Adding to the numerous creative initiatives launched within European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, UNESCO has launched a project designed to promote Europe’s historic and cultural gems. Mid-September was an exciting time for the EYCH, with European Heritage Days, a highlight of the calendar, reaching its peak in mid-September. Launched at the same time, World Heritage Journeys of Europe is the first web platform that promotes heritage-inspired travel.

Co-founded by the European Union and developed in collaboration with National Geographic, the platform encourages travel to some of the most inspiring and less frequently visited heritage sites of Europe. It introduces 34 World Heritage sites from 19 European countries classified into four categories that promote different aspects of European heritage.

The sites are presented on an interactive map that features not only their historic background, but also local experiences and recommendations. The map groups historically or culturally connected sites to enable travellers to follow a comprehensive itinerary and get an all-round understanding of a certain theme. The sites are seen not just as monuments of culture, but also as places that tell stories.

In this way, visitors will be able to learn about and inspired to explore sites that tell a story about Ancient, Romantic, Royal and Underground Europe.

Ancient Europe

World Heritage Journeys offer a unique glimpse into the past of diverse cultural traditions that have laid the foundation for many of the today’s practices in each area of life. Bridging the gap between ancient past and now, Ancient Europe section of the platform offers insight into some of the most remarkable and culturally-significant sites that paved the way for later discoveries in art, design, medicine, architecture and other disciplines.

Among the heritage sites belonging to ancient European history are the architectural wonders of Roman aqueduct construction – Pont du Gard in France which was built thousands of years ago and still impresses visitors to this day; archaeological site of Olympia in Greece where visitors can experience the spirit of the first Olympic Games; and one of the most significant centres of the Roman Empire - the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia in Italy.

Romantic Europe

Remarkable architecture, poetic landscapes and diverse cultural environments have made Europe the home of Romanticism, a movement beginning in the late 18th century that embraced emotion and imagination, and influenced literature, music, art, and architecture across the world.

World Heritage Journeys encourage their visitors to travel to scenic World Heritage sites such as Belgium's medieval city – Bruges, the magical Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay in France or the magnificent cultural landscape of Wachau in Austria.

Royal Europe

Imagine strolling in the parks and gardens that have witnessed secret conversations and decision-making walks of some of the most important royal figures in European history. World Heritage Journeys takes us through the collection of most extraordinary trees at Aranjuez Palace in Spain, the glorious gardens of Versailles, and many other places within the section dedicated to gardens and parks of royal estates.

The website encourages heritage enthusiasts to immerse themselves into the beauty of design, the prestige and the rarest collection of plants found in royal gardens and parks across Europe. 

Underground Europe

The mysterious depths of Europe's underground spaces reveal secrets buried deep under today's busy urban life. The hillsides of Champagne  in France, Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines in Poland, and Falun's copper mine in Sweden provide a glimpse of a hidden histories. These sites also house histories of heroes that have helped build the Europe of today by working behind, or under the scenes. Discovering and experiencing the most astonishing wine cellars, mines and caverns makes this legacy alive and preserved.

By combining wanderlust with care for common heritage preservation, World Heritage Journeys creates an incredible experience. Together with affecting the way people plan their journeys, the project also plays a significant role in revealing different perspectives on common European heritage. By exploring these perspectives, European travellers will gain a deeper understanding of Europe’s cultural heritage and richer travel experiences.