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Yucatan Family Adventure: Meteors, Pyramids & Maya Legends

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NEW - Wild Brazil: Rivers, Dunes & the Amazon

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Where the Savior Fish Still Swims

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In an era of collapse, a fabled fish keeps coming back to the Nisg̱a’a nation.

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Yucatan Family Adventure: Meteors, Pyramids & Maya Legends

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NEW - Wild Brazil: Rivers, Dunes & the Amazon

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Gnomon of Saint-Sulpice

Paris, France

This 18th-century sundial was designed to calculate the date of Easter each year.

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Idar-Oberstein, Germany

Felsenkirche (Crag Church)

A tiny chapel clings to a precipice above Germany’s gemstone capital.

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Ivoini, Comoros

Dos du Dragon

This moss-covered, rocky outcropping looks like a mythical beast resting in the water.

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Sarah Durn
Ballymena, Northern Ireland

Slemish Mountain

A brisk climb up this solitary peak leads to the origin story of a towering figure in Irish history.

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Matthew Moore
Barcelona, Spain

Bar Marsella

A centuries-old bar once frequented by Picasso, Hemingway, and Dalí.

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Helensburgh, Australia

Glowworm Tunnel

An abandoned railroad tunnel is now filled with bioluminescent bugs.

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Kerry Wolfe
Leiden, Netherlands

Ludolph van Ceulen Memorial

A monument to the 16th-century mathemetician who dedicated his life to calculating the numerical value of pi.

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Monticello, Utah

Home of Truth

This ghost town was once a cult-like religious utopian settlement.

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San Francisco, California

Jack Kerouac Alley

Wander down a side street dedicated to one of the members of the Beat Generation.

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SEANETTA ALLSASS

Gdańsk, Poland

Crane M3

A relic of Poland's shipbuilding past, reborn as a sky-high lookout.

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Kenneth Flugrad
Chicago, Illinois

Ping Tom Memorial Park

A hidden oasis just north of Chicago's Chinatown.

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Marla Rose
Kamakura, Japan

Ju-oh-iwa

A rock with images of infernal judges sculpted on it, offering a panoramic view of Kamakura.

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Fred Cherrygarden
Nivelles, Belgium

Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude

The patron saint of cats founded this stunning Romanesque church in the 7th century.

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Hebron, Nebraska

World’s Largest Covered Porch Swing

At 32 feet long, this swing is big enough for the whole family—and then some.

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Boerne, Texas

Robert E. Lee House

This small, 19th-century structure is all the remains of a once lively travelers' inn that General Robert E. Lee frequented.

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Anne Jones
Aalborg, Denmark

Bell Chamber of Budolfi Church

This bellfry was once said to be the Devil’s lair—or perhaps the home of a mischievous gnome?

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Johan H.
London, England

Dr Salter's Daydream

This group of sculptures includes the first statue of a female politician in London.

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Meeting locals while traveling to a new place isn’t impossible.

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Dear Atlas: How Do I Actually Meet Locals When I Travel?

For when you want to make a genuine connection with someone who isn’t your tour guide.

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Atlas Obscura

March 11, 2025

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As Cities Get Warmer, Rat Populations Are on the Rise
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Effigies that don’t win the vote are burned, like this one from 2022’s festival.

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These Fantastic Spanish Sculptures Were Built to Burn

Las Fallas is both a "collective exorcism" and a celebration of craft.

Written By

Vittoria Traverso

March 19, 2025

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Inside the World’s Largest Two-Headed Calf Collection
By Julie Zigoris
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By Robin George Andrews
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By Danielle Hallock
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By Andrew Coletti
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The Color of St. Patrick's Day Wasn't Always Green
By Bryan McGovern
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The Undercover Woman Who Changed Asylum Tourism Forever
By Sarah Gleim
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The Circus Capital of the World
Sponsored by Visit Sarasota County

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Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars

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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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Why Your Michelin Star Meal Is Dog 💩

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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

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The Explorer’s Library

Combination of Two Bestsellers

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