The five fascinating new World Heritage sites you should visit
As of this year, this amounts to 1248 significant places in 170 countries – ranging from palaces in France to coral harbours in Micronesia.
The newest announcement, made last week, has added a further 26 'inscribed properties' to this gleaming portfolio – some of them in relatively remote corners of the planet such as Tajikistan and Malawi, others closer to hand in Italy, Greece and Germany.
The following fresh inductees are all worth a visit (which can't be said for some of the others):
The Palaces of Ludwig II, Germany
The preposterous idea that German architecture is dour and lifeless is rebutted with the firmest flourish by the castles that were strewn across the hillsides and high places of Bavaria by its monarch, Ludwig II, between 1864 and 1886.
A man of flamboyant tastes, Ludwig commissioned three separate country properties – Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Herrenchiemsee – during his 22-year reign, envisaging each of them as a refuge from the apparent mundanity of court life in Munich.
All three of them (plus a villa on Schachen hill, near Garmisch-Partenkirchen) are part of the new UNESCO listing – although it is Neuschwanstein, with its dreaming spires, which has become the region's postcard icon.
UNESCO says: Drawing inspiration from Versailles, German fairy tales and Wagner's operas, the palaces showcase historicist styles and advanced 19th century techniques. Carefully integrated into stunning landscapes, they embody Ludwig's artistic vision.
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7NEWS
2 days ago
- 7NEWS
How traveling to every country helped this American cope with a mental health disorder
He had struggled with obsessive compulsive disorder since childhood but Cameron Mofid says one thing helped him cope — traveling the world. Mofid, who is originally from San Diego, found he was constantly replaying and over-analysing conversations or 'obsessively needing closure or certainty'. But the 'freeing' sensation that came with being able to hop on a plane and travel to a new destination made him feel as though he could 'live with uncertainty'. 'OCD feeds on control: controlling your environment, routines, and outcomes,' Mofid tells CNN Travel. 'But when you're navigating chaotic borders, sleeping on floors, or figuring things out in countries where you don't speak the language, you're forced to surrender control. It's uncomfortable but also freeing.' Huge goal Mofid says the mental health condition — which the Mayo Clinic describes as a 'pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears known as obsessions' — can 'dominate your thoughts and actions in ways that are exhausting' and difficult to explain. 'Travel became my way of coping — first as an escape, then as a form of healing,' he says. And then, travel turned Mofid into a world record breaker. He had already clocked up visits to many destinations while playing tennis competitively when he came up with the idea — while grappling with OCD during the COVID-19 pandemic — of traveling to every country in the world. And in April 2025, Mofid, who is of Iranian-Egyptian descent, finally completed his quest to visit all 195 UN-recognised countries and territories after jumping on a plane to North Korea with some of his closest friends. While it's a feat that has been achieved only by an estimated 400 people, it was particularly significant for Mofid as he became, by some reckoning, the youngest person to do it. His record didn't stand for long but he says being exposed to so many different cultures has changed his perspective on life completely. 'Visiting every country wasn't just about geography,' Mofid says. 'It was about learning how to live with uncertainty, find calm in discomfort, and connect with people from every walk of life.' Mofid says the decision to try to visit every country came as a lifeline during a particularly low point. 'One day, I was in my apartment, and my anxiety, my OCD is kind of spiraling out of control,' he recalls. 'And I was on my computer just looking up randomly how many people had ever been to every country. 'More people had been to space than had been to every country in the world. I thought that was crazy.' Mofid soon realised that while the Guinness World Record for being the youngest person to do this was held by 21-year-old, he was technically able to beat the record listed by online platform NomadMania, which requires interactions with locals and visits to cultural or geographical landmarks in each country for it to count toward the record. 'The record was (held by) a guy who was 25 and a half,' he says. 'At the time I was 20 and I said, 'Maybe that's an amazing, crazy goal that I could reach'.' Feeling inspired, Mofid, who had previously worked in marketing, set up an event marketing company to earn enough cash to be able to achieve his goal, giving himself a three-year deadline to begin the challenge. 'I told myself, after I graduated college I would (begin,) which is what I did,' he says. Although he'd traveled to some countries as a child, he decided to 'restart' — only counting those countries he'd visited from the age of 18 onwards. Thanks to the 100 or so countries clocked up during his extensive travels for tennis, as well as trips he'd manage to squeeze in during his studies, Mofid needed to travel to just over 90 new countries to complete the challenge. In order to ensure that he did so 'legitimately,' Mofid came up with a list of his own personal requirements, while adhering to those set out by NomadMania. 