Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

Welcome to Verdun, where toads live in bomb craters.

Why a WWI Battlefield Makes a Perfect Wildlife Refuge

Toads, orchids, bats, and hundreds of millions of unexploded shells.

by Sabrina Imbler

Place of the Day

Ben Abeba

In Ethiopia, an otherworldly eatery is perched on the edge of a cliff.

Sled Dogs Have Long Been Central to Life in the Arctic

It certainly beats walking.

December 6, 2019

How a Fossilized Snake With Legs Fits Into the Lineage of Lizards

How a Master Mezcalero Makes a Unique Venison Mezcal

Atlas Obscura Goods

Holiday Gifts

How Frothy Waves of Sea Foam Coated the Coast of Chennai

On an English Estate, Reintroduced Beavers Might Make a Damn Difference

Top Countries

Top Cities

Avshalom Cave

This amazing ancient cave was kept secret for seven years to protect it from the public.

Tony Dunnell

Added by Tony Dunnell

Kiha Train Bar

It's bad manners to eat and drink on the subways of Tokyo, unless the train is this bar.

lukefater

Added by lukefater

Berlin, Germany

Onkel Toms Hütte

The 1852 novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" lends its name to a subway station, a street, and several shops on the edge of Berlin.

danielalexandergross

Added by danielalexandergross

Islamorada, Florida

History of Diving Museum

A unique collection of diving equipment spanning antiquity to the present day.

Added by Savager

New York, New York

Farm.One

Underneath the bustling city streets, a hydroponic farm grows hundreds of unique herbs in a high-tech urban oasis.

Reina Gattuso

Added by Reina Gattuso

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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.

science & nature

Science After Dark: Spotting Squid in the Tides of Oahu

From $3,535 USD

Just beneath the waves off the Hawaiian coast, there are schools of tropical fish, flotillas of sea turtles, and squads of squid. We’re diving in to explore some of their secrets.

art & performance

Desert Canvas: Art of Joshua Tree and the Mojave

From $2,360 USD

Join us as we venture deep into the High Desert, glimpsing massive sculptures, revitalizing domes, and fluorescent painted mountains along the way.

history & culture

Tunisia Through the Sands of Time

From $3,660 USD

Myth, Film, and Studio Tour

Los Angeles, California

Walking the Hidden Wonders of Midtown

New York, New York

On the Trail of DC's First Brewmaster

Alexandria, Virginia

Discover Greenbelt Town of Tomorrow

Greenbelt, Maryland

The Chicago Underground Scavenger Hunt

Chicago, Illinois

Sci Fi Sewage Sanctuary

Los Angeles, California

The Spies of Georgetown

Washington, D.C.

Japanese Incense and Tea Experience

Seattle, Washington

Tour NYC’s Industrial Waterway

Brooklyn, New York

Tour Chicago's Largest Prop House

Chicago, Illinois

Exploring Historic Homes of the Stars

Santa Monica, California

Explore Historic Murals of West Seattle

Seattle, Washington

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The Photographer Who X-Rayed Chernobyl

How to make the invisible visible.

Winnie Lee December 4, 2019

After a Century Abroad, a Collection of Cuneiform Is Heading Home to Iraq

Some will remain in Philly, but only because they might be too fragile for the trip.

Isaac Schultz December 3, 2019

Copenhagen Wants You to Forage on Its City Streets

It’s part of a movement to introduce local foods to Danish diets.

Reina Gattuso December 3, 2019

The History and Mystery of Russia’s 'Valley of Death'

A volcanic gorge in remote Kamchatka has given up some of its secrets—but not all of them.

Robin George Andrews December 3, 2019

A Kiln That Fired Millions of Clay Pipes Was Unearthed Under a Montreal Bridge

Archaeologists recently dug it up—but now they're putting an end to its brief affair with open air.

Jessica Leigh Hester December 2, 2019

Found: A Manuscript Sloppily Edited by Queen Elizabeth I

Her Latin was impressive, but her cursive wasn't.

Isaac Schultz December 2, 2019

Inside the Abandoned Babylon That Saddam Hussein Built

“If I could, I would go without shoes here, because it’s a holy place,” says a guide to the ancient site.

Pesha Magid December 2, 2019

A Newly Digitized Menu Collection Shows Off America’s Lost Railroad Cuisine

Once, Americans rode the rails for charbroiled steak, golden French toast, and prunes.

Claire Voon December 2, 2019

Israel’s Stalagmites Have Climate Stories to Tell

Formed by dripping water over thousands of years, the rocky formations point to ancient monsoons.

Jessica Leigh Hester November 29, 2019

14 Unusual, Spectacular Shopping Experiences Around the World

Celebrate Black Friday with a unique cultural experience.

How Radar Detected Prehistoric Footprints Beneath White Sands National Monument

Researchers have found Pleistocene-era proof of a human, mammoth, and ground sloth trundling along.

Jessica Leigh Hester November 27, 2019

China’s Dead Sea Is a Visual Feast

Yuncheng Lake is one of the country's oldest salt-production sites.

Reina Gattuso November 27, 2019

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