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I had heard a lot about Brugge before I went there and was not disappointed in what I saw. There were a lot of other tourists there but if you just go off and find some little back roads and canals and you seem to have the place all to yourself.

The medieval centre is well preserved and contains some fantastic buildings, including the bizarre looking Belfort (which incidentally is part of another UNESCO site, Belfries of Flanders and Wallonia) but it does offer some of the best views over the city.

I was a little disappointed in the main churches, the Onze Lieve Vrouwkerk contains the only sculpture by Michelangelo outside of Italy but this was made a little hard to stomach by the large crowds and piped ambient music that really detracted from the atmosphere. The Heligbloed Basiliek again was filled with tourists and a continues announcement asking for donations which made it feel much more like a tourist trap not a place of pilgrimage!

On the plus side the Groeningemuseum was very impressive for its collection of Flemish Primitive works! Also the beginhof is quite nice and yet another separate UNESCO site so that is three for the price of one!!

I have now seen many of the Belfries inscribed, 15 I think. Perhaps the most impressive is the Belfry of Onze Lieve Vrowkathedraal in Antwerpen (pictured) which contains four major paintings by Rubens and is well worth a visit, it shares a square with the Stadhuis which is also inscribed. In the rest of Flanders, the one in Mechelen is massive, the one in Brugge seems to be too big for the area it inhabits, Gent has a very interesting one with statues of the former guards on it, and the one in Leuven is odd as it was never completed but is set in a fantastic city with much a more impressive neighbour in the shape of the Stadhuis. I also visited the Cloth-hall in Ypres when I was on a school trip to WWI battle sites, and surprisingly I remember it but not too much of the detail.

In Wallonia the most impressive Belfry was the one at Tournai which is right next to the Cathedral, it has some excellent multi-lingual exhibits inside that explain the role of the Belfries very well, I also managed to catch a look at the one in Mons on the way to the Flint mines at Spiennes.

Of the new ones added in France I have seen many from differing modes of transport and the one that sticks in my head is the one in Lille as it was big enough to make an impression from the Eurostar train. I did manage …

As a square, there are few more beautiful examples in the world. La Grande Place/Grotemark is hemmed in by exceptionally attractive buildings, the highlight of which is the Hotel de Ville. It is a very impressive piece of secular gothic architecture, though perhaps not as good as its companion in Leuven 30 minutes away.

However the streets that run off from the main square are quite tacky, which always leaves me feeling slightly under whelmed by the whole experience of visiting central Brussels. The area is home to lots of cheap souvenir & chocolate shops and of course the Manneken Pis statue. It is just a short walk from Brussels Centraal station, which has to rank as one of Europe's most depressing travel interchanges.

Brussels is certainly an interesting place and the Art Nouveau heritage the city has to offer is almost unparalleled. However it has never really grabbed me and has always felt less than the sum of its parts. That said la Grande Place is an exceptional delight in its very core.

I lived in Wadi Musa, the town at the entrance to Petra, in the late 1970s. I worked on a conservation project in the surrounding hills for 2 years. The Bedouins still lived in the caves in Petra, and there were very few tourists. There was only one hotel (I lived in a small flat under the town's minaret...I woke early each day!). I had the good fortune of befriending a Bedouin family in one of the caves (Mohamed had married a New Zelander), and hiking around the exotic sights. I enjoyed the historical, cultural, and local culinary delights very much (mensaf was my favorite, the camel burger was unique but not so appetizing). I look forward to returning after 25 years to see if I can find my old friends, and see how Petra has been preserved.

I Live in a village "Said Hussain" very close to Rohtas fort. For me this fort is the most trust worthy friend. I am visiting this fort since my childhood. If anyone wants to see the most beautiful sun set on earth, just have a visit to Rohtas fort in the evening. Sit at the top of "Shair Pinjra". In front of you will be the "Ghan" and the settling sun.

I have seen the time when there were decorative strids in "Rani's Mehal". The western side was not as much destructed as it is now. In Recent years Govt.has started a programme to preserve the Rohtas fort. But its too late. This exercise should have been planned decades before. Presently aome tream of experts is trying to re-develop the destroyed parts. I Must say that their efforts are appriciable. They are trying to keep the original building structure.

The western portion which is very beautiful and is getting rapidly demaged needs an immediate attention.