'My rule was I had to do something in each country,' he says. 'Something meaningful. Most countries, I stayed at least four days.' 'Logistical nightmare' Mofid then created a 'massive spreadsheet' detailing the numerous combinations of flights and routes he could take, along with the many visas he'd need to obtain. 'It was a logistical nightmare,' he says, explaining he opted for the combination of flights and routes that 'made the most sense financially to do on such a budget'. In late 2022, Mofid 'threw a bunch of clothes into a Nike duffle bag,' along with some shoes, and began the journey to join the club of travelers who have visited all 195 UN-recognised countries and territories in the world. 'I started with the countries around Europe,' he explains, admitting he wanted to work his way up to the 'ultra-dangerous countries' by beginning with those he was more comfortable traveling to. 'And then maybe the South American ones. Australia, these sorts of countries that are not seen as dangerous.' To keep costs as low as possible, Mofid took many overnight buses and stayed in budget accommodation. 'I stayed in some two-star hotels,' he says. 'I stayed in a hotel in the country of Niger with no electricity and no running water … I've hitchhiked in crazy countries to get to the next border.' During a visit to his 115th country, West Africa's Nigeria, in January 2023, Mofid visited a floating village named Makoko and was so impacted by the experience he went on to found a non-profit organisation named Humanity Effect, to support children in the community. 'That's something that kind of is the biggest legacy for my travels, I suppose,' he says, explaining he has returned to the village several times over the years since. However, Mofid's journey certainly wasn't without its setbacks. After traveling to North African country Algeria in April 2024, Mofid became extremely ill and says he was unable to move from his bed for 15 hours. 'I couldn't even reach over to grab my phone to call anyone,' he recalls. 'I started having weird visions, hallucinating, sweating like crazy. I was so hot, and then I was freezing.' Mofid concedes this was probably the only point in the journey when he seriously considered giving up. Highs and lows 'That was the closest I got to a breaking point,' he says. 'I just thought to myself, 'Why am I here? Why am I essentially in a state of paralysis in the middle of the Algerian Sahara?'.' Thankfully, he recovered after being admitted into a hospital and was able to fully experience Algeria, which Mofid describes as 'unbelievable'. 'It's one of my favourite countries in the whole world,' he says. 'The countries that receive the least amount of tourism are often the ones where you have the best experience, because you feel totally immersed in their culture.' Mofid was also incredibly taken with Yemen, visiting the destination in February 2023, and says walking through the streets there was like 'going back in time'. 'To see people dress the same way that they were hundreds if not thousands of years ago,' he says. 'To see people living in mud houses, to see people still using flip phones.' Both Algeria and Yemen are subject to US State Department travel advisories. Caution is urged in Algeria due to 'terrorism and kidnapping. In March 2025, an advisory said travelers should avoid Yemen 'due to terrorism, civil unrest, crime, health risks, kidnapping, armed conflict, and landmines'. 'It's a country that's obviously in a very politically and economically difficult spot right now,' Mofid says about Yemen. 'But again, what you find is that the countries that are in some of the worst situations have the kindest people.' While he says he was grateful to be doing something so few people have either the time, means, or desire to take on, Mofid admits he felt incredibly lonely a lot of the time. 'The reality is that 95 per cent of the time I was alone,' he says. 'You have to really learn to get comfortable being lonely and kind of love it in a way. 'To love really getting to know yourself, because you're going months on end without seeing anyone you know in places where there's maybe not a lot of connectivity … 'So that sort of loneliness can be very isolating at times. But at the same time, it really pushed me to make friends and meet people.' Aged 25, he visited North Korea — the final country on his list — by participating in the Pyongyang International Marathon, an annual race held in the capital city. 'That trip was just incredible. I mean, getting off the plane and touching down in my 195th and final country…' he says. 'I became the youngest person to ever visit every country per NomadMania, barely. I beat the guy who was the previous record holder by, I think, six weeks.' Big celebration Mofid celebrated reaching his 'grand finale finish line' by heading to a bar with his friends. 'That was the big celebration, to have some beers in the world's most isolated and remote country,' he says. 'We went to a dive bar. People don't even know they have those in North Korea, but they do.' Pferdmenges Lucas, 23, from Germany, may have since beaten Mofid's record, according to NomadMania's UN Master's list. Mofid particularly enjoyed getting the opportunity to watch people in North Korea 'going about their daily lives' and doing simple things such as running, commuting to work, and playing games with each other. 'I think that kind of sums up what I had learned throughout the whole journey,' he says. 