Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

Yellowstone National Park recently closed to all visitors.

Are the Great Outdoors Off-Limits During a Pandemic?

Not exactly, but "Obey the f***ing law and do what public health authorities tell you to do," an expert says.

by Erin Beresini

Place of the Day

Atlantis Books

A quirky bookstore hidden beneath a sea of whitewashed Greek villas.

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

Humble shoeboxes allowed African-Americans to dine with dignity.

The Date of an Ancient Mediterranean Eruption Is Hidden in Dead Trees

Escape Into NASA's Most Incredible Images of Our Planet

The spirit of discovery and community

Wonder From Home

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

10 Cultural Craft Projects to Calm Your Cooped-Up Kids

Top Countries

Top Cities

Kathmandu, Nepal

Taragaon Museum

This Kathmandu museum built in an Austrian modernist style looks like it could be a set from Star Wars.

Edward Denny

Added by Edward Denny

Hyder

This tiny enclave is the easternmost town in Alaska, and it can only be accessed from Canada.

Momo Stop

Exceptional Nepalese food can be found in this Texas gas station.

Added by pkrishna

Hội An, Vietnam

Reaching Out Teahouse

Located off a bustling strip, a silent teahouse employs workers with hearing- or speech-related disabilities.

Added by Histrix

Kamakura, Japan

Harakiri Yagura

Access to this hidden site of a 14th-century mass suicide is prohibited, unless it is to pray for the dead.

Phlizz

Added by Phlizz

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.

New York City Clock Walk

New York, New York

Atlas Obscura's Wonders of FiDi

New York, New York

From 'Hell' to The High Line

New York, New York

White House Tales of Scandal & Intrigue

Washington, D.C.

Exploring a Secret Fort

Washington, D.C.

Walking the Hidden Wonders of Midtown

New York, New York

Studio Visit With Juan Alonso-Rodríguez

Seattle, Washington

Inside Look at The Bunny Museum

Altadena, California

The Abandoned Zoo Ruins of Griffith Park

Holllywood, Los Angeles, California

Scent-Making and Hollywood History

Los Angeles, California

The World of Beekeeping & Native Bees

Chicago, Illinois

Urban Parks Playdate

San Francisco, California

View All Experiences

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

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

Silent Films, Flower Festivals, and Cooking Classes to Enjoy at Home

Feast your eyes or sharpen your brain, from a distance.

Jessica Leigh Hester March 27, 2020

See Europe’s Ruined Medieval Castles Come Back to Life

Seven virtual reconstructions offer a glimpse at the fortified past.

Isaac Schultz March 26, 2020

Found: The Cold War Wreck of a World War II Submarine

A training exercise in 1958 sent the USS Stickleback to the ocean floor.

Isaac Schultz March 26, 2020

Balconies, Windows, and Rooftops Are the New Public Squares

The power of seeing and being seen, hearing and being heard.

Winnie Lee March 26, 2020

Inside One Distillery’s Pivot to Hand Sanitizer

The small Massachusetts outfit supplies local police, firefighters, and hospitals.

Luke Fater March 26, 2020

How to Help Scientists Without Leaving Home

Gaze out the window or at your computer, in the name of data.

Jessica Leigh Hester March 25, 2020

The Charmed Second Life of Australia's Cursed 'Disco Dong'

The sculpture was loathed as a public-art installation. Now its 4,000 aluminum birds are treasured in private collections.

Vivienne Pearson March 25, 2020

An Ancient Ballcourt in Oaxaca Expands a Sport’s Footprint

3,000 years before the Aztecs, Mesoamericans were already playing ball.

Isaac Schultz March 25, 2020

Read All Stories