20 Must-see UNESCO sites in Europe

There are 400 UNESCO sites in Europe, and visiting them all can be a daunting task. We've put together a list of 20 must-see UNESCO sites from 20 countries across Europe. You can visit as many as possible to cross them off your list, or you can check them out when you are in the area.

You'll also discover the best campsites near UNESCO sites for your stay.

The dazzling Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Croatia, which includes eight cultural and two natural sites. Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of Croatia's oldest national parks, having been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The park is nearly 300.0 square kilometres in size. More than a million people visit this magnificent National Park each year, mesmerised by its numerous cascades and crystal clear waters. There are 16 interconnected lakes that follow the flow of water.

Are you planning a trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park? It is an excellent hiking location (for more information, see the Top 25 best hiking trails in Europe).

Big Bear Plitvice Camping Resort is a great place to stay. The campsite is surrounded by nature, has many hiking and biking trails, and is quiet, being only 700m from the Plitvice Lakes National Park's border. There are both luxurious rentals and pitches available.

Biely Potok is the salient point for the community of Vlkolínec – a monument reserve of folk architecture. In 1993, UNESCO inscribed this extraordinary and remarkable oasis of folk architecture on the World Heritage List.

The community was mentioned for the first time in 1376. Its one-of-a-kind compound of original folk buildings has remained untouched by modern development. According to an ICOMOS (International Council for Monuments and Settlements) comparative study, it was classified as the best-preserved settlement of this time period within the Carpathian Arch. Originally, it was a logging, shepherding, and farming community.

Vlkolínec is a typical example of a two-line street pattern with long yards. The community is divided in its centre by a street leading to the Baroque-Classicist Roman-Catholic church of the Virgin Mary's Visitation of 1875 and another street leading to the foothills of the Sidorovo Mountain (1,099 m). 

If you are visiting during the summer, you might have a chance to participate in an interesting folk event called “Sunday in Vlkolínec”.

Mara Camping welcomes visitors with a plethora of water activities and entertainment. Tent and caravan pitches are available, as well as wooden chalet rentals.

Rila Monastery is a hidden treasure in Eastern Europe, only two hours from Sofia. Bulgaria is home to a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The monastery was founded in the 10th century and quickly became a popular spiritual centre during the Middle Ages. Furthermore, Rila Monastery had a significant impact on the Eastern Orthodox world and its artistic traditions. It is still a working monastery with 60 resident monks today. It is also popular, attracting pilgrims and curious visitors who want to see its elegant colonnades, geometrical archways, and elaborate frescoes.

It is suggested that you stay at Camping Verila. There are tent and caravan camping spots available, as well as family rentals. Excursions and mountain guides for the surrounding area are available at the campsite. 

A Gothic-style Benedictine nunnery stands on a rocky islet. It was constructed between the 11th and 16th centuries in honour of St. Michel, the archangel. In 1979, UNESCO designated Mont-Saint-Michel and the bay as World Heritage Sites. It draws visitors from all over the world because it is only three hours and thirty minutes from Paris. Many people walk across the bay to explore the bay's diverse ecosystem.

Camping Seasonova Haliotis is a close-by campsite that offers a slower pace of life in Normandy. Camping pitches and rentals are available on the 8-hectare property. 

This magnificent monastery, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989, is a stunning example of Cistercian architecture. The monastery has kept its medieval buildings, some of which are over 900 years old. The monastery was built around the time Portugal became a nation, and the Cistercian Order was founded by D. Afonso Henriques, Portugal's first king.

The Monastery is located in Lisbon, Portugal's capital, and is highly recommended for exploration. It is recommended to stay at Ohai Nazaré Outdoor Resort in Nazaré, which is a well-known surfing destination that draws a large number of tourists in the winter due to its magnificent waves. A water park and an animation programme are available at the campsite. There are bungalow and glamping rentals available, as well as caravan and motorhome pitches.

This cultural hub has much to offer and is often voted into the top ranks of cities to visit and live in. This jewel on the Danube River in Central Europe continues to be one of the most visited cities in the world, and for a good reason.

If any city represents determination and human resilience, it’s Budapest. After natural disasters, warfare, and changing rulers and regimes, Budapest still rose to every challenge and thrived.

Nowadays, Budapest represents a little of medieval Europe, of the Ottoman Empire, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire and yet supports all of the hustle and bustle of a significant 21st-century city.

It can be seen in the architecture of this breathtaking city as well as in the halls of nearly every museum, castle, and religious centre.

Many more of Budapest's major tourist attractions, such as Matthias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion fortress, are within walking distance of Buda Castle. If you want to unwind, take a picnic to Margaret Island and go hiking and sunbathing, or even swim in the Széchenyi Thermal Baths.

