Kaiping Diaolou

3.50 Mo-han Je China & Finland - 13-Mar-25

I recently visited Kaiping Diaolou, and besides Zili Village, I made a point to visit Sanmenli Village (三门里). In practical terms, I couldn’t find any public transportation to Sanmenli, so I went by car with my friend. I wouldn’t recommend it for day-trip travelers without a car since there’s only one building to see, and the inside is closed to visitors.

However, I understand why Yinglong Lou (at Sanmenli Village) is considered a core part of this UNESCO World Heritage site. Yinglong Lou is a living testament to the site's OUV Criterion (iii): "The building of defensive towers was a local tradition in the Kaiping area since Ming times in response to local banditry." According to a local family living in a house next to Yinglong Lou, this tower is the oldest diaolou in Kaiping, with over 500 years of history. They take great pride in it, as it serves as a communal tower for the "Guan" lineage (关族). Every year, on the 5th day of the Lunar New Year, more than 100 families from the village gather inside for a feast and an ancestral worship ritual, possibly the only time it opens to the public

Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz

4.00 Caspar Dechmann Switzerland - 13-Mar-25

This may well be the most underrated site in Germany if you look at the ratings on this website and indeed, it is a site that reveals its extraordinary value and charm perhaps only when you dive deeper in its history and ideas. Another reason may be that some of our members wrote reviews without having seen more than one component and not even the most important ones, in which case you wonder how a rating could make any sense.

The central figure here is Prince Leopold III of Anhalt-Dessau who famously introduced landscape gardening into continental [...]

Central Park (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 08-Mar-25

Across the River Mersey from Liverpool is the unassuming town of Birkenhead. What has this got to do with Central Park? You may be thinking, well, quite a lot actually.When Connecticut farmer, Frederick Law Olmsted, had his plan for Central Park accepted it was the world's first publicly funded park in Birkenhead that was his inspiration. I only mention it because most people are unaware of it.Begun in 1858, Central Park was an immediate success. Taking 15 years to complete at a cost of $14 million it incorporated 36 bridges or arches, 11 overpasses, a lake and over half a million trees and shrubs.Today the park is the green heart of Manhattan and offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city

Tallinn

4.50 S. Anril Tiatco Philippines - 08-Mar-25

Tallinn Old Town is cited as “among the most remote and powerful outposts of the colonizing activities of the Hanseatic League in the north-eastern part of Europe in the 13th-16th centuries, provided a crucible within which an international secular-ecclesiastical culture resulting from the interchange of Cistercians, Dominicans, the Teutonic Order and the traditions of the Hanseatic League, formed and was itself exported throughout northern Europe” and as a Medieval City that constitutes “a remarkable reflection of the coexistence of the seat of feudal overlords and a Hanseatic trading centre within the shelter of a common system of walls and fortifications

Enclos paroissiaux du Finistère (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 12-Mar-25

Brittany was the only region in mainland France where I had not been before, but the upcoming nomination of Carnac gave me a good reason to go. Helped by a cheap and direct flight from Djerba to Nantes, I combined it into a great Tunisian-French midweek trip comprising 1 new WHS and 2 strong TWHS.

I can’t say that Brittany felt much different from Northern France in general, although the bilingual signage gives it an exotic twist.  

On my second day there, I drove to the department of Finistère (one of the four Breton departments) as that is where these “Parish closes” can be found (“Enclos paroissiaux” doesn’t translate well into English). The amount of driving here should not be underestimated: Brittany is about the size of Belgium and Luxembourg combined. I was a bit hindered by the limited mileage of my rental car – some fine print that I had overlooked when booking (500km across 2 days is not enough)

The Television Tower Stuttgart (T)

CugelVance Germany - 12-Mar-25

Visit: march the 12th,2025

I had already been up on the top of Stuttgart's tv tower some 21-22 years ago but by pure accident I found myself again in Stuttgart where I had to kill two hours.I decided to revisit Germany's tentative whs again.

The TV tower in Stuttgart was the first of its kind in the world and triggered a kind of worldwide chain reaction in the tower construction.

Today there are countless tv towers all over our planet.The Stuttgart pioneer is considered an architectural and aesthetic masterpiece by many experts with its timeless design.It was opened in feb.1956 after 20 months of construction.The total height from the ground to the top of the antenna is 216 meters.As a groundbreaking structure, the TV tower served as a model and prototype for TV towers around the world. Even the world's tallest TV tower, the Tokyo Skytree, is considered an offshoot of the Stuttgart original, and experts consider the Stuttgart TV tower to be the most beautiful and safest in the world. Due to its innovative public use ( a cafe inside a tv tower for example) , it has been imitated architecturally and stylistically in many places around the world

Seville

4.50 2Flow2 United States - 08-Mar-25

Sevilla! Gorgeous! In our Sevilla/Córdoba trip, I had wanted to like Córdoba more, but Sevilla was just too darn good. Visited March 2025.

The other reviews already describe well what there is to do here, so I'll leave those as bullet-points down below for what we covered in our trip. Our trip was made easier by pre-buying all of our tickets online before coming to the city – no line-waiting needed.

Reales Alcázares - Fantastic audioguide that takes you through this massive complex with a super great built-in map and everything. You can spend a lot of time here, it's definitely the largest attraction in the city! Archivo de Indias - Easy to pop in and out, neat to see the central nervous system that the Spanish government administered their colonial interests in the Americas from

Frontiers of the Roman Empire

3.00 Puessergio - 10-Mar-25

I visited the Ostkastell in Welzheim, Germany, and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The site is vast, and while I only explored a single fort, it was still an interesting experience. The walk through the area was enjoyable, with informative signposts and a few statues adding to the atmosphere. I wrapped up my visit with a run through the nearby woods, which made for a great combination of history and nature.

Blenheim Palace

3.50 DannyB Australia - 11-Mar-25

Our first UNESCO site visit since commencing our www.twobaconsandaboston.com journey.  I was not going to do a review until I noticed that the last review was 2 years ago.  Prices have also increased from this time with an entry fee now of 41 pounds.  Whilst expensive, it also provides you 12 months of unlimited attendance, so we will come back for some return visits. Hopefully with some better weather for nature walks.

Renovations work as commenced on the exterior of the main building in January 2025 and this is expected to go for at least 2 years.  It is good to see an investment in the maintenance and restoration of this UNESCO site.

Qoahito Cultural Landscape (T)

Mihai Dascalu Romania - 09-Mar-25

Seen in February 2025 on a Lupine groups trip to Eritrea. The group had a bus, but the bus broke down just outside Dekemhare, 38 km out of Asmara. We waited in a “pub” for 2.5 hours, until they found and brought from Asmara three 4WD cars to load us all up. With a few more stops we eventually got to Qohaito at 3 pm, where we visited the following sites: the ancient dam (maybe 2500 years old, see picture, Aksum civilization??), the viewpoint over the canyon, the Egyptian Tomb, Temple of Mariam Wakiro columns and eventually the Adi Alauti cave paintings

Anatolian Seljuks Madrasahs (T)

Zoe United States - 16-Mar-25

I visited both Madrasahs in Erzurum and it was a worthwhile experience. Double Minaret Madrasah has a free museum inside, whereas the Yakutiye Madrasah museum is paid. Both involve going in and out of small rooms in the original buildings to look at various displays, artwork, and artifacts. There is little English signage, though, so expect to use google translate if you don't speak Turkish.

Odunpazari Historical Urban Site (T)

Zoe United States - 16-Mar-25

Odunpazari is a picturesque neighborhood of Eskisehir, a mid-size city easily accessible by train from Ankara. It is very walkable once you arrive, and you can wander around the colorful houses, eat ciborek, and buy handicrafts. There are a lot of museums in the area; I visited the glass arts museum, hamam museum, OMM (modern art museum), and the meerschaum museum. I would recommend spending half a day here and checking out the rest of Eskisehir after. 

