To celebrate 80 years since The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was established, New Scientist Discovery Tours, the UK’s leading provider of science-inspired tours, has picked its top trips to UNESCO sites this year – all of which promise to bring out the inner explorer in every traveller.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites aim to increase public engagement with locations important to humanity’s history to ensure their conservation. Over the past 80 years, UNESCO has engaged with local communities to understand why the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage is important to them, ensuring visitors leave with a deeper understanding of humankind’s heritage and an appreciation and respect of their conservation, rather than simply passing through.
Kevin Currie, Director of New Scientist Discovery Tours, says, “New Scientist Discovery Tours are designed for travellers with curious minds and an appetite for expanding their knowledge. UNESCO sites therefore feature heavily in many of our worldwide tours, acting as a prompt for guests to get under the skin of the local destination and view history through a different lens.
“The 80-year anniversary of UNESCO is a fantastic opportunity for travellers to learn more about how these sites have been preserved for future generations. Instead of fleeting visits where guests simply snap a few photos at iconic sites, we prompt travellers to ask questions, consider alternative viewpoints, and consider the history of the people who may have stood in the same place over a thousand years ago.”
Please see below all-new tours from New Scientist Discovery Tours to UNESCO sites across the world to enjoy in 2025…
NEW – The science of pilgrimage: Portugal and Spain
6 September 2025 – 9 days, £3,899pp
Pilgrimages offer an opportunity to calm the mind, challenge the body and discover a sense of self. The tour will start in Oporto and follow Portugal’s coastline and towns before heading inland, culminating at Santiago de Compostela. Travelling along one of the recognised routes of the famous Camino Way – recognised by UNESCO as a cultural phenomenon – the trip will be a journey through the psychology, physiology and biomechanics of pilgrimage.
The daily walk can be taken alongside the group or as an individual, with regular meetup points to ensure everyone remains on track and can set their own pace. The tour is accompanied by Linda Rodriguez-Mcrobbie, award winning author who has written about a variety of curious topics such as memory, euphoria, pain, boredom and parapsychology. Linda will share informative talks on the science of pilgrimage and how religion has influenced science over the centuries.
There will be opportunities to enjoy all elements of the area’s natural beauty with wild swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, stargazing in Galicia National Park and wine tasting near Pontevedra.
What’s included:
- Six days walking the Camino Way with luggage transfers
- All hotels on a bed and breakfast basis
- Six dinners
- Transfers to and from accommodation each day
- Services of an accompanying tour manager throughout
NEW – The Science of Champagne: France
8 June 2025 – 5 days, from £2,996pp
2025 also marks the 10-year anniversary of the Hillsides, Houses and Cellars of France’s Champagne region being added to UNESCO World Heritage list.
Champagne involves a fascinating blend of chemistry, physics, and biology that underpins the creation of this iconic sparkling wine. Learn about the grape-growing process, soil composition, and climate that make the Champagne region unique. Discover the historic underground cellars, where bottles age for years, often in stunning chalk caves.
Enjoy guided tastings with experts explaining the sensory characteristics of different champagne varieties. Experience the rich history of the region, including its role in royal coronations and historical events.
The tour will be joined throughout by Jonathan Ray, food and drinks expert and author of several books on wine and spirits. Jonathan will lead tastings and share insights into the unique history and science of the world’s most famous wine.
What’s included:
- Entry to all sites and attractions
- English-speaking tour leader throughout, talks, walking seminars
- All accommodation and internal transport
- Daily breakfast, two lunches and two dinners
- Arrival/departure group airport transfers for those on the suggested group flights
NEW – The Science of the Senses: Morocco
1 December 2025 – 6 days, £2,996pp
Discover the science behind all five senses on an immersive trip through Marrakech and the Atlas mountains – taste local produce, smell the fragrance of the spices and oils, touch the texture of the native fabrics, and listen to the sounds of everyday life.
Wander through the lively markets of the Marrakech medina – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – where the air is filled with the tantalizing aromas of freshly ground spices, grilled meats, and sweet pastries. Sample iconic Moroccan dishes such as tagine, couscous, and pastilla, prepared using age-old recipes passed down through generations.
Engage with local vendors and chefs, gaining insights into the ingredients and techniques that make Moroccan cuisine so unique. Venture into the breathtaking Atlas Mountains and discover the rustic charm of Berber villages, where traditional ways of life have remained unchanged for centuries.
The tour will be joined by a Moroccan guide and Dr Fiona Russell. Fiona has a PhD in Pharmacology at King’s College London specialising in inflammation and pain. She will enrich the tour with talks on The Science of Spice – delving into questions including: why do chillies taste ‘hot’, is ginger good for nausea, does turmeric help to relieve arthritis, and is cinnamon helpful for diabetes?
What’s included:
- Five nights’ accommodation at the 4-star Jardins’ de la Medina
- Entry to all sites and attractions
- Guest lectures and services of dedicated guide throughout the tour
- Five dinners
-Ends-
For further press information, please contact:
Tilly Everard | Anna Nyman | Hannah Carlisle | Emma Arthurs
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About New Scientist Discovery Tours
New Scientist Discovery Tours offers science-inspired tours, expeditions, weekend breaks and cruises, creating carefully curated itineraries to the world’s most fascinating destinations. Designed for curious minds, tours are tailored for guests with an appetite for expanding their knowledge while travelling.
As part of New Scientist, the world’s leading science and technology magazine, the tour provider has an expansive network of editors, science specialists, academics and authors, who lead its experiential and exploratory trips.
Launched in 2015, New Scientist Discovery Tours currently offers over 55 tours and experiences worldwide to a committed audience of travellers. New Scientist Discovery Tours help travellers discover science through the joy of travel with minimal environmental impact, in a way that doesn’t harm the environment, people, cultures or wildlife.
In May 2024, New Scientist Discovery Tours was shortlisted in the 2024 PPA Award’s ‘Innovation of the Year’ category.
For more information on the itinerary and to book, visit newscientist.com/tours or email [email protected] to speak to a New Scientist Discovery Tours agent.
