Top 5 Unusual UNESCO World Heritage Sites

1/ The most enigmatic: Rapa Nui National Park

On the most remote of the world’s inhabited islands, 3,700 kilometres off the Chilean coast, colossal stone statues gaze out towards the horizon of the Pacific Ocean: the moai. Carved from volcanic tuff, these figures seem to stare at you with their impassive gaze. What are they trying to tell us? And who erected the moai on Easter Island? 

Putting aside the far-fetched theories about an extraterrestrial origin or a civilisation from the mythical Atlantis, these statues are the work of the Polynesian people of Rapa Nui. Arriving towards the end of the first millennium, they built more than 900 moai and 300 ahu (ceremonial platforms). The statues have not yet revealed all their mysteries, and this unique cultural landscape continues to fascinate the whole world. 

2/ The coldest: Los Glaciares National Park

In Argentine Patagonia, an ice giant stretches its blue-tinged wall for more than 5 kilometres: the Perito Moreno. Whilst this impressive glacier, which constantly sends icebergs tumbling into Lake Argentino, is the most spectacular, several other glaciers cover nearly half of the park. Patagonia is home to the world’s largest ice reservoir outside the poles – a vast supply of fresh water! 

The scenery is breathtaking, dominated by the granite peak of the majestic Cerro Fitz Roy, which rises to 3,405 metres. Between the Magellanic beech forests and the steppes, keep your eyes peeled: you might spot the graceful huemuls (Andean deer), guanacos and condors. 

3/ The most delicious: truffle hunting

Listed since 2020 as part of Humanity’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (in the ‘gourmet’ category), we bring you the truffle, the king of fungi! Italy, home to around 75,000 truffle hunters, is behind this initiative, celebrating the techniques used to search for and harvest (extract) this essential ingredient of fine dining. 

Heir to an oral tradition passed down from father to son, the truffle hunter walks through woodland and valleys, identifying the trees with which the truffle grows in symbiosis. The truffle grower is assisted by their dog, a true partner trained with patience and preferred to the overly greedy pig. Do you know the unmistakable sign of the presence of this underground treasure? Strike the ground with a stick: flies taking flight are a sure sign of a truffle!  

4/ The most harmonious: yoga

Balance between body and mind: this is what millions of yoga practitioners around the world are seeking. Listed as part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016, yoga has its roots in Indian sacred texts. Today, there is a wide choice of different styles, depending on whether you wish to focus on meditation, flexibility or endurance. 

Are you a beginner? Start with hatha yoga and its slow, breath-centred pace. Looking for something more dynamic? Try the fluid vinyasa yoga. The more athletic among you might prefer the very physical ashtanga yoga, or even bikram yoga with its intense sessions in a room heated to 40°C. And to recharge your batteries in the heart of the marine environment, why not set sail on a cruise centred around wellbeing and yoga? 

5/ The most acrobatic: castells

During annual festivals in the towns and villages of Catalonia, men, women and children build extraordinary human towers known as castells. These towers can reach up to 10 layers of amateur acrobats, perched on each other’s shoulders, with children balancing right at the top! The gathering takes place to the sound of music in the main square, in front of the town hall.  

The various groups of castellers are recognisable by their brightly coloured shirts and the wide sash used to support their backs and provide a climbing grip.  

This original 200-year-old tradition has been listed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage since 2010. The know-how is passed down from generation to generation through practice. Castells celebrate mutual support and collective effort, two important pillars of Catalan culture.