5 Unesco Cultural Greats Part 4

From rock-hewn cities to Welsh castles; mountaintop temples to island prisons, we celebrate the UNESCO-listed wonders that make the world a more cultured place WORDS SARAH BAXTER 5 Unesco Cultural Greats Part 4.

1. TSODILO HILLS, BOTSWANA

WHY?See the highest rock art in the world

3. VALLETTA, MALTA

WHY?Embrace the European Capital of Culture

Strategically sited Malta has been ruled by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and the Order of the Knights of St John. Thus its diminutive capital Valletta, perched on a hill between two natural harbours, is a dense layer cake of monuments – according to UNESCO, ‘one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world’. The best way to get a sense of the fortified city is aboard a dghajsa (traditional boat), then visit the Baroque dazzle of St John’s Co-Cathedral and the opulent Grand Master’s Palace, a centre of power from the 16th century on. On top of that, this year sees Valletta named European Capital of Culture; check out all its upcoming events at valletta2018.org. GET THERE: Valletta is connected to many UK airports; flight time is from around three hours.

4. TIKAL NATIONAL PARK, GUATEMALA

WHY?For a tiny taste of Maya magnificence

The Maya ruins at Tikal – and across the Petén region – are vast. What’s more, research this year using LiDAR laser technology, which digitally removes the forest from aerial images, indicates the ruins are far more complex than first thought, revealing previously unknown structures and links between sites that were inhabited for 1,400 years from the 6th century BC. This all adds to the ‘what else could be here?’ frisson as you roam a Maya metropolis of temples, squares and palaces. GET THERE: Tikal is around 75 minutes’ drive from the town of Flores.

5. ABU SIMBEL, EGYPT

WHY?Celebrate 50 years of salvation

Rescuing the ancient Nubian temples of Abu Simbel from the rising Nile wasn’t just important for Egypt, it revolutionised the global approach to safeguarding heritage. In 1968, the complex built for Ramses II in around 1260 BC was cut into 2,000 pieces and moved – brick by brick – to higher ground. Now it’s the headline act of a UNESCO site that includes other Nubian Monuments, such as the Sanctuary of Isis at Philae, and a powerful symbol of conservation. GETTHERE: Abu Simbel is280kmsouth of Aswan; 30 minutes by plane, about three hours by bus.

sources: Wanderlust UK , July 2018