Road and the bridge now invite lots of people to visit Rohtas fort. I suggest that funds generated from visitors fees must be honestly spent on rehabilitation of the fort.

There are beautiful landscape views when you are going to Rohtas by Road. Just have a stay over the top of Village "Rehana" and the senic beauty arround will capture you.

If some one like to have an adventureous vist then prefer to go by the Offroad track.You will be travelling through the "Nala Teen …

The Salt mines at Wieliczka are impressive, the initial climb down is a little harrowing it is a very long way! But the complex is fascinating. The initial parts seem nice there are some nice chapels carved out of the salt, but nothing real matches the Cathedral like complex in the middle. It is a church carved entirely out of salt, including the floor, sight of an altar of salt surrounded by the last supper again carved out of the same piece of salt is awe-inspiring.

I must admit the first time I took the tour in Polish and was a little under whelmed so defiantly aim for a tour in a language you fully understand!

The site is easy to get to as there is a regular train there from the centre of Krakow, a journey of about 40 minutes!

It is defiantly worth the effort to drag your-self away from Krakow's bars for an afternoon.

(the camera I had when I visited was not so good, so alas the pictures I have are all of the surface but trust me the mines themselves are much more interesting!!)

Krakow is a fantastic place, I really loved my visits here, and the centre is very well preserved and oozes history. The main square and Wawel hill complex are highlights of central Europe and contain enough history to keep anyone entertained. The Jewish quarter is very interesting as well, but I must admit the though of what went on during the Nazi occupation of the city really hit home when I was walking around it on a very very cold winters night.

The main sights are easy to get between and they are supported by a network of underground bars which are fantastic, especially in the Jewish quarter, they all seem to be in caves a massive fire risk but really interesting and cheap none the less. I would also strongly recommend CW Bruwar's which sells beer by the metre!

Krakow is very interesting and a great base for exploring the nearby UNESCO sites; Auschwitz, Wieliczka and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska (although I did not get to the later the others are easily accessible from the central train station)

If you are in Central Europe then Krakow is a must!

This is not a place that should be visited light heartedly, I was a little distressed to see that some people had come here just as casual tourists; it really is not the place for this type of trip.

I visited in both the winter and summer and the difference in temperature is massive, I can not think of living in these conditions (-15° in winter 35° in summer).

I would strongly recommend having a guided tour as this gives you an insight to some of the most unimaginable parts of the complex. The Auschwitz area is the most intact part of the site and contains lots of exhibits (rooms full of shoes and hair being particularly poignant), and the only standing charnel house and gas chamber, the absolute horrific sense of the place hit me upon entering here, it was perhaps the most unpleasant feeling I can imagine and took me a long time to get over.

The Birkenau complex is a necessity to visit the sheer scale of the area is soul destroying. This part of the camp was built for one purpose, and this can be crippling when you view the vast compound. It seems like a huge machine designed for the most ruthless and efficient process of murdering people.

The site can be reached easily from Krakow via Oswiecim station and there are buses to Auschwitz from there (it is possible to walk) Birkenau is a little further on you will probably be able to quite …

Blenheim Palace is the quintessential English stately home, with vast landscaped grounds and a central building dripping with extravagance. I must admit palaces bore me rigid as they remind me of school trips when I was younger, but this was a pleasant experience and the amount of art and antiques on display was impressive. There was also a strong link between the elites of France and Germany which was nice to see a more Europe wide history on display.

The entrance fee was a little steep £10 (€14) and you are not allowed to take photos inside the Palace, but you do have the chance to have a guided tour which is very informative if a touch pompous, in a way that only the English can be! They make a lot of the connections to Winston Churchill, but it turns out he was only born here and never lived here.

The grounds are very large, they were designed by Capability Brown who was the most sought after landscape designer at the time, and the waterfalls are extremely nice. There is also a little pleasure garden replete with a maze, putting green, model village and miniature train (English to the very core!).

Blenheim is just outside of Oxford which is a fantastic city to visit for its University and associated buildings, (busses run to the Palace from the central bus station), The surrounding area of the Cotswolds is what most people think of when they dream of England!

This is perhaps …

Over the years Kew has been one of the World Heritage Sites I have visited most regularly. Moving from a place I enjoyed for chasing ducks as a child, through to a pleasant garden and on to a site where it is clear to see its role in the development of scientific research. 

