10 of the most exciting UNESCO World Heritage sites to visit in 2025

What do the 16th century Royal Court of Tiébélé in Burkina Faso and The Flow Country, a massive expanse of peat bog in northern Scotland, have in common? The answer: they were both designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites last year.

The new additions take the total number of World Heritage sites on UNESCO’s list to 1223. They range from human-made Cultural constructions (ancient cities, castles, palaces, churches…) to Natural creations (canyons, coral reefs, waterfalls, wildlife-filled islands…), on top of other UNESCO-recognised Global Geoparks, Biospheres and Creative Cities.

It’s all come a long way since the United Nations Conference for the Establishment of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in November 1945. Speaking at that conference, then British Prime Minister Clement Attlee said the people of the world were “islands shouting at each other over seas of misunderstanding”, suggesting war would be less likely if there was more knowledge and understanding of other cultures. UNESCO was set up to celebrate humanity’s shared heritage.

Italy currently boasts 60 UNESCO World Heritage sites, more than any other country in the world, but the UK is more than holding its own with 31. With UNESCO marking its 80th birthday this year, here are 10 of the world’s most exciting UNESCO World Heritage sites to visit in 2025…

Taj Mahal

Most people will have seen hundreds of photos of the Taj Mahal in their lifetime but nothing quite prepares you for setting eyes on the real thing. Built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan between 1631 and 1648 A.D. in memory of his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal, this astoundingly beautiful white marble mausoleum is an enduring symbol of love, as well as an immense architectural achievement. Located in the city of Agra within the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, the Taj blends Mughal, Persian and other architectural styles, and features majestic smooth domes, intricate carvings, calligraphy, and geometric patterns, with neat symmetrical gardens. Despite the number of people who visit, there’s a serene atmosphere across the site and neighbouring Yamuna River.

Göreme National Park

There’s an otherworldy feel to Göreme National Park and the rock sites of Cappadocia in central Türkiye (Turkey). Shaped by thousands of years of erosion, the semi-arid region is known for its ‘fairy chimneys’: tall, cone-shaped rock formations that look like they belong to a fairytale. This is one of only a few UNESCO World Heritage sites that’s been inscribed as a combined Natural/Cultural site – alongside the natural wonder, there’s an extensive network of ancient cave dwellings, monasteries and churches carved directly into the rocks, some dating as far back as the 4th century. Inside the churches, you can find frescoes that provide an insight into early Christian art and culture. It’s a wonderful area to explore on foot, but by the far the most spectacular way to take in Cappadocia and the surroundings is with an early morning hot air balloon flight.

Temple of Kukulcan, Chichen Itza

Chichén Itzá is one of the most iconic archaeological sites from the ancient Mayan empire, which once stretched across a vast area of what’s now Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. The complex of ruins, one of many pre-Hispanic sites found on Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula, was a thriving metropolis from around 600 A.D. to the 1200s, important for politics, trade and as a religion centre. The huge central pyramid, known as El Castillo or the Temple of Kukulcan, aligns with the solar equinoxes, demonstrating the Mayans’ advanced knowledge of astronomy. There’s plenty more to take in, including the Temple of the Warriors, the Wall of Skulls, a circular observatory (El Caracol), a cenote or natural pool (which the Mayans believed to be a portal to the underworld), and the Great Ball Court, where the Mayans played an ancient sport. Visit early in the morning to avoid the crowds and heat.

Angkor

There are more than 70 major temples and hundreds of minor sites set in the jungle across the Angkor Archaeological Park in Cambodia’s northern province of Siem Reap, remnants of the Khmer empire, which existed here from the 9th to the 15th century. Angkor Wat’s the most famous - originally constructed in the early 12th century, the Hindu-Buddhist temple complex occupies 402 acres and is considered to be the largest religious structure in the world, with towering spires, impressive statues and intricate carvings. Bayon temple, at the heart of Angkor Thom, is famous for towers carved with graceful smiling faces, while Ta Prohm, also known as the ‘Tomb Raider Temple’ or ‘Angelina Jolie Temple’ because it featured in the 2001 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider film, is popular for its atmospheric mix of human-made structures and overgrown trees and roots.

