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Combine A Holiday With A World Heritage Site Visit

By: Mark Bartley

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Throughout the world there are now almost 900 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list and they include some dramatic locations, not all of which are easily visited. Special travel arrangements may need to be undertaken if you wished to get to the Uvs Nuur Basin in Mongolia, the Virgin Komi Forests in the Russian Federation or the sacred city of Caral-Supe in Peru, which dates back an amazing 500 years. In Europe there are plenty of World heritage locations much closer to home including 44 sites in Italy, 10 in Belgium and even 28 sites in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. These include the Giants Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, Stonehenge and several sites in London.

For holidaymakers here are few other World Heritage ideas that can be added to a list of things to see during the summer months.

Spain has a large number of sites on UNESCO's list, 41 in total, but the Teide National Park on the island of Tenerife is a great choice. This National Park covers a wide expanse in the centre of the island, towered above by Mount Teide, the highest mountain in Spain at a height of 3,718m. This volcano is said to be the third highest in the world when its full height from the ocean floor of 7,500m is considered. The National Park around Mount Teide is open to visitors, but walking to the very top is closely controlled and you'll have to follow local booking procedures if you wish to get to the highest point. The location is centrally situated for tourists on the island, being just an hour's journey from any point on the island.

The ancient history associated with Greece allows it to claim many heritage sites and some are located on the Greek islands, large and small. The island of Rhodes is an attractive place at all times so Rhodes Town is a ideal place to enjoy a holiday together with exploration of a World Heritage site. The medieval city dates has survived many occupiers including the Knights of the Order of St John who built much of the stunning architecture during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The city also hosts a series of summer concerts and theatre performances for visitors, which use the backdrop of the historical town to make the occasions extra special.

On the Mediterranean destination of Malta, several centuries of various occupations are still evident amongst the 300+ monuments that are located with the boundaries of Valletta, which also has a pleasant harbour area. Valletta is said to be one of the most concentrated historic areas in the whole of the world. Elsewhere on Malta, tourists can marvel at the ancient Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, a massive underground structure that dates back 4500 years, to the same age with Egypt's great Pyramid were constructed. The Hypogeum may not have the scale of the Great Pyramids but it was built using rigging techniques that allowed the builders to haul huge blocks of limestone to the construction site.

Another popular vacation destination that has a choice of World heritage sites is Cyprus. In the west of Cyprus Paphos also has a long history, with evidence of life there dating back to the Neolithic period, more commonly known as the new Stone age and dating back to 9500BC. The Temples that remain in Paphos today were built in the 12th Century and the mosaics of Nea Paphos, which remained covered for 1600 years are considered to be amongst the most beautiful in the world. In addition to the mosaics, visitors can enjoy Paphos Castle which overlooks the harbour and take a trip to visit the colourful painted churches of the Byzantine period found near Nicosia and Limassol.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

World Heritage sites in the Europe can be reached via flights to Malta, flights to Tenerife or flights to a selection of other locations all featured in Mark's numerous reports on holiday travel.

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