Connaught Place is a bustling shopping district that no visitor to New Delhi can miss, but it should come as no surprise that its labyrinthine circles hide a number of little-known gems. Located on the outer circle, the Heritage Charkha Museum is one such obscure attraction. Foun … | Continue reading
As you prepare for the cold months to come, you can be glad you're not a painted turtle—the species evolved to be freeze-tolerant and hatchlings spend winter just chillin', literally, in sandy burrows—or a grotesquely engorged ant about to make the ultimate sacrifice to feed the … | Continue reading
When the Milwaukee Road (more formally known as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, & Pacific Railroad) abandoned its tracks through Washington state in 1980, the state eventually acquired the right-of-way to be used as a basis for a recreational trail. Now called the Palouse to Ca … | Continue reading
Head down an unassuming country lane splintering off the A470 road connecting the Welsh towns of Rhayader and Builth Wells, and you’ll spot something unexpected amidst the bucolic scenery: a theater. And not just any theater—a circular one made out of living branches of willow. T … | Continue reading
This little western town is not well known. Shadowhawk is a real-life replica of a western town from old Hollywood films. It was built in 1996 by former actor William Drake in Smithfield, North Carolina. The attention to detail is amazing, from the woodwork down to the antique pi … | Continue reading
A treasure trove of colonial Spanish architecture lies within the San Antonio Missions Historical National Park. Most tourists come to see the preserved churches and elegant ruins of settlements dating back to the 1700s. Close to the Espada Mission, you can find a piece of archit … | Continue reading
King Eric VII was a king-turned-pirate who spent years pillaging the realm that he had once ruled over after being overthrown. Along with many treasures, he brought back a golden dove from the island of Gotland that was said to. hold the power of everlasting love. With this token … | Continue reading
Nestled amongst the brambles in what used to be the suburbs of a once mighty city are two circular piles of brick that have puzzled archeologists since they were first uncovered in the late 1960s. A commonly accepted explanation is that these two structures are stupas built to co … | Continue reading
It’s close to midnight. You’re stepping out of a Broadway theater and into the neon hellscape of Times Square. You’re hungry, and too dignified (and/or sober) to wait two hours for a slice of Joe’s Pizza. The Olive Garden, Hard Rock Cafe, and Margaritaville don’t enthrall you, de … | Continue reading
Thomas Edison is commonly credited as the inventor of the incandescent lightbulb, if somewhat controversially. Historians would agree that several scientists had invented working lightbulbs before Edison, and that the American inventor merely improved the functionality and reliab … | Continue reading
As a state famous for its lakes, Wisconsin is often considered an angler’s paradise. It’s no surprise, then, that the state is also famous for its oversized fiberglass fish. Giant fish are found throughout the state, but one of the most picturesque, Sunny the Sunfish, can be foun … | Continue reading
About two hours north of Montreal is a surprising village—one that’s quite different from the otherwise sleepy surroundings. Past the occasional Tim Hortons and just outside the town of Trois-Rivières, the road curves deep into the woods. Here, between the trees, visitors will fi … | Continue reading
Oslo is a city teeming with public art, and one of its more unusual pieces can be found tucked away in a downtown passage. Since 2009, Myth (Sphinx)—Kate Moss, a 10-foot (three-meter) bronze sculpture of the British supermodel, painted in stark white and posed in a provocative yo … | Continue reading
The depths of rural Wisconsin might seem like an unlikely place for a Catholic holy site, but some claim that this shrine is on par with Lourdes in terms of its legacy of miraculous healing. In 1859, a Belgian-born woman by the name of Adele Brise claimed to see an apparition of … | Continue reading
Just 250 meters off the southern coast of Espiritu Santo lies a World War II wreck at a convenient depth for recreational diving. Not only that, the wreck is large, and almost completely intact, making it regarded as one of the best wreck dives in the world. This sunken ship is t … | Continue reading
Brisbane's quirky tradition of painting fire hydrants has splashed the town with vibrant color and personality. It all began in the 1970s, when the Brisbane Federated Women's Club decided that even the fire hydrants deserved a makeover to celebrate the bicentennial. These once-ut … | Continue reading
