Cultural Heritage

Delve into the rich tapestry of humanity’s cultural heritage, encompassing arts, history, and beyond.

With over 3,800 distinct cultures worldwide, as cataloged by anthropologists and recorded in Price’s Atlas of Ethnographic Societies—a number potentially underestimated—we can only begin to fathom the profound influence of these myriad cultural legacies across the globe.

Cultural heritage, as defined by Wikipedia, comprises the tangible and intangible assets inherited by a society from past generations. Not all remnants of the past qualify as “heritage”; rather, heritage emerges through societal selection.

This expansive term encompasses a vast array of elements, including customs, beliefs, rituals, arts, music, and more, shaping culture and behavior. It extends to practices related to the natural environment, religious and scientific traditions, language, cuisine, and even cyber cultures in the digital realm. Emerging cultures of the present are poised to become the heritage of the future.

Below, discover a diverse array of cultural heritage assets, ranging from the architectural influences of Indigenous communities to the impact on fashion, cuisine, and beyond. These narratives also shed light on historical events, viewed through the lens of contemporary society.

  • Leaning Tower of Pisa

    Can you imagine planning your next adventure travel or luxury travel to Italy and finding that the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa is no more? Well thankfully, experts and geologists have seen to it that this will not come to be for years to come.

  • Christmas on the Potomac video image showing Christmas scenes in the Gaylord National Resort.

    Get ready to be dazzled by the spectacular Christmas on the Potomac at the Gaylord National Resort in Maryland. This annual holiday extravaganza is a feast for the senses, featuring over 2 million holiday lights and acres of stunning decorations that transform the resort into a winter wonderland.

  • grinch

    World Footprints will cross the border into the country of Jordan, uncover Dr. Suess's social and artistic legacies and share one of our "Best Of" features with filmmaker Ken Burns.

  • President John F Kennedy speaking behind a podium before the assassation on his life in Dallas.

    Fifty years ago today on November 22, 1963,  President John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated while traveling through Dallas, Texas, in an open-top convertible.  He was struck by two bullets to the neck and the skull.  Less than an hour and ½ after the President’s death, 24-year-old Lee Harvey Oswald was captured and charged with the murder and the nation was left to mourn. JFK Assassination was a dark day in American History.

  • Photo of cliffside in Corfu, Greece.

    Just off the coast of the land border with Albania, Corfu lies on the far northwest corner of Greece. Considered as the second largest Ionian islands along with its small surrounding islands. Many tours to Greece highlight Corfu as a must-visit destination because of its rich history and breathtaking landscapes. In Corfu’s history, this island was where a shipwrecked Odysseus sought refuge from the storms and where other travelers have rested. Its stunning bays, great hills, and lush coastline have drawn visitors since the 8th century BC. Corfu holds a historic location of strategic importance and has been fought over for centuries.

  • Gettysburg battle field

    The Gettysburg Address on Nov 19, 1863 - "…we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863. On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered a short speech at the close of ceremonies dedicating the battlefield cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Honoring a request to offer a few remarks, Lincoln memorialized the Union dead and highlighted the redemptive power of their sacrifice. Placing the common soldier at the center of the struggle for equality, Lincoln reminded his listeners of the higher purpose for which blood was shed. In composing the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln must have been reminded of the words of David Wills, a prominent citizen of Gettysburg charged with cleaning up after the grisly battle of July [...]

  • Lebanon's World Heritage Site.

    According to a study published in the journal Nature Communications, if you want to plan your next overseas adventure travel or luxury travel excursion to the sunny regions of the Mediterranean or simply set out to see some of the historical wonders of the world , you better do it now before the World Heritage Sites are either damaged or no longer exist due to climate change.

  • Christmas decoration in Monte Carlo  panoramio|Garden on Monaco|Casino Monte Carlo|monaco

    There are always many exciting things to do on vacation when you have the money to spend. Monte Carlo is a place that often comes to mind when you think about extravagance and a good time. Regardless of what your idea of holiday relaxation or recreation might be, chances are you won’t be disappointed here.

  • King Tut |aka Tutankhamun drawings on a wall.

    Tutankhamun was an Egyptian Pharaoh ruling from approximately 1341 BC to 1323 BC. The boy-king was only eight years old when he became Pharaoh. Howard Carter, a British Egyptologist had found clues to the existence of the Pharaoh, but the location of his tomb was unknown and there were very few records of any type on Tutankhamun.

  • Cesky Krumlov

    World Footprints will criss-cross the United States from Las Vegas, and Jacksonville, Florida to Wisconsin and we will put a spotlight on the rich history throughout the Czech Republic.  We will also stroll through North Little Rock, Arkansas and journey to Martinique. Veteran travel journalist David Yeskel has seen the evolution of Las Vegas over the decades.  From its humble beginnings as "sin city" to the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas has survived the odds of a failing economy and multiple attempts to reinvent itself to become a burgeoning metropolis with 2 million residents.  But the city has also maintained a small-town feel for its residents amidst the bright lights and glamour.  David will offer a different perspective on Las Vegas as well as offer some essential travel tips that can maximize a visit to the city. View of the Las Vegas strip with the New York casino [...]

  • View of the White House from the South Lawn during the White House Fall Garden Tour. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick With the re-election of Donald Trump, his return to the White House pictured here will impact both domestic and international travel.

    On this day in the year 1800, President John Adams became the first United States President to move into and take up residence in the Executive Mansion, later to be called "The White House." Adams penned a prayer the next day that read: "I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this House, and all that shall hereafter inhabit it.

  • castle church 1

    Martin Luther, a Catholic scholar and priest, was unhappy with the practice of selling indulgences. Incensed, he wrote a long argument against the practice called Ninety-Five Theses on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences.