Since my post in 2014 I've added 16 more from travels in Ecuador, India, France and Scotland for a total of 135. It's hard to say which is my favourite since they are so diverse.

However, if pressed, I would say the Taj Mahal. I was prepared to be let down by the reality of the site after seeing so many photos. However, on seeing it in the light of dawn, I was simply overwhelmed by it. It is surely one of the greatest works of humankind.

It confirms that I don't go often enough (or long enough) to Spain - I saw only one site there...
And I didn't even see all the sites in Belgium - a big country - Big like the grand Canyon park...

<i>Plus, it's a lot harder for us North Americans to reach these places than for those of you in Europe! </i>

Quite a few in the States:

http://www.state.gov/p/io/unesco/c48319.htm

That was fun!
54 for me and 1 more to be added next month.
I'll check back in a few years to see if I've gone to any more.

Plus, it's a lot harder for us North Americans to reach these places than for those of you in Europe!

Quite a few in the States:

Michael, just for an example, Ohio to Carlsbad Caverns is 1500 miles, and Ohio to Skagway Alaska is 3000 miles, not to mention Puerto Rico, and Hawaii.
Just saying... :)

Not necessarily harder for americans. For us on the east coast a trip to europe is really no longer than a trip to CA. Have been to the former more than 100 times and the latter only about 8 or 9.

Can't count exactly how many I have seen - around 84 as close as I can come.

For The Average American, it IS harder to reach those UNESCO sites in Europe, when you consider the cost of flights to Europe, vs. say, driving or taking a train when you actually live in Europe. Not to mention taking 1-2 weeks off work if you are American, as opposed to a maybe just a long weekend if you are European.

If Average American really wanted to get to California, and couldn't afford the plane ticket, he could drive or take a bus. It would take several days, but he could do it for a reasonable price. He can't drive to Europe.

If you've been to Europe over 100 times, nytraveler, you're very fortunate, but not the norm.

There are only 21 UNESCO sites in all of the United States. There are 35 in France alone, which is about the size of Texas.

Good point, Sundriedtopepo!

Distance definitely matters. Italy and Spain have even more sites than France, the last time I checked.

Hi Flygirl, after meeting on Instagram I saw this thread ;)

I've seen 167 in 53 countries, which means I'm really old or I've been busy, or perhaps both!!! A while ago I wrote a blog post on this which tells me I have too much time on my hands!

I agree it's easier to "collect" them abroad, only six of mine are from the US. Though looking over the blogpost I see I can add some from Ireland too, obviously it wasn't a very exhaustive survey on my part!

Here's the post along with pictures from places like Easter Island, Borobudur, Palmyra and Iguazu Falls.I think the reason I did the post originally was to use photos from all over the place!

http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2013/...nescos-so.html

- But of course I haven't been shown around UNESCO in Paris with an official delegation so I'll never catch up with Thin ;)
-Reading others' lists above makes me realize a miss the contributions from Thit Cho who hasn't posted here in ages.

Hello WTB! You are an inspiration!

I have been good about tallying my various milestones as of the past few years (including times crossing the Atlantic Ocean - so far 55 trips to Europe) but I am still only at 67 sites. This is despite a visit to Thailand which I was sure would up that number but it did not.

oh wait! 68! Somehow I missed Dublin. I wonder if there are others I missed. I never do go back and check to see if places I have visited later became UNESCO sites...

I'm on the East Coast and it is longer to fly to Europe than to California. It takes about 7.5 hrs nonstop to fly to either Paris or London from Washington, DC. It takes 5:20 to fly to Los Angeles. Not to mention it is a lot more expensive to fly to Europe and a bigger time change, so that makes it more difficult, also.

From New York, it is about 6 hrs to fly to LAX but 7 hrs to fly to London and abut 7.5 to fly to Paris.

111

Stil a lot to see.

108 now, 6 more than when I first answered. But I don't think the list is totally up to date, as it doesn't include the Grotte du Sorcier in St-Cirq, which is next door to us, and I've certainly visited it. It's only been on the list for a few years, but still, they are constantly adding sites. So, 109 I guess as of right now. Planning to see more in Spain, Hungary, and Italy before the end of the year.

24 - I need to get cracking! I till feel lucky to have been to the places I have been able to get to.

Hmm, I'm not anywhere near as traveled as many here, but I've managed to come up with 82 on the list! Having been to France, Italy and Spain seems to rack them up quickly!

flygirl, I don't see Dublin on the list. Is there something I'm missing?

