UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe

Alhambra is probably the most famous palace in Spain. It's sprawling over a hilltop and was built over several stages, when one ruler built upon what a previous ruler had left, but it was the Moorish emir of Granada who constructed the palace we know today in the 13th and 14th centuries. It's an exquisite example of Islamic architecture and the elaborated tile mosaics have made Alhambra famous among mathematicians. It can be proven mathematically that there only exist 17 different geometric patterns (wallpaper groups) and most of them (all?) are found in Alhambra. But you don't need to be a mathematician to enjoy the rich ornamented halls and lavish gardens of Alhambra - which of course is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Gaudi’s Park Güell is one of the top sights in Barcelona, which means loads of tourists. It was built by industry mogul Güell, who hired Gaudi to design it. Original there should have been 60 houses, but the project was never completed. Today, there are only a few houses, 86 columns, some cave corridors, and of course the famous bench made of mosaic. Entrance tickets need to be bought (do it online to skip the queue) to get access to the rather small section of Gaudi's wicked constructions, but the rest of the park can be visited free of charge. Gaudi's work in Barcelona is enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Most people come to Granada to see the magnificent Alhambra palace, but Granada is a bit of gem itself - especially the historic quarter Albayzín at the foot of Alhambra. Albayzín is enlisted alongside with Alhambra as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is easy to understand when getting lost in the narrow ascending streets. Here are Arabic (tourist) shops, small cafes, and beautiful traditional houses with courtyards. For lunch, aim at a restaurant at the top with views over the neighbourhood and Alhambra with snow covered Sierra Nevada as backdrop.

The highest point in Spain is actually not on the mainland, but on the island of Tenerife. Here the volcano Teide rises 3,718 m into the sky and is visible from all over the island - if the weather permits. Though Mt Teide last erupted in 1909, it's still active and minor earthquakes do happen. There are several roads leading up the volcano and it's possible to drive all the way up to 2,356 m, where a cable car can bring you further up to the upper station at 3,555 m (tickets can be prebooked online). The last 163 m you need to hike on foot (remember to book a hiking permit online). A large part of the volcano is a natural park and an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and offer some great hiking opportunities through the volcanic moonscape. Even if you don't want to hike, a road trip across the volcano will still give you amazing sights of the snow covered peak of Teide, along with other odd rock formations, in addition to panoramic views over the rest of Tenerife and the neighbouring Canary Islands.

Gaudi's half-finished gigant fairytale church is probably the biggest tourist attraction in Barcelona. From the outside the tall spires rise high above the scaffolding, which still cover some of the church. The interior on the other hand is almost finished, so it's well worth to buy the entrance ticket (do it online) to glance at the giant tainted glass and columns that are too tall to measure by eyesight. Even though Gaudi spend the last 43 years of his life on the church, it was only the facade and one spire that were finished when he died in 1926. It's expected that the church will be complete in 2028. Along with Gaudi's other work in Barcelona, it's enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Though Seville is a metropolis, it manages to have a distinct Andalusian feel. Its history is rich and the abundance of grand architecture is a testimony to that. Royal Alcázar (only second to Alhambra palace), Cathedral of Seville (third-largest church in the world), Archivo General de Indias (those three are joint enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Plaza de España, Parque de Maria Luisa, and Metropol Parasol (picture) are just some of the many must-see sights in Seville. However, wandering the winding cobbled streets in Santa Cruz, the former Jewish quarter, is what seems to enchant visitors the most - so expect lots of tour groups. But Santa Cruz - and Seville for that matter - is big enough for both locals and tourists, so it's easy to escape any crowds.

The Drottningholm Palace is the private residence of the Swedish royal family and on UNESCO's World Heritage list. It was originally built in the late 16th century and is located on the island Lovön (the whole of Stockholm is made up of islands). The design was influenced by the Chateau of Versailles, but a number of royal personages have since then left their mark on the palace and gardens. The royal family only reside in the southern wing of the palace, the rest of the palace and grounds are open to the public year round.

Karlskrona town is spread across 33 connected islands. The Naval Port is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, due to the impressive 17th- and 18th-century naval architecture. Even to this day many of the fortresses and buildings are under the control of Sweden's only remaining naval base. Unfortunately, this means visiting some of the places (like Kungsholm Fortress and Drottningskär Citadel) is only possible on guided tours. Karlskrona's charm is best discovered from bicycling along the waterfront or kayaking among the whopping 1,650 islands, which make out Karlskrona Archipelago.

Sweden's second largest island is so beautiful that the Swedish royal family has their summer palace here. It's a landscape dominated by open plains, which are home to many rare flowers and birds - and many old wooden windmills (more than 350). Öland's rich history has also left many ancient monuments like Iron Age grave fields, viking fortress, rune stones and castles. And then there are the long white sandy beaches, which are a rarity elsewhere in Sweden. During the summer months Öland attracts crowds of Swedish sunseekers, but the rest of the year Öland is oldly deserted. The agricultural landscape on the southern part of the 140 km long island is enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can drive to Öland over the elegant bridge from Kalmar.

Scandinavia is normally known for its Vikings, but long before, in the Bronze Age (about three thousands years ago), the region was home to hunting communities that carved their spiritual world and daily life into flat rocks. To this day, these mystical figures, farmers, animals, boats and patterns are still easily seen in Tanum, one of the prime areas for these Nordic rock carvings, and consitute a peek into an ancient world. Their numbers are remarkably high here and they are still half hidden in the pine forest as they probably have been for millenniums. There are four main sites in Tanum, Vitlycke (right next to the museum), Fossum, Aspebjerget, and Litsleby, all within a few minutes drive from each other.
Tanum is a UNESCO World Heritage site.