Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

Introducing Atlas Obscura’s Wonder From Home—a link from your living room to the world

Atlas Obscura’s mission has always been to inspire wonder about the incredible world we all share. Now, more than ever, we must stay connected, not only to our sense of wonder, but to each other.

Follow #wonderfromhome for inspiring stories, incredible online experiences, and live streams with the Atlas Obscura community.

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station took this image of the southern lights with Nikon D3S digital camera in September 2011.

Escape Into NASA's Most Incredible Images of Our Planet

And don't forget to cast your vote in "Tournament Earth."

by Jessica Leigh Hester

Place of the Day

Juodasis Vaiduoklis (The Black Ghost)

A hooded ghost hauls itself from the water in a historic Lithuanian city.

The Coronavirus Is Bringing Back a 1,000-Year-Old 'Cheese' in Japan

Once, it was considered fit for the emperor.

The 1700s Plague Cure That Inspired an Uncannily Contemporary Cocktail

Why Europe's Cave Bears Were—and Weren't—Made for Hunkering Down

The spirit of discovery and community

Wonder From Home

A Loopy Library of Sounds Features Sprinklers, Sirens, and Freud's Toilet

The Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 on Field Science

Top Countries

Top Cities

Kamakura, Japan

Zeniarai Benten Shrine

It is said that coins washed in the waters here will miraculously multiply.

Phlizz

Added by Phlizz

Bremen, Germany

Bunker Valentin Memorial

Once constructed by forced laborers, this submarine pen is now a museum and war memorial.

Added by dgrebe

Ravenscar, England

Peak Alum Works

At the height of alum production at this factory, human urine was a valued commodity.

Dr Alan P Newman

Added by Dr Alan P Newman

Istanbul, Turkey

Galata House Restaurant

Housed in an old British jail, this spot serves up Georgian, Russian, and Ukrainian specialities with a side of Turkish history.

Travel Tramp

Added by Travel Tramp

Osoyoos, British Columbia

Nk'Mip Cellars

North America's first indigenous-owned winery is located within Canada's only desert-like ecosystem.

lukefater

Added by lukefater

Add a Place to the Atlas

Top Place Tags

history & culture

Scotland: Highland Clans and the Trail of Tartan

From $6,780 USD

culinary adventures

Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia

From $2,865 USD

Alongside local experts, we'll munch our way through Slovenia's stunning alpine pastures, forests, and lakes—gathering wild mushrooms, making mountain tea, and crafting a charismatic cheese.

art & performance

Santa Fe Weekend: New Art, Ancient Traditions

From $1,280 USD

Spend a weekend immersed in the rich history, deeply rooted tradition, and constantly evolving art-scape of northern New Mexico.

science & nature

Wildlife of the Ecuadorian Amazon

From $4,635 USD

Delve into this equatorial paradise for a week-long journey full of adventure and learning in some of the wildest corners of the Amazon basin.

Inside Look at The Bunny Museum

Altadena, California

New York City Clock Walk

New York, New York

Urban Parks Playdate

San Francisco, California

Sexual Fluidity Beneath the Sea

Santa Monica, California

Explore Alexandria's Brewing History

Alexandria, Virginia

Japanese Mochi Rice Cake Making

Seattle, Washington

Exploring a Secret Fort

Washington, D.C.

Walking the Hidden Wonders of Midtown

New York, New York

Explore Historic Murals of West Seattle

Seattle, Washington

Hyde Park, Antiquity to the Atomic Age

Chicago, Illinois

The Raptors of the Nation's Capital

Laurel, Maryland

Explore the UT Archeology Lab

View All Experiences

10 Cultural Craft Projects to Calm Your Cooped-Up Kids

Museums around the world have created new ways to play from home.

Claire Voon April 1, 2020

A Chinese Fishing Village Regains Its Rightful Place in California History

A shipwreck brought Chinese immigrants to the Monterey area. Discrimination forced them to start over.

Claire Wang March 31, 2020

Let Your Mind Wander With These Gloriously Detailed Maps

Satisfy your urge to roam and while away some time with these picks from cartographic collectors, curators, and scholars.

Jessica Leigh Hester March 31, 2020

Is Saint Corona a Guardian Against Epidemics?

Well, she might be now, at least.

Matthew Taub March 31, 2020

To Save Madagascar’s Wildlife, an Entomologist Is Helping Revive a Bug-Based Cuisine

Local insect farms could save lemurs, baobabs, and more.

Andy Isaacson March 31, 2020

7 Historic Dishes Born From Tough Times That You Can Make at Home

Use every last crumb with these feats of culinary creativity.

Sam O'Brien March 30, 2020

What Do California Otters and Virginia Opossums Have In Common?

A pathogen that doesn't care about social-distancing rules.

Jennifer S. Holland March 30, 2020

3 Transportive Documentaries That Can Take You Away

Around the world and back in time from the comfort of your couch.

Jessica Leigh Hester March 30, 2020

Lose Yourself in a Mesmerizing, Meticulous Map of the Met

The beloved New York museum comes alive in this massive and mysterious illustration.

Claire Voon March 30, 2020

Are the Great Outdoors Off-Limits During a Pandemic?

"Obey the f***ing law and do what public health authorities tell you to do."

Erin Beresini March 27, 2020

How 'Shoebox Lunches' Made Black Travel Possible During Jim Crow

Humble shoeboxes allowed African-Americans to dine with dignity.

Nicole Taylor March 27, 2020

The Chef Bringing Native American Flavors to Communities in Quarantine

For Brian Yazzie, the COVID-19 pandemic evokes a history of smallpox, European colonization, and indigenous resilience.

Reina Gattuso March 27, 2020

Read All Stories