Trips Experiences Courses Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Experiences Courses Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place

The Definitive Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders

Destinations from the Atlas

Photo of Vienna

Vienna

Austria

Places 63
Stories 5
Photo of Pune

Pune

India

Places 42
Photo of Los Angeles

Los Angeles

California

Places 232
Stories 57
Photo of London

London

United Kingdom

Places 478
Stories 101
Featured Trips and Courses

New Zealand: Māori Traditions & Natural Marvels

Trip

Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Writing With Anca Szilágyi

Course

Dominica's Sperm Whales Have a Surprising Superpower: Poop

science

Around the Caribbean island nation, local cetaceans have some unique traits, including doubling down on defecation.

By Ashley Stimpson November 27, 2023

Featured Trips and Courses

New Zealand: Māori Traditions & Natural Marvels

Trip

Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Writing With Anca Szilágyi

Course

More Stories

The Atlas Obscura Crossword: Twelve Faces

mystery

By AO Puzzles November 27, 2023

Bookish Gifts for Literature Lovers

mystery

By Gemma Tarlach November 27, 2023

Nue

Podcast

By The Podcast Team November 27, 2023

Why We Couldn’t Describe a Flavor We Taste Every Day

food

By Frank Jacobs, Big Think November 24, 2023
Atlas Obscura podcast logo depicting a green globe, distant mountains and tropical leaves around the edge.

Podcast

They Also Ran Gallery

Celebrate presidential politics—with the ones who lost.

Listen now

Get wonder in your inbox

Wonder delivered to your inbox

Sign up for our Newsletter

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

Explore the Atlas

Hidden Wonders

Palmenti in Pietragalla
Place of the Day

Parco Urbano dei Palmenti

Pietragalla, Italy

Though they look like Hobbit houses, these semi-underground stone structures were built for winemaking.

N
Added By
Nicoletta Bettoni
More Featured Places
View all Places
  • A collection of retro medicine packages.

    Ōme, Japan

    Showa Retro Packaging Museum

    A collection of nostalgic items from the Showa era with an exhibit on the local ghost story of the Snow Woman.

    Avatar image for Fred Cherrygarden
    Added By
    Fred Cherrygarden
  • The land bridge connecting tombolo to the mainland is only accessible during low tide— plan accordingly.

    Uvita, Costa Rica

    Punta Uvita Tombolo

    Along a coast that sees the annual migration of humpback whales, a geological formation that takes the shape of a whale’s tail.

    A
    Added By
    Ashawnta Jackson
  • Airplane Model

    Kansas City, Missouri

    TWA Museum

    The golden age of flight captured in a downtown airport.

    Avatar image for showmestateofmind
    Added By
    Delanie Johnson
  • Mound Key, in southwestern Florida's Estero Bay, is an artificial island made from layers of shells and other material.

    Estero, Florida

    Mound Key Archaeological State Park

    Long before Europeans arrived, Native Americans built an artificial island out of shells that has withstood a millennia of hurricanes.

    K
    Added By
    Karuna Eberl
  • Electric City Trolley Museum

    Scranton, Pennsylvania

    Electric City Trolley Museum

    A museum dedicated to the history of electric interurban transit near the home of the first electric trolley system in the United States.

    Avatar image for Ophelia Ravenia
    Added By
    Ophelia Ravenia
  • Wood Memorial Hall

    Newcastle upon Tyne, England

    Neville Hall

    This building played host to some of the most influential minds of the Industrial Revolution and now serves as a reminder of the influence of Northern coalfields.

    H
    Added By
    Halid Konjevic
  • Scranton Iron Furnaces

    Scranton, Pennsylvania

    Scranton Iron Furnaces

    Abandoned blast furnaces are an enduring reminder of Scranton's once booming iron business.

    Avatar image for Ophelia Ravenia
    Added By
    Ophelia Ravenia
  • The well at the bottom of the spiral pit.

    Hamura, Japan

    Gonokami Maimaizu Well

    Originally built circa 13-14th century, this “snail well” was a resourceful means to draw water in a region where the soil was mostly loam.

    Avatar image for Fred Cherrygarden
    Added By
    Fred Cherrygarden
View all Places
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.

Read our FAQ

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.

Explore the Benefits

Download the App

Explore our guide to over 24,000 curious and unexpected places, right from your mobile device.

Download the App

Discover Our Stories

Articles, Videos, and Podcast

View all Stories
Most Popular Most Recent
Midwestern nice? Southern charm? Grumpy New England?

strange maps

Your Personality Depends on Which U.S. State You Live In

A map of confidence and kindness from California to New York.

