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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.

Get chili dogs, root beer, and burgers, just as they were served in the ’50s.

The Munch Box

A 1950s Googie burger stand is now a Los Angeles landmark.

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Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia

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Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars

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The Explorer’s Guide to Banff National Park

Itinerary

Discover a lost ghost town, an ancient cave system, and a taxidermied merman in Canada’s first national park.

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Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia

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Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars

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Dear Atlas: Where Can I Take a Trip Through Ancient History?

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The Hidden Graveyard of Dry Tortugas National Park

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

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Saint Petersburg, Russia

Monument to Peter I

This effigy of Peter the Great is greatly disproportionate.

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden
Pernik, Bulgaria

Water of Life Spring

A dragon-shaped fountain that is said to dispense healing water—unless you're evil.

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Get In Group
Liverpool, England

Liverpool Central Library Entrance Riddle

The red letters in the literary pavement leading to the library form a mysterious code.

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Gavin
Vienna, Austria

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library)

The beautiful baroque library of the Hapsburg empire.

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Dylan Thuras
St. Augustine, Florida

The Fountain of Youth

A tribute to Ponce de Leon's supposed quest for eternal youth.

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Badrshein, Egypt

Pyramid of Djoser

This ancient structure is widely thought to be the oldest intact pyramid in the world.

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Max Cortesi
Clare, Ireland

St. Brigid's Well

A sacred well steeped in Pagan roots on the West Coast of Ireland.

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Shannon O'Haire
Sam Roi Yot, Thailand

Phraya Nakhon Cave

At the right time of day, sunlight floods through the roof of this cave and illuminates the small pavilion hidden within.

Added By

Tony Dunnell

London, England

The National Covid Memorial Wall

This 500-meter-long memorial pays tribute to the hundreds of thousands of lives lost to COVID-19 in the UK.

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AdOYo
Rome, Italy

Gelateria dei Gracchi

Since 1999, this gelateria founded by a string instrument maker has been turning out some of Rome's best scoops.

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Anya von Bremzen
Rome, Italy

Er Buchetto

For more in the century, this hole-in-the-wall near Termini Station has been serving what some say is Rome's greatest porchetta sandwich.

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Anya von Bremzen
Ironton, Ohio

Edward Gorey’s Grave

The final resting place of the renowned, eccentric artist doesn’t even include his name.

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hauntedbydeadlines
Provo, Utah

The Tiny Gallery

A fully functional, commercial, miniature art gallery.

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mckaylenker
Sao Jose Do Belmonte, Brazil

Castelo Armorial

A monument dedicated to the Armorial Movement of northeastern Brazil.

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Bruno Cassiano
Madrid, Spain

Huerta Grande Estate Pilasters

Two 18th-century pilasters, which once formed an arch, were destroyed during the Spanish Civil War.

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Javier Pascual Aguilar
Woodville, Alabama

Cathedral Caverns

This massive cave is a sight to behold.

Added By

William Barrett

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Artur Korneyev, Deputy Director of Shelter Object, viewing the “elephants foot” lava flow at Chernobyl, 1996.

radioactive

The Famous Photo of Chernobyl's Most Dangerous Radioactive Material Was a Selfie

The Elephant’s Foot would have killed anyone within a couple of minutes.

Written By

David Goldenberg

January 24, 2016

military history
A Visual Guide to the Ghost Army, Fake Fleets and Inflatable Enemies of World War II
By Lauren Young
psychology
Your Personality Depends on Which U.S. State You Live In
By Frank Jacobs
architectural oddities
10 Optical Illusion Destinations
By Amelia Parenteau
farms
Unearthing the Mysteries of Hawai'i's Ancient Agriculture
By Sarah Lohman
travel
Dear Atlas: How Do I Pack Light for a Long Trip?
By Atlas Obscura
Podcast
This Man Rebuilds the Last Inca Rope Bridge Yearly
By The Podcast Team
dinosaurs
Arizona’s Petrified Forest Is Changing What We Know About the Dawn of the Dinosaurs
By Shaena Montanari

Greenland dogs—crucial to the sledge patrol’s transport and defense—pull a patrolman’s sled.

dogs

How Greenland’s Dog-Sled Patrol Became Unsung Heroes of World War II

Patrolmen and pups scoured the icy landscape for secret German weather stations.

Written By

Jordan Friedman

May 28, 2025

Podcast
The Berbice Rebellion of 1763 Ended With a Letter
By The Podcast Team
Podcast
How the Pandemic Helped Our Listeners Rediscover Their Own Neighborhoods
By The Podcast Team
rivers
Dear Atlas: Where Can I Take a Trip Through Ancient History?
By Aube Rey Lescure
cemeteries
The Hidden Graveyard of Dry Tortugas National Park
By Karuna Eberl
Podcast
This Man Rebuilds the Last Inca Rope Bridge Yearly
By The Podcast Team
Podcast
How the ‘Su Filindeu’ (or ‘Threads of God’) Pasta Recipe Was Almost Lost to Time
By The Podcast Team
dinosaurs
Arizona’s Petrified Forest Is Changing What We Know About the Dawn of the Dinosaurs
By Shaena Montanari

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Guides, lists, and itineraries

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A view of Brașov’s Old Town.

Europe

Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights

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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.

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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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