In 2003 Kew became London's 4th (and largest) World Heritage Site. It is set next to the river Thames upriver from central London. The grounds themselves are actually quite expansive and could easily fill a whole day if you wanted to really get into them. The plants are actually rather interesting (even if you are not a keen horticulturalist), and there was enough to see to satisfy me.

For me though the main point of interest was the architectural ensemble of the main greenhouses with the magnificent Palm House being my highlight. You will be hard pressed to find better examples of Iron and glass architecture than this, the detailing, especially on the spiral staircases, is magnificent.

The other glass houses house some great exhibits, carnivorous plants and the largest flower in the world being two examples and there is plenty here to keep you entertained. Then there are other small little things around, such as a Japanese Garden and a large Pagoda all set in well kept gardens.

In the last decade the opening of the wonderful tree top walk has added another interesting element, one that shouldn't be missed. It has helped focus on the …

i visited the great Rohtas Fort in july 2004 and found it to be an awesome awe-inspiring place. The breathtaking views of red sunset over the kahan is a view one can charish for life.

The fort is a prelude to the builders and architects of the time it was built. An individual can read and hear as much he/she about the great Rohtas fort. However it is only when one actually visits the fort that the magnitude and splandor of the place is felt, and it is such a great feeling.

A must for all Jhelumee families on a visit to Pakistan to take their children to the Great Rotas Fort and introduce them to the rich and sometime forgotten and under valued Pakistan heritage.

I managed to fit this in to a long day trip with breakfast at Stonehenge, lunch in Bath and getting to Bleanavon for the last tour of the day! Bleanavon makes a lot out of its UNESCO status there were banners all through the town and it was nice to see as many places in Britain don't make much of a big deal of it!

But there is a fair bit to see here the main site "Big Pit" is interesting as you get to go into the mines with the people that used to work there as your guide. There seems to be a really community feeling to the valleys of South Wales, and it was not a surprise to find that the whole thing is free!!! Especially in an area of Britain where Socialist morals were once so strong.

It is easy to drive to Blaenavon as it is easily marked from the M4 which runs from London, if you do not have a car apparently the No 30 & 23 buses run every 30 minutes from Newport (easy to get to from Cardiff). If you are in the area it is worth exploring Cardiff which is rapidly becoming a major cultural centre in Britain and also if you carry on about 5 miles north of Blaenavon you are in the Brecon Beacons which are one of the nicest natural areas in the British Isles, ideal for hiking and camping

I have visited Bath on several occasions now and it is a really lovely city to visit, quintessentially English, but famous for its Roman roots. The whole city is made of local sandstone and it looks very impressive, especially if you manage to visit on a sunny day when the warm creamy stone seems to glow and liven up the whole centre. The interior of the Abbey is well worth a look as it has some impressive fan vaulting.

Perhaps one of the most impressive features and the most famous are the Roman baths, and I would strongly recommend paying the high entrance fee to see them, they really add to the whole experience and there is a lot more to see than just the central pool, the remains of the roman temple, which lie underneath the main square are particularly impressive.

Much of Bath's lay out and current architectural features are from the Neo-Classical Georgian period, which had a huge impact on the design of a huge number towns in Britain as well as further abroad (Edinburgh and Monticello/ University of Virginia are other WH sites where you can see this). Two of the most impressive examples of this style are the Circus and the Crescent which are a little further up through the town, providing a nice walk.

Bath is very easy to get to, it is on the main train-line from London to Wales easy to get to from the south as well, if you have a …

I used to live in Bulgarai, until i immigrated to Canada. My mother told me that it would be a horrbile waste to have lived in Bulgaria and not to have seen the Rila Monestery. So she got me a ticket and i went to Bulgarai. After a few days of hanging out with my friends i went to the Rila Monestery (with not too much enthusiasm knowing i could be hanging out with my friends). The moment me and my grandparents arrived i was shocked at the beauty and the arcitecture i had seen before my eyes. When i saw the well preserved arcitechture that stood before my eyes i had one more reason to be proud of being Bulgarian. The Monestery is located in the Rila mountain, where it was made to preserve Bulgarian culture from the invasion of Turkie. For anybody who has the time, belive it is something worth seein in your life time.

