Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

Architect Sakher Oulabi (left) and engineer Tamim Kasmo in the courtyard of Aleppo's Great Mosque.

Syrians Won't Give Up on the Great Mosque of Aleppo

In 2013, the mosque's minaret shattered into 2,000 pieces. A restoration team aims to put them back together.

Place of the Day

Cairngorm Reindeer Centre

Scotland is home to Britain's only herd of free-ranging reindeer.

Found: Bottles of Hair Dye From a Civil War Photo Studio

When soldiers posed for portraits, they wanted to look their best.

December 10, 2019

The Return of Japan’s Female Sake Brewers

Checking in on the Algae of a Brooklyn Reservoir with a Microbiologist

Atlas Obscura Goods

Holiday Gifts

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

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

Top Countries

Top Cities

Kolkja, Estonia

Chicory Museum

Once a common alternative to coffee, nowadays you’re more likely to find this plant growing as a weed along roads or ditches.

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Poznań, Poland

Edmund Szyc Stadium

An abandoned football stadium with a tragic past.

Added by benlloyd

Cappella di San Zenone (Chapel of Saint Zeno)

Its interior is adorned with some of the best examples of early Christian mosaics.

Narragansett, Rhode Island

The Towers of Narragansett

The only surviving fragment of the lost Narragansett Pier Casino.

Maria Valeria Diaz

Added by Maria Valeria Diaz

Xicotepec de Juárez, Mexico

'Vendedoras de Gorditas' ('Gorditas Saleswomen')

A tribute to a local delicacy and the women who prepare and sell it.

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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

The Spies of Georgetown

Washington, D.C.

Japanese Incense and Tea Experience

Seattle, Washington

Tour NYC’s Industrial Waterway

Brooklyn, New York

Exploring Historic Homes of the Stars

Santa Monica, California

Explore Historic Murals of West Seattle

Seattle, Washington

Hollywood Miniature Magic

Los Angeles, California

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How Frothy Waves of Sea Foam Coated the Coast of Chennai

Don't play in the bubbles.

Jessica Leigh Hester December 5, 2019

On an English Estate, Reintroduced Beavers Might Make a Damn Difference

These ecosystem engineers have a good track record in helping restore wetlands.

Jessica Leigh Hester December 5, 2019

For Sale: The Only Bar in a 14-Person Montana Town

You could own the busiest watering hole for miles.

Luke Fater December 5, 2019

How Whopping Whale Skeletons Come to Life at 'Bonehenge'

“Every one of these animals has a story."

Megan Dohm December 5, 2019

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

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