Melaka and George Town

5.00 ReallyDeepThoughts Singapore - 07-Mar-25

In my opinion, the twinning of these two places into one WHS was brilliant as together, they present a coherent historical narrative of colonial development in the region. The architecture and artefacts in both cities are testament to a culture and townscape resulting from a blend of external influences (European and Asian) on local conditions. Each site has its own lovely ensemble of fabled historical buildings and old streets, telling the story of colonialism in this part of the world.

I had been asked which one would I recommend a tourist short on time to visit; honestly, I am incapable of answering the question. Once there, both cities are lovely and easy, comfortable places to visit, with their respective WHS zones conveniently covered on foot

Sites mégalithiques de Carnac (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 15-Mar-25

The 2025 WHC will probably bring us the inscription of number 31 on our Missing List: Carnac. Carnac is on the T List as ‘Megalithic Sites of Carnac’, but the nomination has been renamed ‘Carnac and Shores of the Morbihan megaliths’. It has been put forward as a Cultural landscape and comprises four components with thousands of standing stones and tombs. 

Carnac is a representative of the European megalithic tradition since the Neolithic, which also includes the Megalithic Temples of Malta and multiple sites in the UK and Ireland, such as Stonehenge and Brú [...]

Gola-Tiwai complex (T)

Bill Maurmann USA - 09-Mar-25

I visited Tiwai Island on a Lupine Travels tour in June 2023. The intent was to stay overnight at a community center dormitory in the middle of the island. Rugged road going in. Vehicle was parked and local guides loaded our luggage onto small boats. We drifted downriver about ten minutes before banking on the opposite shore. We  followed a short trail to the center where we had dinner, were entertained by locals doing traditional dances and a role play involving a demon. The next morning a guide took us through island trails. The jungle was dense. Most impressive vegetation were the banyan trees. We didn’t see any animals other than a large impressive spider, but there were plenty of birds. 

La Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle

2.50 2Flow2 United States - 08-Mar-25

I visited this WHS in July 2023. We were staying in Geneva with a cousin who was working at CERN, and I had heard about La Chaux-de-Fonds being famous as the place of origin for Switzerland's rich watch-making history, so we planned an entire daytrip around going out to the town in the North. I'm sad to say that it is dubious whether all of the effort was worth it.

The main goal of our trip was to see the watch-making museum. According to the Internet it was to be open and operating at the hours we were visiting. However, after multiple hours of travel getting out to this town and navigating on foot from the train station to the museum – we found the museum closed. Apparently, the town had endured a huge windstorm a couple of days before which had knocked down trees and branches all over the city. There was tape covering one stairway that lead to the museum, but nothing offically blocking off the ways of accessing it. Curiously, there were no signs or anything indicating the museum was properly closed, and we couldn't tell for sure whether it was not operating or we were just looking at the wrong location for an entrance

Forts and Castles Gold Coast

4.00 S. Anril Tiatco Philippines - 08-Mar-25

Jamestown and Usshertown are the oldest districts of Accra, the capital city of Ghana. According to Emmanuel, our tour guide slash driver during our visit in Accra in 2023, these towns were the origin of the Accranian people, the fishing people called Ga. Once upon a time, Accra was known as A-ga-ra.

These districts in the Greater Accra Region possess a certain charm that I thought comparable with Melaka, Georgetown, and Ipoh in Malaysia and Little India in Singapore

Historical Lisbon, Global City (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 05-Mar-25

I've been to Lisbon a couple of times and enjoyed both visits. There's a lot see in the city that I once saw described as looking more like the Americas than Europe. I thought that was a fair comment with the huge suspension bridge spanning the Tagus river, the statue of Christ looking down at the city and the steep hills and trams that are all reminiscent of famous places in the New World.But this is a European city steeped in history, the most westerly city on the mainland of Europe in fact

Ksar of Aït Ben Haddou

3.50 Andrew_Kerr UK - 11-Mar-25

I'm probably being overly harsh giving it 3.5 stars because it was enjoyable and I've never been anywhere like it before or after. I guess the rating I gave it reflects the workmanship/artistic content of the site, there isn't much to be fair. It's a fortified village made out of mud in the high Atlas mountains of southern Morocco which means function over anything else.
Possibly the best part of my visit was getting there on the amazing highway that zig zags and snakes through the mountains with fantastic views around every bend.
Once at the village itself, an hour was plenty of time to take in the layout, the construction, explore the myriad alleyways and avoid all the souvenir sellers and snake charmers.

Hwaseong Fortress

4.00 S. Anril Tiatco Philippines - 11-Mar-25

Seoul is the most popular destination for many in South Korea. My colleague and I asked our Korean friend to take us somewhere else. We did not want to be entangled with several tourists doing the same sightseeing in popular Seoul destinations. So our friend brought us to Suwon, some 35 km south of Seoul, to visit the infamous Hwaseong Fortress. 

Located in Suwon, the nearest city to the south of Seoul, Hwaseong Fortress is a fortification built between 1794 and 1796. Like the other heritage sites in South Korea, it was constructed by another powerful figure belonging to the Joseon dynasty: King Jeongjo, to commemorate and use as the final resting place of his father, Prince Sado.

Djerba

1.50 Els Slots The Netherlands - 11-Mar-25

This is the first review of a visit to the Djerba WHS after its inscription. The site has received horrible reviews and an exceptionally low rating from our community, but I thought maybe it would all make more sense with the help of an OUV-frame. It’s about a dispersed but homogenous settlement and land-use pattern, characterized for example (but not limited to) self-sufficient rural communities with their own water supply, palm groves and tiny mosques. That’s why it includes 22 rather featureless and abandoned neighbourhood mosques.  

Maltese Catacomb Complexes (T)

Caspar Dechmann Switzerland - 26-Feb-25

The catacombs on Malta are surprisingly numerous and the highest concentration can be found in Rabat where you find four that are accessible to visitors. I visited two of them: The largest is the catacomb of St. Paul and it is surprising how large they are: After visiting a decent introductory museum you can enter the catacombs via twenty or more separate (modern) entrances, each leading to a seperat underground complex of various sizes. They are impressive but since there is very little decoration left after a while they resemble each other. But in some you can find inscriptions or carvings that give hints about the roman, Christian or Jewish religion of their owners. For a second visit I chose the St

Taxila

3.00 Shombob United States - 05-Mar-25

I visited Taxila from Islamabad a few days ago. I would recommend the trip to anyone who is spending more than a few days in Islamabad, but I did much prefer Makli and the Mughal sites in Lahore (I haven't visited Rohtas Fort, Moenjodaro, or Takht-i-Bahi). The positives of visiting Taxila are the ease of getting here, the large number of sites, and how unique it is to see ancient Buddhist artifacts in Pakistan. The negatives were the visible degradation, the lack of helpful signage to understand what you are seeing, and the too persistent guides.

Great Spa Towns of Europe

3.00 NoahFranc Germany - 01-Mar-25

As a resident of Germany, I decided to grant myself this check only after I made it to all 3 German components. And that day is finally here! Here is a collection of my experiences and thoughts: 

Baden-Baden:
I got here the Spring after inscription and we had absolutely perfect weather with the first flowers of Spring everywhere. Unfortunately the historical spa house was closed for renovations, but the other inscribes buildings around the river were open and I found the whole setting very pleasant. During our stay we walked along the river to the Lichtental monastery, which made for a great daytime experience. On another evening we took the Merkurbergbahn up for the view and watched the sunset. It was a lovely and very active city, but not too big. 

