Updated February 2026

What is UNESCO?

UNESCO stands for The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which is a subdivision of the United Nations. These include historic centers of cities, architectural gems, and natural resources. At current time, there are just over 1,000 of them worldwide. These vary greatly from ancient ruins and city centers to coral reefs and rain forests.

While it was not necessarily my intention to visit sites solely based on the fact that they are considered World Heritage Sites, I just happen to be very interested in architecture and nature.

antigua & barbuda

• Antigua Naval Dockyard and Related Archaeological Sites

Austria

• Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg

Barbados

• Historic Bridgetown and Its Garrison

Belgium

• La Grand-Place, Brussels
• Belfries of Belgium and France * (Considered one site, despite being in multiple locations. I visited Ghent.)
• Historic Centre of Brugge

Colombia

• Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia
• Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena

CUBA

• Old Havana and its Fortification System

Curaçao

• • Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Curaçao* (See Netherlands)

Dominican REPUBLIC

• Colonial City of Santo Domingo

Ecuador

• City of Quito
• Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca

France

• • Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments
  • Paris, Banks of the Seine
  • Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge
  • Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera

Germany

• Town of Bamberg

Holy See

• Vatican City

Italy

• Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura
• Historic Centre of Florence  
• Venice and its Lagoon
• Historic Centre of Naples
• City of Verona
• Villa d’Este, Tivoli

Japan

• Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)

Mexico

• Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco
• Historic Centre of Puebla

Netherlands

• Seventeenth-Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht

Nicaragua

• León Cathedral 

Panama

• Archaeological Site of Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá Removed from list

Puerto Rico (United States)

• La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico

Spain

• Works of Antoni Gaudí
• La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia
• Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona
• Site of the Retiro and the Prado in Madrid
• Historic City of Toledo

*Tentative

Colombia

• Cultural Landscape of Salt Towns
• Puente de Occidente (Western Bridge)
• Tayrona and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Parks and their Archaeological Sites

Dominican Republic

• Historical Centre of Puerto Plata

Grenada

• St. George Historic District
• St. George Fortified System

Nicaragua

• City of Granada and its natural environment

Panama

• Archaeological Site and Historic Centre of Panamá City

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

• Grenadines Island Group (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Trinidad and Tobago

• Tobago Main Ridge Forest Reserve

United States of America

• Brooklyn Bridge
• Central Park
• Ellis Island

*These are historic sites that are in consideration to be added to the UNESCO list.