Some of Europe’s Best UNESCO Sites
Do you want to get rid of the winter blues? Spring is almost around the corner and this is the perfect time to do it, while travelling is the perfect way! In case you feel a slight lack of inspiration for travelling and you are wondering what should be the next destination you must start to dream of… and start actually preparing for, here are a few ideas we would like to provide you with!
What better way to start the annual dose of travelling with good old Europe? With the highest concentration of UNESCO sites than any other continent in the world, Europe is definitely a treasure chest for everyone fascinated by rich history and culture.
With an impressive array of natural and cultural landmarks, there is not a single country in Europe not offering a lot of beauty, history and heritage for you to learn from, or simply enjoy looking at. The scenery is exceptionally diverse too and you are hardly going to find two UNESCO sites looking almost identical… or even slightly similar. With so many wonderful places waiting for you to visit and enjoy them, narrowing down today’s list to just a few is definitely a lot of hard work. But let’s get to the heart of the topic – prepare yourself for discovering just a fraction of the great number of wonderful UNESCO sites around Europe!
Acropolis, Athens, Greece
Greece is certainly one of the top countries you would think of, then words such as “heritage”, “history”, “culture” and “UNESCO” are mentioned. There is no denial in the fact that Greece is definitely one of the European countries with the highest concentration of amazing sights, but it couldn’t be any other way since the country is the home to the majority of the world’s historical heritage along with Italy. Located on a rocky hill and certainly, one of the main symbols of Greece, the Acropolis in the capital Athens is just one of the many examples of how rich and diverse Greek history is. In fact, the Acropolis is the greatest architectural and artistic complex of Ancient Greece and there is not a slight wonder why the complex is under the protection of UNESCO. Built by some of the most prominent architects and sculptors, the Greek Acropolis is certainly a must-visit.
Venice, Italy
It is impossible not to mention Italy in such a list. Despite the fact that Italy is a home to a great number of UNESCO sights, and a lot of beauty and history in general, which makes picking just one place a very hard job, Venice certainly deserves its place in this list, being one of the unique cities in the whole entire world. With a network of beautiful and inspirational waterways and canals, Venice is an architectural masterpiece of the ancient world, the perfect example of craftsmanship, the reflection of elegance, free spirit, class, romance. In fact, Venice is a home to some of the greatest examples of art in the whole world. When visiting the city, do not miss to take a mental picture of every corner and every nook, because everything in this place is “screaming” rich culture and history.
Evora, Portugal
The city of Evora is located in the Alentejo area and it is one of the best examples of the Golden Age of Portugal, dating back to Roman times. Back in the days, the place has been a residence of the Portuguese kings and there is not even a slight wonder why they have chosen it. Over the time new architectural features have been added to Evora, which made it even more unique, diverse and beautiful, The city’s architecture is also inspired and influenced by the construction and appearance of the colonial cities of Portugal in Brazil.
Bath, England
A home to some of the most important and significant Roman remains north of the Alps, Bath and its baths with thermal water used to and still represent the ultimate serenity and tranquillity. Back in the days, Bath used to be recognised as one of the biggest wool industry centres in Europe, however, Bath is mainly associated with lively art and literature scene in the past and recognised as one of the finest spa cities around. Blending with the Roman remains in harmony and beauty, Bath’s architecture is mostly inspired by Italian styles, so you can assume that the city is simply beautiful at its worst!
The Western Fjords, Norway
Two of the longest and deepest fjords in the whole world are located in southwestern Norway. With their crystalline rock walls rising 1400m from the Norwegian Sea, it becomes the easiest thing to conclude that Mother Nature is certainly the finest and most talented architect and artist in the world. Both fjords are a home to a very unique and quirky nature – forests, glaciers, rivers, waterfalls, and some of the not many footprints left by the human encounter with the enigmatic and magical nature are a few old and abandoned farms.