Knights Fortifications around the Harbours of Malta (T)

Caspar Dechmann Switzerland - 25-Feb-25

There is no doubt that his should have been part of the Valletta inscription from the start. While the inscribed town is very nice, it is certainly not as spectacular as the former, older seat of the Order of St. John in Rhodos. While there are many must-visits in Valletta, such as the Archeological and the Art Museum, the Grandmasters House, Fort St. Elmo and several churches full of remarkable art,  there is no single building in Valletta with real OUV. It is mainly the stunning townscape with the two bays, the fortifications and the many church towers and  large domes that make this an unforgettable place

Hollókö

3.00 Ilya Burlak USA - 26-Feb-25

Visited in November of 2024. Something that is 300 years old and deliberately well-preserved always piques my interest, even if it has a reconstructed-for-museum-purposes feel. In any case, Hollókő is very photogenic and pleasant to walk through.

That old village core is literally just a few hundred meters long, with the homogenous nature of construction seen on every step. The signature sight is the town church, dedicated to St Martin, which sits at the fork of the only street in the village, splitting it into a main artery and an auxiliary loop. The door was locked, and I did not make extra efforts to find somebody to let me in.

Medina of Fez

4.00 2Flow2 United States - 23-Feb-25

Wow, I can't believe this site hasn't had a new review in nearly seven years! However, it's not as if this 1,000+ year old medina has changed much in such a relatively short amount of time. The existing reviews sum up the medina well so in relating my February 2025 experience I won't repeat what has already been said. Do know, however, that the residents of the medina choose to take a day of rest on Fridays, so the streets are significantly less busy that day of the week, and many of the shops are closed.

Region Lacan-Tún - Usumacinta (T)

Dennis Nicklaus - 24-Feb-25

This site includes two of my favorite Maya ruins of Yaxchilan and Bonampak -- two very unique sites among the many Maya ruins I have visited. 

Yaxchilan

You reach the site by a 45 minute boat ride down the Usumacinta River, which is the border between Mexico and Guatemala here, and kind of a fun experience by itself. Once you arrive at Yaxchilan, you enter the site proper through the small Labyrinth building. Moss-covered stones are everywhere, contributing to the jungle atmosphere of these ruins.  The Great Plaza has a large number of structures, ball courts, and stelae.  The stelae still have very visible hieroglyphics on them.  Stele 11 is a particularly noteworthy one. It's considered one of the best examples of sculptural monuments, carved during the reign of King Bird Jaguar IV (752-772 AD), it now rests on the ground in the Great Plaza, but it survived an earlier failed attempt to move it to Mexico City

Luis Barragán House and Studio

1.00 GeorgeIng61 Canada - 25-Feb-25

Had the chance to visit this site many years ago and was disappointed.

A much better bet is to do a free, self guided walking tour of Barragan's early Tapatia works in Guadalajara. 

It takes you on an approximately two hour walk around the Colonia Americana where you can see his evolving style.

You can visit the Gonzalez Luna  (Jesuit University) House, the Casa Cristo House and the Casa Franco for free..

You can find this tour by searching for:  "Revisiones de Guadalajara".

Coastal Cliffs (T)

Caspar Dechmann Switzerland - 25-Feb-25

Beside the extension of Valletta, that should have been inscribed decades ago, the Coastal Cliffs are certainly the most interesting tentative site of Malta but, as Ralf writes, it needs more precision. Nonetheless, about half of the coast of the two main islands consists of very impressive high cliffs reaching up to 130m above sea level, mainly along the southern coast. These huge cliffs are impressive from every angel: from the boat, from the plane or from various viewpoints and they contribute a lot the Malta’s history as an island fortress. The high cliffs extend often for kilometers and seems hard and undestructable but at their bottom you find everywhere seacaves of various sizes that show that the unrelenting sea over time dissolves even this hard limestone. 

Medina Azahara

2.50 Alikander99 Spain - 25-Feb-25

Well, unfortunately I missed the short window to visit the salon rico, so I won't be adding much new to the fray. 

  This is a rather polarizing site, with some ultimately disregarding it, while others give it a passing score.

Now that I've visited I understand why. The site itself is poorly preserved, and as pointed out there are some rather terrible past reconstructions standing in the park.

At the same time however, the site has, I think, a lot of unfulfilled potential.

First thing we have to remember is that the city is from the late 10th century. Its state of conservation is not that bad once you take into account its age.

Djoudj

3.00 GerhardM Austria - 24-Feb-25

We visited this Site in February 2025. We did it whith an organised tour and booked it at home via a tarvel agency in connection with a Senegalese partner agency. 

Several tour agencies in Saint Louis organise daily tours to Djoudj Reserve. The trip usually takes half a day. We started at 07 00 am and finished around 14 00 p.m. But you have to consider that the boat in Djoudi wait till the boat is full (ore almost) with tourists before it starts. 

The National Park is around 60 km from Saint Louis town (40 km is a good asphalted road, while the rest is on dirt, local roads. It takes about 90 mininutes. 

Historical city of Izamal (T)

Dennis Nicklaus - 24-Feb-25

Izamal is worth a visit for two primary reasons:  Kinich Kak Moo -- ruins of an enormous Maya pyramid, and the convent of San Antonio de Padua.  It's otherwise a nice enough small city to stop by, and there are remants of a few other Maya structures scattered through the town center.  We drove in, and guided by Google Maps to Kinich Kak Moo, started looking for a parking space. We were soon amazed to discover that the block we were driving around was the huge temple itself.  It's base measures roughly 200 x 180 meters.  It's not a full on pyramid going up from those dimensions now, but there is still a pretty significant temple in the center of the broad raised tableau that you can ascend. 

Poblet Monastery

4.00 Andrew_Kerr UK - 23-Feb-25

I seem to be bucking the trend here by awarding Poblet 4 stars but I really enjoyed my visit there. It's a very impressive 14th century Cistercian abbey, set among the rolling foothills of the Prades mountains.I usually find an hour is plenty when visiting most cathedrals and abbeys but I happily spent half a day here exploring the various features.Poblet Abbey or to give it its proper name, The Royal Abbey of Santa Maria de Poblet was founded in the 12th century by French Cistercian monks along with 2 other abbeys at Vallbona de les Monges and Santes Creus.Although the building we see today reflects the splendour of the 14th century Gothic abbey, much of it is restored, the building having fallen into disrepair in the 19th century

Rabat

3.50 2Flow2 United States - 23-Feb-25

Rabat is a solid WHS worth seeing. (I visited in Feb 2025.) It's not the most amazing tourist destination compared to other cities, but it holds its own as a decent spot that I would recommend adding to your trip if you have time. Everything can easily be fit into one day with time to spare.

Some items worth experiencing are:

The newly-reopened Chellah is fantastic with great signage, beautiful pathways, and a perfect-length audioguide that tours you through the entire thing. The Chellah is a mix between an ancient archeological site (that you can walk right into!), a beautiful garden, and a tour of more recently historical, fully-intact buildings. The Kasbah is the biggest attraction of the city and is an excellent little enclosed space that is preserved as an ancient "downtown" area but with modern vendors selling there. (You can also haggle there

Royal Seats in Esztergom, Visegrád (T)

Ilya Burlak USA - 18-Feb-25

I visited Esztergom and its castle in November of 2024 on a day trip from Budapest by car. The direct driving distance between Budapest and Esztergom is a little bit over an hour, and most auto-enabled people will combine the visit here with at least one other place. In my case, I drove to Pannonhalma in the morning and then spent most of the afternoon in Esztergom.   

Esztergom Castle is located next to the Esztergom Basilica at the highest point in town. The part of the description related to the castle emphasizes its medieval architecture and artistic value, as well as the influence of the Italian Renaissance

Southwest Coast (T)

CugelVance Germany - 20-Feb-25

Time of the visit: the 19th of feb.2025

Twice a year I stay for some weeks near Tavira,in the south of Portugal.