Read more
F
Written By
Frank Jacobs, Big Think
November 10, 2023
  • In late June, weeks after the catastrophic destruction of Ukraine's Kakhovka Dam, lowered water levels upriver revealed this ancient boat.

    rivers

    The Kakhovka Dam Disaster Revealed an Archaeological 'Goldmine'

    By Roman Cherevko

  • food

    Do Colder or Warmer Places Eat More Spicy or Bland Food?

    By Frank Jacobs, Big Think

  • history

    This Map Shows a Divided and Conquered USA If America Had Lost WWII

    By Frank Jacobs, Big Think

  • In this 1873 watercolor, artist Frank Dicksee shows Viking raiders heading for land.

    books

    The Muddled Origins of the Word ‘Viking’

    By Martyn Whittock

  • These boxes represent just a portion of Madeline Kripke's dictionary collection—around 10,000 volumes and counting.

    objects of intrigue

    The Low Down on the Greatest Dictionary Collection in the World

    By April White

  • Many of the California home owners still don't know about the con artist.

    crime

    Many Popular Houses in L.A. Were Part of a Scam by a Con Artist Who Disappeared

    By laurakaiser

  • An overlooked character on the Victoria ship possibly got to his homeland before the Europeans arrived in theirs.

    history

    Did an Enslaved Man Beat Magellan to Circling the World?

    By Kate McMahon

museums

Podcast: They Also Ran Gallery

Celebrate presidential politics—with the ones who lost.

Read more
T
Written By
The Podcast Team
November 28, 2023
  • This year, celebrate the Icelandic Jólabókaflóðið, which means “Christmas book flood.”

    mystery

    Bookish Gifts for Literature Lovers

    By Gemma Tarlach

  • Podcast

    Nue

    By The Podcast Team

  • The flavor is everywhere, though for years people didn't have a specific word for it.

    food

    Why We Couldn’t Describe a Flavor We Taste Every Day

    By Frank Jacobs, Big Think

  • Camp Century trench construction in 1960. Caption reads "Metal arch forms being emplaced over undercut trench."

    science

    Wonder Is Everywhere: Viking Hoaxes, a Secret Nuclear Ice Base, and More From Around the Web

    By April White

  • Podcast

    Dyatlov Pass, Part 2

    By The Podcast Team

  • Skull and linen wrapping of a mummified baboon recovered from Gabbanat el-Qurud, Egypt and connected genetically to coastal Eritrea.

    mummies

    Mummified Baboons in Egypt Point to a Long Lost Land

    By Sunny Fitzgerald

  • A painting depicting an Order of Good Cheer banquet procession.

    exploration

    Before Thanksgiving, There Were the Feasts of 'The Order of the Good Cheer'

    By Laura Kiniry

View all Stories

Plan Your Adventure

Guides, lists, and itineraries

View all Destinations
Photo of Savannah

Savannah

Georgia

Places 26
Stories 1
Photo of Berlin

Berlin

Germany

Places 134
Stories 18
Photo of Madrid

Madrid

Spain

Places 103
Stories 2

Top Countries

  • United States
  • United Kingdom
  • Italy
  • Germany
  • Spain
  • France
  • Canada
  • Japan
  • Australia
  • Mexico
  • Sweden
  • Netherlands

Top Cities

  • London
  • New York
  • Los Angeles
  • Brooklyn
  • San Francisco
  • Paris
  • Tokyo
  • Mexico City
  • Edinburgh
  • Chicago
  • Rome
  • Berlin
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Boston
  • Madrid
  • New Orleans
  • Prague
  • Glasgow
  • Queens
  • Budapest
  • Philadelphia
  • Amsterdam
  • Athens
View all Destinations

Explore the World

Trips, experiences, and courses

Seafood at a market in Barcelona

Europe

Flavors of Spain: A Culinary Adventure Through Catalonia

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
Atlas Obscura instructor Allis Markham poses with two taxidermied peacocks.

Course

Bird Taxidermy with Allis Markham

$99

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

Complete Your Bookshelf

Books and Box Sets

Two Atlas Obscura books with book sleeve lay on a light wooden table surrounded by spices and dinnerware.

Explorer’s Library

Combination of Two Bestsellers


The Gastro Obscura book stands upright next to a cuttingboard with coffee, a pastry and a U.S. passsport.

Gastro Obscura

A Food Adventurer’s Guide

Follow Atlas Obscura for more Wonders everyday

More of
Atlas Obscura
Everyday
More of Atlas Obscura Everyday
Follow Atlas Obscura
Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest
Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube Twitter Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Puzzles
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Trips Blog
  • Art & Culture Trips
  • Food Trips
  • Hidden City Trips
  • History Trips
  • Wildlife & Nature Trips
  • FAQ
  • Experiences
  • Online Courses
  • Online Experience FAQ
  • Online Course FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2023 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.