Featured Trips and Courses
Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia
Trip
Designing Walking Tours With Hadley Meares
Course
A Hidden Caravaggio Masterpiece, An Inheritance Feud, and a Roman Villa up for Sale
paintings
The future of a mysterious painting by the famed 17th-century "rebel artist" hangs in the balance.
Featured Trips and Courses
Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia
Trip
Designing Walking Tours With Hadley Meares
Course
More Stories
Join us on a journey into the Amazon rainforest to learn about a mythical chocolate.
Get wonder in your inbox
Wonder delivered to your inbox
Sign up for our Newsletter
Explore the Atlas
Hidden Wonders
Place of the Day
Dog and Pot Sculpture
London, England
A recreation of a sign that Charles Dickens used to see on his walk home.
Added By
More Featured Places
-
Rachel, Nevada
Extraterrestrial Highway Sign
This sign designates the road that leads to the infamous Area 51.
-
Cologne, Germany
Helios Lighthouse
How did a lighthouse wind up in the middle of this landlocked German city?
-
Paris, France
Vaslav Nijinsky’s Grave
A melancholy jester sits on the grave of a famous 20th-century ballet dancer and choreographer.
-
Port Eynon, Wales
Culver Hole
This tall stone wall with no door and ill-matched windows was built centuries ago, and used as a shelter for domesticated pigeons.
-
Athens, Greece
Panathenaic Stadium Passage
Gladiators once walked this ancient, subterranean passage.
-
Cizhong, China
Cizhong Village
This Tibetan and Naxi village's Honey Rose wine bears the mark of 19th-century French missionaries.
-
Porongurup, Australia
Castle Rock
A metal skywalk leads to the top of this striking granite outcrop in Porongurup National Park.
-
Chichicastenango, Guatemala
GalerÃa Maya Pop Wuj
An art gallery that celebrates Indigenous Maya practices and traditions.
Join the Community
The Atlas is always evolving thanks to our community. Here’s how to get involved:
Add & Edit Places
Tell us about all the amazing places we don’t know yet. Anyone can contribute, anywhere in the world.
Become a Member
Join our community to see far fewer ads, get a members-only newsletter, receive credit toward your next Atlas Obscura trip, and more.
Download the App
Explore our guide to over 24,000 curious and unexpected places, right from your mobile device.
Discover Our Stories
Articles, Videos, and Podcast
abstract wonder
How the Best Underwater Photography Reveals a World of Wonder
Welcome to the home of pink coral-scapes and fluorescent lizardfish.
-
colonialism
What Can We See in the Oldest-Known Photographs of Kandahar?By Amy Crawford
-
archaeology
Beneath an Old Fireplace, Evidence of the Spirituality of the Enslaved -
nasa
The Forgotten Women Aquanauts of the 1970sBy Amy Crawford
-
museums and collections
This Arctic Ichthyosaur Should Not Exist -
history & culture
Were These Beetles Once as Valuable as Gemstones?By Shoshi Parks
-
recipe
The Sauce That Survived Italy's War on Pasta -
archaeology
The Skeletal Remains of a Hellhound in the Folklore of Devil DogsBy Dolly Stolze
amusement parks
The Once and Future Luna Luna Art Amusement Park
Basquiat’s Ferris wheel, DalÃ’s fun house, and other wild and whimsical designs are now being restored thanks in part to rap superstar Drake.
-
food
The Soviet 'Red Passovers' Where Jews Gave Thanks for Communism -
science
How Did a Medieval Spice Cabinet Survive 500 Years Underwater? -
Podcast
Wild Chocolate with Rowan Jacobsen -
coffee
How Olive Oil and Coffee Came Together in a CupSponsored by Starbucks
-
Podcast
Great Balls of Twine with the Places Team -
japan
Puzzle Monday: Pointing the WayBy AO Puzzles
-
objects of intrigue
How Njoya the Great Put His African Kingdom on the Map
Plan Your Adventure
Guides, lists, and itineraries
Top Countries
Explore the World
Trips, experiences, and courses
Discover Our Trips
We travel to incredible, often overlooked places. Our global community of local experts grants you access to unique, small-group experiences.
View all Trips
Discover Our Courses
Atlas Obscura Courses offer opportunities for students of all ages to explore niche topics and skills, in both live and on-demand formats.
View all Courses