Apart from the tentative whs "Southwest Coast" and "Mertola" I have already visited every whs and tentative whs in a radius of 200 km.

Yesterday morning I travelled from Tavira to Sagres and Burgau to visit two of the components of the tentative whs southwest coast.My plan was to spend most of the day in and around Sagres and hike for 1-2 h along the cliffs near Burgau.

Around 11.00 I arrived in Sagres where I visited the Fortaleza de Sagres,some viewpoints and took some pictures from the cliffs there.Sagres didnt impress me much.I dont know why but the entire area around Sagres didnt appeal to me that much .I decided to shorten my stay there and spend more time in and around Burgau which turned out to be a good decision

Les « coules » de Petite Valachie (T)

Jakob Frenzel Germany - 28-Feb-25

August 2024 - after visiting the Horezu Monastery we made a small detour to still visit the coules. Although the architectural style may be unique, the nomination is rather a joke. You can visit one coules and the Museum for 2€ on the opposite site there was another, which was only viewable from outside. From my pespective nothing noteworthy 

The Historic Centre of Sibiu (T)

Jakob Frenzel Germany - 27-Feb-25

August 2024 - After visiting Alba Iulia, we still drove all the way to Sibiu and stayed at at a campsite next to the airport. We had been too tired to visit that evening but did so next morning.

Hermannstadt was always on our itinerary since it claims the status of Europes Cultural Capital in 2007. But it seems to have become a destination for budget  flights with gastronomic offers aiming for this specific group.

Architecture wise it is very typical habsburgian with only few Transylvanian specificities around the bridge of liars. After the stroll through the centre we continued to Shigishoara.

Jewish-Medieval heritage of Erfurt

2.00 Philipp Peterer Switzerland - 20-Feb-25

The site itself and its components have been covered extensively in the previous reviews. I will focus on the visitor experience in 2025.

All three components are right in the center of Erfurt next to its landmark, the Krämerbrücke. One day in Erfurt is enough to visit everything of interest, including a former Stasi prison and the churches (former tentative site). Erfurt was much nicer than I expected and deserves a stop, regardless of the WHS.

The old synagoge is now a museum only, meaning its open in Saturdays. Opening hours are 10:00-18:00, except Monday. The Germans seem to hate Mondays so much, the close the whole country that day.

Rock Art in the Hail Region

5.00 Tarquinio_Superbo Italy - 20-Feb-25

The rock paintings that you can visit are located in the town of Jubbah. The settlement itself is a very nice village with many buildings in the traditional style. I rented a car at the Hail Airport and drove 1.5 hours to the Visitor Center, located on the outskirts of Jubbah. The first thing that impresses is the surrounding landscape, it is simply amazing. Beautiful mountains surrounded by an endless desert. 

At the Visitor Center, I was greeted with coffee and dates. After a short tour with three videos, you can go to see the inscriptions. Right next to the center are two mountains literally filled with them, it is simply impossible to tear yourself away. It took me more than an hour to climb them all. 

Berlin Modernism Housing Estates

2.50 Nan Germany - 07-Feb-25

In 2012, while visiting Berlin for a job interview, I took the opportunity to visit three locations of the Modernism Housing Estates before my interview. The interview was at lunchtime, so I had ample time in the morning. I began my visit at Schillerstraße, then walked to Weiße Stadt before taking a bus and train to Wohnsiedlung Carl Legien.

My impression of these sites at the time aligns well with Ian's summary: In the suburbs of post World War 2 Germany, they look pretty common place, a testament to the significant influence of the architects (most notably Taut and Scharoun) and ideas [...]

Leuven (T)

Astraftis Italy - 18-Feb-25

The celebrations for the 600 years of Leuven's university (KU Leuven) have just started (on February 14-15th), so I feel this is the best occasion for a new review to shed more light upon this slumbering proposal! 

There is [...]

Pannonhalma

2.50 Ilya Burlak USA - 13-Feb-25

I visited Pannonhalma in November of 2024 by car from Budapest - the drive is about an hour and a half long. The only other visitors that I eventually saw were a group of high schoolers on a field trip, but the upper parking lot did not have a single available space. I was about to drive down the hill to the parking lot near the "visitor information center" when I noticed someone who looked like a repairman employed by the abbey getting into his car parked in the slightly lower-lying area by the south side of the building. That smaller lot is probably not meant for visitors, but there are no impediments to exit or entry, so I counted myself lucky to be able to park that close on a rainy day.

Joshua Tree National Park (T)

Kyle Magnuson California - United States of America - 09-Feb-25

Suggestion for an updated nomination: future tentative list

Joshua Tree National Park may qualify for world heritage status on its own, but the possibility of something far greater has been proposed to World Heritage USA and not only by me. I break down the protected lands in the links near the bottom, which by the way have expanded significantly since the creation of the biosphere reserve in 1984. Moreover, newly designated areas of the Mojave have greatly improved the connectivity of these diverse habitats and protected lands.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

5.00 ReallyDeepThoughts Singapore - 25-Feb-25

This is going to be a totally biased review since it is about the only WHS (to date) in my country.

Amongst its claim to being deserving of WHS status was that it is the only tropical botanical site and institution meeting the requisites for listing, which seems to be fair when a comparison is made with other tropical gardens. Its relatively young age might detract from its worthiness, though. That said, it is a pleasant, easy visit as it is a literal walk in the park, with modern amenities and public transportation within easy reach. 

Camp de concentration de Tarrafal (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 16-Feb-25

Like Cidade Velha WHS, the Tarrafal Concentration Camp lies on the main island of Cabo Verde: Santiago. It can be reached by public minibus (aluguer) from the capital Praia; they leave when full from a street near the Estado da Varzea. The 1.5h drive (600escudos) is quite pretty, as it crosses a landscape full of volcanic peaks and the Serra Malagueta Natural Park. The former Concentration Camp lies next to the main road, 2km before the town entrance of Tarrafal. 

The [...]

Ripa Pannonica in Hungary (T)

Ilya Burlak USA - 10-Feb-25

While in Budapest in November of 2024, I stopped by two of the locations of this serial submission.

Aquincum archaeological site marks the location of the capital of the Roman province of Pannonia in the 1st-4th centuries CE. The site is mainly about neat outlines of city structures, with a few columns and portals thrown in. One covered pavilion contains recovered mosaics. Unfortunately, there are a couple of defined components of the site – including the reconstruction of a Roman building called House of the Painter – that can only be visited on a very limited schedule which did not coincide with my plans for the day. So I only perused the onsite museum, which has a reasonable collection of artifacts dating back to Roman times.

Paris, Banks of the Seine

5.00 Aitia France - 17-Feb-25

Hasn't everything already been said about this WHS? In fact, 2 events took place in 2024 that are worth looking at Paris again (and nothing to do with the Olympics!). First of all, the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris in December 2024. On the headlines of the media around the world, many of us have seen these images of Notre-Dame fully restored

Rosenborg Castle (T)

Kyle Magnuson California - United States of America - 05-Feb-25

Suggestion for an updated nomination: future tentative list

Copenhagen remains without a world heritage site, though that may change in a few years. Rosenborg Castle would have been a prime candidate if it was put forward in the mid-1990's. However, today as a standalone monument? Despite its merits, a new approach is needed.

I would propose a Dutch Renaissance Castles of Denmark nomination centered on Rosenborg Castle and Frederiksborg Castle. In fact, the Dutch architect Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger was a favorite architect of Christian IV and played a significant role in both Rosenborg and Frederiksborg. 