When the area around an old police station in Pimlico was redeveloped into apartments in 2007, the developers commissioned a statue by the Scottish sculptor Alexander Stoddart for the site. He created a rather unusual and confusing depiction of the minor Greek god Priapus. Priapu … | Continue reading
The oldest working camera obscura in the world is located on the grounds of the Dumfries Museum, a local history museum, in Dumfries, Scotland. The main part of the museum has large and varied collections relating to local history from the pre-historic era to recent times but the … | Continue reading
This enormous white temple in the center of Janakpur, Nepal, commemorates the spot where Sita (also known as Janaki or Maithili) was born. In 1657, a golden statue was miraculously found marking the location. According to ancient myth, King Janaka found the baby Sita alone in a f … | Continue reading
Along the road leading from Acqui Terme in the province of Alessandria to Sassello in the province of Savona, a detour into the surrounding countryside leads to Mioglia. It's a place where time seems to have stopped that welcomes you with the silence of the centuries and is magic … | Continue reading
Near the north end of Hlavná, the main street in Prešov, Slovakia, there is a monument to the 49th parallel north. The monument is inscribed in English (presumably the missing inscription on the other side was in Slovak): "The 49N parallel of latitude runs through the town of Pre … | Continue reading
In the Koishikawa district of Bunkyo City, Tokyo, a legend is told of a Buddhist monk named Takuzousu. He was no ordinary monk, not even human to begin with but rather a kitsune, a shapeshifting fox-spirit. Takuzousu started his training at Denzuin Temple in April 1618 and learne … | Continue reading
This quaint, off-the-gride farmstall is located in the heart of the South Namibian desert, just 20 miles from Naute National Park. Run by Wally and Meisie Jochimsen, this unique lodging offers camping igloos, bathrooms, great coffee, and a laughing parrot. Stop by to try some of … | Continue reading
In the Museo Porteño “Lo de Gustavo” you can see a reflection of Argentinia's past. The museum is filled with stage sets, cars, sulkies, motor carriages, motorcycles, and a large number of objects that transport visitors back in time. There's a barbershop and a dentist's office, … | Continue reading
Nestled between homes on a quiet Romanian backstreet lies an old Communist film storage building. Mostly gutted out now and in a state of disrepair, strangely there are still a few rooms almost completely filled with reels and reels of 35mm film. The depot was abandoned in the ea … | Continue reading
In June 2020, when many Americans were coping with the COVID-19 pandemic by stress-baking sourdough, Bryan Ford challenged them to think differently about it. In his book New World Sourdough, the Bronx-born, New Orleans-raised baker with Afro-Honduran roots asked readers to go be … | Continue reading
Many brick mills from the start of the Industrial Revolution over two centuries ago can be found across North England, but only a few of those buildings incorporated some sort of architectural or technological innovations. The 1797 Main Mill at Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings is one … | Continue reading
In Portland’s Chinatown, a collection of two sculptures and eight informative signs can be found along 5th and 6th Avenues. They tell of mysterious green archers, armed with arrows of fantastic power. If you are hit with one of them, you see aspects of the world that are hidden f … | Continue reading
In the middle of Brussels's city center stands a pair of statues unmistakably portraying the famous Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Located between Place d'Espagne and Boulevard de l'Imperatrice, the sculpture is a replica of the Monument to Miguel de Cervantes in Madrid, created i … | Continue reading
If the horizon is on your mind, we at Atlas Obscura believe there's a way to get the most out of your far-away journeys. Travel is not just about escaping or seeing the sights by yourself in a vacuum. The most meaningful kind of trip involves interacting with others, breaking dow … | Continue reading
In the center of a lush and historically volatile chain of volcanic peaks, this caldera lake is home to one of the most scientifically perplexing phenomena on the planet. Lago Coatepeque, meaning “Snake Mountain” in the indigenous Nahuatl language, is a nationally protected body … | Continue reading
Welcome to Where to Wander, our selection of the best under-the-radar destinations in 2025. To see more surprising sites around the world that have fewer tourists and more locals, check out all of Atlas Obscura’s favorite places to travel this year. Have you ever visited somewher … | Continue reading