- An anonomous Bulgarain

I was thrilled to see the Tower after hearing so much about it and seeing photos all my life. My husband didn't want to spend the money to climb it, but he changed his mind. We weren't sorry--ther were fantastic views, and we could very much sense the leaning while we climbed. I ended up climbing many towers in Tuscany because this was such a great experience.

The geographical features at Meteora are spectacular. It's reported to be an ancient seabed. Towering limestone pilars rise out of the earth, much like what little children make with sloppy sand at the beach. The views are awe-inspiring and one can see why hermits and ascetic monks would choose to live their lives there. Contemplation of un-earthly matters is inevitable the longer you spend there.

The monastaries are lovely, though it's unfortunate that one can't be raised up in the nets they used in the past. Women, be sure to wear long skirts or have some kind of shawl to wrap around yourselves. You will not be permitted to enter wearing pants, and certainly not if your legs aren't covered. I used a sarong and it worked out just fine.

I and a friend stayed at the Kong Famly Mansion in 1990, when it was a reasonably-priced hotel for foreigners. We were two American women, surrounded by Japanese men visiting then for the Confucius Ceremony. We were travelling independently, using the LET'S GO series book, and it told us to go there. We needed no special permission. I remember distinctly how yellow the water was in the bathtub when it came out, and we decided against having a bath. The foot-high room dividers were a major problem because we also climbed up Mount Tai, slept overnight there, then hiked back down the trails on its opposite, well, back side. We could barely move our legs at all!!! The Japanese just laughed at our stiff, awkward attempts to get over these dividers. I still wonder what the point of such divisions between the rooms was.

We were lucky to find a busload of Canadian seniors, to join them for two days of meals and sightseeing, and also to attend the Confucian festival with them. We saw the ancient dancing, and we visited a carpet-making village (girls and women in dim, dusty rooms weaving by hand...)

Qufu was packed with visitors. Mount Tai was quiet in terms of foreigners... we were the only ones climbing up.

I am happy that we did it then, when I see that it is now a museum. No mention of what happened to the Kong family? Murdered by the Communists? Fled? Flied?

the cave churches in Goreme are fantastic. i visited in July 04. it's not too hot in this part of Turkey in summer. the Turks are the kindest people i've met in the world and you will feel safe and welcome wherever you travel. the WHS takes about 1/2 to do justice to. try to drive there. walking from town is a trek. it only costs about $5 to see it all. while the site has sidewalks near the rock churches, you need to climb up lots of stairs and crawl into places to really see it fully. Goreme town itself is an amazing site itself. try to stay in one of the "fairy chinney" hotels in town-- like nothing else. Also, spring for a balloon ride to see the whole valley of wonders.

I liked Trier and was surprised by the amount of high quality monuments in the city. The Porta Negra is very impressive, the Dom is stunning for its importance and its holy relic, a tunic supposedly worn by Christ. Then there is the Basilica of Constantine which is impressive for its age, the massive interior and architectural importance as being a forbearer to the Romanesque movement. The Amphitheatre is a little way out side the city walls but is quite large and provides a great place to sit and have a sandwich or run around like a school child (I opted for both with the emphasis a bit too much on the later!)

Not part of the UNESCO site is the birth place of Karl Marx! There is not much there, but it is nice to see none the less.

Trier has enough to occupy you for a day trip and makes a great one from Luxembourg as it is only about 30 minutes by train.

Luxembourg is a real treat. I was not expecting much of it but it turned out to be one of my favourite European capitals so good I decided to go back! The setting is almost perfect with the historic centre surrounded by a valley which has some nice bridges and parks at the bottom all of which are lit up spectacularly at night. It is also one of the cleanest places I have ever been to and whilst the centre is not stocked with monumental buildings there are lots of nice little places (the smallest parliament building I have ever come across) and the square in centre seems to have lots going on there! I have seen two classical concerts and a Brazilian dance troupe and I have only spent two nights here!

I have still to see the tunnels and casemates properly which are one of the main reasons for its inclusion on the list as the tours have seemed to be sporadic whilst I have been there.

If you want to add another UNESCO site and country then it is about 30 minutes by train to Trier in Germany, a lovely ride through the vineyard lined Mossel Valley resulting in some very good wines especially the dry Rieslings!

The one problem is that there is very little budget accommodation, one hostel and the hotels are catering for business travellers mostly so you will have to book in advance or go for a bit of a trip up country! …