St. Kilda

The most distant corner of the British Isles, this archipelago of five islands has double World Heritage status, recognized for both its natural and cultural significance. The natural highlights are immediately obvious, with Eiffel Tower–sized cliffs, colossal sea stacks, and soaring seabirds in abundance; make the most of main island Hirta's natural highlights with a hike to Ruival in the south of the island, or to Conachair (the island's highest point) in the north. The human impact is more subtle yet equally captivating, with hillside cleits (stone storage huts) and a 19th-century village offering insight into the lives of the people who, until recently, called this inhospitable environment home.