Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

An adult Kemp's ridley sea turtle heading to sea.

The World's Tiniest Sea Turtles Keep Getting Stranded on Cape Cod

Floating devices called "drifters" are helping oceanographers understand why.

by Sabrina Imbler

Place of the Day

Tió de Nadal

The hollow logs are beaten as part of a Catalonian Christmas tradition.

You Can Still Buy the Actual Fruitcakes Served at British Royal Weddings

The often-insulted confection was once featured at weddings as well as Christmas.

December 9, 2019

Interpreting the Squawks, Chirps, and Barks of Israel's Rock Hyraxes

How a Fossilized Snake With Legs Fits Into the Lineage of Lizards

Atlas Obscura Goods

Holiday Gifts

Sled Dogs Have Long Been Central to Life in the Arctic

In France, a Bloody WWI Battlefield Has Become a Wildlife Refuge

Top Countries

Top Cities

Sacramento, California

Corti Brothers Grocery

The last of a gourmet supermarket chain, this store helped spark California's Food Revolution.

Reina Gattuso

Added by Reina Gattuso

Aspendos Theater

The best-preserved ancient theater in the world.

Tony Dunnell

Added by Tony Dunnell

Madron, England

Madron Well

Legend says this ancient pagan site can cure all ailments.

marktimetravel

Added by marktimetravel

Saint Briavels, England

St Briavels Castle

This Norman castle frequented by the infamous King John is now a youth hostel.

Phlizz

Added by Phlizz

Avshalom Cave

This amazing ancient cave was kept secret for seven years to protect it from the public.

Tony Dunnell

Added by Tony Dunnell

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Top Place Tags

art & performance

Cambodia: Contemporary Art, Spiritual Traditions, and Hidden Wonders

From $3,215 USD

Explore the vibrant art, religion, and food culture of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and spend time with the country's leading artists and performers.

science & nature

Science After Dark: Spotting Squid in the Tides of Oahu

From $3,535 USD

Just beneath the waves off the Hawaiian coast, there are schools of tropical fish, flotillas of sea turtles, and squads of squid. We’re diving in to explore some of their secrets.

history & culture

Tunisia Through the Sands of Time

From $3,660 USD

history & culture

Past Future Monuments of the Balkans

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia

From $4,215 USD

Take a road trip across Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina with Atlas Obscura as we explore the Balkans in search of Yugoslav memorial sites.

Myth, Film, and Studio Tour

Los Angeles, California

Walking the Hidden Wonders of Midtown

New York, New York

Discover Greenbelt Town of Tomorrow

Greenbelt, Maryland

On the Trail of DC's First Brewmaster

Alexandria, Virginia

The Chicago Underground Scavenger Hunt

Chicago, Illinois

Sci Fi Sewage Sanctuary

Los Angeles, California

Japanese Incense and Tea Experience

Seattle, Washington

The Spies of Georgetown

Washington, D.C.

Tour NYC’s Industrial Waterway

Brooklyn, New York

Exploring Historic Homes of the Stars

Santa Monica, California

Tour Chicago's Largest Prop House

Chicago, Illinois

Explore Historic Murals of West Seattle

Seattle, Washington

View All Experiences

The Chinese City Famous for Eggs With Two Yolks

Gaoyou ducks are bred to produce tasty double-yolkers.

Anne Ewbank December 5, 2019

An Engraved Tomahawk Offers a New, Native History of a Battle

The weapon may have belonged to a Lakotan warrior named Stranger Horse.

Sabrina Imbler December 4, 2019

Found: The Oldest-Known Photograph of Enslaved African Americans With Cotton

The daguerreotype records their faces, but not their names.

Sabrina Imbler December 4, 2019

The Photographer Who X-Rayed Chernobyl

How to make the invisible visible.

Winnie Lee December 4, 2019

After a Century Abroad, a Collection of Cuneiform Is Heading Home to Iraq

Some will remain in Philly, but only because they might be too fragile for the trip.

Isaac Schultz December 3, 2019

Copenhagen Wants You to Forage on Its City Streets

It’s part of a movement to introduce local foods to Danish diets.

Reina Gattuso December 3, 2019

The History and Mystery of Russia’s 'Valley of Death'

A volcanic gorge in remote Kamchatka has given up some of its secrets—but not all of them.

Robin George Andrews December 3, 2019

A Kiln That Fired Millions of Clay Pipes Was Unearthed Under a Montreal Bridge

Archaeologists recently dug it up—but now they're putting an end to its brief affair with open air.

Jessica Leigh Hester December 2, 2019

Found: A Manuscript Sloppily Edited by Queen Elizabeth I

Her Latin was impressive, but her cursive wasn't.

Isaac Schultz December 2, 2019

Inside the Abandoned Babylon That Saddam Hussein Built

“If I could, I would go without shoes here, because it’s a holy place,” says a guide to the ancient site.

Pesha Magid December 2, 2019

A Newly Digitized Menu Collection Shows Off America’s Lost Railroad Cuisine

Once, Americans rode the rails for charbroiled steak, golden French toast, and prunes.

Claire Voon December 2, 2019

Israel’s Stalagmites Have Climate Stories to Tell

Formed by dripping water over thousands of years, the rocky formations point to ancient monsoons.

Jessica Leigh Hester November 29, 2019

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