Camping Haller is one of the best campsites in the area surrounding Budapest. It was recently renovated and provides camping pitches for tents and motorhomes. 

UNESCO's World Heritage List includes Urnes Stave Church, the oldest of Norway's stave churches. The church was constructed around 1130 AD, but the distinctive carvings on the north portal are from an even older church.

According to UNESCO samples taken from the base timbers, the timber was felled between 1129 and 1131. Aside from the current church, there have been two other stave churches on the same site. The most recent one was constructed in the second half of the 11th century. Parts of this structure have been incorporated into the current church, including a portal, exterior planks, and a corner stave decorated with superb carvings in the Urnes style. The stave churches are one-of-a-kind and represent Norway's most significant contribution to world architecture. The Urnes Stave Church, which is owned by the Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1980. 

Camping Lyngmo Ungdomsenter, which has rooms, cabins, and camping pitches, is the closest campsite where you can book your stay. Many hiking trails begin outside, so the area is best suited to active vacationers.

The Giant's Causeway got its name from legends about an ancient road used by giants to travel between Ireland and Scotland. The reality, however, is no less incredible: the 40,000 dramatic basalt columns were formed by an ancient volcanic eruption. Regardless of its origins, the UNESCO-listed site is open all year; in the summer, it is quietest first thing in the morning and late afternoon. Check the tide times as well, as it is most visible and explorable during low tides. 

To reach the UNESCO site, you can book your stay nearby at Camping Juniper Hill Caravan Park, one of the motorhome pitches. The site is located on the Causeway Coast Way, a long-distance walking route with popular walking stretches nearby.

Þingvellir (or Thingvellir) was Iceland's first national park and is now one of the most popular tourist destinations. It is home to the rift valley, which marks the edge of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge – the tectonic boundary between Europe and North America. Not convinced? A chilly dive in these waters will demonstrate it – you can scuba right between the two plates. In addition to being the site of Iceland's first Parliament in 900AD, it is now one of the best places to see the Northern Lights and is popular with Game of Thrones fans for being the location where wildlings camped on-screen.

There is a campsite (Camping Thingvellir National Park) right on the property where guests can pitch their tents and explore the National Park. The area is less than an hour's drive from Reykjavik.

Interested in seeing more movie locations in Europe? You can read about them at 10 best movie locations worth travelling to in Europe.

The Grand Place in Brussels is widely regarded as the most beautiful square in the world, and its reputation precedes it!

It still serves a political and administrative function today by housing the Brussels Town Hall, which continues to house the mayor and the majority of the aldermen.

The prestigious venue hosts a variety of festive activities, such as concerts, fairs, and cultural events; a tree and nativity scene during Christmas; a light show; a flower carpet in summer, and so on; as well as symbolic events, such as receiving athletes after sporting events.

A stay at Camping Domein De Schuur provides an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, close to Antwerp. There are mobile homes and glamping tents for rent, as well as tent and RV pitches.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a small country that is unfortunately underrated. The most significant city in the area of Herzegovina is also the most romantic. Mostar, a medieval town on the Neretva River, is surrounded by mountains clad in green forests. The city's postcard-perfect architecture of traditional Turkish dwellings and Austro-Hungarian structures reflects its diverse cultural background. The Old Bridge is the focal point of Mostar and one of the country's most recognisable sights. It was erected in the 16th century by the Ottomans and is one of the best examples of Islamic architecture in the Balkans, flanked by two medieval towers and crossing the river's often emerald-coloured waters.

Camping Heaven In Nature is located on the banks of the Bregava River, which is ideal for both fishing and swimming. It is also approximately 35 kilometres from Mostar and the Old Bridge.

Stevns Klint is a 21-kilometre stretch of 72 million-year-old chalk cliffs. It provides exceptional evidence of the ash cloud created by the Chicxulub meteorite when it crashed around 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site is accessible by car or public transportation from Copenhagen. It is worth noting for families travelling with children that various activities for children are held during the summer months.

Feriebyens Camping is located just minutes of walking away from Rødvig town and the start of Stevns Klint. The campsite offers camping pitches as well as wooden rentals.

The Palau de la Música Catalana has been listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997. The modernistic structure can be found in the northern part of the old town. The music palace's concert hall is especially impressive. The architect was Llus Domènech i Montaner, who designed several important Art Nouveau buildings in Barcelona.

Catalonia's rapid development in the late nineteenth century resulted in a well-to-do bourgeoisie seeking new forms of self-expression. For this rising bourgeoisie, modernisme became an essential means of expression.

