UNESCO World Heritage Sites on AWSI

Sprinkled around the planet, you’ll find a smattering of unique locations with outstanding universal value. Some are a testimony to man’s creativity while others are sanctuaries of unspoiled natural landscapes. All are our legacy from those who have gone before.

These special places have earned their place on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, created by the cultural arm of the United Nations.

Although some of these destinations may be international destinations on every tourist’s radar, most are not. A few are so remote and unheard of that they see only a handful of visitors per year. No matter where they are on the globe, they are always worthy of a visit.

UNESCO map 2015

Why bother visiting?

In our lifetimes, we have seen ruins abandoned millennia ago, natural landscapes that inspired our awe, and ancient city centers that begged us to spend time within their walls. Once we realized how many of our favorite places were actually UNESCO World Heritage Site status, we began to seek them out.

These days we prepare our itineraries with an eye to any UNESCO sites that might be near our destinations. We have never been disappointed, but we have been surprised. One of the pleasures of visiting World Heritage Sites is discovering great places we never would have visited otherwise.

Kinderdijk windmills, one of the UNESCO sites we have visited

Our UNESCO World Heritage Site list (as of 2017)

Here is a list of the World Heritage Sites we’ve been to, along with links to help you find any related articles on AWSI or photo galleries. Perhaps you’ll want to visit some of them yourself.

Browse through our travel photo galleries here.

Total World Heritage Sites: 1073

Sites visited: 100

Sites covered: 50

 

Africa

Egypt

  • Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis
  • Historic Cairo
  • Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur
  • Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae
  • Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley)

Americas

Colombia

Curaçao

Dominica

Ecuador

Jamaica

  • Blue and John Crow Mountains

Mexico

Panama

United States of America

  • Everglades National Park
  • Grand Canyon National Park
  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park
  • Independence Hall
  • La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site (in Puerto Rico)
  • Mammoth Cave National Park
  • Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville
  • Redwood National and State Parks
  • Statue of Liberty
  • Yellowstone National Park
  • Yosemite National Park

Asia

Cambodia

China

  • Historic Centre of Macao

Indonesia

Israel & Palestine

Iraq

  • Erbil Citadel

Jordan

  • Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas)
  • Petra
  • Quseir Amra
  • Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa’a)
  • Wadi Rum Protected Area

Malaysia

  • Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca

Singapore

Australia & Pacific (Oceania)

  • Australian Convict Sites
  • Greater Blue Mountains Area

Europe

Andorra

  • Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley

Austria

Croatia

Czech Republic

France

Greece

Hungary

Holy See

Italy

Luxembourg

  • City of Luxembourg: Its Old Quarters and Fortifications

Montenegro

Netherlands

Portugal

Spain

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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