Çatalhöyük

4.00 Wojciech Fedoruk Poland - 16-Feb-25

After reading the reviews of other users of the site, I realized that visiting Çatalhöyük is completely different now and requires a new review. In the end of 2023, a completely new museum was opened (although the name ‘interpretive center’ sounds better, since there are very few original artifacts here). Because of this, the place is no longer free, foreigners pay the equivalent of 5 euros - but believe me, it will be money well spent. The museum is well constructed and presents the history of the excavations and their importance very well. In an interactive way, you can learn a lot about archaeology, discoveries in the area of Çatalhöyük, and even how scientists came to specific conclusions

Caves of the Buda Thermal Karst System (T)

Ilya Burlak USA - 10-Feb-25

I visited Pál-völgyi Cave during my stay in Budapest in November 2024. I did not plan to see more than one cave in this serial submission, and based on my research, Pál-völgyi provided the best balance of accessibility and interest of the six of them. The roughly half-kilometer subterranean walk takes about an hour to complete.The visit is always guided and always in Hungarian. Foreigners are directed to download an app with an audio guide in several languages. The English version is narrated in such a boring and tedious fashion that I put the phone away after the second stop. The live guide was occupied by a group of local teenagers on a school field trip

Mount Vernon (T)

Carlo Sarion Philippines/New Zealand - 07-Feb-25

It just seems appropriate to visit and write a review of Mount Vernon after doing so with Monticello, as both were the residences and plantations of two prominent American presidents in Virginia. We visited the site in Dec 2024 as a side trip while visiting family for Christmas. Whether it has the potential to be inscribed or not and regardless of our opinions about George Washington as a slave owner, I'd recommend a visit here.

The mansion tour

At the time of our visit, the mansion was undergoing significant renovation (see photo, with the facade obstructed by tarpaulin) and only a very limited part of the mansion could be accessed. It was helpful to attend the free virtual tour at the Ford Orientation Centre. We entered the mansion through the door that opens to the New Room. This multi-purpose room is the most interesting (to me) of all the rooms in the mansion. Its walls are painted in pastel green, and it has a Palladian window with composition ornament and a ceiling with stuccowork

Poverty Point

2.00 Jason Boulette United States - 06-Feb-25

I'll admit, I recognize their historical importance, but I have a hard time truly appreciating the earthworks sites such as Poverty Point (I've visited two of the three in the United States, having also visited Cahokia Mounds but not yet visiting Hopewell). It's one thing to recognize on an intellectual level that these required tremendous planning and effort to build these structures, but on a visceral level, I hate to say it, but it feels like you're just looking at or climbing a small hill. I think my visit to Poverty Point was also marred by the fact that, as I perused the small visitor's center to try to understand the cultural significance of the site, the loudspeaker was blaring Vanessa Williams singing The Color of the Wind from Disney's Pocahontas movie. 

Alvaro Siza's Architecture Works (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 13-Feb-25

In 2020 I visited two of Siza’s works in Northern Portugal: a bank in Vila do Conde (something white and Le Corbusier-ish with many windows in a street with mainly traditional buildings) and the Casa Carlos Beires in Pavoa de Varzim (a yellow family house located in a residential area with other interesting modern buildings, looking very run down). Both have since been dropped from the shortlist of this nomination, so I had to return to Portugal to reclaim my ‘tick’. 

The Pavilhão de Portugal serves this purpose very well, as it [...]

The Historic City of Dublin (T)

Kyle Magnuson California - United States of America - 25-Aug-18

Suggestion for an updated nomination: future tentative list

I do not see a particularly strong justification for Dublin to become a world heritage site, but Trinity College stood out. While my experience seeing Trinity College was brief, I was impressed and the literary history here is legendary. The Library of Trinity College Dublin is stunning in its own right and a book-lovers dream.

Therefore, I would suggest something far grander

Enclos paroissiaux du Finistère (T)

Aitia France - 09-Feb-25

The parish enclosures of Finistère were added very recently to the French indicative list, and this nomination file should be put forward soon by France (perhaps 2029?). It was entrusted to a former French Minister of Culture, residing in Brittany, who contributed to the successful inscription of the city of Nice in 2021.
One might wonder why France chose a bid focused once again on Christian architecture. In fact, this choice is more judicious than it seems.

First, these parish churches are very original. Modest in size but very decorated, they are made up of several elements: a decorated monumental porch, a surrounding wall, with a monumental entrance and an "échalier" (to prevent animals from accessing this sacred space), a sculpted calvary, and an ossuary.

Migratory Bird Sanctuaries China

Philipp Peterer Switzerland - 03-Feb-25

This is my second non-visit review within a few months. I really hope this is not becoming a regular thing. I tried to visit the Chongming Dongtan Bird Habitat. Strictly looking at the map, this is by far the easiest place to visit, as it is very close to Shanghai.

I took a taxi from the center and left Shanghai at lunch time. The DiDi app predicted 1h50min to get there, which is 30min longer than Google Maps (with no access to any traffic information, because technically banned) told me, when I planned this at home. The price was predicted with around 40 EUR per way, which is not too bad for 2 hours driving. There are also no other options than taxi, so it’s that or you know someone who can drive you there.

Monticello

Carlo Sarion Philippines/New Zealand - 31-Jan-25

This site was the first of the few UNESCO sites I visited during my trip to the US in Dec 2024. It made for a great stop on my way to spending the holidays with family in Virginia. I made sure that we visited both Monticello and the University of Virginia campus, which I think is the best way to really appreciate the OUV of this site. 

Monticello

Monticello was Thomas Jefferson's primary plantation and house, situated on a hill or [...]

Pu'uhonua o'Honaunau NHP (T)

Kyle Magnuson California - United States of America - 03-Feb-25

Suggestion for an updated nomination: future tentative list

Consideration of a future Heritage of the Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian People) nomination, Pu'uhonua o'Honaunau NHP would be a major component. It is past due the United States alongside local stakeholders in Hawaii put forward a serial nomination that represents the rich cultural heritage of Hawaii

Civil Rights Movement Sites (T)

Jay T USA - 04-Feb-25

Now that the list of components for the US Civil Rights Movement Sites Tentative World Heritage Site nomination has filled out, I figured I should write about some of the locations that have yet to be reviewed. I visited the three sites closest to my home on the US East Coast in the summer of 2023. One of the sites, the Lincoln Memorial, was covered quite well in Solivagant's excellent review based on his firsthand experience at the March on Washington. The other two sites, Moton High School and the F.W. Woolworth Store, are a bit further off the beaten track for most visitors. I'll cover Moton High School for this review.

Trang An

3.00 GabLabCebu Philippines - 27-Jan-25

Trang An, just two hours out of Hanoi, seems a world away from it. I was equally excited to visit Trang An as I was Ha Long Bay when I planned our family vacation to Vietnam in January 2025. On a long day trip from Ha Long, we climbed up Hang Mua, had a lunch of fried corn and goat stir fry among other local specialties, and took a boat tour of the Trang An complex before catching the sunset at the Ho Dynasty Citadel. I must say that a tour of the Ninh Binh area would definitely be a highlight for any trip to Vietnam. It’s extremely scenic and enjoyable. But what about the WHS that is Trang An?

The Ancient Waterfront Towns in the South of Yangtze River (T)

Philipp Peterer Switzerland - 03-Feb-25

I visited Luzhi Town as a short expedition during my day trip from Shanghai to Suzhou.

This town as well has everything the reviews of the other towns described. There are beautiful canals bordered by traditional houses, nice little bridges and a Chinese garden in the center of the old town. There are several restaurants, shops and of course places that rent out traditional costumes. I visited the Wansheng Rice Shop, some kind of agricultural museum. There is also a boat tour starting right next to the museum, but my otherwise so reliable Alipay app did not work to book that one. All in all the town is very photogenic and very pleasant to visit.

Kew Gardens

3.00 Andrew_Kerr UK - 26-Jan-25

I know it's stating the obvious but.........don't go to Kew Gardens unless you're really interested in plants and gardening. I'm not and I have to be honest and say that I was a bit underwhelmed by the place and thought that the cost was too high.
Let me elaborate, there's a lot of open green spaces, I mean A LOT, which may be green and natural but are not gardens. 
I think I expected something more akin to the Chelsea Flower Show than Hyde Park hence my overall disappointment. I did enjoy the hot houses, Kew Palace and the pagoda (picture).
Ultimately though, I found it to be disappointing and not worth the entrance fee (currently £22) especially when there are some excellent parks to visit in London, for free.

Derzhprom (the State Industry Building) (T)

ChrisDorn Germany - 31-Jan-25

I visited Kharkiv in 2021, six months before the start of the... disaster.

At that time, I was not yet part of the UNESCO enthusiast community, so I had no idea that I was next to a nominee for inclusion in the World Heritage Site. But even then, I was impressed by the massiveness and grandeur of the building - a very unusual architecture for Kharkiv.

Outside, there is also a large fountain built into the sidewalk. In the hot summer of 2021, you could meet children and their parents there every day, who were cooling off in powerful jets of the fountain in their bathing suits. I was no exception.

Asante Traditional Buildings

3.00 Little Lauren Travels USA - 20-Jan-25

I booked a tour with a local company, Ashanti African Tours, to spend four days in Ghana, visiting the forts and the Asante traditional buildings as well as the Akwasidae Festival, a traditional Asante festival that happens once every six weeks.  I was too focused on visas and anti-malarials and a snow storm to closely check the itinerary, which just had an afternoon visiting the site.  I was disappointed to learn that only the shrine at Ejisu-Besease had been included.  I asked that more be added and also visited Adako-Jackie, which is nearby.  I would be specific on any tour and say you want to visit multiple of the shrines.  Although I usually have a 30% rule — e.g

Thang Long

2.50 GabLabCebu Philippines - 25-Jan-25

Thang Long is surely far from being the most popular WHS here. As I planned my January 2025 trip to northern Vietnam, I fully expected it to be close to the bottom of my rankings. Barely anything remains from its 11th century state that is often stated as the basis of its OUV, right? Yes, all that can be seen from that period are artifacts from the archaeological digs, and even then, the majority come from the 13th-14th centuries. Most of what remains are indeed recent Nguyen and French additions. While Nguyen structures may pale in comparison to Hue, the little gates and pavilions are distinct and beautiful royal constructions still exemplary for the period as a whole

Cidade Velha

3.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 13-Feb-25

Cidade Velha is an easy, short excursion from Santiago’s (and Cabo Verde’s) capital Praia. A bay, a few cobbled streets, remains of Portuguese fortifications and churches – you know what it looks like even before you have seen it. I tried a different approach for my visit and went for a guided hike through the Ribeira Grande Valley. This way I also ticked one of the other activity boxes I had for Cabo Verde: “Do a hike in the countryside” (as the archipelago is known as a hiker's paradise).

Route of the Franciscan Evangelisation (T)

Digits Ireland - 26-Jan-25

Can you review a tentative site where the components are unknown? We visited the Iglesia de San Francisco in Antigua in the summer of 2016 which would presumably have been one of the supposed 26 components. More churches you say? I would have been the first to say surely saturation point has been reached on the religious sites. But then … the more I thought about it … the more I thought it might be … merited?! The vast majority of sites related to colonialism focus on urban ensembles which don’t necessarily hone in on the role of missionaries in altering the fabric of a region permanently.

Bassari Country

3.50 Els Slots The Netherlands - 24-Jan-25

Bassari Country is almost contiguous with that other East Senegal WHS, Niokolo Koba National Park. However, you must drive around the park (2.5-3 hours) to get to where the Bassari live. Along the way, you will already see plenty of traditional houses in mixed villages by the roadside.

We started our visit at location #3, Dindefello. This is a typical mixed village on lower ground, inhabited mostly by Fula and with ‘modern’ houses as well. It has a fine setting with the massive wall of the Fouta Djalon Massif rising behind it. On its main street, there’s a Visitor’s Center where you have to pick up a local guide and pay for access to the waterfall. 

Walled City of Manila (T)

Kyle Magnuson California - United States of America - 26-Jan-25

My first thought when exploring the fortifications and the Colonial heart of Manila was this must be difficult to preserve. The vegetation seemed like it was overtaking the ruins. Moreover, some parts of the fortifications were crumbling or collapsing in on itself. Considering other climate factors such as total rainfall in a year, Intramuros has unique challenges to address before producing a nomination dossier. My visit to Manila was May 2011 and perhaps the conservation within the historic district has improved.

Guanacaste

2.50 Little Lauren Travels USA - 20-Jan-25

Guanacaste is a large area in northwestern Costa Rica that is easily accessible from the Liberia Airport, which has nonstop flights to many U.S. airports. Needing a short break to a warm climate, I hopped on a last-minute flight to Costa Rica to visit this World Heritage Site. Over 48 hours split over three days, I managed to visit three different areas of the vast site.  Although the site is huge, most parts are within a two hour drive of the Liberia airport, off the Pan-American Highway; which is pretty well maintained.

Dinosaur Provincial Park

4.50 GabLabCebu Philippines - 25-Jan-25

Dinosaurs have been an interest of mine since childhood. Little me would memorize every single species I could find in the books and their family, size, and modern-day locality. But I don’t think any of that could prepare me for stumbling upon and being able to hold hadrosaur vertebrae while trekking across the Albertan badlands. On one hand, I do think that fossil locales of every geological period are all somewhat equally valuable; as fossils become newer, they tend to be more complex and “impressive” whereas age in itself is already impressive, and fossils from different eras all help us to understand the history of our complex world and paint a picture of what life was like at any given point in geological history

Niokolo-Koba National Park

2.50 Els Slots The Netherlands - 23-Jan-25

Like Bulgaria, Senegal was quick off the mark, resulting in some WHS getting in early which are questionable now. Niokolo-Koba, named after the Niokolo (Koba) River and the Kob antelope, is an enormous park in the east of the country. At its inscription it was rich in mammals including “a large population of elephants”, but after decades of poaching (which has been curtailed only in recent years), few of that is left. It has chimps, lions and other location-specific mammal species that are clinging on to existence and are heavily supported by conservation NGOs such as Panthera. Still, it’s remarkable considering the circumstances that such small and isolated populations have managed to survive for so long in West Africa. 

Forts and Castles Gold Coast

4.00 Little Lauren Travels USA - 20-Jan-25

This is a serial site consisting of 3 castles and over 20 forts along the Ghanaian coast.  The castles, especially Cape Coast and Elmina, are huge European fortresses built and occupied by various European colonial powers — Portuguese, Dutch, British — between the late 1400s and the early twentieth century.  Their constant use means that they are still standing today, whereas most buildings from the era are long gone.  The forts were built to protect settlements on the coast, including the castles, and are generally smaller and more strategically located.  One of the important and dark chapters in the 500+ year history of the castles was the transatlantic slave trade

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum

3.00 2Flow2 United States - 24-Dec-24

There were two deaf people in my group of visitors. At the beginning of the tour, everyone is given a fully automatic hand-held speaker to hold up to their ear throughout the duration of the tour like a cellphone. As others have mentioned, the tour of this well-preserved underground marvel is limited to groups of 10 and consists of a surround-view movie, then a walk down into the hypogeum. The entire group stops every few feet to listen to a segment of audio coming from each of their respective devices for a number of minutes, then moves forward at the physical guide's prompting and repeats the process. The in-person guide does not interact with the group nearly at all other than to prompt people forward at the end of each audio segment

Stone Circles of Senegambia

3.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 22-Jan-25

The Stone Circles of Wassu are still all standing in 2025! They even feature in Gambia’s tourism promotion video (“The Smiling Coast of Africa”) that is shown at Banjul airport and of course on the 50 dalasi banknote. We went there at the end of a long day of driving and sightseeing, it’s right near the main northern road to Janjanbureh. Official opening hours are 8-17, but we arrived at 6 pm and the woman selling tickets and the local guide were still there (maybe my guide had phoned ahead to announce our arrival). The site clearly is more equipped for receiving tourists than when Solivagant visited in 1984. There’s a small exhibition but the main findings are at the National Museum in Banjul.

