conorhoward's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Bolinas, California

Alamere Falls

This rare example of a "tidefall" is a spectacular drop from the cliffs down onto the beach.
Istanbul, Turkey

Obelisk of Theodosius

This remarkably well-preserved Egyptian plinth is pretty well traveled for a giant piece of stone.
Istanbul, Turkey

Tombs of the Sultans

Five sultans and their families rest in eternal splendor, teeming with overlooked beauty and drama.
Athens, Greece

The Athenian Agora

This ancient Greek place of assembly and marketplace is being revealed layer by layer below the modern Athens cityscape.
Santorini, Greece

Prehistoric Town of Akrotiri

A Bronze age settlement on the Greek island of Santorini might have been the inspiration for Plato's Atlantis.
Berlin, Germany

Berlin-Friedrichstrasse Railway Station

Cold war icon and onetime "hole" in the iron curtain.
Sintra, Portugal

Quinta da Regaleira

This eccentrically decorated palace is replete with grottoes, fountains, tunnels, and caves.
Sintra, Portugal

Castelo dos Mouros (Castle of the Moors)

An ancient and majestic fortress that played an integral role in Portugal's road to independence.
San Francisco, California

Secret Tiled Staircase

An artsy hidden staircase leads to breathtaking views of San Francisco.
Sedona, Arizona

Chapel of the Holy Cross

A spiritual vortex among the red rocks in Sedona.
Bergen, Norway

Fløibanen Funicular

A favorite with sightseers, this Norwegian funicular provides easy access to a stunning view of Bergen and its environs.
Flåm, Norway

Flåmsbana (Flåm Railway)

One of the most breathtaking railways in Europe also takes one of the steepest climbs, from fjord to mountain plateau.
Chichen Itza, Mexico

El Caracol

No telescopes, no power, no gift shop: The Observatory of Chichen Itza, one of the world's oldest observatories, takes astronomy back to basics.
Copenhagen, Denmark

Tivoli Gardens

Copenhagen's celebrated theme park and gardens.
Klampenborg, Denmark

Dyrehavsbakken

The oldest amusement park in the world has been providing a nice spot to have some fun since the 1500s.
Helsingør, Denmark

Kronborg Castle (Elsinore)

Old Danish castle immortalized in Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Malmö, Sweden

Øresund Bridge

This chimerical bridge/tunnel appears to dead end right into the sea.
Esbjerg, Denmark

Man Meets The Sea

Four alabaster giants contemplate the tides on the shore of Denmark.
Selçuk, Turkey

The Public Toilets of Ephesus

The ancient latrines of the Greeks, in all their public glory.
Selçuk, Turkey

Brothel Advertisement at Ephesus

Carvings in Turkey's Marble Road may have directed ancient Romans to a hidden brothel.
Selçuk, Turkey

Yedi Uyurlar Mağarası (Cave of the Seven Sleepers)

Seven early Christians were sealed into a cave where legend has it they slept unharmed for centuries.
Iceland

Gullfoss (Golden Falls)

If a glacial river suddenly diving into a sheer chasm via a dramatic, multi-stage waterfall isn't peak Iceland, it's certainly close.
Iceland

Kerið Crater Lake

This eye-popping Icelandic crater lake is surrounded by red volcanic rock.
Thingvellir, Iceland

Silfra

This natural Icelandic fissure allows divers to swim right between two volatile tectonic plates.