World Heritage Sites - we were there!

Lukas: A little tired but overjoyed — that's me in the Peruvian city ruin city of Machu Picchu in October 2015. I took the train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes early in the morning and then walked up hundreds of stone steps to visit the legendary Inca city. An unforgettable experience. Machu Picchu is literally breathtaking!

Nicole: In 2019 I visited Riga for the first time. Ever since then I have been drawn to the Latvian capital time and again. The historic old town center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. This is where the Middle Ages, Art Nouveau and Modernism meet. The viewing platform of St. Peter's Church offers a fantastic view of the former Hanseatic city.

Anne: I found the ruins of the Roman colonial town in the Aurès Mountains overwhelming. I had traveled through time! In Timgad I truly understood what life in a Roman town must have been like. It is so incredibly well-preserved by the desert sands; you can see a city that is nearly 2.000 years old including an amphitheater, forum, triumphal arch, library, residential houses and thermal baths.

Yvonne: The uniqueness and beauty of the Dolomites deeply impressed me. These mountains are so powerful and such a force of nature, making us humans seem so small! In the midst of this mountain world I experienced a calm peacefulness like nowhere else.

Frederike: In the Baltic Sea port city I really liked the splendid red brick gothic churches and the charming old houses dating back to the Hanseatic era in the center of town. I was literally thrown off kilter by the place I spent the night – I checked into the "Schiefen Haus" or crooked house at the old harbor: here the floors and furniture all stood at an angle of 20 degrees off to one side.

Christian: Like forgotten sentries of a long ago era, these weathered granite rocks in the sand stone desert reach for the sky. When I went there at Easter 2016, it rained – ironically; rain in the desert! Because of its other worldly beauty, the Wadi Rum served as a film location of the Hollywood blockbuster "The Martian".

Elisabeth: In the summer 2013 I also got to visit the Wadi Rum. I was fascinated by the expansive rock formations, the never-ending horizon and the warm colors of the sandstone. And of course the pre-historic rock paintings.

Andreas: A winter excursion to the North Sea island of Sylt. It was sunny, but an icy east wind had emptied the beach. There were hardly any people out and about - which was a good thing! The Wadden Sea is all about great open spaces, which I got to thoroughly enjoy without distraction or interruptions on that day.

Eberhard: The ruins of the Buddhist Bihar are located a seven hour car drive from the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka. The terracotta-red remains of the over 20 meter high stupa stands secluded, in the midst of rice paddies. It might not at first glance seem spectacular, but it is impressive to know that back in the 8th century this was an important Buddhist center.

Elisabeth: The national park in the south-west of Iceland has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004. I was fascinated by the stunning, fairytale beauty of nature. Thingvillir is also historically significant, as this is where in around 930 AD the legislative assembly of the Vikings was held.

Kerstin: It was windy, the elevator wasn't working so we had climb up several hundred steps. As we arrived, out of breath, we were rewarded with a magnificent view: as far as the eye could see, the wall had wound over rugged mountain ranges. But you can only guess at the sheer size and expanse of it: with nearly 9,000 kilometers the Great Wall of China is the biggest construction in the world!

Susan: I was enchanted by the breathtakingly beautiful landscape of northern Cornwall. I loved walking the coastal path which runs for miles along cliffs peppered with remnants of the region's mining heritage with an ever changing backdrop of the ocean. Along the way, small coves and beaches offer a good opportunity to cool down in good weather - but be warned, the water tends to be pretty cold!

Christina: Visit Venice before it sinks! That was my thought when I headed to the lagoon city in 2012. Canals, art and dilapidated charm - I was bowled over. Then the infamous Acqua alta flooded the city. What was an exciting experience for tourists was fatal for Venice: the high water further deteriorating the ailing buildings and thereby accelerating the decline of this wonderful city.