Visiting as many of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as possible is kind of an unofficial bucket list of mine. I believe it is important to see these places, all of which represent humankind and its planet. All UNESCO sites in some way embody different cultures around the world and the natural beauty Earth has to offer.

It is important, in my opinion, to recognize the importance of these sites and do every thing we can to ensure they are preserved for future generations to enjoy. Today, there are 1031 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 802 of which are cultural, 197 are natural, and 32 are mixed. Here are the ones I’ve been fortunate to visit so far:

 

australia
Tasmanian Wilderness
Greater Blue Mountains Area
Sydney Opera House
Australian Convict Sites

canada
Historic District of Old Québec
Rideau Canal

cuba
Old Havana and its Fortification System
Viñales Valley

dominica
Morne Trois Pitons National Park

france
Palace and Park of Versailles
Strasbourg – Grande île
Paris, Banks of the Seine
Canal du Midi
Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne
Episcopal City of Albi
Routes of Santiago de Compestela

mexico
Historic Centre of Mexico City
Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán
Historic Centre of Puebla
Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan
Earliest 16th-century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl
Mitla in the Central Valley of Oaxaca

peru

City of Cusco
Chan Chan Archeological Zone
Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu
Historic Centre of Lima

saint lucia
Pitons Management Area

spain
Burgos Cathedral
Works of Antoni Gaudí
Santiago de Compostela (Old Town)
Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain

turkey
Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia
Historic Areas of Istanbul
Hierapolis-Pamukkale
Ephesus

united kingdom
Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey
Canterbury Cathedral
Tower of London
Maritime Greenwich
Cornwall

united states of america
Independence Hall
Statue of Liberty

Victoria Falls: A Tale of Two Sides

Visiting a UNESCO Heritage Site is usually a highlight for me when exploring a new place. And Mosi-Oa-Tunya aka Victoria Falls was no different. To get a full appreciation of this natural wonder of the world, I decided to make it a priority to visit both sides: one...

Thirty Photos to Make You Want to Visit Marrakesh’s Medina

One of the highlights in visiting Morocco is checking out the medina of various cities. What is a medina, you ask? Well, it is the old part of a city; a medina is normally walled with tons of narrow streets. They can be amazing to explore with markets, grand and...

Five Amazing Cities You Should Explore in Northern Spain

When people are thinking of Spanish cities to visit, the first places that generally come to mind are Barcelona and Madrid. But there are so many others that are worth checking out. In the northern part of Spain, there are four cities in particular that I enjoyed....

Five Things To See At Dinosaur Provincial Park

Dinosaur Provincial Park is hands down one of the best camping spots at which I’ve spent time. Deep in Alberta's badlands, this Canadian provincial park is set in a stunning location that has so much to offer the visitor. It should come as no surprise when you explore...

The Ancient City of Chan Chan

Along the main road, between the city of Trujillo and the village of Huanchaco, there lies the ancient adobe city of Chan Chan. You can’t see much from the road but it still manages to give an impression of size due to the remains of its immense city walls. Chan Chan...

Times Like These, I Wish I Were an Anthropologist: Taquile, Peru

Should you visit Taquile Island? Read on to find out!

What to See and Do in Cusco, Peru

Looking for things to see and do in Cusco? Check this out!

Salkantay + Inca Trail Trek – Day 7 (Machu Picchu)

Day seven of seven, trekking Salkantay Mountain and the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. It was quite the adventure!

The Gardens of Versailles

When I went to Versailles, I had vague ideas of trying to see both the gardens and the palace in a one day visit. When I arrived, I found out that the Hall of Mirrors was closed for renovations. Just my luck. Since that is one of the main highlights of this place, I...

Chilly Festive Times at Winterlude

Winter sucks. I’ve lived in Canada for most of my life and I still have been loudly unable to embrace the concept of living in a place where the air hurts my face for half the year. However, as the years have rolled by, I’ve started to find things to at least amuse...