Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

The ash fell thick, and some will stick around.

Ash From the Taal Eruption Will Stick Around ‘Pretty Much Forever’

Some ash particles will blow or wash away, but others will get sealed into the sedimentary record.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

Place of the Day

St Edward's Church

Its picture-perfect door is bound by two ancient yew trees.

Some Space Rocks Are Notorious for Being Stinky

What they actually smell like seems to be in the nose of the beholder.

January 16, 2020

In 1930s New York, the Mayor Took on the Mafia by Banning Artichokes

30 of the World's Most Spectacular Spirals

Air-Dropped Carrots Might Be a Temporary Answer to a Threatened Wallaby's Prayers

Some Neanderthals Wintered in Italy, Diving for Clams

Top Countries

Top Cities

Oxford, England

Port Meadow

Legend says this public grazing area hasn't been plowed for thousands of years.

Phlizz

Added by Phlizz

Camillus, New York

Split Rock Quarry

The quarry was abandoned over 100 years ago, after a massive ammunition explosion ended in tragedy.

WaltingOfTheWoods

Added by WaltingOfTheWoods

Mexico, Philippines

Atching Lillian Restaurant

In her ancestral home, one chef preserves ancient Filipino recipes and serves up traditional, home-cooked food to history-loving foodies.

Travel Tramp

Added by Travel Tramp

Cáceres, Spain

Cave of Maltravieso

A neighborhood park in the city of Cáceres hides what some believe are revolutionary examples of Neanderthal cave art.

Luis Morato

Added by Luis Morato

Lampedusa e Linosa, Italy

'Porta d'Europa' ('Gateway to Europe')

A monument to the migrants who cross the dangerous waters between North Africa and a tiny Italian island.

LatiumMirabile

Added by LatiumMirabile

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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.

history & culture

Tunisia Through the Sands of Time

From $3,660 USD

art & performance

Extraordinary Island: Puerto Rico's Hidden Wonders

From $1,970 USD

science & nature

Texas Hill Country: Bat Caves & Beyond

From $1,195 USD

Explore aquifers, caverns, and karsts while tracking millions of Mexican free-tailed bats, and learn how they maintain balance in the Hill Country ecosystem.

The Chicago Underground Scavenger Hunt

Chicago, Illinois

Atlas Obscura's Wonders of FiDi

Ascend Ascend: A Poetic Performance

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Experience a public ritual for personal transformation with poet Janaka Stucky.

A Hoppin' Good Time at The Bunny Museum

Altadena, California

Flirting with Love

City of Industry, California

Two Bit Circus Bemusement Park Tour

Los Angeles, California

Lost and Long-Gone Graveyards of L.A.

Los Angeles, California

On the Trail of DC's First Brewmaster

Alexandria, Virginia

Rare Herb Tasting Tour at FarmOne

New York, New York

Walking the Hidden Wonders of Midtown

New York, New York

Visit NYC's Oldest Magic Shop After Dark

New York, New York

Inside the Holographer's Laboratory

New York, New York

View All Experiences

What the Color 'Haint Blue' Means to the Descendants of Enslaved Africans

In the Lowcountry, the unique shade is both protective talisman and source of unspeakable suffering.

Shoshi Parks January 14, 2020

The Missing Grave of Margaret Corbin, Revolutionary War Veteran

She's the only woman veteran honored with a monument at West Point. But where was she buried?

Shane Cashman January 14, 2020

Sold: Pierre de Coubertin’s Blueprint for the Olympics

The 14-page speech is now the world’s most expensive piece of sports memorabilia.

Isaac Schultz January 13, 2020

New Mexico Will Tear Down a Historic Chicano Mural to Build an Art Museum

The artist, Gilberto Guzman, once wanted to restore the painting. But state officials say it’s too unstable.

Sabrina Imbler January 13, 2020

Exploring the Haphazard Archive of a Paris Film Legend

Henri Langlois rescued thousands of rare reels, but was "famously bad" at caring for them.

Emma Jacobs January 13, 2020

When Trippy Black-Light Murals Brought the Cosmos Down to Earth

The paintings once dazzled and enlightened mid-century planetarium-goers.

Jessica Leigh Hester January 10, 2020

An Australian Researcher Is Linking Cow Moos and Moods

Their individual voices help them as a herd.

Isaac Schultz January 10, 2020

In Little Cayman, Things Are Looking Up for the Enormous, Friendly Nassau Grouper

Signs of recovery for the so-called "puppies of the sea."

Sabrina Imbler January 10, 2020

The Chef Restoring Appalachia's World-Class Food Culture

A coal fortune is fueling the revival of a cuisine it nearly destroyed.

Eric J. Wallace January 10, 2020

How One Photographer Captures the Glory of Birds in Flight

An otherworldly look at a familiar sight.

Winnie Lee January 10, 2020

Invasive Catfish Are Rewriting Chesapeake Bay Cuisine

An unloved invader has found its way onto menus across the region.

Luke Fater January 9, 2020

The Quietest Spot in San Francisco Bay

If you're the lone caretaker of Brooks Island, not going crazy is job one.

Britta Shoot January 9, 2020

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