In the past, bizarre and quirky animal sideshows were part of everyday life. You could expect to witness dead whales showcased in car parks, have your mind read by learned pigs (supposedly!), and participate in octopus wrestling. Today, we have fun attractions like the Moscow Cat Theater or bee bearding. But can anything today top the weird and fascinating attractions of bygone days?

10 Lion Drome

In the 1930s, motordromes turned into extremely interesting (and often dangerous) places. Some motorbike stunt riders trained their pet lions to sit in specially built sidecars and then raced madly with the animals by their side. This racing was done at 130 kilometers per hour (80 mph) around the almost perpendicular wall of the motordrome track known as the “Wall of Death!”

Believe it or not, sometimes this mad activity was not exciting enough for the participants and spectators. In those cases, an additional element of thrill, known as the “Race For Life,” was introduced. Trained lions were deliberately released and would charge after the zooming motorcycles trying to swat them with their huge paws.

The last lion drome closed in 1964 when a drunken carnival worker placed his hand inside a lion cage and had it bitten off by a male lion named King.

9 Learned Pigs

In the 18th and 19th centuries, “learned pigs” were a popular type of entertainment and attracted huge numbers of curious spectators in both England and the US.

The owners taught their “learned pigs” a number of impressive tricks, such as spelling and counting with cards, telling the time of day, distinguishing the sexes, and supposedly even reading the thoughts of members of the audience. Through fees and wagers, the owners made quite an income. But it was well deserved since training a pig could take up to two years.

Many published works concerning the training of pigs have exposed the tricks used by the pig trainers. For example, the pig was encouraged to move in a specific direction by stick-prodding and was taught to retrieve cards that were scented with food.

8 Flea Circus

The “flea circus,” otherwise known as the “smallest circus in the world,” was a popular Victorian sideshow attraction. The fleas were dressed in miniature costumes and could be seen performing various circus stunts such as tightrope walking, racing, juggling, and pulling miniature carts.

Flea circuses took place in a ring that was the size of a dinner plate. It was surrounded by small boxes that served as the houses of the performers and the stables for their carriages. The audience consisted of one person with a magnifying glass and the proprietor who stood nearby, armed with a pair of pincers in case any of his fleas misbehaved.

It was thought that circus fleas were of remarkable intelligence, but training them was no easy feat. However, recent reports suggest that these fleas were most likely “mole fleas,” a less energetic variety of the insect. Mole fleas were harnessed with a thin piece of gold wire and stimulated into movement with a heat lamp.

7 Geek Show

In the early 20th century, “geeks” were circus “freaks” whose specialty was biting off the heads of animals (usually those of chickens or snakes) and drinking their blood. Geek shows often inspired the fear that normal people in the audience could also become freaks because geeks were ordinary people otherwise. Geeks were mostly men, although the few women geeks were especially prized because it was uncommon for women to be part of such a violent act.

Geeks frequently suffered from broken teeth and jaws, and the constant interaction with animals in close proximity meant that geeks often suffered from animal-related sicknesses. Geeks were also paid the lowest wages because they could be replaced easily.

6 Bear Wrestling

In the early 1900s, bear wrestling was a popular sport that attracted large crowds of people, particularly throughout the southern United States. Often, the bear wrestled with a specific wrestler, usually his owner and trainer. Together, they perfected a choreographed match that they took on the road for everyone to see.

Other times, the bear was trained to wrestle with a different person who would play the coward and lose the match to the bear. Still other times, audience members were invited to wrestle the magnificent beast. If the audience member succeeded, he received a cash prize. Of course, most wrestling bears were declawed and detoothed.

5 Diving Horse

A “diving horse,” a popular attraction in the mid-1880s, consisted of a horse diving into a pool of water, sometimes from as high as 20 meters (60 ft). William “Doc” Carver came up with this idea when he crossed a bridge which partially collapsed and his horse fell into the water below.

Following World War II, the popularity of the diving horse act declined due to criticism from animal welfare activists. Sometimes, the horses were forced to dive four times a day, seven times a week. The owners of the shows were also accused of using electrical jolts and trapdoors to force the unwilling horses to dive.

4 Octopus Wrestling

Octopus wrestling was a curious sport that was popular in the Puget Sound in Washington in the 1950s and 1960s. The World Octopus Wrestling Championship took place there in 1963 with 111 divers taking part in the match.

The sport involved divers wrangling octopuses to the surface of the water and receiving points on the final weight of the octopuses wrestled and the amount of equipment used (snorkels versus breathing tanks). Octopus wrestling was not really “wrestling,” however. Divers simply stuck their hands into the ocean caverns and groped for the heads of the octopuses.

Then the diver would pull on the octopus until the suction created by its tentacles was released, allowing the diver to bring the octopus to the surface. Giant Pacific octopuses are timid creatures, so most cases of provocation ended with the octopus giving in or fleeing.

3 Ferret-Legging

“Ferret-legging” was a game that consisted of participants shoving live ferrets down their pants. The pants had to be tied at the ankle so that the ferret could not escape. They also had to be spacious enough to allow the ferret to move about freely, and no underwear was allowed. The ferret had to have all of its teeth and claws intact, and neither the ferret nor the participant could be drugged. The winner of the game was the person who could stand the pain from the ferret’s teeth and claws the longest.

In the past, hunters sent muzzled ferrets into the burrows of rabbits and moles to scare them out. However, ferreting became illegal during the Middle Ages, and hunters began hiding ferrets in their pants to get past game wardens. Eventually, ferret-legging became a sport practiced widely in the United Kingdom, especially among Yorkshire miners in the 1970s.

2 Dead Whales

Throughout the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, tours showcasing dead whales were a popular attraction that lured thousands of people in the United Kingdom and the United States. The three main preserved whales in the UK were named Goliath, Jonah, and Hercules and were displayed in car parks and large grassy areas such as racecourses.

For an entrance fee, the curious spectators could view the whale and various instruments of death such as the harpoon and other whaling tools. The whales were originally caught off the coast of Norway and driven around Europe to promote the whaling industry after World War II. They were eventually sold to showmen who realized their financial potential. The whales were then preserved and scooped out, and their insides were decorated with lanterns.

1 Goat Throwing

On the fourth Sunday in January, goat throwing used to take place in the Spanish village of Manganeses de la Polvorosa in honor of Saint Vincent, the town’s patron saint. The tradition was to carry a live goat to the top of a 15-meter (50 ft) church tower and throw it to the crowd below, who would then catch the goat with a canvas sheet.

According to local legend, a priest once had a special goat that could feed all the poor in the village with its milk. One day, the goat accidentally climbed atop the church tower and was so frightened by the church bells ringing for Sunday mass that it fell onto the street below.

Amazingly, the goat was caught in a blanket and survived. Thus, the tradition of goat throwing was meant to represent the miraculous survival. Nowadays, the tradition is no longer practiced due to complaints from animal rights activists. As one can imagine, the villagers complained extensively. Supposedly, the mayor of the town also said that having a fiesta without goat throwing is like having Christmas without a Christmas tree.

Laura is a student from Ireland in love with books, writing, coffee, and cats.

Summer means days of sun, swim, and fun. Families all over the world migrate to water parks to combine all three, hopefully avoiding danger. Whether they’re local pools or extreme waterslides, water-based attractions provide no shortage of excitement and entertainment. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) reports that in the US alone, these parks directly contribute over $50 billion to the economy annually and provide jobs to upwards of 2.3 million people.^[1]

Despite nearly all water parks providing a family-friendly atmosphere, there is no doubt that these enjoyable summer destinations also provide attractions to satisfy even the most hardened thrill-seekers. These extreme rides have been known to cause injury or even death. The following list is sure to intensify your thirst for water adventure (pun intended) while also providing relief from the soaring temperatures and scorching sun of the summer season.

10 World’s Tallest Waterslide

Measuring a staggering 51.4 meters (168.6 ft) tall, the dangerous Guinness World Record–holding Verruckt waterslide translates from the German language to “crazy” or “insane.” The waterslide, located at Schlitterbahn in Kansas City, Kansas, was announced late 2012. The ride, delayed by construction complications, eventually opened to the masses at the end of July 2014. The ride was designed by the co-owner of the water park, Jeff Henry, to accommodate three people in an adventure that plummets 17 stories downward at speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour (60 mph). The spectacular slide is taller than both Niagara Falls and the Statue of Liberty (not counting the base). The controversial design features hundreds of steps to reach the top.

In a gruesome incident which took place in August 2016, Caleb Schwab, son of Republican state representative Scott Schwab, suffered a “fatal neck injury” while riding Verruckt and died immediately.^[2] His death shocked the community and ultimately resulted in the (still) planned demolition of the slide. The Associated Press suggests that Kansas “is known for its light regulation of amusement park rides.” Unfortunately, it appears the slide was too extreme and resulted in catastrophe.

9 World’s Longest Waterslide

Located at Action Park in Vernon, New Jersey, the world’s longest waterslide measures 602 meters (1,975 ft) long, which equates to over one-third of a mile! The unnamed waterslide is composed of 20 sections, each 30 meters (100 ft) long. The primary material of the slide is polyvinyl chloride, which is also used to make the bounce houses that children enjoy. You guessed it: That means that this slide is inflatable. It takes over two hours to fill with air, utilizes approximately 3,800 liters (1,000 gal) of water per hour, and offers rides that can last up to 90 seconds.^[3]

The slide was certified by Guinness World Records in 2015 as the longest waterslide, but it was not open to the public. The ride hadn’t established a weight limit, so its potential for danger was relatively unknown. Another factor was the “lengthy process” of state certification. However, a select few employees were allowed to take their turn on the record-setting ride.

8 World’s Longest Water Coaster

It’s not just a slide; it’s a water coaster! Mammoth, located at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana, is constructed of a combination of slides as well as a conveyor belt, allowing riders to have a similar experience to a roller coaster, while being drenched in water. The ride, which opened May 2012, dethroned its record-holding predecessor, Wildebeest, which is located at the same water park. Mammoth’s unparalleled twists, turns, and rises total a length of 537 meters (1,763 ft.)^[4]

The coaster is designed for rafts of up to six people, situated to face inward, ensuring that families can enjoy the record-setting fun together. These brave Mammoth riders will experience six drops along the coaster’s track. Spinning down the winding path, which overlooks the rest of the expansive Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari water park, may be the optimal ride for the ultimate thrill-seeker.

7 World’s Tallest Water Coaster

Schlitterbahn Galveston Island’s water coaster, MASSIV, lives up to its name. The depth-defying attraction, located in Galveston, Texas, is perched 24.9 meters (81.6 ft) in the sky and was created to mark the site’s tenth anniversary.^[5] The water coaster consists of several uphill climbs and a compensating triple drop near the end. The ride has been certified by Guinness World Records as the tallest water coaster.

Although riders simply enjoy the waterslide for its thrill, there was no lack of exacting science that went into its creation. Schlitterbahn’s lead designer, Emily Colombo, remarked on how balancing “g-forces, ride dynamics, and velocities” was vital to yielding a successful ride. The coaster is sure to be enjoyed by all, due to its variation in speed and vigor. The park’s general manager commented that this versatility is “something we are always looking for in our attractions.”

6 World’s Longest Lazy River

Providing some respite for thrill-seekers and Heaven for relaxers, the lazy river at BSR Cable Park in Waco, Texas, is just shy of 1.6 kilometers (1 mi) long.^[6] This earns it the title of longest lazy river in the world. The lazy river offers parts drenched in sun and parts covered in shade, catering to all riders’ preferences.

While it doesn’t vary greatly from other lazy rivers, what it lacks in uniqueness, it makes up in sheer size. The river is adult- and kid-friendly and guaranteed to satisfy the need for summer refreshment, especially given the sizzling temperatures Texas can see during the season.

5 World’s Largest Outdoor Wave Pool

The first non-US destination on the list is Siam Park City (a water park, not a city) in the Khan Na Yao district of Bangkok, Thailand. Not only is it Asia’s largest water park, but it certifiably possesses the world’s largest wave pool, according to Guinness World Records. The wave pool is an astounding 13,600 square meters (146,400 ft²) and a destination for young children and adult thrill-seekers alike. The pool has the potential to generate waves up to 1.5 meters (5 ft) high but is controlled not to exceed 60 centimeters (24 in) to ensure the safety of all patrons.^[7]

Despite the countermeasures in place, wave pools still pose a safety threat, especially to children. When children enter a wave pool to a depth above their height, the constant flow of water and uneven conditions make it the perfect storm for drowning. But for most, this wave pool can be a great compromise between the flowing waters of a lazy river and the rushing rapids of a water coaster.

4 World’s Largest Indoor Wave Pool

Shifting back across the globe to the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is the World Waterpark, which features the world’s largest indoor wave pool, called Blue Thunder. Blue Thunder possess four active wave bays, each containing two panels powered by a 1,500-horsepower hydraulic implement. There are two additional wave bays that have been deactivated, a consequence of overwhelming injury due to the excessive intensity of the waves! When all panels were enabled, the waves were too high and rough for even the most experienced swimmers.^[8]

With the seemingly endless rush of water feet above a swimmer’s head, the outcome is never promising. Thus, Blue Thunder today generates waves of 1.5 to 1.8 meters (5–6 ft), utilizing only the inner wave bays. The pool can hold a whopping 12.3 million liters (3.2 million gal) of water. Blue Thunder is also frequently used after hours for private surfing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and other related endeavors. The waves are then adjusted accordingly to become more intense.

3 World’s Longest Tube Waterslide

What is located in Erding, Germany, is 356.3 meters (1,169 ft) long, and ensures enjoyment along the way? The Magic-Eye at Galaxy Erding water park, of course. This ride is the longest inner tube waterslide in the entire world, as certified by Guinness World Records in November 2010.^[9] No recent attempts have been able to surpass the legendary length of Magic-Eye. The waterslide opened May 2007 and was built by Klarer Freizeitanlagen AG, Switzerland, a world-renowned leader in waterslide construction.

Magic-Eye’s record-setting length is complemented by its 22-meter (72 ft) height. The tube slide features a distinct interior distinguished by continuous seemingly glowing lines that create an unmatched viewing experience while riding. The design can be overwhelming to some patrons due to its strobe-style effect, which could arguably be potentially fatal if someone with epilepsy were to ride the waterslide alone.

2 The United States’ Largest Outdoor Water Park

Noah’s Ark Water Park in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, is the United States’ largest outdoor water park, totaling 70 acres.^[10] Although the park doesn’t possess any record-setting attractions of their own accord, the 51 rides work together, marking Noah’s Ark as the crown jewel of Wisconsin Dells, dubbed the “water park capital of the world.” Despite the town’s small population, it contains 28 water parks, with Noah’s Ark undoubtedly the focal point.

Thrill-seekers can enjoy rides that, for example, offer a near-vertical drop in which the floor gives out beneath riders or a 400-meter-long (1,300 ft) water coaster that showcases unexpected turns and bumps. On the other end of the spectrum, those in search of a more relaxed day at Noah’s Ark Water Park can enjoy a ride on the lazy river or a dip in the wave pool, which alternates wave functionality on and off every ten minutes.

Some of the more extreme rides have been known to malfunction. For instance, it is not uncommon for riders to get stuck on the Scorpion, in which they actually do a loop (similar to a roller coaster). This goes to demonstrate the truly risky nature of water entertainment. Although the weather of Wisconsin fluctuates from sweltering in the summer to freezing in the winter, Wisconsin Dells also provides an abundance of indoor water parks that will fulfill aquatic adrenaline-chasers’ desires year-round.

1 World’s Largest Indoor Water Park

Rounding out the list, we’re headed back to Germany to the sprawling Tropical Islands Resort, located in Krausnick, a bit southeast from the capital, Berlin. This jaw-dropping indoor water park utilizes more than 16 acres of land and can accommodate up to 6,000 guests at any given time.^[11]

The luxurious Tropical Islands Resort serves patrons of all ages, featuring paddling areas and proportionate waterslides for youth as well as bigger attractions and a Bali-inspired lagoon, perfect for adults seeking both adventure and relaxation. Tropical Islands Resort is climate-controlled and topped with a glass roof, allowing everyone to immerse themselves in the sunshine, regardless of the varying temperatures, all year long.

Roadside attractions have been a staple of American culture since the first mile of Route 66 was laid down. Fodder for postcards, novelty-seekers, and Instagram shots, these various noteworthy stopping points are often quite unique and bizarre.

While classics such as the World’s Largest Ball of Twine seem weird enough, an in-depth look reveals much stranger sights. Here are ten of the strangest US roadside attractions. (For those curious, the ball of twine is in Cawker City, Kansas.)

10 Unclaimed Baggage Center
Alabama

Born from the mind of a man named Doyle Owens in 1970, Unclaimed Baggage Center (UCB) is a secondhand store with a unique supply chain: US airline companies.^[1] As of today, it is the only store in the country which sells lost luggage. The size of a city block, UCB has forged alliances with most major airlines, not only selling lost luggage but also random carry-on items which get left behind.

Originally sold on card tables in a rented house in Washington, DC, the nearly 7,000 new daily items were moved to their current home of Scottsboro, Alabama, by Bryan Owens in 1995. Thanks to the exclusive contracts signed with the major airlines of the US, UCB boasts more than a million visitors per year. In addition to their storefront, they also have a museum of oddities and curios, items which are not for sale. (An African djembe is one of the more unique exhibits.)

9 Lucy The Margate Elephant
New Jersey

Located just a short distance south of Atlantic City, a 20-meter (65 ft) building rises from the Margate sands. This isn’t your ordinary building, though; it’s in the shape of a large elephant, and its name is Lucy.^[2] Since its construction in 1881, news of a giant elephant appearing to sailors began to trickle into various parts of the East Coast. Determined to uncover the truth, visitors began to flock to Absecon Island, shocked when they realized it was no mirage.

The brainchild of a man named James V. Lafferty, Jr., Lucy was eventually patented in 1882, with Lafferty receiving one for the invention of a “building in the form of an animal.” Later owners of the building eventually began guided tours, with such visiting luminaries as President Woodrow Wilson. At various times through its history, Lucy has been a summer home for an English doctor and his family, a tavern (which nearly resulted in it burning to the ground), and a tourist attraction, which it remains to this day.

8 Wall Drug
South Dakota

Perhaps the most famous tourist trap in the entire country, Wall Drug got its start in 1931 on the edge of the South Dakota Badlands.^[3] Using his last $3,000, Ted Hustead brought his wife and child to the small town of Wall and purchased a small pharmacy. Business was tough, and they struggled to make ends meet for years while the Great Depression rolled on.

However, to this day, their biggest draw might still be one of their first: free water. Hustead’s wife, Dorothy, had the idea come to her while she tried to sleep one hot July afternoon. Due to her idea, and a number of ingeniously placed billboards, people flocked to the store, filling up on ice water as well as the occasional ice cream cone. Today, more than two million people visit each year, bringing more than $10 million with them.

7 Nicolas Cage’s Tomb
Louisiana

In a move which seems to solidify his eccentric reputation, Nicolas Cage purchased a tomb in an infamous New Orleans graveyard in 2010. Thanks to its below-sea-level elevation and numerous outbreaks of disease throughout its history, the city has strict rules about where cemeteries can be located, unless they’re aboveground. Those rules are what led Cage to purchase a 2.7-meter-tall (9 ft) stone pyramid in the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1.

However, the exact reasoning behind the tomb’s purchase has been kept secret, though some locals are angry he was able to even get into the cemetery in the first place, going so far as to accuse the actor of knocking down much older burials in order to make room for the pyramid tomb.^[4] The first New Orleans graveyard with aboveground burials, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is also the final resting place of Marie Laveau, the infamous voodoo queen of New Orleans.

6 Airstream Ranch
Florida

An homage to Cadillac Ranch, an art installation using junked Cadillac automobiles, Airstream Ranch was located not far from Tampa, Florida, and used old RVs as its medium.^[5] It was the pet project of Frank Bates, a man who, coincidentally, happens to run an RV dealership nearby. Controversial for much of its existence (such is the life of modern art), state courts reversed local orders to tear it down after Bates fought for nearly two years.

Created in 2007 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Airstream company, the ranch was originally intended to be built using brand-new RVs, but Bates ended up deciding to get one from every decade of the company’s existence (though he only managed five decades’ worth). Bates had hoped to add to the ranch, envisioning a future where his installation would have become a park, as well as a home for weddings. In the end, however, Airstream Ranch was torn down to make room for a new Airstream dealership in 2017.

Another roadside attraction reminiscent of Airstream Ranch is Carhenge, located in Alliance, Nebraska. It’s exactly what it sounds like: Stonehenge, made of cars.

5 Cross Island Chapel
New York

Otherwise known as The World’s Smallest Church, the Cross Island Chapel was built in 1989 in the small town of Oneida, New York. In addition to having been certified by Guinness World Records, it also sits on a small dock in the middle of a pond. Only big enough for three standing people (or two seated), the church has nevertheless served as the location for a number of weddings. On one such occasion, wedding guests had to anchor their boats nearby.

Though it lost its title of World’s Smallest Church only a few months after its certification (a Swiss church holds the record), the Cross Island Chapel still attracts its fair share of visitors, most of whom come to pray or just take a look.^[6] Built to honor God, the building no longer sits on “Cross Island,” as the water level has risen, forcing a dock to be built to house the 2.7-square-meter (28.7 ft²) chapel.

4 The Hobo Museum
Iowa

Located in Britt, Iowa, the home of the National Hobo Convention, an annual event which began in 1900, is the Hobo Museum, a building dedicated to the memory of hobos and their history. Housed in an old theater, the museum began its life with nothing more than a single box of random items. Today, the building is full, and exhibits extolling the origins and virtues of the hobo lifestyle are abundant. (To be clear, a hobo is a traveling migrant worker, whereas a tramp is a traveler who avoids work. A bum neither works nor travels.)

In 2008, students of various classes at nearby Iowa State University began work on getting the building onto the National Registry of Historic Places, as well as plans to remodel/restore the former glory of the theater.^[7] Other sites throughout the city honor hobos, such as the Hobo Jungle and the Hobo Cemetery, a section of a larger graveyard reserved specifically for hobos.

3 Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard
Vermont

Have you ever wondered what happens to discontinued ice creams, such as Festivus or Dublin Mudslide? Fear not, for they have gone to a better place: the Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard. A tongue-in-cheek place for a tongue-in-cheek company, the graveyard is not only a page on their website but a physical place, located at their factory in Waterbury, Vermont.^[8]

Originally opened in 1997, the graveyard only consisted of four flavors, with many more added over the years (35 at last count). Most of the graves are empty, with the exception being What A Cluster, for which they held an actual funeral. (Whether or not the pint of ice cream actually made it underground is anybody’s guess.) While it isn’t the most popular attraction on this list, Sean Greenwood, Ben & Jerry’s head of publicity, says people do come to pay their respects to their favorite discontinued flavors, going so far as to leave flowers near the elaborate granite headstones erected there.

2 The Octopus Tree
Oregon

Bearing no relation to the mythical Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus, the Octopus Tree of Oregon is an enormous spruce tree, notable for its branches, which resemble the tentacles of an octopus. Believed to be the largest Sitka spruce in the state, debate continues on the story of its origins, with Native American activity being the most likely.^[9] Coastal tribes, such as the Tillamook tribe, were said to shape the trees as part of their ceremonial rites.

The idea behind the Native American theory is that the tree was used to hold cedar canoes, as well as other objects of ritual importance. As far as the Octopus Tree goes, it has been estimated to be hundreds of years old and has often gone by the name “The Council Tree,” as it was said that elders also congregated at it in order to make decisions.

1 World’s Largest Collection Of World’s Smallest Versions Of World’s Largest Things
Kansas

This one is going to take a little explaining. Intrigued by the great American pastime of creating the largest versions of things, artist Erika Nelson decided to riff on that idea. What sprung from her thought was a traveling attraction containing miniature replicas of said things. Extensive research on each and every exhibit is performed before construction, with precise measurements done on the originals.^[10]

Appropriate materials are used whenever possible; for example, the World’s Smallest Version of the World’s Largest Ball of Rubber Bands was made using miniature rubber bands. In addition, a photo is taken of each exhibit sat in front of its original. While it is normally on the road, and best seen there, when the attraction is not traveling, it calls Lucas, Kansas, its home.

Dead people and skeletons are often the last thing we expect at tourist attractions—at least most of the time. While some places are visited for their human remains, most aren’t. Nonetheless, there are some vacation destinations that happen to have dead people or skeletons lying around.

Some tourist attractions discreetly contain bodies that tourists may not even realize are there. In other cases, the remains are in the full view of the visitors, who just pass by them as if they’re another artifact. Here are ten tourist attractions filled with human remains.

10 Mount Everest

Mount Everest is littered with lots of dead bodies. In fact, the north side is filled with so many bodies that it has been unofficially renamed Rainbow Ridge, after the colors of the clothes and gear of the numerous tourists and Sherpa guides who’ve perished there. The total number of bodies on Everest is unknown, but the figure was put at over 200 as of 2015.

One popular corpse is that of Tsewang Paljor. His body has remained on Everest since he was killed in a blizzard in 1996. Paljor is called Green Boots because he wore green boots. He has become so well-known that the enclave in which he froze to death is called Green Boots’ Cave. The enclave is a popular resting point for climbers descending from Everest.

Bodies are often left on Everest because of the cost and dangers involved in recovering them. Between six and eight Sherpa guides are required to retrieve a body from Everest. The bodies are always heavy, sometimes up to two times the victim’s weight when alive, because they are frozen. Sherpas often need to dig around the body and carry it with the ice. Retrievals cost thousands of dollars.^[1]

9 Yellow River

China’s Yellow River is always filled with the remains of people who committed suicide, drowned while swimming, or were dumped in the river after they were murdered. The government is uninterested in retrieving the bodies, causing creative entrepreneurs like Wei Xinpeng to retrieve the cadavers for money.

Xinpeng has noted a footbridge where bodies that end up in the river cannot pass. He paddles to the footbridge with his boat and pulls out any corpse he finds. He keeps the bodies in a cove and then takes out newspaper ads describing them.

Families pay a small fee to confirm if the body belongs to a relative. When it does, they pay another $500 to take the remains. As of 2010, Xinpeng said he’d found 500 bodies within seven years. Nine years later, we wonder how many more he has found.^[2]

8 Catacombs Of Paris

In the 18th century, the city council of Paris realized they were running out of cemetery space. So they agreed to turn the quarries underneath Paris into a catacomb and fill it with the remains of over six million people buried in cemeteries scattered across the city.

Whoever transported the skulls and bones into the catacombs initially just threw them in. However, workers began to artistically arrange the skulls and bones.

Many visitors never get to see the millions of bones and skulls that lie along the 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) of tunnels which are part of a tour. The tunnels can be reached by a staircase that leads further down into the catacombs. At the end of the tour is another staircase that leads to the upper sections of the catacombs. Tourists are said to be often covered in bone dust at the end of the journey.^[3]

7 Museum Of London

Roughly 20,000 skeletons are kept in an underground vault in the Museum of London. The vault is built with concrete walls and hidden from tourists. It is called the Centre for Human Bioarchaeology and is believed to be “the largest single collection of stratified human remains anywhere in the world in one city.”

The skeletons belonged to people who died from when the Romans ruled over Britain up until the 19th century. They are stored in cardboard boxes that are labeled “human skeleton” or “human infant skeleton,” in the case of infants. The museum keeps the bodies to study the history of London.

For instance, historians know that the people of the Middle Ages had better teeth than the people during the Age of Discovery after analyzing their skeletons. The latter had bad teeth because they ate lots of sugar.^[4]

6 Roopkund Lake

Roopkund lake in Uttarakhand, India, is known for its skeletons. The lake is often covered in ice. But when the ice melts—as it often does—tourists are treated to a chilling view of over 200 human skeletons scattered along its edge.

The skeletons were first discovered during World War II in 1942. The skeletons have dents on their skulls and shoulders, indicating that they had been struck by something from above. The British initially suspected they were the remains of Japanese soldiers who attempted to sneak into India.

They later realized the skeletons were too old to be the Japanese. Historians revisited the lake in 2004 and confirmed that the bones belonged to two groups of people killed by hailstones around AD 850.

One group was a family or tribe, while the other were either their porters or guides. The party was crossing the area when they ran into an hailstorm. They had no place to hide and died after they were continually hit by cricket ball-sized hailstones.^[5]

5 Pompeii

Mount Vesuvius erupted around noon on August 24, AD 79. The eruption threw hot ash into the air and down onto the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The ash fell on people and homes, blocking doors and causing roofs to collapse. It also filled the roads, further preventing people from escaping.

While thousands braved the ash and escaped, thousands more remained in their homes, where they cowered in fear and covered their heads with pillows. Whoever survived the falling ash and collapsing roofs was dead the next morning when a pyroclastic flow came pouring down the sides of the mountain.

Pompeii was forgotten until it was discovered in 1738. Excavators got to work and soon realized that the skeletons of the people killed during the AD 79 eruption were surrounded by empty spaces in the shape of what used to be their bodies. So they began pouring plaster of Paris into the spaces around the skeletons.

Today, we have hundreds of casts of the remains of people who died during the infamous eruption. There are also the plastered remains of a pig and a dog. The casts clearly show the faces and features of the people and animals—just as they were at the moment of death.

Around 1,150 bodies have been excavated from Pompeii as of 2015. However, historians believe over 2,000 people died in Pompeii. Considering that only three-fourths of Pompeii has been excavated, there are probably still more skeletons underground.^[6]

4 Sac Uayum

A cenote is a sinkhole filled with water. It is created when weak limestone ground collapses to expose the cavern underneath. Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula has lots of cenotes that are top tourist attractions. However, the Sac Uayum cenote stands out because it contains the remains of dead people and animals.

Sac Uayum was feared by the ancient Maya and is still feared by the locals, who have lots of folklore advising anyone against entering the cenote. In 2013, a team of archaeologists led by Bradley Russell dared the supposed dangers and decided to go into the cenote to investigate.

They discovered it is filled with skulls and bones of humans and cattle. They found 15 skulls but believe there are more. Some of the skulls are flattened, indicating they were from the Mayan civilization. While they suspect that the cows fell into the hole, they could not confirm how the humans ended up in the cenote.

The archaeologists know the cenote was never a cemetery and that the humans were never used as sacrifices. They think the people were possibly buried there temporarily because the Mayans believed in reincarnation. Alternatively, they could have been plague victims dumped there to prevent them from infecting the living.^[7]

3 The Great Wall Of China

The Great Wall of China, totaling some 21,000 kilometers (13,000 mi) altogether, is probably the most popular structure built in ancient China. It was built by several emperors, starting with Qin Shi Huang circa 221 BC. However, most of what remains of the wall today was built during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).

Convicts and soldiers formed the bulk of the workforce at the time Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered the construction of the wall. It is estimated that 400,000 workers died during construction at the time. Most of the dead are believed to be buried inside the wall.^[8]

2 Sedlec Ossuary

The Sedlec Ossuary (aka The Bone Church) in the Czech Republic is filled with the skeletons of between 40,000 and 70,000 people. The bones are not hidden but left in public view, where they have been turned into artworks. There are pyramids, candle-holders, and a chandelier made with human skulls and bones.

The history of the ossuary began in the 13th century, when a monk returned from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem with some soil. He threw the soil all around Sedlec cemetery. Soon, everyone in today’s Czech Republic and neighboring kingdoms wanted to be buried at Sedlec. More than 30,000 people were buried there before the cemetery ran out of space.

The city agreed to move the bodies into a crypt so that newer bodies could be buried in the cemetery. That crypt is the Sedlec Ossuary. A woodcarver named Frantisek Rint turned the skeletons into artworks in 1870, when he used the bones to create designs. It was he who created the famous chandelier. He also bleached all the bones so that they’d be the same color.^[9]

1 Tower Of London

King Edward IV of England died on April 9, 1483. His successor was his son, Edward, who was crowned as King Edward V. But Edward V was only 13, so his uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was assigned as protector. A protector was a person who ruled until the king was of age.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, soon got greedy and decided he wanted to be king. He imprisoned Edward V and his ten-year-old brother, Richard, Duke of York, in the Tower of London. Then he claimed Edward V could not become king because he was an illegitimate son of Edward IV.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was crowned king in July 1483 as Richard III. Meanwhile, Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, mysteriously disappeared. Many believe they were killed by Richard III.^[10]

Several bodies have been found in the Tower of London over the years. Sometime between 1603 and 1614 (or even in 1647 as some sources claim), the skeletons of two children were found on a table in a walled up room.

The skeletons were initially thought to belong to the brothers until the suspicions were superseded by claims that they belonged to children aged between six and eight. Another body was found in 1619. It was thought to belong to one of the brothers until it was discovered to be the corpse of an ape.

Two more skeletons were found under a staircase in 1674. Yet more skeletons were found between 1830 and 1840, when the moat surrounding the tower was drained. Another body was found in 1977. However, carbon-dating revealed it was from the Iron Age. The skeletons of the royal brothers remain missing.

Australians are well-known for their sense of humor. We like to poke fun at everyone. We laugh at each other, we laugh at ourselves, and we love to poke fun at bureaucracy. So it’s no surprise that some of our quirkiest tourist attractions actually started out as a bit of a joke.

From teddy bears and garden gnomes planted in fun, which have turned into thriving colonies, to a submarine in an inland park, our Aussie sense of humor shines through in some of our funniest tourist attractions.

10 Submarine In An Inland Park

A rural Australian park is the last place you would expect to find a submarine. Yet the HMAS Otway is a major tourist attraction in the New South Wales town of Holbrook. The town was renamed in 1915 after their resident war hero, Lieutenant Norman Holbrook, who was the first submariner to receive the Victoria Cross (VC) during World War I.

Like residents of many rural towns bypassed by the highway during the 1990s, Holbrook residents were looking for a unique tourist attraction to bring passing visitors to their town. When the mayor suggested acquiring a submarine, the townspeople initially thought he was joking. However, the idea of establishing a memorial to submariners in honor of their own VC recipient soon caught on.

After much community fundraising and a generous bequest from the Holbrook family, the upper parts of the outer casings and the fins of the decommissioned HMAS Otway were purchased.

The submarine was moved to Germanton Park in Holbrook, where it has become a popular tourist attraction. The complex has a submarine museum including a mock interior where visitors can gain an insight into what life was like on a submarine.^[1]

9 Mad Max 2 Museum

We all have our favorite movies. Some us can even become a little over-passionate, collecting memorabilia and watching reruns. However, one man’s passion saw him move halfway around the world to open a museum in the most unlikely place.

Scenes from the earlier Mad Max movies were shot in the remote New South Wales outback near the sparsely populated town of Silverton. (The 2016 Australian census showed that the town had a population of just 50.) Yet it was to Silverton that an Englishman named Adrian Bennett came in 2009 to fuel his obsession with the movie Mad Max 2.

He spent his time collecting actual props, relics, and memorabilia from his favorite movie. The collection has grown into a full-scale museum, where Mad Max fans can not only view his collection but also learn more about the filming of the movie on the location in which it was set.^[2]

8 Utes In The Paddock

The Holden Ute is a true Australian icon. The work vehicle can be found all over rural Australia. The outback town of Condobolin has a unique outdoor art gallery depicting well-known Australian icons, all using the Holden Ute as its medium.