'We have shared interests, we have shared hobbies … 'So those sorts of things, seeing that innate ability of humans wanting to connect with each other in the most isolated country in the world was something extraordinarily powerful.' Now back in California, Mofid is slowly readjusting to being in one place for an extended period of time. Reflecting on his journey, he admits he's incredibly proud of himself, and has learned 'no one is going to believe in you as much as you do yourself'. 'When I told my friends and my family that I had this mission, I was going to visit every country in the world, not a single one of them told me that I could do it,' he recalls. 'They all said, 'You're going to go to Afghanistan and North Korea and Somalia and Yemen and the Congo, and you're going to get yourself killed'.' Mofid was able to make 'hundreds of friendships' throughout his travels and is still in touch with many of the people he met along the way. 'It just goes to show the goodness of humanity,' he says. 'The fact that I could walk down a street and a busy slum in Central Africa and be welcomed with a smile, a glass of tea and an invitation of dance.' During the course of the journey, Mofid met many others who struggled with mental health disorders like his, and says this helped him immensely. 'Travel helped me recognise that mental health disorders don't discriminate,' he says. 'People from all over the world shared a lot of the same plights and challenges that I did with my own mental health, and there's something very comforting in that.' Mofid still struggles with OCD to this day, and says he's accepted it will always be a part of his life in 'some capacity'. 'But being able to accept that and speak so openly about my experiences makes it so much less scary,' says Mofid. 'And I feel like now, seven years after this whole journey began, I'm in control of my OCD, whereas before it was in control of me.'
Canberra Times
4 days ago
- Canberra Times
It's the world's most famous pilgrim route - but are you ever too old to walk it?
To the metronome of our footsteps, my fellow travellers and I toggle between grunt and glory, discussing the mundane (blisters and aches) then sharing intimate reflections about our lives. There's a refreshing lack of small talk. When we stop at one of the many Camino bars, I notice a Canadian who has passed his pilgrim staff to a German asking her what is singing in her heart at that moment. Okay, maybe this is veering a little too close to schmaltz, but everyone is genuinely more openhearted, precisely because they've committed to this journey, which feels like a collaborative endeavour. Indeed, it seems that even if people are walking solo (as many are), there's no sense that they're walking alone since there are so many opportunities to connect with others.
West Australian
6 days ago
- West Australian
Luxury hotel Aman Rosa Alpina opens in ski village of San Cassiano in Italy's Dolomites
A famed mountain retreat with an 85-year history seems a fitting choice for the world's most exclusive hotel brand to make its base in the Dolomites. The Aman Group has opened its latest property in the Italian ski village of San Cassiano, taking over the longtime home of family-run hotel the Rosa Alpina. Now reimagined as Aman Rosa Alpina, the hotel features all the trimmings loyalists have come to expect from the brand including new dining concepts, elevated wellness amenities and exclusive adventure experiences, while honouring the UNESCO-protected location. The retreat's former life dates back to 1939 and it has been passed through the Pizzinini family for generations, becoming synonymous with the Dolomites and alpine luxury in the process. While Aman has essentially rebuilt the property as part of its takeover, architect Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston used the original design as inspiration and the result seamlessly blends understated European elegance with the signature minimalism the brand is known for. The 51 guestrooms aim to bring the great outdoors in, boasting floor-to-ceiling windows to show off the mountain setting and artisanal craftsmanship that reflects the natural environment. As with other Aman properties, the wellness offering is a major drawcard for the hotel. Aman Rosa Alpina's two-level spa covers a massive 1684sqm and features a 20m heated outdoor infinity pool, indoor pool, Finnish sauna, cold plunge and even a zen garden. The treatment menu is geared around adventure: after a day hitting the slopes, snow bunnies can partake in an Alpine Muscle Relief Massage or one of Aman's many other wellness rituals. And the hotel is well appointed to explore the splendour of the Dolomites, whether that's by offering guided hikes in the summer months or a ski butler service come winter to provide seamless access to the Dolomiti Superski area. Despite all the modern upgrades, the heart of Rosa Alpina remains with Hugo and Ursula Pizzinini still at the helm. 'As custodians of this beloved mountain retreat, it is a privilege to see it evolve under Aman — a brand that shares our deep reverence for place and commitment to excellence,' they said. 'This partnership allows us to celebrate our family's legacy and three generations of hospitality, while embracing a future shaped by Aman's uncompromising attention to detail and global perspective. 'Our mission remains the same: to preserve the authenticity and spirit of the region and for guests, past and future, to experience the timeless beauty of the Dolomites.' Aman's stable of award-winning resorts and branded residences has now swelled to encompass 36 properties in 20 destinations from Thailand to Utah, with even more projects in the works. + Bookings are via
