Find out where you should travel to next when visiting The Americas!
Last July, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held its annual meeting in the walled city of Baku, Azerbaijan to confer and discuss the new additions for 2019. Of the 37 nominees, 29 prevailed and were named a part of the coveted list. There are currently 1,121 sites recognised by UNESCO. To be listed as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites is no small feat as each location must possess unique qualities and meet a specific set of criteria to even be considered.
This elite set of destinations and landmarks can be of great assistance to those planning their next vacations. Don't know where to go? Struggling to make an itinerary? No need to worry; we have created a rundown of UNESCO's newest additions to help you figure out your next holiday spots!
Brazil: Paraty and Ilha Grande — Culture and Biodiversity
Located between the Serra da Bocaina mountain range and the Atlantic Ocean, this cultural landscape includes the historic centre of Paraty, one of Brazil's best-preserved coastal towns, as well as four protected natural areas of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, one of the world’s five key biodiversity hotspots. Paraty is home to an impressive diversity of species, some of which are threatened, such as the jaguar (Panthera onca), the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) and several primate species, including the woolly spider monkey (Brachyteles arachnoides), which are emblematic of the site. In the late 17th century, Paraty was the end-point of the Caminho do Ouro (Gold Route), along which gold was shipped to Europe. Its port also served as an entry point for tools and African slaves, sent to work in the mines. A defence system was built to protect the wealth of the port and the town. The historic centre of Paraty has retained its 18th century plan and much of its colonial architecture dating from the 18th and early 19th centuries.¹