A number of years ago, a local landholder decided to turn a rusty old Ute into an artwork. Artists were then invited to repurpose rusty car bodies into art forms, which attract many tourists to the district each year. Twenty cars are upended or suspended at precarious angles to depict the life and characters of the Australian bush.

Here, you will see Australian identities such as Clancy of the Overflow and Dame Edna Everage sitting on a traditional Australian “dunny.” Aussie icons represented include a larger-than-life bottle of Bundaberg Rum and a mammoth jar of vegemite.

The display was originally installed on a remote property 30 kilometers (19 mi) from Condobolin but has since been moved to the outskirts of the town, where it is more accessible to tourists.^[3]

7 The Principality Of Hutt River

Every town has its eccentric residents, but one West Australian farmer’s persistence in seceding from the Commonwealth of Australia has become a quirky tourist attraction. A bureaucratic row over agricultural taxes in 1970 saw the farmer take things into his own hands. Leonard Casley (pictured above) simply established his own country, the Principality Of Hutt River, on his 75-square-kilometer (29 mi²) property near the town of Geraldton.

The Australian government has never recognized the sovereignty of the principality, but “Prince Leonard” still maintained his own postage stamps and currency until his death in 2019. Queen Elizabeth II, however, obviously enjoyed the joke, sending Leonard a letter of congratulation on the principality’s 46th anniversary. Prince Leonard abdicated in 2017 in favor of his son, Graeme, who continues to rule over the micronation.

The town of Nain has been established as the main administrative center of the principality. Here, tourists who want an extra passport stamp can collect one from the Principality of Hutt River while they view the historic displays.^[4]

6 Gnomesville

A cheeky community protest over proposed council roadworks has snowballed into a quirky tourist attraction for the West Australian town of Wellington Mill.

When the council announced controversial plans to construct a roundabout in 1995, a couple of cheeky residents “claimed the plot” by placing a couple of garden gnomes on the proposed site as a bit of a joke. The joke soon spread, and the gnomes quickly multiplied. Today, there are an estimated 5,000 gnomes residing in “Gnomesville,” which has become an unlikely tourist attraction.

Here, you will find gnomes enjoying just about every recreational activity, from fishing to music to sporting matches. Visitors are invited to add their own gnome to the growing collection, as long it is marked with where it came from.^[5]

5 Tantanoola Tiger

A stuffed tiger in a glass case, believed to be responsible for a livestock killing spree, is an unlikely tourist attraction in the small South Australian town of Tantanoola.

During the 1890s, an unknown creature was terrorizing livestock in the small rural town. Tales of sheep being eaten whole and a creature leaving footprints 10 centimeters (4 in) in diameter were widely circulated in the national media. Locals became fearful that the unknown predator might begin to prey on humans. The creature was dubbed the “Tantanoola Tiger” following reported sightings of a striped feline in bushes surrounding the village.

A large reward was posted for its capture, and unsuccessful shooting parties set out to hunt and kill the creature. Casts of the pawprints suggested it was a wild dog, not a tiger.

Eventually, in 1895, the large creature was shot and killed. There was much speculation about the animal’s exact species. It appeared to be a dog, but not of any known breed. It wasn’t a dingo, and it looked remarkably like a wolf. It was later determined to be an Arabian wolf. No one knows how it came to be in Tantanoola.

A taxidermist was called in to stuff the infamous creature, which was enclosed in a glass case and paraded around for viewing at the price of a few shillings. The famous “tiger” even became the mascot for the local football team early in the 20th century. Today, it is a somewhat morbid tourist attraction in the Tantanoola Tiger Hotel near Mount Gambier.^[6]

4 There’s A Bear In There!

A bend in the long, winding highway linking inland New South Wales with the South Coast is perhaps the last place you would expect to find a children’s tourist attraction.

Like many of Australia’s quirkier attractions, Pooh Bear’s Corner was established through one individual’s imagination and eventually took off. A local family from Crookwell spotted a disused cave halfway down Clyde Mountain on their frequent trips to the coast in the early 1970s. The parents concocted the story that the cave was, in fact, home to A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh for the amusement of their children.

They soon began leaving stuffed bears and handwritten signs at the spot on their journey down the mountain. The idea soon caught on, and others began leaving bears at the site, which became known as Pooh Bear’s Corner. Eventually, the local council caught onto the idea, erecting a permanent sign at the attraction.

Children and kids at heart still look out for the teddy bears congregating in Pooh’s cave on their way down Clyde Mountain today.^[7]

3 Bungendore Teddy Bear Colony

Along the highway from the rural town of Bungendore to Queanbeyan, just outside Canberra, teddy bears once again provide a unique tourist attraction. For several kilometers along the roadside, tourists can stop to see the proliferation of teddy bears hanging from trees. Some are relatively new, others are looking somewhat sand- and weather-worn.

The first teddy bears appeared in the late 1980s. Since then, their numbers appear to be growing at a significantly higher rate than the native koalas that inhabit the area. Visitors to the colony regularly make their own additions to the Bungendore teddy bear colony.

How the teddy bear colony began is somewhat of a mystery. Theories suggest the first bears arrived to protest the removal of trees, threatening the local koala habitat. Another theory is that the first bears were a memorial shrine to a young person tragically killed in a motorcycle accident.

The true origins of the teddy bear colony may be lost in time. However, like many quirky Australian tourist attractions, the trend caught on and has continued to grow to amuse passing motorists.^[8]

2 Coila Prawn Girl

Driving along the Princes Highway between the Southern NSW coastal towns of Moruya and Tuross, motorists probably never gave the tiny fuel stop at Coila a second glance. At least, that was the case until 2013, when the new owner came up with an eye-catching idea to encourage passing drivers to stop and maybe buy some local prawns.

The “Coila Prawn Girl” has become somewhat of a local icon. The bikini-clad mannequin is tied to a roadside advertising sign and has been successful in encouraging motorists to stop. The mannequin has also made the news for being the victim of a couple of abductions over the past couple of years.

Tourists frequently stop to pose for a photo with the bizarre attraction. The eccentric owner has recently added a pink Cessna plane nose-diving into the tarmac as an added incentive for an unusual photo stop.^[9]

1 The Dunny At Humpty-Doo

The mere name of the Northern Territory outback town of Humpty-Doo raises a bit of a giggle with visitors. One local larrikin has taken the humor to a new level.

Waldo Bayley, the local gift shop owner, also writes Australian bush poetry, funny little pieces that poke fun at everyone and everything. Not content with simply reciting his ditties to visitors to the shop, he devised an hilarious way to deliver his prose.

Within the shop, he has set up a traditional “bush dunny,” the small, wooden outhouse which once housed the lavatory in the backyard of every Australian home. Waldo actually sits on the dunny to deliver his poetry from the depths of the “thunderbox.” Once again, something that started out as a bit of a joke has turned into a tourist attraction which draws tourists to enjoy a little Aussie humor.^[10]

Lesley Connor is a retired newspaper editor who provides travel articles to online publications and through her travel blog.

When we plan our vacation activities, many of us think of lazing on the beach with a good book or hiking through crisp mountain air. Maybe we plan on taking in the cultural treasures in museums or art galleries, visiting famous buildings or natural landmarks, or even taking in some adrenaline-filled outdoor activity.

SEE ALSO: 10 More Macabre Folktales From Around The World

However, there are a number of macabre tourist attractions throughout the world that many of us would have nightmares about visiting. In fact, it’s hard to imagine how some of these attractions were ever established, let alone enjoy ongoing popularity. Displays of murder scenes, rat-infested temples, and voodoo markets are just some of the bizarre tourist attractions that some travelers have on their itinerary.

10 Sedlec Ossuary
Czech Republic

The Sedlec Ossuary in the Czech Republic is an unremarkable medieval Gothic church from the outside. Step inside, however, and you will find that this is no ordinary chapel. While many churches are adorned with gilt and marble, the “Bone Church” is decorated with human remains.

In 1870, the ossuary under the church had become overcrowded with a couple of centuries’ worth of skeletons. A local woodcarver was called in to put the bones into some sort of order. His idea was perhaps not what the officials originally had in mind.

More than 40,000 skeletons decorate the church, adorning archways and fashioned into a coat of arms. A large chandelier is crafted from every bone in the human body, and strings of bones festoon the nave. Every part of the church is decorated with the bones from the old ossuary.^[1]

The results seem a little macabre, but the skeletal artworks now draw thousands of tourists each year.

9 Capuchin Catacombs
Sicily

On the outskirts of Palermo in Sicily, over 8,000 bodies are on display in the Capuchin Catacombs. A visit to the ghoulish tourist attraction would be the stuff that nightmares are made from and not for the faint of heart.

The catacombs date back to the 16th century, when Capuchin monks needed more space for their cemetery, so they excavated a crypt beneath their church. Bodies were transferred from the cemetery to the new crypt, where they rest in various states of mummification.

Although the catacombs were originally set aside as a final resting place for the monks, wealthier citizens began to pay to be embalmed within them. Bodies were dressed in their Sunday best and displayed along walls and in caskets. Some better-preserved corpses still have hair and teeth intact, with identifiable facial expressions.

One of the most chilling displays is a young child, Rosalia Lombardo, who died in 1920 and was one of the last people to be embalmed within the catacombs. She has been dubbed “The Sleeping Beauty” because of her remarkable state of preservation. Local authorities banned embalming in 1920.^[2]

8 Temple Of The Rats
India

A Hindu temple in Deshnoke, Rajasthan, is infested with rats, but tourists flock to see it.

Over 20,000 rats live in the temple.^[3] They are considered sacred beings by the Charan people. Worshipers feed the rats each day, and protective wires have even been put in place to keep them safe from predators. While the rodent population is predominantly black, spotting the occasional white rat is considered to be a blessing.

Visitors to the temple are required to take off their shoes before entering. Walking barefoot through rat droppings certainly doesn’t sound like a fun thing to do. Nor is having rats scurry across your feet, which is considered good luck.

7 Lake Natron
Tanzania

An African lake is surrounded with the corpses of calcified animals. High levels of sodium bicarbonate in Tanzania’s Lake Natron mummify any creatures that die on the lake, turning them into bizarre statues. Macabre mummified animals can be found around the lake.

Lake Natron has a particularly inhospitable environment. The high alkalinity of the lake can cause caustic burns to animals not used to the water, and temperatures can reach as high as 60 degrees Celsius (140 °F). However, the waters are home to flamingos and other bird species, which breed in the lake’s shallows. The birds feed on the algal blooms caused by the lake’s high salinity.^[4]

6 Island Of The Dolls
Mexico

When Don Julian Santana took up a reclusive existence on a small island in the canals of Xochimico, Mexico City, he became obsessed with the thought that a young girl had drowned in the canals. He spent his life collecting old dolls, which he hung from trees around the island to appease the soul of the girl.

Isla de Munecas has become a macabre tourist attraction, with visitors adding to the thousands of decaying dolls strung from trees, some limbless and others headless or staring blankly into space like something from a bizarre horror movie. The more gullible believe the dolls are, in fact, possessed by the souls of dead children and can be heard muttering among themselves.

5 Phnom Sampeau Killing Caves
Cambodia

Deep in the jungle near Battambang, Cambodia, lie the Killing Caves of the Khmer Rouge genocide. Victims were marched to holes at the tops of the caves and were bludgeoned to death, their bodies falling into the caverns below. Men and women were killed at separate caves.^[6] While many tourists visit the jungle area for the temples, scenery, monkeys, and bat colonies, others are attracted by a somewhat macabre tourist attraction.

Today, tourists trek to the the Killing Caves, which have been preserved as a memorial to those who were murdered and dumped into the darkness below. Within the caves, bones of unidentified victims are encased in glass displays. Other random collections of bones sit in chicken wire crates as a chilling reminder of the cave’s morbid history.

It would certainly be a chilling and unpleasant site to visit.

4 Paris Catacombs

During the late 18th century, the cemeteries of Paris were overflowing, and officials needed to find a receptacle for the dearly departed. Citizens began complaining of odor and disease from the decomposing bodies in the overcrowded cemeteries.

The solution was found in the network of quarries beneath the city.^[7] Bodies were transferred from cemeteries overnight and dumped down in the old mines. The ossuary became a haphazard mound of assorted skeletal remains.

From 1810, the mountains of bones were organized and stacked along the walls in decorative patterns to form the mausoleum which is visited today. Unidentified skulls are stacked on top of neatly placed femurs. There is no class structure among the row after row of skeletons, with the wealthy mixed in with the poor.

Over six million deceased Parisians are entombed in the catacombs beneath the city, which has been a popular tourist attraction since the late 19th century. Only a small fraction of the roughly 320 kilometers (200 mi) of tunnels are open to the public today.

3 Siriraj Medical Museum
Thailand

A Bangkok museum houses a morbid display of all things related to illness, death, and deformity.

The “Museum of Death,” or Siriraj Medical Museum, is located in Thailand’s oldest hospital, displaying an array of ghoulish exhibits. The museum was originally established as an educational resource for medical professionals and students. It has, however, become a somewhat gruesome tourist attraction.^[8]

Exhibits on display include deformed babies preserved in formaldehyde, bodies of accident victims, and dissected body parts. The museum even houses the mummified body of a notorious serial killer, presumably displayed to deter others from repeating his crimes. Other exhibits graphically show the effects of tumors on various body parts as well as genetic deformities. Murder weapons and gruesome displays of strange deaths are included in the collection.

Unless you are a serious pathology or forensic researcher, this museum seems to be somewhat macabre.

2 Akodessawa Fetish Market
Togo

This bizarre market in Lome, Togo, has everything you need to cast a spell. Voodoo practitioners travel from all over West Africa to source monkey heads, reptile heads, and animal parts.^[9] Described as an “alternative pharmacy,” a stroll through the Fetish Market would seem to produce, rather than cure, illness.

Animal parts in various stages of decay are lined up on tables in the outdoor market. You can just imagine the stench that would waft through the rows. The produce at the market ranges from huge animal bones to place at your back door to ward off evil spirits, to animal feet which can be made into talismans to ensure that your home team wins this weekend.

1 Museum Of Death
United States

The Museum of Death houses a grisly collection of murder weapons, crime scene photos, and death-related memorabilia. The museum’s website claims it holds “the world’s largest collection of serial killer artwork, antique funeral ephemera, mortician and coroners instruments, Manson Family memorabilia, pet death taxidermy, crime scene photographs and so much more!”^[10]

Exhibits include the guillotined head of “Blue Beard of Paris,” a collection of body bags and coffins, execution devices, and autopsy instruments. These aren’t the sort of exhibits that would appeal to most people, but the success of the museum indicates there are many out there who are not creeped out by ghoulish displays. The museum initially started in San Diego before moving to its current Hollywood location in 1995. There is also a second location in New Orleans.

Lesley Connor is a retired Australian newspaper editor who provides articles for online publications and her travel blog.

One day, once the ‘great re-opening’ occurs, we all hope that international travel with commence again. In that spirit, why not plan a totally off-the-wall, weird tour of Europe? That question was rhetorical…

From magical roads to vampire preventions methods, beer gods to little slices of America, Europe is full of wacky, weird and wonderful attractions, all ready to open back up and accept visitors. Take the list, make your booking (when safe to do so) and get ready to see Europe in a different way.

Top 10 Iconic Places Pictured From Behind

10 Tring Natural History Museum, Tring, England

On the surface, this isn’t all that weird an attraction to visit. This museum is affiliated with the larger ‘National History Museum’ located in London, effectively making the Tring site a regional outpost for one of the world’s best-known museums. But a mere outpost it is not—the museum dates back to 1889, originally built to house the private collection of taxidermy animals amassed by Lionel Walter Rothschild (yes, one of the Rothschilds of banking dynasty fame. Keep your tinfoil hat on…) The museum has maintained an impressive, invaluable number of the Victorian-era exhibits and remains one of the most important collections of taxidermy anywhere in the world.

Not that weird, though, is it? Wait until you see the fleas. The museum’s collection of dressed-up Mexican fleas is quite a sight… if you look really close, of course. Sold as tourist curios over a century ago, these colourful little beasties are quite bizarre.

What would you do with them once purchased, invite guests to look at them through a huge spyglass? Yes, that is exactly what was expected (after a dinner party and good old glug of some laudanum-laced absinthe, most likely). Now you can go to Tring and see an extensive collection of these oddities. Jeez, the things people used to find entertaining, eh? Ok maybe things haven’t improved that much.

9 The Magic Hill, Dundalk, Ireland

Any place with ‘magic’ in the name seems like it’s bound to be lame – probably just an awful kiddies’ theme park with slow rides and washed-up losers parading around in costumes. The ‘Magic Hill’ in Ireland certainly bucks this trend. It is gloriously weird.

The road is found in the countryside beyond Dundalk in County Louth, Ireland. It runs up or down, depending on which side of the road your travelling, and displays a very curious effect – cars that are left in neutral (not in gear) and with the parking break off will start to gently roll uphill. The effect remained unexplained until Dr. Eoghan Sweeny-O’Connor from Trinity College Dublin’s “Department of Celtic Sciences” discovered that it was the combination of residual magical energies emitted by a nearby colony of leprechauns paired with the gasses occasionally emitted by fating banshees passing by that caused the laws of physics to reverse.

Or, if you haven’t decided to write a listicle whilst drinking a bottle of Black Bush whiskey, it’s just an optical illusion; the countryside surrounding the road slopes in such a way as to trick you into thinking the road slopes that way also. In fact, the road goes ever so slightly the opposite way, causing the effect. Still, if you find yourself in Dundalk with time to kill, why not go there, leave your car in neutral* and go up and down the Magic Hill. Calling out “Weeeee!” whilst doing so is a hallowed Irish tradition, and thus obligatory.