Welcome to Where to Wander, our selection of the best under-the-radar destinations in 2025. To see more surprising sites around the world that have fewer tourists and more locals, check out all of Atlas Obscura’s favorite places to travel this year. Popular sports may call to min … | Continue reading
Welcome to Where to Wander, our selection of the best under-the-radar destinations in 2025. To see more surprising sites around the world that have fewer tourists and more locals, check out all of Atlas Obscura’s favorite places to travel this year. Much like moths, humans are at … | Continue reading
Welcome to Where to Wander, our selection of the best under-the-radar destinations in 2025. To see more surprising sites around the world that have fewer tourists and more locals, check out all of Atlas Obscura’s favorite places to travel this year. There are some places in the w … | Continue reading
Welcome to Where to Wander, our selection of the best under-the-radar destinations in 2025. To see more surprising sites around the world that have fewer tourists and more locals, check out all of Atlas Obscura’s favorite places to travel this year. The vast majority of toilets a … | Continue reading
Welcome to Where to Wander, our selection of the best under-the-radar destinations in 2025. To see more surprising sites around the world that have fewer tourists and more locals, check out all of Atlas Obscura’s favorite places to travel this year. You may think you’ve heard of … | Continue reading
Welcome to Where to Wander, our selection of the best under-the-radar destinations in 2025. To see more surprising sites around the world that have fewer tourists and more locals, check out all of Atlas Obscura’s favorite places to travel this year. Depending on how you look at i … | Continue reading
Welcome to Where to Wander, our selection of the best under-the-radar destinations in 2025. To see more surprising sites around the world that have fewer tourists and more locals, check out all of Atlas Obscura’s favorite places to travel this year. Between increasingly-tense war … | Continue reading
Welcome to Where to Wander, our selection of the best under-the-radar destinations in 2025. To see more surprising sites around the world that have fewer tourists and more locals, check out all of Atlas Obscura’s favorite places to travel this year. All living things smell. From … | Continue reading
Welcome to Where to Wander, our selection of the best under-the-radar destinations in 2025. To see more surprising sites around the world that have fewer tourists and more locals, check out all of Atlas Obscura’s favorite places to travel this year. Do mine eyes deceive me? In th … | Continue reading
This article is adapted from the November 9, 2024, edition of Gastro Obscura’s Favorite Things newsletter. You can sign up here. Walk into a church and you’ll likely find the usual iconography: Christ on the cross, a serene Virgin Mary, perhaps an angel or two. But in East Yorksh … | Continue reading
A woman wearing an ornate golden bracelet holds a four-year-old child tenderly in her lap. The father and their son sit nearby. It’s the year 79, and the family is huddling under the staircase of their lavish three-story home in Pompeii, preparing for their last moments together. … | Continue reading
This piece was originally published in Yale Environment 360 and appears here as part of our Climate Desk collaboration. It was a monumental disaster. The dynamiting of the Kakhovka dam on Ukraine’s Dnieper River, just before dawn on June 6, 2023, rapidly emptied Europe’s largest … | Continue reading
Maybe you’re running from a killer, or you’re lost in your old high school on your way to the final exam. Maybe your teeth are crumbling and falling out, or your car is spinning out of control. But whatever form your bad dreams take, they’re almost certainly part of your life, an … | Continue reading
Built in the 1280s by King Edward I, Conwy Castle is widely considered one of the finest fortifications of medieval Europe, worthy of its World Heritage status. Adjacent, spanning the River Conwy, is a magnificent suspension bridge with big castellated towers similar in style wit … | Continue reading
There has perhaps been no other person who has captured the spirit of Colorado quite like John Denver. His song “Rocky Mountain High” was adopted as a state song in 2007, and in 1974 he was named poet laureate of Colorado. After decades of moving from place to place, he made his … | Continue reading
No one knows precisely when the Patan Dhoka was first constructed, but it was likely sometime during the Malla period (13th – 18th centuries). It has been refurbished many times over the centuries, including after the infamous 1934 earthquake when it was severely damaged. Most re … | Continue reading