These 26 Sites Were Just Added to the UNESCO World Heritage List

The inscription of new UNESCO World Heritage Sites is always a momentous occasion—especially for travelers who plan trips to experience the rich culture and natural beauty of these special places first hand.

The running list spotlights more than a thousand significant sites around the globe, ranging from natural wonders to ancient ruins and stunningly preserved historical buildings. Once a year, The World Heritage Committee—a panel of 21 elected representatives from different member nations—meets to assess new proposals for inscription on the World Heritage List. On July 12, the committee inscribed 26 new sites across Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Notably, Sierra Leone has gained its first-ever World Heritage Site.

All of the new places added to the list this year have “outstanding universal value” and meet at least one out of 10 additional selection criteria, such as being a “masterpiece of human creative genius” or being an area of “exceptional natural beauty.” Here’s a closer look at four of the newest World Heritage Sites.

Neuschwanstein, pictured above, is one of four Bavarian castles built by King Ludwig II that were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2025.

Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria

Four storybook-worthy castles in the German region of Bavaria were just enshrined on the World Heritage list for 2025. The castles, Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen, and Herrenchiemsee, were built by King Ludwig II between 1864 and 1886 and served as his personal homes and retreats. The palaces’ ornate designs were inspired by German fairytales, as well as Versailles and Wagner’s operas, and each one reflects “the romantic and eclectic spirit of the era,” according to the UNESCO committee. The palaces were each designed to harmoniously blend into the region’s stunning landscapes, the most famous example being Neuschwanstein, which is majestically elevated among the rugged foothills of the Alps.

Get there: The palaces have been opened to the public since King Ludwig died in 1886, and today visitors can still tour all four palaces and marvel at their lavish interiors.

The granite megaliths in Carnac, France, are thought to date back to the Neolithic period. They are free to visit from October to March.

France’s Megaliths of Carnac

In Brittany, France, thousands of mysterious standing stones can be found in sweeping fields located near the region's southern coast. These massive stone structures, called megaliths, are aligned in specific rows and patterns that surround natural features such as waterways.

The granite megaliths have an almost mystical quality to them and are thought to date back to the Neolithic period (up to 7,000 years ago), roughly the same era that Stonehenge was built in the UK. Although there are many theories surrounding the origin of the stones and what purpose they served, many scholars believe their function involved burials and sacred rituals. The uncanny formations “illustrate the cultural complexity of the societies that inhabited this part of the European Atlantic coast," the UNESCO committee says.

Get there: The standing stones are free to visit from October to March. From April to September, visitors must book an organized tour to see the structures.

Vietnam's ninth World Heritage site is considered the birthplace of Truc Lam Buddhism.

Vietnam’s Yen Tu, Vinh Nghiem, Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments

Spread across the lush Yen Tu Mountains in Vietnam’s Hai Duong Province, this site is the birthplace of the “uniquely Vietnamese Zen tradition” of Truc Lam Buddhism. The complex was once home to the Tran Dynasty and is made up of more than 20 sites, including pagodas, temples, shrines, and archaeological artifacts, all dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. The area is still “a vibrant pilgrimage destination,” according to the committee, and festivals and other spiritual activities still take place there regularly. The complex is Vietnam's ninth World Heritage Site.

Get there: Tourists can visit the complex’s structures, including the Con Son Pagoda and the Kiep Bac Temple.

The Gola-Tiwai Complex, Sierra Leone's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, is comprised of the Gola Rainforest National Park and Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary, two hotspots of rich biodiversity.

Sierra Leone’s Gola-Tiwai Complex

Joining the World Heritage list for the first time is Sierra Leone, whose Gola Rainforest National Park and Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary has been inscribed for providing “vital habitats and ecosystem services, reflecting high conservation value and ecological integrity.” The area is considered a hotspot for biodiversity, home to more than 1,000 plant species (including 113 endemic varieties), 448 types of birds, and 55 types of mammals, including 19 globally threatened species. Some of the rarest animals found in the region include the African Forest Elephant, the Pygmy Hippopotamus, and the endangered White-necked Rockfowl.

Get there: Visitors to the rainforest can participate in birdwatching, forest walks and hikes, camping, and cultural experiences like a stay at a village guesthouse. All visits must be booked in advance and accompanied by a community guide.

Plus, 21 additional World Heritage Sites for 2025:

• Cambodian Memorial Sites
• Tajikistan’s Cultural Heritage Sites of Ancient Khuttal
• Cameroon’s Diy-Gid-Biy Cultural Landscape of the Mandara Mountains
• The UAE’s Faya Palaeolandscape
• Forest Research Institute Malaysia Forest Park Selangor
• Italy’s Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sardinia
• Maratha Military Landscapes of India
• Greece’s Minoan Palatial Centres
• Malawi’s Mount Mulanje Cultural Landscape
• Australia’s Murujuga Cultural Landscape
• Korea’s Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream
• Iran’s Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley
• Russia’s Rock Paintings of Shulgan-Tash Cave
• Türkiye’s Sardis and the Lydian Tumuli of Bin Tepe
• Jamaica’s Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal
• The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panamá
• Mexico’s Wixárika Route through Sacred Sites to Wirikuta
• China’s Xixia Imperial Tombs
• Guinea-Bissau’s Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijagós Archipelago
• Denmark’s Møns Klint
• Brazil’s Peruaçu River Canyon
• Korea’s Mount Kumgang