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The Definitive Guide To

The World’s
Hidden Wonders

From ancient relics to roadside oddities, we connect you to the best of what’s out there.

‘Støvlen’ (‘The Boot’)

'Støvlen' ('The Boot')

This colossal hiking boot, once built for a scout jamboree, serves as an observation tower and barbecue area.

Added By Johan SWE

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Destinations From Across the Atlas

Destinations From Across the Atlas

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Featured Trips

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Wild Borneo: Secrets of an Ancient Rainforest

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This Is the Most Detailed Map of Antarctica Ever Made

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Scientists compiled decades of data to reveal the continent hiding beneath millions of miles of ice.

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Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Atlas Obscura Presents: Traveling Back in Time for Coconut Cake With The Sporkful

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Where to Wander: Atlas Obscura Selects the Best Places to Visit in 2025

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Hidden Wonders

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Nassau, Bahamas

Ocean Atlas

The world’s largest underwater sculpture is found just off the coast of Nassau.

Added By

Rachel Gould
Chicago, Illinois

Margie’s Candies

This old-fashioned confectionary has been family owned and operated for more than a century.

Added By

Hal Koss
Bedford, Virginia

National D-Day Memorial

This monument is dedicated to those lost on June 6, 1944, in the town with that day’s highest per-capita casualty rate.

Added By

Katie Willard
Pembrokeshire, Wales

Dyffryn Arms

A historic pub in the front room of a Victorian-era house.

Added By

Jack
Zagreb, Croatia

The Museum of Lost Tales

A fantastical display of Croatian folklore, mythology, and myths.

Added By

Martin Gašparić
Varzob, Tajikistan

Khoja Obi Garm

A Soviet-era health spa complete with radioactive bathing and shock therapy.

Added By

MarkTimeTravel
Maldonado, Uruguay

Puente Laguna Garzón

Because sometimes the most efficient route from A to B isn't a straight line.

Added By

Sarah Brumble
Newburgh, Scotland

Lindores Abbey Distillery

One of the youngest whisky distilleries in Scotland may also be the country’s oldest.

Added By

tamuleviciusmantas

Newchurch-in-Pendle, England

The Eye of God at Newchurch in Pendle

This mysterious eye has a debated purpose.

Added By

AdOYo
London, England

St. Govor’s Well

This ancient spring in central London was featured in a Peter Pan story.

Added By

Dark Nebula Deluxe
Pune, India

Shivsrushti

A historical theme park based on the life and times of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Added By

Vivek Gadre
Fez, Morocco

Hammam Seffarine

This historic bathhouse that likely dates back to the 1300s.

Added By

Max Cortesi
Monterrey, Mexico

The Tree Growing Inside a 7-Eleven

This store may be part of a well-known chain, but it stands out due to the tree growing through the middle of it.

Added By

linkogecko
Vidal Junction, California

Colorado River Aqueduct

This extraordinary project brings water from the Colorado River to Southern California.

Added By

slgwv
Taipei, Taiwan

Chiang Statues in Beitou

An otherwise typical Beitou alley is home to statues of Chiang Kai-shek and his son.

Added By

John ChungEn Liu
Utrecht, Netherlands

Wolvenplein Prison

The imposing structure was originally established in 1580 as a military stronghold.

Added By

Weston Renoud

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A contractor attaches a new wire at 56th Street and 11th Avenue.

hidden

The Wire That Transforms Much of Manhattan Into One Big, Symbolic Home

The eruv, a nearly invisible holy boundary, must be intact every Friday.

Written By

Michael Inscoe

October 16, 2017

science
Medieval Africans Had a Unique Process for Purifying Gold With Glass
By Evan Nicole Brown
science
The Ancient Secrets Hidden in 41,000 Bison Bones
By Stephen E. Nash
forests
Meet Pennsylvania's Apple-Snatching 'Little Bigfoot'
By Jess Simms
Podcast
Which Places With Bad Raps Are Actually Worth Visiting?
By The Podcast Team
festivals
Dear Atlas: Where Can I Find the Most Unusual Festivals in the U.S.?
By Aube Rey Lescure
Podcast
This Man Rebuilds the Last Inca Rope Bridge Yearly
By The Podcast Team
food
There’s No Right Way to Say ‘Taco’
By Dan Nosowitz

Grasshopper Chapel and grounds.

Podcast

How the Rocky Mountain Locust Plague Spawned Federal Disaster Relief

When a cloud of locusts twice the size of Colorado descended upon the American Midwest, the federal government realized that some problems require a nationwide response.

Written By

The Podcast Team

June 9, 2025

national parks
America’s First Game Warden Died Fighting for the Birds
By Olivia Young
Podcast
Atlas Obscura Presents: Traveling Back in Time for Coconut Cake With The Sporkful
By The Podcast Team
Podcast
A Supposedly Boring Mall I Might Actually Visit Again
By The Podcast Team
Podcast
The Allagash Abductions: This State Park’s Most Famous Visitors ... Are Aliens?
By The Podcast Team
Podcast
Which Places With Bad Raps Are Actually Worth Visiting?
By The Podcast Team
islands
Saving the Sea Cows of Vanuatu
By Katie Dundas
Podcast
How the Woolly Devil, Member of a New Plant Genus, Was Discovered on a Hike in Big Bend
By The Podcast Team

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Plan Your Adventure

Guides, lists, and itineraries

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Trips and Videos

Oaxaca Mexico tamales

North America

Flavors of Oaxaca: Markets, Mezcal & Home-Cooked Meals

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We travel to incredible, often overlooked places. Our global community of local experts grants you access to unique, small-group experiences.

Video

Sea Critters of Charlotte Harbor

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Complete Your Bookshelf

Books and Box Sets

The Wild Life book lays on a bright blue surface next to a pair of binoculars and a foldable field guide for small critters.

Our Newest Book: Wild Life

An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Living Wonders

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

The Explorer’s Library

Combination of Two Bestsellers

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