Visitors to the UK can now discover all 58 of the country’s unique UNESCO sites thanks to a new illustrated map, available to download for free from the UK National Commission for UNESCO. 

From expansive mountain ranges and stunning coastlines to vibrant cities and rural landscapes, the UK’s UNESCO sites are destinations of world-class natural and cultural heritage. For the first time a map, designed by Birmingham-based creative cartographer Tom Woolley, brings together all of the Biosphere Reserves, Creative Cities, Global Geoparks and World Heritage Sites across the UK and its crown dependencies, that are just waiting to be discovered.

Visitors to the sites are invited to immerse themselves in the spectacular vistas of the slate landscape of Northwest Wales or the Highlands of Scotland. Dive into the literary heritage of Manchester or Edinburgh. Scale the mountains of the English Lake District or the peaks of Fforest Fawr. Uncover legends and folklore along the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland or Stonehenge in England. Breathe in the sea air of Brighton and Lewes, North Devon or the English Riviera.

The English Lake District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Tackle the northernmost frontiers of the Roman empire by foot or by bike. Stroll around one of the great spa towns of Europe in Bath or a landed estate at Blenheim Palace. And dance the night away in an iconic concert hall in Belfast or at a festival under the stars at one of the world’s largest deep space observatories at Jodrell Bank.

Jodrell Bank in Cheshire

The new map includes 29 World Heritage Sites, 13 Creative Cities, 9 Global Geoparks and 7 Biosphere Reserves that cover 13% of the UK’s landmass. Most of the sites are free to enter and conveniently accessible by public transport offering the public new experiences to discover UNESCO sites in the UK and mark this summer with a visit to one or more of the world’s most special places.

The Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland

James Bridge, Chief Executive and Secretary-General of the UK National Commission for UNESCO, said: “This new UNESCO in the UK map will inspire people for places to visit. It shows at a glance the breadth of amazing natural, cultural and built heritage designated by UNESCO as internationally significant in the UK. This great map highlights places to explore, both the famous and those to discover for the first time.”

Janet Redler, Managing Director of Janet Redler Travel, added: “This wonderful new map shines a light on the huge diversity of the UK’s UNESCO sites. No tour of the UK is complete without a visit to one or more of these places, and there really is something for everyone to enjoy, from heritage and landscape to culture and entertainment.”

The Isle of Man, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are ‘learning places for sustainable development’. They are sites for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems. Each site promotes solutions reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use.

UNESCO Creative Cities have placed imagination and creative talent at the heart of their strategy for local economic and social development. The United Kingdom counts 13 of these, each with a unique perspective, economy and culture.

Scott Monument in Edinburgh, a UNESCO Creative City

UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education, and sustainable development.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites are designated for their cultural, historical, scientific, or other form of significance. The sites are judged to contain cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.

Conwy Castle in North Wales is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The map was produced by the UK National Commission (UKNC) for UNESCO as part of its Local to Global project, which aims to develop a resilient network for UNESCO Designated Sites in the UK. An independent body, UKNC is funded by the UK Government to promote the benefits of UNESCO programmes and international agreements for the UK.

The map can be downloaded from: https://unesco.org.uk/our-sites

If you or your group would like to enjoy a tailor-made tour of the United Kingdom visiting some of its incredible UNESCO sites, please do contact our friendly team today.