Currently, the UK has a total of 33 Unesco heritage sites. Every year millions of visitors flock here for a glimpse of stuff like the ancient towns of Bath and Edinburgh, the Lake District National Park and famous London landmarks like the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey.
But did you know that the most beautiful Unesco site in the entire world is actually in our homeland? Well, it is – at least according to tour operator Explore Worldwide.
Just take a moment to think about that. Amongst global competition that includes the likes of Machu Picchu, the Great Wall of China and the Acropolis in Athens, a Unesco site in the UK is apparently the best. Impressive, eh?
The site in question is… the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal in Llangollen, Wales. Inscribed into Unesco’s World Heritage list in 2009, this aqueduct is a prime example of Industrial Revolution civil engineering. It’s also a popular tourist destination, with visitors famously being able to rent boats and sail over the aqueduct’s 18 arches.
If you’ve recovered from the surprise, don’t worry, the rest of the list features many of the usual suspects. The Rocky Mountains in Canada, the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia also featured in Explore Worldwide’s list, which you can check out in full here.
So, there’s no need to travel halfway across the world to see one of the world’s most gorgeous Unesco sites! Pontcysyllte also features in our very own list of the best things to do in north Wales – read more about those here.
ICYMI: this major UK airport is getting a dazzling glow-up
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.