From volcanoes to cathedrals, explore the world - one UNESCO site at a time

Are you ready to explore nature? It's something of an official pastime in Alaska, particularly in the summer.

Alaskans, though, are a curious lot — even beyond hiking up one more hill or rafting down one more river. It's a big world "Outside" and learning about a region's cultural heritage helps bring us closer to the people who live there. That's part of the mission behind the United Nations' educational, scientific and cultural organization, or UNESCO, World Heritage sites.

There are more than 1,000 designated sites around the world, divided into natural sites and cultural sites. If you are looking for an "ultimate bucket list" for travel destinations, this might be a good place to start.

Alaska only has one designated site, but it's a doozy. In fact, the site spans the border into Canada. This is in the "nature" category and includes Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Kluane National Park in the Yukon, Glacier Bay National Park and the Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park in British Columbia. If you've been to any of the parks, you know how beautiful the mountains and the glaciers are. This area includes the largest non-polar icefield in the world.

The site's designation by UNESCO fits with the organization's vision, articulated by its director general, Irina Bokova: "We now know that the closer the relationship between people and their natural environment the more likely people are to appreciate the importance of nature and its biodiversity, heritage and water, for their personal well-being and the planet's future."

If you're planning a trip abroad, it's worthwhile to check for any nearby UNESCO sites. There's often a fascinating story behind the designation. Here are some of my favorites, based on my recent travels.

Bermuda: You may identify the mid-Atlantic island with their iconic shorts — which the guys really do wear along with their sport coats and ties. Sure, there are pink sand beaches and brightly painted limestone homes. The UNESCO site is at the northern tip of Bermuda, on St. George Island. This is the earliest example of an English colonial town in the "New World," and it was established in 1612. There are great trails on the main islands. I rode my bike from Somerset Village all the way to the airport. But St. George is on the far side of the airport, so I missed it. Still standing are some of the original fortifications — in place now for more than 400 years.

Iceland: The selected site is on the "Golden Circle" tour that you can take in Reykjavik. Thingvellir National Park is the site where the national parliament met for two weeks each year, starting in the year 930 and continuing through 1798. Another remarkable feature of the park is its position on the continental rift. There's actually a patch that goes between the tectonic plates, which slowly are pulling apart — creating a bigger rift. A visit to the park offers a glimpse into how a Viking Age pioneer community was organized. There are several houses built of turf and stone. The original structures from the 4th century are underground.

Reims: This is the heart of Champagne country in France. The UNESCO designation underscores the importance of a specific agro-industrial enterprise. First, there is the cool, chalky land where the grapes are grown. Then there are the underground cellars, left behind from the ancient Roman chalk quarries. These cool cellars are essential to the production process. The final component is the sales and distribution processes. When we visited Reims, we got the tour of the Taittinger cellars — and came away with a better understanding of how Champagne is made. We also bought six bottles of really nice bubbly!

Many European capitals have big chunks of their historic downtown districts designated as UNESCO sites. Florence, Italy, is recognized as a birthplace of the Renaissance. The region flourished in the age of the Medici families in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Uffizi Museum rivals other European museums in its display of important art from the period, including Michelangelo and Botticelli. One of the hallmarks of the area is the Florence cathedral (Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore), completed in 1436 when Brunelleschi's famous dome was installed.

Other UNESCO sites can be found in Barcelona, Prague, Budapest and Rome (including Vatican City).

Sicily: The island of Sicily features cultural sites, including the Arab-Norman cathedrals in Monreale and Cefalu. Built in the 12th century when the Normans ruled the island, craftsmen were recruited to build the churches, which feature Islamic, Byzantine and Western influences. The churches are representative of the unique multicultural mashup in Sicily. Even today in downtown Palermo, you can see street signs in Arabic, Hebrew and Italian!

Sicily also has a "natural" site at Mount Etna. The mountain is the highest Mediterranean island mountain, and it's very active. The mountain is protected as a park in Sicily. Since it is an active volcano, there are scientific labs and more than 50 seismic monitoring stations. In the park there are special zones for travelers, including hiking trails, hotels and huts.

Mexico: The town of Guanajuato is located between Guadalajara and Mexico City. Founded in the 16th century by the Spaniards, the town is at the center of a rich, silver-producing mining district. Beginning in the 18th century, the area was the largest silver mining district in the world.

Because of this wealth, there are many examples of glorious Baroque architecture, including the Teatro Juarez. In modern-day Guanajuato, many of the mining tunnels now are underground roadways.

Kamchatka: Just across the Bering Strait from Alaska lies one of the most active volcanic areas in the world. The "Valley of the Geysers" is a world-renowned naturalist's paradise. Hikers and photographers come from around the world to explore the area.

In addition to the volcanic activity, the fishing is spectacular and there are big brown bears everywhere.

These are just a few of the UNESCO sites I've seen in my travels. You can find a big map of all the sites at whc.unesco.org.

Chances are good there's a UNESCO site near where you're planning to go. Set aside some time to do some exploring!

Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based marketing consultant, serving clients in the transportation, hospitality, media and specialty destination sectors, among others. Contact him by email at zoom907@me.com. You can follow him on Twitter (@alaskatravelGRM) and alaskatravelgram.com. For more information, visit alaskatravelgram.com/about.