Gwynedd Castles

5.00 Andrew_Kerr UK - 16-Jan-25

I'm probably biased, being born and bred in Wales and in particular North Wales so I should really rate these castles as 5 star, especially Harlech (picture) and Conwy, both for their aesthetics and location but all 4 (Caernarvon and Beaumaris the others) are worth visiting.It's ironic that these castles (so expensive to build at the time they bankrupted the king of England) that were built to suppress the Welsh, are now one of the major tourist attractions in North Wales.I have never understood fully why these 4 castles alone were given UNESCO WHS listings when there are plenty of equally impressive castles all over Wales, especially West Wales but I'm probably splitting hairs.Harlech castle is spectacular being high above the coast on a rocky promontory

Hegra

4.00 Alexander Barabanov Russia - 20-Jan-25

Visited this site in January 2025. Day tour (95 SAR) remains the same as described by Tony, Els and Martina, covers 4 clusters and only one tomb (#26) can be visited inside. Nothing to add. After that I also took Hegra After Dark tour (200 SAR), which is offered at 18:00 and 21:00 daily except Sundays and Mondays. It is more atmospheric and entertainment experience rather than historical insight. You will be driven by a horse-drawn carriage to a fifth cluster not included into day tour, called Jebel Khraymat. The area is beautifully lit by many lamps. After all people are gathered, something like live performance involving about 20 dressed actors begins

Kunta Kinteh Island

3.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 21-Jan-25

Named after the fictional character Kunta Kinteh that featured in the novel and TV series Roots, the title of this WHS suggests that this is primarily a slavery memorial site. But it actually comprises 7 components that put the African-European encounter at and along the River Gambia into historical perspective. Since that river is Gambia’s sole raison d’etre, it is a well-chosen WHS to represent the country.

The mouth of the Gambia River is flanked by two late 19th-century British forts and is best experienced from the Barra ferry. I took this ferry twice, once from the North Bank to the South and once the other way around. It’s a great introduction to the country for just 35 Dalaisi (0.50 EUR). Nowadays, crossings take 25-30 minutes since they put a new engine into the last ferryboat remaining last year. Although I had to wait over 1.5 hours for one to leave at the Barra side, I forgot to check out the fort (Fort Bullen) from up close. The dusty surroundings and chaotic traffic are not very inviting

The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa

3.00 Jay T USA - 22-Jan-25

It took me until my second visit to Mossel Bay, but I was finally able to visit Pinnacle Point, one of the three components of The Emergence of Modern Human Behaviour: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa, last week. The Pinnacle Point Complex consists of a number of caves along the Indian Ocean coast that scientists believe were occupied for over 125,000 years. Of these caves, 13B is accessible to the public via a cave tour which can be booked through the Point of Human Origins website.

The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa

3.00 Little Lauren Travels USA - 18-Jan-25

I visited one of the three inscribed sites, Pinnacle Point, near Mossel Bay. It was the only one of the inscribed sites that had readily available online information about how to visit, and it’s an easy stop when driving the Garden Route. 

Tours are arranged in advance, via WhatsApp, and occur daily at 9, 11, 1, and 3. They arranged a special tour for us at an extra fee, which was so kind, to accommodate other activities in the area.  The actual site is a series of caves under the golf course in a gated community. Although locals knew of the caves for some time, the archaeological assessment in connection with building the golf course led to further study.  The golf course went ahead, but the caves are preserved and recently opened for visits.

Green Belt (T)

Kerstin Lange - 16-Jan-25

My first reaction to the Green Belt was puzzlement: I was looking for it on the Priwall Peninsula, the beginning or the end (depending on which way you look) of the border that cut across the German landscape during the Cold War. There were few remains of the military installations and I could see no flashy natural wonders. I realized quickly that finding it would require detective work, and that the natural wonders were of a more subtle kind than in, say, Yellowstone Park.  They are, however, no less significant: over 1,200 rare and threatened plant and animal species have been documented in and along this narrow ribbon of land

Toledo

5.00 2Flow2 United States - 17-Jan-25

Wow, when I went to Toledo I was not expecting it to become my new favorite city that I have travelled to in all of Spain! I visited this WHS in January 2025 during my year of living in Spain, and currently this is my favorite WHS in the country.

I used Hubert's review pretty much as a checklist guide for what to see in the city instead of trying to cross-reference a bunch of different tour guide resources online and in physical pamphlets. I was not disappointed! Out of the dozens of cathedrals I have visited in Spain, the Cathedral of Toledo is my new favorite and has the best audio guide that I've experienced. (You have to download it as a separate app.) I'm expecting the only cathedral that will rival this one will be when I visit the Sagrada Familia.

Tyniec-Bielany Salwator (in and near Krakow) (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 14-Jan-25

After a couple of days in Krakow and visiting the depressing Auschwitz-Birkenau and Oscar Schindler sites we needed somewhere to chill out for a few hours, somewhere quiet and tranquil preferably with a scenic view, so we headed to the Benedictine Abbey of Tyniec a few miles south of the city and high above a bend of the Vistula river.We weren't disappointed, the abbey is picturesque and quiet and there's a cafe (that sells the abbey's traditional beer) and a small museum.The wider area of Tyniec-Bielany Salwator encompasses parkland, woods, riverside walks and plenty of opportunity for hikers to get out of the city and enjoy nature

Moidams

2.00 Jon Opol Philippines - 16-Jan-25

Definitely not the most spectacular display from the glorious Ahom dynasty and best combined with visits to other archaeological sites around the city of Sibsagar/Sivasagar. As mentioned in the other reviews, the necropolis are divided into 2 sites - Assam State and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) thus separate fees. Each cost 250 rupees for foreigners and 20 for locals. There's a new visitor center at the Assam State controlled gate which has some information board that details the origin of the burial mounds, maps, and some info-graphics of the interiors which I think would be helpful how to tackle the site and to learn more about the history of the place. I wasn't asked for ticket at this point

Ödön Lechner's independent pre-modern architecture (T)

Ilya Burlak USA - 15-Jan-25

All of my research ahead of the trip to Budapest last November suggested that you cannot visit either the Postal Saving Bank or the State Geological Institute. The Museum of Applied Arts remains under renovation; Els mentioned that seven years ago and nothing changed - in fact, a taxi ride took me by the museum building, and its facade is covered in painted cloth that conceals the scaffolding. So, a visitor to Budapest who wants to see Ödön Lechner's architecture is limited to exterior views of a couple of buildings.

Grand Pré

5.00 Carl Le Boeuf United States - 15-Jan-25

In 1999, I traveled to Halifax for a family vacation.  It was a special pilgrimage for my family as we are direct descendants of the ousted Acadians that still reside in the Acadian Triangle in Louisiana.  For personal reasons, I rate this location very high and hope to return and visit the site again. 

