SamS's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Big Sur, California

Nepenthe

Offering commanding views of the California coastline, this restaurant was a hub for the artists and bohemians of Big Sur.
Fackler, Alabama

Neversink Pit

This natural wonder drops 16 stories straight down through rare flora and streaming waterfalls.
Isle of Skye, Scotland

Fairy Pools

These fantastically named natural pools look like something out of a Scottish myth.
Isle of Skye, Scotland

Fairy Glen

This dramatic landscape hidden on the Isle of Skye looks as though you've stepped into the magical realm.
Isle of Staffa, Scotland

Fingal's Cave

This astonishingly geometric cave has inspired everyone from Jules Verne to Pink Floyd.
Shetland Islands, Scotland

Broch of Mousa

A remarkably well preserved tower dating all the way back to the Iron Age.
Faroe Islands

Lake Sørvágsvatn

The largest lake in the Faroe Islands seems to be held hundreds of feet above sea level thanks to an optical illusion.
Masada, Israel

Masada

This daunting 1st century fortress was purportedly the site of one of the most dramatic revolts of the Jewish-Roman wars.
Petra District, Jordan

Little Petra

A more chill but no less fascinating version of the famous ancient archeological site.
Petra District, Jordan

Petra

An ancient capital city that dates back 3,000 years old and harbors many surprises.
Badrshein, Egypt

Pyramid of Djoser

This ancient structure is widely thought to be the oldest intact pyramid in the world.
Alexandria, Egypt

The Lost City of Heracleion

An ancient city exhumed from the depths of the ocean.
Aswan, Egypt

Unfinished Obelisk

The largest known Ancient Egyptian obelisk.
Nubia, Egypt

The Temple of Abu Simbel

Ozymandias’ time-keeping temple.
Larne, Northern Ireland

The Armada Tree

This gnarled old tree supposedly sprouted from seeds kept in the pocket of a 16th-century Spanish sailor.
Antarctica

Deception Island

An abandoned whaling station on an active volcano offers hot springs in Antarctica, surrounded by ruined giants of industry.
Chicago, Illinois

Tiffany Dome

This massive stained-glass masterpiece is thought to be the largest Tiffany dome in existence.
Havana, Cuba

Los Jardines de la Tropical

A Spanish-style estate that has traded black ties for rock concerts.
Havana, Cuba

La Plaza de la Revolución

A focal point of the Cuban government, this city square features one of the most iconic images in the country.
Havana, Cuba

Callejon de Hamel

A colorful narrow alley in Cuba is full of street art and sculptures made of found objects.
Havana, Cuba

Hotel Nacional de Cuba

Once a favorite playground for the world's most illustrious guests, Hotel Nacional's secret weapons and bunkers reveal a more menacing side to its golden history.
Vieques, Puerto Rico

Vieques Island

On this Puerto Rican island, many abandoned naval ammunition bunkers sit open while a few have been padlocked by locals as personal storage.
Vieques, Puerto Rico

Mosquito Bay

The world's brightest bioluminescent bay.
London, England

Public Standards of Length

19th-century scientists would make the pilgrimage here to verify the precision of their measuring sticks.