If you’re stuck for holiday ideas this year, why not pay a visit to one of the world’s beautiful heritage sites? (Featured image by dave-pemcoastphotos.com)
But before you start looking for flights to India, China or Egypt, you might want to look a little closer to home first.
A Neolithic stone monument in the small village of Avebury, Wiltshire, has been ranked ahead of some of the world’s most famous landmarks by consumer magazine Which?.
Travel experts at the magazine have placed the Avebury stones second in a list of the world’s top heritage sites, ahead of the likes of the Taj Mahal in India and the Forbidden City in China.
A number of criteria was used to rank the world’s top heritage sites, including visitor experience and preservation of the site.
“Avebury came an impressive second in our list of World Heritage sites,” said a Which? spokesman.
“Our experts found the idyllic rural setting, lack of crowds and freedom to wander freely through the historic site made for a rewarding visit.”
The only place to beat Avebury was the magnificent ancient city of Monte Alban in Mexico, which topped the list.
The travel experts at Which? said Avebury beat the pyramids in Egypt partly because Wiltshire is simply a nicer place to visit than the Saharan Dessert.
“We have always known we have a wonderful piece of history on our doorstep and now we have official confirmation,” said Wiltshire Council’s Stuart Wheeler.
“Being placed second only to Mexico in providing visitors with the best heritage site experience in the world is a wonderful accolade.”
The Neolithic henge monument in Avebury comprises three stone circles – the largest to be found anywhere in Europe.
Thought to have been constructed around 2600BC, Avebury is of huge religious importance to pagans – much like nearby Stonehenge, located just 20 miles away.