*WARNING – expect to get rear-ended by at least 1 tractor when doing the above action

8 Ride And Eat On The Bustronome, Paris, France

Paris isn’t short on nice places to eat. The main issue with all the amazing restaurants in France’s capital is that they don’t move. Enter the Bustronome, a mobile restaurant that lets see the city and eat some pan seared beef cheeks with carrots followed by a lemon and meringue intermezzo, all at the same time… the sites and the food, not the beef and the meringue, that is.

You’ll travel around the ‘City of Light’ in a converted double-decker bus, eating a six course sampling menu (four courses for lunchtime bookings), listening to gentle music and take in the sights. The roof has also been converted to a fully transparent one, making the guest feel as though they are dining on a cruise ship sailing gently through on of the world’s foremost metropolises. Bon Appétit!

7 Mini Hollywood, Tabernas, Spain

What could be more surprising than the fact that Spain has Europe’s only sandy desert? Probably the fact that there is an amusement park with a Wild West style town plonked in the middle of it.

This theme park has a pretty cool history – back in the age of the ‘Spaghetti Westerns’ (the 1960s), the site was used to film such classics as Sergio Leone’s ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ and ‘A Few Dollars More’. It was also used to film (the far less impressive) ‘A Town Called Mercy’ episode of the re-booted ‘Doctor Who’ series in 2012.

The park boasts a panoply of live-action stunt-based events every day – a bank raid, gunfights and even a re-enactment of the death of famed Old West bandit Jesse James. There’s a zoo, a swimming pool and a play barn for the kids. Plus, mercifully for parents, a saloon. No opium dens or bordellos; the period specific authenticity only stretches so far, it seems.

6 Spreuerhofstraße, Reutlingen, Germany

There are plenty of streets in major cities all over the globe where it would be prudent for a person to take a deep breath and hold whilst walking – there are some pretty polluted, unsanitary places around. In Reutlingen, a beautiful medieval city in the state of Baden-Württemberg, there is a street where a sharp intake of breath is required for a very different reason—it’s 31cm (12.3 inches) wide. The narrow lane was built in 1727 as a part of a reconstruction in the city after a fire had raised large tranches of it the previous year. A better city planner may have decided against building this titchy walkway, but hey, it’s there.

Now, according to the Guinness Book of World records, this is the narrowest street in the world. But there is a street in France – ‘L’Andouno’ in the commune of Gassin – which is 29cm at its narrowest point. But a shiny, annual almanac has deemed the German street as the narrowest there is, so that’s the one you should visit… as long as you don’t down several steins of beer and a couple of bratwursts before you try to, that is.

5 Rynek Underground, Kravov, Poland

Underground museum with innovative light projections on smoke? Awesome. Preserved cemetery with an exhibit on anti-vampire burial customs? Uh… how many stairs are there to climb back out?

Your entrance to this popular museum is pretty unspectacular – a nondescript little door. But as you descend, your welcomed by a short film projected onto a wall of smoke that gives an overview of the site and its history. That’s more like it!

The exhibits make heavy use of modern tech, with touch screens and holograms everywhere. This modern approach to curation contrasts with the fact that you are not really in a museum – you’re walking around an archaeological dig site, albeit a fancily packaged one. The place is vast and dimly lit, so older visitors or families with small kids may want to steer clear. Medieval history buffs, prospective Van Helsings and Indiana Jones wannabes? This is the museum for you.

Located in one of Europe’s most amazing cities, this cool museum is a great place to visit in order to shake up your city break – nice meal, historic architecture, subterranean vampire-deterring graveyard experience. Not exactly a trip to the Louvre, is it?

4 Fekete SasPatikamúzeum, Székesfehérvár, Hungray

From an uncovered historical site found underground, we now go to a preserved historical site found on a normal Hungarian street. Back in 1688, just after the nation’s liberation from the Ottoman Empire, the first ‘modern’ pharmacist (‘modern’ insofar as he was a guy who didn’t try to cure your plague after consulting chicken entrails) set up shop in the central Hungarian city of Székesfehérvár. After changing hands a few times over the centuries, the site continued to operate right up until 1971.

A few years later, it passed to the King István museum. The shop was restored and renovated, the beautiful baroque wood carvings polished and patched, and the centuries of collected pharmaceutical artefacts collected and put on display. As you walk around, you can marvel at the ornate carvings and wonder if that was one of the last sights some ill Hungarian saw before getting prescribed some powdered mummy to cure his TB.

This place is really stunning, a glimpse of a bygone era and a lost world – a world emerging from the middle ages into the age of reason.

3 The Visnes Statue of Liberty, Karmoy, Norway

This is the perfect place to visit if you like classic Americana but also value your respiratory health. Or hate bagels. It’s a little slice of freedom near the village of Visnes up in Europe’s frozen north. A scaled down Lady Liberty. God bless, uh, Norway!

So why is this here, near a small village in northern Europe? Was Abraham Lincoln a fan of pickled herring? Did Martin Luther King Jnr support Tromsø football club? Was Donald Trump actually born in Bergen (please, run with that one conspiracy theorists – it’d be hilarious)?

The truth, although still cool, is a good deal more mundane. It had been rumoured for decades that the copper used in the making of the New York statue came from the French-owned mine in the area. At the centennial celebrations of the statue, researchers uncovered that the copper had indeed come from the Visnes mine. By 1986, tests had been conducted on samples of copper from the statue, confirming that it was indeed from Norway.

2 Statue Of Bill Clinton, Bill Clinton Boulevard, Pristina, Kosovo

A Wild West theme park and randomly located Lady Liberty not American enough for you? How about a giant statue of the good ole’ US of A’s greatest ever president (according to numerous studies conducted by experts at the Clinton Foundation)?

But if chest-clutching, tear-jerking patriotism isn’t your thing, maybe badly rendered statues of famous people is. Since Blackpool, England’s main attraction – no not the tower, the beach or the theme park, we mean ‘Louis Tussaud’s House of Wax’, the single worst wax museum ever—decided to ditch their crappy old waxworks in favour of ‘realistic’ models, this statue in Kosovo can help you scratch that hilariously unrealistic itch. It really looks nothing like him. And that’s just wonderful.

1 The Altar Of Ragutis, Vilnius, Lithuania

Beer is god to many people nowadays. It seems that this was true for ancient Lithuanians too, given that central Vilnius still has an altar to the God of Beer found in a small park. Well, Ragutis is one god of beer – there are 2 more in Baltic paganism. I Sveikata!

This may not be the most razzle-dazzle, spectacular entry on this list, but after a good night out in downtown Vilnius, having sampled the beverages the Lithuanian capital has to offer, you can stumble over to thank the god that allowed you to enjoy by lighting a candle at his alter. Just take care not to stand too close, especially if you’ve spilled half your libations on your sweater over the course of the night. Ragutis may unleash a fiery Armageddon if he receives a human sacrifice.

Top 10 Stunning Photographs Of Hidden Gem Destinations

About The Author: CJ Phillips is a storyteller, actor and writer living in rural West Wales. He is a little obsessed with lists.

Gradually and with fingers crossed, we’re starting to get back to normal. Even as the COVID-19 delta variant threatens additional lockdowns, the world is opening back up to travel – and one thing we can all use is a vacation.

But with travel comes a decided downside: the dreaded tourist trap. Here are ten to avoid at otherwise wonderful travel destinations.

Top 10 Iconic Behind-The-Scenes Photos From Hit Movies

10 South Beach (Miami)

The problem with South Beach isn’t that it exists… it’s that it’s the most noteworthy tourist attraction in an absolutely amazing city… and is a garish, trashy trap.

South Beach marries the worst of Florida – gaudy, tacky, violently drunk – with the worst aspects of mass tourism: overpriced, underwhelming restaurants and bars, and ignorant fools thinking they’re getting some sort of authentic South Florida experience.

Locals know precisely how trashy South Beach is; in fact, they sort of like it that way because it keeps tourists away from the city’s best beaches, dining and nightlife. However, the area is now facing a crackdown amid complaints from residents about excessive noise, crowds and, most recently, nightly COVID superspreader events.

If you absolutely must witness this nonsense for yourself, South Beach still has one classy holdover: an upscale seafood restaurant called Joe’s Stone Crab has been an institution since 1913. You’ll pay a premium, but the food is still consistently terrific.

Suggested alternatives: Want a better beach? Try Bill Baggs State Park in Key Biscayne, with a trademark lighthouse and surrey bike rentals under shaded paths. For dining, Calle Ocho in Little Havana features some of the best (and reasonably priced) Cuban food in the world (a personal favorite: El Exquisito, a glorified diner pumping out exemplary Cuban fare). Rainy day? Check in the Wynwood Walls, an artist installment turned hip district with trendy shops and eclectic eateries.

9 Forbidden City (Beijing)

On paper, the Forbidden City has an impressive resume. Lying at the epicenter of the enormous metropolis’ famous ring roads, the 72-hectare area is dotted with imperial residences, ornate gardens and traditional temples.

