledglings everywhere! In the shark Valley we saw so many birds and gators with babies and even a manatee in one of the inlets! Down at the point, where the ranger station is; we saw active osprey everywhere and even a croc. The trip was amazing.....we also saw several barred owls and their babies and a horned owl. there was activity but it wasn't crowded. The weather was warm but not hot and bugs were nonexistent. The one bird we did miss seeing was the roseate spoonbill so we are going again this year, a week earlier and are anticipating another wonderful adventure.

It is imperative that we maintain places such as the everglades and the other national parks. they are the true jewels of this country. visiting them restore ones sense of being and purpose.

Patmos was a lovely, quaint town with very friendly people. the water there is not potable which I found surprising but the island was a gem. We were on a cruise that stopped there and we spent way too little time.

The monastery and cave were very well preserved. I toured both and just being somewhere where St. John had actually been was pretty awe inspiriing. Not enough is known of this small, beautiful and historic island and perhaps that is part of its' immense charm.

I visited Rhodes through an island tour stop. We spent the better part of the day here. We had a tour of the medieval city but then we explored on our own. the old city was incredible, one surprise after another as you wandered the alley ways. The area by the water was beautiful. I would suggest spending two-three days here; one went by way too fast. We also visited Lindos and I would recommend doing this. Lindos is older but holds a lot of history and is definitely worth the trip.

We traveled to the Galapagos Islands in early September. We spent time in Quito,Ecuador on both ends of the trip. We spent 8 days in the Galapagos on a 16 passenger cozy boat. the crew were great and they only roughness we experienced was during the night travel when the boat rocked and rolled due to the Humboldt current and our speed. When you visit the islands your itinerary isn't set definitely until you sail. The govt monitors the numbers on the islands by day. We left from San Cristobal and traveled to several different islands. I was initially worried that we would not find any animals but I was amazed at their numbers and that they didn't scatter when we arrived! The birds, sea lions, penguins etc were all amazing. We had a naturalist with us and he had tons of info to share. The trip was well managed and we spent a morning in one location, had lunch and a rest period and then went out again until dinner time. The climate was warm and sunny each day but the water was extremely cold due to the current. When we went, many of the birds had their babies and that was pretty amazing. No matter when you go to the Galapagos, you are guaranteed to see a lot of birds, iguanas, sea lions, tortoises,lizards, albatross, frigates, blue footed boobies, herons, warblers, finches etc...it is nature at its' best!

Albeit inscribed as a cultural site, the Serra de Tramuntana is mostly worth a visit because of its stunning landscape. The mountain range can be visited on an easy daytrip from Palma de Mallorca. We took the highway from Palma to the north and started in Pollença. From there, the Ma10 runs right through the Serra de Tramuntana, direction Palma. You will see plenty of terraces, dry stone walls and beautiful olive tree plantations. The real highlights are the small bays along the coastline. Don’t miss Sa Calobra, a scenic bay, only reached by a winding road, about 12km off the main route. Sóller, a small mountain town, is also a pleasant stop. I can recommend visiting the island during off-season. Car rental is ridiculously cheap (about EUR 8 per day) and you get a bargain on hotel prices. Temperature was still a nice 20 degrees in late November.

There is not much I can add to the existing reviews. If you are in Beijing then this should probably be the lowest priority WHS to head for. Having said that I did have fun squeezing onto a local bus where I was something of a curiosity for the other passengers. The friendly guy next to me saw where I was going and motioned that he would let me know when we got there, he then let me listen to the latest Kanye West album with him whilst listing famous football players. It was a rather enjoyable way to spend the 1.5 hour trip with someone you share no mutual language with.

I had a bit of a walk to the site accompanied by another friendly kid who spoke good English and reassured me I was in the right place. On arrival at the site I paid my entrance fee and wandered around. There is a well presented museum has good signs in English, it was a little surprising as I wasn't expecting much. There were informative displays about the scientific breakthroughs that came as a consequence of the finds here and there was some rather swish interactive bits that seemed to keep kids entertained.

In terms of the site proper it was a little bit disappointing. One cave was open and I spent about a minute staring into it. I then moved on to the main cave when the bone fragments were found. Unfortunately it was closed off and …

Well I guess Gdansk's WHS aspirations are the victim of other sites success. I doubt this will get a place on the list, not because it is undeserving, but mostly because others have beat it to it. Warsaw already has its listing for its near total rebuilding after the Second World War, so Gdansk dips out there. There are plenty of Baltic trading cities already inscribed so Gdansk won't bring anything new to the table there.

