EUROPE
UNESCO’s newly inscribed World Heritage Sites include unsung historic landmarks and places of natural beauty across Europe
For hikers In the forested north west of Greece, near the border with Albania, Zagori is a region of stern mountain ramparts carved by the gigantic Vikos Gorge, with some 46 villages dotted around the slopes. These traditional settlements, the Zagorochoria, are linked by hiking trails, many of which cross graceful, centuries-old arched stone bridges above the highland torrents. Other routes head up to a plateau marked by isolated pools, including Drakolimni (Dragon Lake). visitgreece.gr
For classic good looks In the southern French city of Nîmes, the Maison Carrée (‘Square House’) might be blandly named but it’s quite possibly the best-preserved Roman temple in the world. With its graceful Corinthian columns and classical proportions, it’s been an inspiration to architects for over 2,000 years. Nîmes has other impressive Roman relics, too, including an amphitheatre three-quarters of the size of the Colosseum in Rome. arenes-nimes.com
For offbeat city breaks With a four-hour drive, it’s possible to combine two new heritage sites in the Baltic states. Kaunas is Lithuania’s second city, and served as its temporary capital in the 1920s and 1930s. Though it has plenty of architecture from earlier periods, the listing honours its interwar modernist style. In Latvia, Kuldīga is a unique example of a traditional urban settlement, with painted wooden buildings on cobbled streets, with the Venta River running through it. visit.kaunas.lt visitkuldiga.com
For contemplation Recognising recognition itself, the listing of First World War
