World Heritage sites worth a visit

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) protects and preserves significant and inspirational places worldwide.

Locations carrying the important designation of World Heritage site provide an impressive history lesson as well as a virtual tour of many of the world’s most meaningful places. Here are sites you and your family might like to visit:

1. Strasbourg, France: The French city’s old town is an island — the Grande Ile — surrounded by canals and the River Ill. Families can get a unique view of this historic enclave by paddling a canoe through the canals, including the chance to maneuver through a lock with the help of a guide. You can’t miss the city’s Gothic cathedral, which rises high above Strasbourg and was said to be the world’s tallest building until 1874.

Climb 320 steps to a viewing platform for a bird’s-eye view. And be sure to spend time inside the cathedral, taking note of the historic stained-glass windows that survived many war-torn years. Also of interest, inside the cathedral, is the world’s largest astronomical clock. Considered a Renaissance masterpiece, it was assembled by a team of artists, mathematicians.

For more information, visit www. amawaterways.com; www.adventuresby disney.com

2. Amalfi Coast, Italy: Nirvana for artists, photographers and foodies, the picturesque coastal area offers a sensual mix of cultural, natural and historical wonders. Although the small communities were once only accessible by mule, modern-day train travel makes it easy to visit the enchanting towns that spill toward the sea from their steep and craggy origins.

For more information, visit raileurope. com; amalficoast.com

3. Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia: This iconic structure, composed of interlocking concrete shells, anchors one of the world’s most famous harbors.

Visually stimulating and home to a menu of family-friendly performances and programs, the architectural trendsetter debuted in 1973.

Whether you take in a walking tour and observe the opera house glinting in the sunlight or aglow after nightfall, you’ll appreciate its splendor.

For more information, visit sydney operaHouse.com.

4. Machu Picchu, Peru: Make your way to this extraordinary archeological site just as the Incas did. Choose from two- or four-day treks along the Inca Trail that culminate in stunning views of the “lost city” where palaces, terraces, walls and plazas cling to the mountainside. It was not until 1911 that a Peruvian guide led Yale professor Hiram Bingham to the ancient site on the eastern slopes of the Andes.

Mysteries remain as to how the Incas were able to construct the complex more than 500 years ago.

For more information, visit www. austinadventures.com.