It is a shame that Gdansk probably won't get a place of the elite list as it really is a very impressive city. The rebuilding of the city centre is very thorough. I found walking around it is much more impressive than some of the already inscribed similar sites (Lübeck for example). Not only is it a city of distinct vintage it also has a wealth of modern history, from its role in the start of WWII through to the heroic actions of the Solidarity unions at the shipyards, which were played an immense part in the collapse of communism in Poland and beyond. It is also a city with a lovely atmosphere, I really enjoyed wandering around, hopping between bars and restaurants.

I would certainly recommend a trip to Gdansk. It may not be a tick off the World Heritage List, however it is yet another charming European city where whiling away time strolling the streets and sampling the local delicacies was extremely rewarding.

[Site 7: Experience 7]

There is something about big sprawling castles that unlocks the child in me. Malbork certainly did that, for as soon as I had traversed its draw bridge and penetrated its defensive walls I wanted to run and look down every corridor and creak open every heavy wooden door.

The castle is massive and it dominates the town of Malbork. You can see it from miles away, and the view from the train as you cross the river from the north is a hugely impressive way to enter a town.

The castle was badly bombed during the Second World War, but the restoration has been remarkable, returning the structures to their original grandeur whilst making it possible to see what has been rebuilt by looking at the patterns of the bricks. The striking interior of the chapel shows the restoration very well.

Scattered around the castle are several displays of art works and I particularly liked the gothic sculptures and the images of its use during the Nazi occupation. Its role as the former base of the Teutonic nights proved a wonderful propaganda coup for the Third Reich. I don't think I visited the entire interior as it is a very large castle, however I did really enjoy just wandering off down dead ends providing unexpected glorious views of the ramparts.

Malbork is a very impressive castle with an intriguing history and it makes a very worthwhile trip Gdansk though do try to get the express trains if possible as the …

As mentioned before, Polonnaruwa is a top whs in Sri Lanka. I visited the city on a 3 day tour to the cultural triangle that also included Dambulla, Sigiriya and Anuradhapura. A round ticket is a must, as it covers all sites (except Dambulla) for 50 USD. Single entry would be 25 USD for each site (foreigners pay about 20 times more than locals for most sites in Sri Lanka). Don't miss the quadrangle with its beautiful buildings. The site is extensive and there is a lot to see. You need private transport to cover the whole site in one day.

Anuradhapura is nice, because of its numerous and impressive pagodas. On the other hand it is not an easy site to visit, as the points of interest are far from each other. It's mostly pagodas you will see, so there is less diversity than in Polonnaruwa. For me this site was no match to Sigiriya or Polonnaruwa.

Exploring the Teen-tala cave was an uplifting experience. The way it has been designed that the worshipper becomes a part of the spiritual mandala in the third storey is indescribable. The Kailasa temple is a lesson in planning and execution. The grandeur of the temple the way it must have existed can only be imagined. I was charmed by the Gajalakshmi panel, the welcome panel, the platform of lotus leaves and the goddess above that seated in a lotus and the bathing elephants are just superb, creates a landscape of pond with blooming lotuses and cllo green leaves!

The paintings and the sculptures are just fantastic. It is a pity that they have now become very fragile. May I suggest that the authorities commission artists to recreate a replica so that the casual tourist gets a feel and the caves can be reserved for serious students of art, architechture, archaeology etc. and for meditation. I had planned to visit the caves in 1978 but could finally do so only in 2011! It is awesome to imagine how it must have been in 6 CE! One needs to spend a week to view the paintings completely.

Sinharaja Rain Forest is possible to visit as a daytrip from Galle. We rented a motor bike for 8 USD. Alternatively you can get a car with driver for around 80 USD. Each way took about 3h (access via Deniaya). The road until Deniaya is good, but traffic in Sri Lanka is a challenge (Buses, Tuktuks, etc.). The road to the entrance is a real adventure, due to bad condition. But with a motor bike you can drive to the entrance and avoid the 2km walk. The forest itself is pleasant, but don't expect to see too many animals (in fact I think I saw more animals along the streets and in the cities) but at least some lizards, snakes and the occasional monkey should be possible. I am sure the inscription is justified, but as visitor I cannot distinguish the difference between Sinharaja and other rainforests (Mexico, Malaysia) I visited, that aren't on the list.

Idanre Hill is a historical hill in Nigeria. When you are approaching the hill you will see some stones petch as if it will fall off the mail hill but from history it has been like that for years. Anytime i go to the city i imagine the wonders God has done and it marvels me a lot.

I was born in Idanre though i did not attend any of my education in there but i am always excited going home for holidays and my main interest when travelling is to visit Idanre Hill. It is one of the exciting tourist center in Nigeria