The combination of various art forms, such as sculpture, blacksmithing, ceramics, and glass art, as well as different architectural styles, is the central element of Modernisme. This fusion of art forms is evident at the Palau de la Música.

Book a bungalow near the beach at Camping El Far. The campsite has a professional team of entertainers who are in charge of activities and entertainment at various times of the day. There is a Miniclub on the beach, as well as various sports and evening entertainment programmes.

If there is one monument that represents civilisation as we know it, it is the Acropolis in Athens, Greece's capital. This ancient citadel represents the Greek Empire and everything it gave to the world, including democracy, Western philosophy, and the Olympics, to name a few. It is perched high above the city of Athens on a rocky outcrop, with ruins dating back to the 5th century BC. The most well-known is the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena that was later converted into a treasury. Its decorative sculptures and colonnade of fluted, baseless columns are regarded as the finest examples of Greek architecture in the world today.

You can pitch a tent, park your RV, rent a caravan, or a glamping tent at Camping Nea Makri. The campsite is in Nea Makri, Attica, 38 kilometres from Athens and 22 kilometres from the international airport.

Stonehenge is a ring of standing stones known as menhirs that is one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world. It has been a significant burial site since 3100 BC. Historians and scientists are still puzzled by the stones' formation, which is thought to have astrological significance.

Stonehenge Campsite & Glamping Pods is a recommended campsite near this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stonehenge Campsite & Glamping Pods offers a wide selection of camping pitches and glamping pods. 

Due to its long and illustrious history, Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country in the world. It claims a total of 53 sites, with another 40 on the waiting list. When you have contenders like the Pompeii archaeological site and the Colosseum of Rome, picking just one is difficult. Cinque Terre, a rugged coastal region with spectacular scenery, charming mediaeval villages, and incredible cliffside construction, takes the top spot on this list. Cars are prohibited here, so the best way to get around is on foot or by train, which adds to Cinque Terre's allure.

Camping Smeraldo , which overlooks the sea in the Gulf of Moneglia, is one of the recommended places to book your holiday for visiting Cinque Terre . It allows guests to enjoy views of the sea from the terraces of bungalows, park a camper or pitch a tent on a strip of land, all while being surrounded by fragrant pine woods.

The only standing structure from the Carolingian era, this former Benedictine monastery was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. The Westwork is still a historically accurate representation of the time period. The architectural design and decoration, in particular, highlight the role of imperial monasteries in securing territorial and political control throughout Europe during the Frankish empire. Between April and October, you can visit every day and take a guided tour in the middle of the day to learn more.

Mobilcamping Holzminden is the closest campsite, and it welcomes RVs. Many amenities and facilities are within walking distance of the campsite. It is a welcoming location that hosts a variety of seasonal events.

Berat is a fortified city that has been inhabited since ancient times and is located in the beautiful hills of southern Albania. It provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of architecture, art, religion, and culture in this region of Europe. Berat, also known as "the city of a thousand windows," is one of Albania's most amazing architectural gems. Visitors can see influences from various cultures throughout the city's history, including the Illyrians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans. Mosques, churches, palaces, and strongholds are all examples of historic structures.

Book your Albania vacation at Berat Caravan Camping, a year-round campsite that welcomes campers from all over Europe. The campsite is close to a winery, and guests are invited to attend the annual wine festival in September.

The Palace and Gardens of Schonbrunn are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Austria. Its grandeur and beauty are comparable to that of France's Palace of Versailles. This palace was constructed as an imperial summer residence in the 18th century. There are over 1,400 rooms in the palace, which has Baroque architecture. Along with the palace, the gardens are very popular with visitors. With a 300-year history, this site reflects the Habsburg monarchs' tastes and aspirations.

Camping Neue Donau is conveniently located near popular recreational areas in Vienna. The Neue Donau is a 20-kilometre-long Danube River artificial sidearm with swimming bays, sunbathing meadows, sports areas, playgrounds, and a variety of dining options. Guests can easily explore Vienna and beyond thanks to the excellent location in the heart of the city and access to public transportation.

Třebíč—located in the southern part of the Czech Republic, is home to not one but two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Trebic was founded in 1101 with the establishment of a Benedictine monastery. The town grew, the magnificent St. Procopius Basilica was constructed, and in 1335, Charles IV, the Moravian Margrave, granted Třebíč city rights. That's also when the Jewish community began to settle in the area.

If you want to see a typical Jewish household from previous centuries, Třebíč provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Seligmann Bauer, a city resident who built his home in the 18th century next to the Třebíč synagogue with the help of the local museum, invites you into his home.

Camping Sikland is a large amusement park and a family campsite. On the site, there are daily programmes, activities, and special events. The campsite offers a variety of rentals, as well as tent and motorhome pitches.