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11 Most Unforgettable World Heritage Sites

World Heritage Sites
Cappadocia, Turkey (Photo: Boris Stroujko/Shutterstock)

If it’s an ancient, extraordinary, and astounding place, it’s likely a World Heritage site. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) protects 936 special spots across the globe that, according to the World Heritage Committee, constitute a significant part of our cultural and natural heritage. These range from natural wonders like Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to man-made sites such as the Cathedral of Notre Dame. There are even a few cities (Cairo, Bordeaux, and Rhodes, for example) on the list, along with national parks, bodies of water, temples, tombs, caves, islands, and more.

Visiting every destination on UNESCO’s queue of 900-plus places is a commendable pursuit that, alas, could take a lifetime. So with the help of a few of our well-traveled friends, we put together a more attainable World Heritage bucket list. Here are 11 favorite World Heritage destinations picked by the experts: seasoned travel writers, bloggers, and photographers who have been around the world and, for the most part, seen it all.

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