Finally, you don't have to be a pious Swedish seaman to relax like one.

This small and serene place for quiet reflection on Staten Island was built in China based on the gardens of the Ming Dynasty.

Come for the pastrami, stay for the million-dollar art.

A good place to research the Freemasons, esoterica, occultism, and hermeticism.

Though its celestial ceiling is impressive, the true star is the vast collection of French books.

A very classy 1920s-era bar right in Grand Central Station.

The original toys that inspired the beloved children's stories are on display at the New York Public Library.

Mysterious 500-year-old tapestries depict a unicorn hunt.

A legendary speakeasy bookstore returns from the brink.

The world’s oldest and biggest bookstore stocking only mystery, crime fiction, espionage, and thrillers.

The oldest family-run luncheonette in New York, last renovated in 1948, still serves food and drinks the old-fashioned way.

A terrific purveyor of natural history objects and curios.

A treasure trove of artifacts, books, and artwork from the "golden age" of exploration.

This hidden bridge is where local children leave gifts and messages for the island's fay folk.

One man's eclectic collection of treasures found at sea.

Exquisite carvings of leaves, Green Men, and the occasional dragon adorn a medieval chapter house.

World's largest porcine hairball sits in a collection maintained by Benedictine monks.

Each spring this woodland floor is carpeted with purplish flowers as far as the eye can see.

This allegedly haunted 16th-century tower house-turned-museum exhibits thousands of spectacular objects.

Legend has it fairies gathered at the site of this medieval castle.

This charming, medieval walled village is Spain's first "book town."

This mysterious, medieval cathedral remains unbuilt but fiercely protected.

A Neolithic burial tomb connected with a colorful array of legends.

This small Catskills village has six independent bookstores and more bookshops than restaurants.