The list does seem arbitrary, though -- there are so many sites that seem to be real world heritage sites that aren't listed. Hopefully, more places will be listed eventually.

progol

Ireland is not part of the UK!

You need to look at the Ireland list not the UK list.

Question: if an item on a list seems to have more than one site (for instance, belfries of France and Belgium) would you count one per each site you visited?

There are a few other which seem to cover more than one site in one listing. How would you count that? I am only counting one.

Sure. If we count one per belfry I have visited 200 sites !

progol, the list IS very abritrary, IMO. The only reason the grotte next door to our house was listed is that M.Touron, the prehistotic real estate mogul in the area, probably bargained his way into it. Yes, it's famous for having one of the few human representations in a prehistoric cave in the Dordogne, but it's had that for 25,000 years and no one thought to make it a UNESCO site until it was bought by a billionaire. So...take it all with a grain of salt.

progol, the list IS very abritrary, IMO. The only reason the grotte next door to our house was listed is that M.Touron, the prehistotic real estate mogul in the area, probably bargained his way into it. Yes, it's famous for having one of the few human representations in a prehistoric cave in the Dordogne, but it's had that for 25,000 years and no one thought to make it a UNESCO site until it was bought by a billionaire. So...take it all with a grain of salt.

flygirl,
I didn't look at the UK list - I have no idea why you thought I did! I clicked the link on the original post for UNESCO World Heritage and I see 2 places listed under IRELAND:
1) Brú na Bóinne - Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne
2) Sceilg Mhichíl

And unless it's listed somewhere else, neither of those look like Dublin. Is there another list, perhaps, that includes Dublin as a world heritage site?

StCirq,
I take it all with a salt lick, not just a grain! I realize so much is SO arbitrary. Just came back from Sicily -- yes, Agrigento is "worthy" of a listing, but why not Segesta or Selinunte? Just one example.

So many places not listed - but it is fun to "collect" the sites, rather like a Scouts badge. Yes, I see it now -- the Fodors badges, various levels, depending upon the number of sites or countries visited!

whoops, it's on the tentative list:

Properties submitted on the Tentative List (7)

The Burren (2010)
The Historic City of Dublin (2010)
The Céide Fields and North West Mayo Boglands (2010)
Western Stone Forts (2010)
The Monastic City of Clonmacnoise and its Cultural Landscape (2010)
Early Medieval Monastic Sites (2010)
The Royal Sites of Ireland: Cashel, Dún Ailinne, Hill of Uisneach, Rathcroghan Complex, and Tara Complex (2010)

122--Will see eight more this fall in Argentina and Brazil!

<< But I don't think the list is totally up to date, as it doesn't include the Grotte du Sorcier in St-Cirq, which is next door to us, and I've certainly visited it. It's only been on the list for a few years, but still, they are constantly adding sites. >>

The list is up to date and the reason that the Grotte du Sorcier is not shown is that it is included in the UNESCO listing of "Prehistoric Sites and Decorative caves of the Vèzére Valley" which was added in 1979. This includes 147 prehistoric sites and 25 decorated caves in the valley. I doubt that M. Touron's purchase of the cave had anything to do with the UNESCO Vèzére listing, which includes such well known sites as Lascaux, Rouffignac and Font-de-Gaume.

111, but what struck me was how many countries I have not visited.

I am at 69 now and finally made it to Northern Ireland (Belfast) even if only very briefly.

I need to step up the pace!

If I can make it to Australia this year that will add a bunch.

I am now at 56 with the addition of Amiens Cathedral in 2015. Later this spring, I will add about 10 more during a visit to Portugal and Santiago de Compostela - a new country and a new area of Spain. Looking forward to new experiences.

Well, I've gone from 30 to 52, and I'm hoping for a few more before I have to hang up my travelling boots...or turn them in for a walker.

I now have had my UNESCO Card stamped 58 times. I'll get a couple more in Scotland when we visit in the Spring.

((H))

My recent travels have added 3 more to bring my total to 138. I hope to visit 7 or 8 this year, one in my home country (Haida Gwaii) and the rest in Morocco which, aside from one day in Tangier, I have never visited.

That was fun... I had 63 (so many of them were so familiar to me through reading this site and other travel paraphernalia that there were many I initially thought I had visited only to realise no, I just read / saw about them...)