Five of the UK`s Best World Heritage Sites

World Heritage Sites are some of the most visited spots on the globe thanks to their UNESCO status. UNESCO defines these sites as outstandingly beautiful places or buildings that have universal value and should therefore be available for all to enjoy. Here in the UK there are no less than 28 sites to cross off the list, but if you're pushed for time or want to sample the highlights, here are some of the most important places you can see in Britain.

Blenheim Palace
Once home to a young Winston Churchill, this historic Oxfordshire mansion is of architectural significance for both its sweeping grounds and exquisite interiors. Designed by British heavyweights, Nicholas Hawksmoor and John Vanburgh and with a landscaped park by 'Capability' Brown, Blenheim is not easily classified in terms of style or period. The building draws on influences from the medieval, Gothic and Baroque and remains an irrepressibly imaginative construction.

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
A sky-bound waterway that teeters on the border between England and Wales, Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is an 18 km structure that was awarded UNESCO status in 2011 for its magnificent feat of engineering. Thomas Telford completed his design in 1805 and the aqueduct has been recognised as an icon of the Industrial Revolution ever since. It's also an immensely visitor-friendly monument, with specially planned bus, train and walking routes in and around the site, as well as boat trips along the actual canal for stunning views of the surrounding area.

Edinburgh: the Old Town and the New
Edinburgh openly celebrates its dual personality and nowhere is this demonstrated so well as in the visual contrast between the two halves of its city centre. The medieval Old Town sprawls down from the heights of Castle Rock, through a network of winding closes and hidden bridges that are as inspirational as they are irrational. Across the bowl of Princes Street Gardens and Waverley Station and it's another story, with a geometric grid of Georgian tenements, wide squares and grand circuses. The old and the new towns are both beautiful in their own right and perhaps even more so because of their differences.

Stonehenge
Wiltshire's biggest claim to fame, the ancient site at Stonehenge is known throughout the world. Perhaps most intriguing for the mystery that surrounds their purpose, these prehistoric megalithic rocks have stood for millennia and represent a true glimpse into an otherwise unreachable past. The stones' origins compound the mystery as the monument is comprised of both local material and rock only found in south Wales implying that the distance that its creators must have travelled and their dedication to do so must have been great indeed.

Giant's Causeway and the Causeway Coast
Some of the most unusual rock formations in the British Isles can be found on the northerly coast of Northern Ireland. The Giant's Causeway itself is made from more than 40,000 individual stones that make up just part of a striking coastline, stretching for 6 km along the edge of County Antrim. The unique 'steps' of the Causeway Coast were formed from volcanic lava flows over 50 million years ago and are home to other well-photographed features such as the Chimney Tops and Hamilton's Seat.

This, of course, only represents a selection of the many valued landmarks that the UK has to offer. World Heritage Sites continue to inspire visitors to travel from all over the world and the importance of preserving them for years to come remains paramount.