Destinations from the Atlas
Featured Trips and Courses
Dominican Republic: Beyond the Beach
Trip
The Art of Death With Tessa Fontaine
Course
The Extremely Enchanting, Totally Perplexing, Possibly Never-Ending Quest for the Golden Owl
art
For 30 years, this labyrinthine treasure hunt has had thousands of players cracking codes and digging up the French countryside. After a sudden death and bitter disputes, will the prize ever be found?
Featured Trips and Courses
Dominican Republic: Beyond the Beach
Trip
The Art of Death With Tessa Fontaine
Course
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Hidden Wonders
Place of the Day
Urania Observatory
Zurich, Switzerland
Switzerland's oldest public observatory is an important part of the Zurich cityscape.
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Wilmington, Delaware
Ashland Bridge
The smallest and oldest covered bridge in Delaware.
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Malacca, Malaysia
Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum
This gorgeous Peranakan mansion’s family heritage includes a century-old baby gate, which was also used to keep out irresponsible husbands.
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Itakura, Japan
Thousand-Armed Insect Goddess of Mercy
A bizarre statue of a Buddhist goddess made from 20,000 insects.
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Shoshone, California
Dublin Gulch
A unique collection of old miners' cave homes carved in to the hillside cliffs near Death Valley.
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Rosehearty, Scotland
Pitsligo Castle
The ruins of a 15th-century tower house.
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Loddington, England
Lampy the Garden Gnome
The first German gnome who popularized the garden decoration.
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Iceland
Heinabergslón
A little-known, yet charming glacial lagoon.
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Hvalfjarðarvegur, Iceland
Beached Whalers
Two whaling vessels that were sunk by an anti-whaling organization in 1986 now sit on the shore of this beautiful fjord.
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Discover Our Stories
Articles, Videos, and Podcast
fountains
The Lost Waters of Kathmandu Are Needed Now More Than Ever
To prevent drought and save water, Nepal is turning back to 1,500-year-old fountains—with the help of a few snakes.
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cosmos
Mercury Retrograde Is Ending, and It’s Up to You How to Feel About It -
ecosystems
The World's Rarest Raptor Hangs On Thanks to an Invasive Species -
imaginary world
The Center of the Earth Has an Imaginary Island and One Floating Soul -
objects of intrigue
The Living, Breathing Brooches of the Yucatán -
lakes
Benedict Arnold's Lake Champlain Gunboat Is the Last Shipwreck of Its Kind -
history
A Map of the 'Disunited States' Shows the Fears of Civil War–Era America -
summer of wonder 2023
Eat Like a 19th-Century Lumberjack With This Recipe
globes
A Square, Flat Earth and Round Heaven Meant the World to Ancient China
For millennia, this cosmological principle guided everything from calendars to urban planning.
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Podcast
The Fear Lab -
science
To Track Bull Sharks, First Hit Their Snooze Button -
food
Make 19th-Century 'Neapolitan Pizza' for Dessert -
Podcast
The Ark of Citrus -
restaurants
A Secretive Food Culture Enters the Spotlight -
clocks
For Pop Duo Aly & AJ, Vintage Watches Tell Stories and Keep the Past AliveBy Sarah Durn
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colonialism
Welcome to the Little Cuba of the Sahara Desert
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