UNESCO has added 25 new sites to its World Heritage List in 2026, from ancient temples and modernist architecture to fossil-rich cliffs, wetlands and historic theatres.
Theatro da Paz/heloisa americo/Unsplash
UNESCO’s 2026 additions span an unusually broad range of cultural and natural heritage. Among them are five destinations that offer particularly interesting travel experiences.
Amazonia Theaters, Brazil
The Amazonia Theaters brings together two landmark cultural ensembles: Theatro da Paz and Praça da República in Belém, and Teatro Amazonas and Largo de São Sebastião in Manaus. Built during the Amazonian rubber boom, the theatres reflect the wealth, ambition and international architectural influences of the region between the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In Belém, visit Theatro da Paz and explore the surrounding Praça da República. In Manaus, tour Teatro Amazonas and its grand interior before exploring Largo de São Sebastião. Together, the sites offer a different perspective on Amazonia, placing its urban and cultural history alongside its better-known rainforest landscapes.
Sidi Bou Saïd, Tunisia
Perched above the Mediterranean north of Tunis, Sidi Bou Saïd is known for its distinctive white buildings, blue doors and cliff-top setting. UNESCO describes the village as a place where architecture, landscape and Sufi spirituality have developed together around the tomb of the 12th- or 13th-century Sufi saint Sidi Bou Saïd.
Visitors can wander the narrow streets, take in Mediterranean views and visit historic houses and cultural attractions. The village also makes a natural addition to a Tunisia itinerary that includes nearby Carthage and Tunis. Allow time to simply walk rather than treating it as a quick photo stop.
Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, Thailand
In Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand, Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan has been a major Buddhist centre since its foundation in the eighth century. The temple reflects centuries of interaction between South and Southeast Asian religious and artistic traditions, with influences from India, Sri Lanka, Java and southern Myanmar.
The complex is centred on its Great Reliquary, surrounded by religious buildings, shrines and monastery spaces. Visitors can also explore Nakhon Si Thammarat’s living cultural traditions, including nang talung shadow puppetry and Nora dance-drama. The Thai tourism authority also recommends combining the temple with places such as Ban Khiriwong and Khanom Beach.
Fossils of the Western Limfjord, Denmark
Denmark’s new natural World Heritage site takes travellers roughly 55 million years into the past. The property comprises Hanklit on Mors and Knudeklint on Fur, two dramatic coastal cliffs containing exceptionally preserved fossils from the early Eocene.
Walk along the cliffs, look across the Limfjord and visit the Fossil and Moler Museum on Fur to see some of the area’s discoveries. Fossil hunting is also possible in designated areas, although the protected cliffs themselves should be left untouched.
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, USA
Stretching across southeastern Georgia and northeastern Florida, Okefenokee protects one of the world’s largest and most intact subtropical freshwater peatlands. Its wetlands, pine savannas and forests support hundreds of plant, bird, mammal, fish, reptile and amphibian species, including American alligators.
The refuge is made for slow exploration. Visitors can paddle its waterways, join guided boat tours, hike trails, cycle, drive the Swamp Island Drive or walk the Chesser Island Boardwalk.
Here are all the new additions, plus five worth putting on your future travel list.
Africa
- Village of Sidi Bou Saïd, Tunisia
- Boma–Badingilo Migratory Landscape, South Sudan
- The Medinas of the Historic Sultanates of the Comoros, Comoros
- The Roças of São Tomé and Príncipe: Colonial Agricultural System and Forced Migration, São Tomé and Príncipe
Asia
- Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath, India
- Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara, Japan
- Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
- Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites, China
- Alamūt Castle and Related Fortifications, Iran
- Mount Amel Castles, Lebanon
- Rock Mosques and Associated Sacred Sites of Mangystau, Kazakhstan
- Sebastia, Palestine
- Tashkent Modernist Architecture: Modernity and Tradition in Central Asia, Uzbekistan
- The Cemetery Complexes of the Xiongnu Nobility, Mongolia
- Aqaba Marine Reserve, Jordan
- Wadi Wurayah, United Arab Emirates
Europe
- Beaches of the D-Day Landings, Normandy, 1944, France
- The system of Italian-style condominio theatres of the 18th and 19th centuries in Central Italy
- The wider area of Mount Olympus, Greece
- Aalto Works, Finland
- The Bony Fish Fossils of the Western Limfjord: Evolution and Climate Adaptation in the Earliest Eocene, Denmark
- Gdynia Modernist City Centre, Poland
- Royal Capetian Fortresses of Languedoc, France
North America
- Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, USA
South America
- Amazonia Theaters, Brazil
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