Visit 50 of the world heritage sites

If you ever get a chance to visit Cesky Krumlov in the South of the Czech Republic, don’t miss it. It is a gorgeous place that preserves a unique town center with characterestic narrow and winding streets that go up to the Castle, where the moat is filled not with water, but bears! Bears who stand and play with beer kegs no less. Sure, Cesky Krumlov sees its share of tourists – but that is because the place is so freaking incredible. One spot not to miss is a Moravian hole in the wall bar where they cook your food over an open fire.

My wife and I visited Cesky Krumlov for the first time in 1993 and we went back several times when we lived there in 1994-95. It was our favorite place to take visitors for a weekend getaway from our home in Praha.

Here is the UNESCO description:
Situated on the banks of the Vltava river, the town was built around a 13th-century castle with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements. It is an outstanding example of a small central European medieval town whose architectural heritage has remained intact thanks to its peaceful evolution over more than five centuries.

Here is a pointer to the region’s website

The World Heritage List is administered by the World Heritage Committee. What is it that constitutes the ‘outstanding universal value’ of a cultural or natural treasure? To be included on the World Heritage List, a property must satisfy the selection criteria adopted by the Committee.

A cultural monument: could be a masterpiece of creative genius; have exerted great architectural influence; be associated with ideas or beliefs of universal significance; or it may be an outstanding example of a traditional way of life that represents a certain culture.

A natural property: may exemplify major stages of the earth’s history; represent ongoing ecological and biological processes; contain the most important natural habitats for conservation of globally significant biodiversity; or it may be a setting of exceptional beauty