Petra

Known as the Rose City because of its striking pink sandstone architecture, Petra was the thriving capital of the Nabatean Kingdom from the 3rd century B.C. until the 1st century A.D.. Situated in Jordan between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, the spot’s been inhabited since prehistoric times but later became an important Nabataean trading hub, with ‘caravans’ crossing back and forth between what was then Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia. Petra is half built and half carved into the rock, with elaborate facades, such as the famous Treasury (Al-Khazneh), a testament to the Nabateans’ remarkable skill and ingenuity. The site’s also famous for its elaborate water-management systems, which no doubt came in handy in the desert. It’s surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges to explore, with the remarkable desert landscapes of Wadi Rum, another UNESCO World Heritage site, a spectacular 90-minute drive to the south.

Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon National Park in the US state of Arizona is proof that burgers aren’t the only thing the US does ‘supersized’. Carved by the Colorado River over millions of years, the massive split in the Earth measures 18 miles from rim to rim at its widest point and as deep as 1,829 metres, a demonstration of what natural forces and eons can patiently produce, with the colourful rock layers or strata telling the geological history of the past two billion years. The spectacular gorge is also a place of cultural significance to Native American tribes, including the Havasupai, Hopi, and Navajo, with rock art and other signs of their presence across the ages in the area. As well as taking in the views from the rims, hiking along or into the canyon, or taking a rafting adventure, it’s well worth getting up before dawn to take in the sunrise – the canyon’s colours glow at their finest at first light and around sunset.

Vatnajökull National Park

There’s no shortage of drama in Iceland’s Vatnajökull National Park, which is no doubt what drew the producers and directors of Game of Thrones, Batman Begins and Interstellar to film here. The largest national park in the ‘Land of Fire and Ice’, stretching over 14 per cent of the country, the volcanic region is a place for adventurers who want to get up close to the power of nature. It contains Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull, which covers around 8 per cent of Iceland’s landmass and measures up to 1000 metres at its thickest point, as well as ten volcanoes (including Grímsvötn and Bárðarbunga, two of the most active in the country) and gushing waterfalls, such as Dettifoss, one of the most powerful in Europe. Visitors to Vatnajökull can also explore ice caves and Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon. The national park’s also popular with landscape photographers.

Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park

Previously better known as Ayers Rock, Uluṟu - the original name of the rock in the Pitjantjatjara language - is one of Australia’s most iconic natural landmarks. Believed to have started forming around 550 million years ago, it’s the largest sandstone monolith in the world, measuring 348m (1140ft) high and 9.5km (6mi) in circumference. Though Uluṟu’s more famous, nearby Kata Tjuṯa, just 30km (19mi) away, is another celebrated formation, made up of 36 giant domes spread over more than 20 kilometres (12mi). Both sites remain deeply spiritual and sacred to the local Anangu people, who’ve lived in this area for more than 30,000 years. The spectacular Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park sits in the heart of the Northern Territory, an area known as Australia’s ‘Red Centre’. It’s another place where you’ll want to catch the natural marvels looking their best at sunrise and sunset.

Blue-fotted boobies, Galapagos Islands

The Galápagos Islands constitute one of the most important biodiversity hotspots on our planet, teeming with wildlife, including endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. The spectacular flora and fauna Charles Darwin found here in 1835, including the giant tortoise, the land iguana and various types of finches, were key to him formulating his theory of evolution by natural selection, one of the most important scientific breakthroughs in history. Sitting out in the Pacific Ocean, around 1,000 kilometres from the South American mainland, the archipelago’s 19 islands and surrounding marine reserve are protected for their natural and scientific importance. Visitors today might see the Galápagos tortoise, blue-footed booby, Galápagos hawk, land iguana and geckos, as well as interesting species of cactus and trees. Positioned at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galápagos are also a ‘melting pot’ of marine species, including manta rays, Galápagos sea lions, hammerhead sharks, marine iguanas, and Galápagos penguins.

Mosi-oa-Tunya

Like Uluṟu, the cascading waterfalls on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia previously went by the better-known Westernised name: Victoria Falls. But Mosi-oa-Tunya, from the local Lozi and Kololo languages, means ‘the smoke that thunders’, a far more evocative description of the rising mist and powerful roar generated by the mighty Zambezi River plunging over the edge of five different ‘falls’ - four on the Zimbabwe side and one across in Zambia. Neither the widest or the highest waterfall in the world, Mosi-oa-Tunya’s still considered by many to be the largest waterfall in the world, based on the height (108 metres) and the combined width (1,708 metres), which together forms the world’s largest ‘curtain’ of falling water. The Falls have special cultural significance to local people and have also become an adventure playground for tourists, with bungee-jumping, white-water rafting, and scenic helicopter flights. The bold and the brave may want to cross over to the Zambian side to swim out to Devil’s Pool, where you can enjoy a refreshing soak close to the Falls’ exhilarating edge.