I would like to say that the trip to Halifax/Nova Scotia was very picturesque, entertaining, and an educational trip that I highly recommend.  In addition to the World Heritage Location Grand Pré, there were a wide array of historical, botanical, maritime activities.  These locations I rate very favorably if you are visiting:  Halifax Public Gardens, Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, Halifax Waterfront Boardwalk, Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse and Village, Fort Edward National Historic Site, Port-Royal National Historic Site, Fort Anne National Historic Site, & Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens.  There is a ton of Titanic history, and I really enjoyed the whale watching tour

Djoudj

4.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 12-Jan-25

Banc d'Arguin, which I visited earlier on this trip, and Djoudj Bird Sanctuary are crucial for conserving migratory waterbirds in West Africa. Banc d'Arguin is particularly important as a wintering site, while Djoudj is known for its breeding colonies. Another difference with Banc d’Arguin is that it isn’t coastal but an inland wetland centered around a lake. It is more focused on flamingoes and pelicans instead of waders.

I went there with a driver from Saint-Louis. The journey is best done with a 4WD as the road is mostly unpaved and has lots of potholes, but we encountered a few regular orange taxis as well (they will drive very slowly)

Maratha Military Architecture in Maharashtra (T)

Swarachandorkar - 20-Jan-25

I visited Sindhudurg Fort when I was on vacation last month, mainly because I am really excited to hear that it has been sent to the World Heritage Sites team. Sindhudurg Fort is amazing, considering both the scenery and the architectural aspects. It was built around 360+ years ago and is in a proper state for a structure so old. The interesting fact about this fort is that it was built using no professional or electric equipment and majority of the work was done by bare hands. To top it off, it is built in WATER. So obviously, one has to go by boat in order to reach there.

Itsukushima Shrine

4.00 Tony H. Finland - 13-Jan-25

I visited Itsukushima island as a day trip from Hiroshima in November 2024. Even on an average Friday morning the local train from Hiroshima to Miyajimaguchi's ferry port was packed with tourists heading to see this beautiful island. You can arrive to Miyajimaguchi from Hiroshima also by a tram but it takes much longer than the train. There are two ferries operating to the island from Miyajimaguchi, and one of them is operated by JR and is included in the JR Pass. But if you're paying with IC card it doesn't matter which one you take. There are also direct ferries from Hiroshima to Itsukushima but they're quite pricey compared to the train and tram

Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai’pi

2.00 GabLabCebu Philippines - 09-Jan-25

I guess this may just be the perspective of someone who was unable to go on a guided tour here (due to scheduling, so try to be here in the morning), but I found Writing-on-Stone to be not too outstanding of a cultural WHS, but just deserving enough. Without the tour, one can only really observe the rock art by walking the Hoodoo Trail. Even then, spotting a glyph is challenging, even with the guidebook telling you exactly what to look out for. There were a couple that I couldn't see no matter how much I stared at every inch of the rock face. I'll echo the thought of Frédéric that Stop 7 was the clearest example on the trail, and the only one I can still remember vividly months later other than the battle scene

Mérida

2.50 KngAlaric USA - 30-Jan-25

Merida has some cool Roman remnants, but they are all trapped behind fences, which I guess is understandable. But, if you arrive on a day in which they are closed, the fences are also ivied, so you can't see much. 

Also, the old town is getting a facelift, which doesn't really make it seem like an old town at all. Perhaps they are readying for hordes of modern shoppers. Maybe I missed the allure, as this was simply a stopover town on our travels. 

Had I been there on a day when things were open, I might have felt like I was walking around Rome. But, I also might not have.

Island of Saint-Louis

2.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 11-Jan-25

As with all of Senegal’s WHS, this one is underreviewed. So I am glad to present the situation that I encountered when visiting in January 2025. I arrived by minibus (“combi”) from Dakar’s Gare Routière des Baux Maraîchers, a 5-hour ride mostly because of strong traffic congestion one-third of the way in Thies. The bus will drop you at the bus station on the mainland of Saint-Louis, from where it’s a short taxi ride across the Faidherbe Bridge to the island. The bridge, like the rest of the colonial heritage, dates from the late 19th century so is part of the inscribed area. It looks like a horizontal Eiffel Tower.

Chichen-Itza

3.50 Carl Le Boeuf United States - 12-Jan-25

I took a family cruise in 2024 and stopped at the port of Cozumel, Mexico.  I didn’t think I was going to be able to go to the Chichen-Itza ruins, so I didn’t do the research ahead of time.  However, at the last minute, I was able to break away and signed up for an excursion.  First and foremost, you should definitely NOT try to see this wonder on a cruise ship schedule.  It took two and a half hours to travel each way by ferry and van.  I was only at the site for a little over an hour and it was very rushed.  I did have a guide that was very knowledgeable but was more interested in up selling his friends relics.  

Purnululu National Park

5.00 ChrisN United Kingdom - 12-Jan-25

I visited Purnululu National Park in early August 2023 as part of a trip around Western Australia and the Northern Territory with my wife and teenage son.  We flew into Kununurra from Darwin, which is a short 1 hour flight, and rented a Toyota Landcruiser Prado at the airport.  Before heading south towards Purnululu, we visited the excellent Mirima National Park on the outskirts of Kununurra and walked up a steep trail for views over the valley.  We also visited the Aboriginal Art Centre.  After lunch we visited Kelly's Knob, a high point with a view over the town then set out on the road, arriving in Warmun in the late afternoon.  We stopped a few times to check out the Baobab trees around the highway. 

Galapagos Islands

5.00 Carl Le Boeuf United States - 11-Jan-25

My Wife and I took an amazing trip to the Galapagos Islands in 2024.  We took a four day cruise to explore the eastern islands.  

HIGHLANDS (SANTA CRUZ ISLAND)
Dry landing. A 45-minute bus ride will take us to the Santa Cruz highlands, located in the northwest of Puerto Ayora, where we will find a natural reserve with giant tortoises. * These enormous and slow-moving reptiles are responsible for the island’s name and therefore approaching them in their humid and forested abode is always an inspiring adventure. They can weigh between 250 and 300 kg and can live up to 200 years. Additionally, travelers can walk inside surprising lava tubes.
Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: flat and muddy

Smederevo Fortress (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 03-Jan-25

Impressive 15th Century fortress on the banks of the river Danube. It was once a fortified city and temporarily the capital of Serbia before it was overrun by forces of the Ottoman Empire but not until they had laid siege to the fortress on three separate occasions. 
The fortress survived the centuries more or less intact until bomb damage in World War II. In recent years the fortress has been restored back to it's former glory as has the spectacular fortress a few miles downriver in Golubac.
There isn't much else to detain you in Smederevo, it's an industrial city with a large steelworks that seems to coat everything in a red dust. From memory the nearest places of interest are Belgrade to the north and Veliko Gradiste to the south, both around 40 miles away.

Island of Gorée

3.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 09-Jan-25

It’s just a 20-minute walk from the center of Dakar to the ‘Gare Maritime’ from where the ferries to Gorée leave. This is a well-organized service, with online timetables, clear ticket prices (unchanged for years so it seems, 5200 XOF for the return plus 500 tax), and a boarding area with plenty of seats and a French bakery. It's nothing like the Elephanta ferry I took a month ago from Mumbai – with its lack of signage, old wooden boats and the dirt all around. Just don’t forget to bring your passport here, as it will be checked when you enter the harbour area

Medina of Sousse

3.50 Andrew_Kerr UK - 27-Jan-25

There are a couple of component parts to the Medina that warrant a visit in their own right. 
The Ribat, an impressive fort dating from the 8th century that is surprisingly complete and perfectly maintained. The site can be visited including the tower.
The Great Mosque of Sousse (picture) dates from the 9th century and is impressive in it's size and layout. It doesn't fit the stereotypical image of a mosque, a domed building with a slender minaret, it is squat and rectangular and has a defensive nature to it being enclosed behind formidable walls with round towers on the corners surrounding a tranquil and elegant inner courtyard.
And the Medina itself with it's own defensive walls and tower and magnificent city gates make it one of the most interesting places in Tunisia.