So named because no one could enter or leave its walled confines without the emperor’s permission, the Forbidden City was initially constructed in the early 15th Century. Serving as the home of Chinese emperors and their households, it was the ceremonial and political center of China for over 500 years. Since 1925, the Forbidden City has been operated by the Palace Museum, and displays an extensive array of artwork and artifacts primarily from the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.

However, the gap between the Forbidden City’s hype and its actuality is, quite literally, yawning. Though there are certainly several items of interest, there are only so many chalices, tapestries and incense burners one can see before everything starts to look the same. While beautiful, it’s an old city that gets old fast – especially for Western visitors, who typically lack the proper intrigue-instilling context behind the mountain of ancient valuables.

Suggested alternative: Beijing is an incredibly fast-changing city. And while the Forbidden City will always be there, its hutongs – aging, often decrepit residential neighborhoods amid a maze of narrow, daunting alleyways – will not. While somewhat voyeuristic, touring these humbler remnants of Beijing’s past can be more fascinating than endless display cases of gilded knickknacks.

8 Checkpoint Charlie (Berlin)

Perhaps no symbol in modern history better exemplified the value of freedom than the Berlin Wall. Following World War II, the city was partitioned between the four major victorious Allies: The US, UK, France and the Soviet Union. And since Berlin sits squarely in eastern Germany, the US, UK and French sectors became an island of Western freedom surrounded by an Iron Curtain.

The result was predictable: East Germans used Berlin as a vehicle to flee to freedom. By 1961, some 3.5 million – about 20% of East Germany’s population – emigrated to West Germany. So the Soviets pulled the ultimate optics don’t: 27 miles of tall, barbed-wire-topped wall. And until its glorious fall in 1989, the most prominent crossing point for foreigners and military personnel was Checkpoint Charlie.

But world-class cities like Berlin evolve. So while the history is fascinating, today Checkpoint Charlie is little more than an intersection with dueling posters showing two soldiers – one American, one Russian – staring at each other from across the now business-as-usual locale. There’s a fairly interesting museum about the Wall’s history, but other than that it’s the expected cheesy souvenir shops and overpriced, underwhelming eateries.

Suggested alternatives: Several bike tours of Berlin visit some of the Wall’s still-standing remnants, a few of which even have original guard towers. Also, a significant stretch of remaining Wall contains more than 100 murals, many dating from the period immediately following the Wall’s official decommission.

7 Old Town Montreal

Many world cities feature charming “old towns.” The Alfama district in Lisbon, Gamla Stan in Stockholm and the narrow streets of Lower Manhattan all have a nostalgic romanticism that, while perhaps a touch touristy in parts, retain the sort of authenticity that make travel so rewarding.

Unfortunately, one of North America’s greatest metropolises, Montreal, has an old city that has wasted several hours of many a tourist’s time. Its old-timey cobblestone streets belie the complete lack of anything worthwhile around its quaint corners. Instead, it’s an endless array of souvenir shops, hustlers offering to draw you as a cartoon, and dumpy cafes selling overpriced, flavorless poutine. The neighborhood is like a protracted lie, dashing hopes for some idealized francophone experience one rueful rue at a time.

Suggested alternatives: Montreal is easily Canada’s most eclectic culinary city. Besides traditional and nouveau French Canadian eateries, the city also has a noteworthy Jewish heritage; a favorite spot for smoked meat sandwiches is Schwartz’s Deli – a rare tourist spot that lives up to the hype.

Montreal also has something fairly unique: a veritable underground city, built in response to the city’s frigid wintertime temperatures. More than 20 miles of walkways connect subway stations, office buildings and housing complexes, and much of it is lined with top-notch shopping and dining. During the summer, Montreal also hosts two world-class annual events: a renowned jazz festival and the “Just for Laughs” comedy-fest.

6 Guinness Brewery (Dublin)

Touring breweries, wineries and distilleries can be immersing ways to discover a region’s culture and cuisine. Everything from wine tasting in Tuscany to whiskey sampling in Scotland to brewery tours in Belgium are inviting, interesting and joyfully intoxicating.

But remove the quaintness from the atmosphere, and what’s left is a mass-market tourist trap. If a winery or distillery’s gift shop is larger than its tasting room, the specialness of an authentic travel experience evaporates along with the angel’s share.

Unfortunately, such is the case with the home of Ireland’s signature beer: Guinness. The thick, frothy concoction is produced at St. James’ Gate Brewery in Dublin; in fact, when the wind is blowing in the right direction, a pleasant barley and hops scent permeates much of the town.

Touring the 18th Century building seems like a very traditional thing to do… until you actually enter the Guinness Storehouse. Inside is a cheesy “museum” whose atrium is tackily shaped like a Guinness pint glass. The entire operation is basically a €25 per person, seven-story endorsement for Guinness, under the guise of telling the history of beermaking.

Suggested alternatives: Plenty of smaller, newer breweries in Dublin offer tours and tastings more intriguing and less expensive. One is Five Lamps, an Irish up and comer. Want to drink somewhere truly historic? Stop by Ireland’s oldest pub, Brazen Head, which has been operating since 1198.

5 Leaning Tower of Pisa

Many a visitor to Florence, Italy has made the fateful decision to book a daytrip 100 kilometers west to the small city of Pisa, population 90,000. There, they looked at an old, slightly askew structure for a few minutes, and then did… what exactly?

People don’t pose for marginally amusing photos featuring the Leaning Tower of Pisa because they’re actually funny; they pose for photos featuring the Leaning Tower of Pisa because there is absolutely nothing else to do in Pisa besides look at a 14th Century belltower with a four-degree tilt.

Want to climb it? Have fun. The handsome price of €17 buys the right to huff and puff up 300 stairs to the top of a building that is… 18 stories tall. Not exactly scraping the clouds up there.

Besides that, there is simply no reason to be in Pisa – especially considering its close-but-not-too-close proximity to Florence. Anyone visiting the region would be remiss to skip Florence and, once there amid unmissable attractions like the Florence Cathedral and its trademark dome, have no need to trek 100 kms to a less impressive place to glimpse a 14th Century construction error.

Suggested alternatives: Far more worthwhile daytrips are available from Florence. For starters, wine tours abound since Florence is in the heart of oenophile Tuscany. Another option is Cinque Terre, an historic five-village cliffside coastal area.

4 Times Square (New York City)

If you’re not going to a play or pick-pocketing a tourist, please remove yourself from Times Square immediately. New York City’s most famous place name is so devoid of anything interesting that a list of “Best Things to Do in Times Square” is headlined by Bryant Park… which isn’t in Times Square.

The cheesy souvenir shops, disgusting chain restaurants and Disneyland-esque cartoon characters peddling five-dollar photo-ops make the area’s peep show and porn theater past look downright sophisticated. Oh, and there’s a guitar-playing guy wearing a cowboy hat, boots and underwear – and nothing else – who’s been skulking around the area since the late 1990s. Can somebody #MeToo this guy already?

Times Square suffers from a classic spillover problem: it’s a neighborhood that has a legitimate purpose – theater – which in turn attracts secondary business catering to the tourists that flock to the theater. Today, though, Times Square’s baseness is eating even the arts, as mass-market musicals that are essentially people dancing to Billy Joel or Green Day limit more deserving productions.

Suggested alternatives: Anything else, with the possible exception of Little Italy. Perhaps a few lesser-known museums? The Museum of the City of New York shows how Manhattan grew from its southern tip up. The Museum of Chinese in America is a great jumping off point to explore Manhattan’s last authentic ethnic neighborhood, Chinatown, while the New York Transit Museum is fittingly housed in an abandoned subway station in downtown Brooklyn.

3 The London Eye (London)

The mid-1990s decision to build what amounts to a permanent state fair installment on the bank of the Thames River probably went something like this:

City official #1: “We’re a world-class city and need to do something to mark the millennium. Any ideas?”

City official #2: (Awkward pause) “Um, how about a big f*cking Ferris wheel?”

City official #1: “Done and done. Here’s £70 million. And go ruin the Big Ben-Westminster Abbey skyline view while you’re at it.”

Originally called the Millennium Wheel, the London Eye, which opened on December 31, 1999, is officially a “cantilevered observation wheel.” In fact, it’s Europe’s largest cantilevered observation deck (how’s THAT for bragging rights?).

Despite basically being a £25-per-person carnival ride in a city of incredible landmarks like the Tower of London and the British Museum, the London Eye – whose myriad detractors call it (what else) the London Eyesore – attracts about three million riders per year. That makes it the single most visited paid attraction in the entire United Kingdom. So either the British are tacky or the tourists are; perhaps they should start serving corndogs and deep-fried Oreos at the ticket booth?

Suggested alternative: Skip the Ferris wheel and go below street level instead – to the Churchill War Rooms. Housing the underground nerve center where the British government directed World War II, as well as the adjacent Churchill Museum, the bunkers recall Londoners at their finest hour.

2 The Blue Mosque (Istanbul)

Judging from its history, the Sultan Ahmet Camil – better known as the Blue Mosque – seems like an itinerary must. The 400-year-old, 13-dome, 8-minaret behemoth has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. And since it’s an active house of worship, there’s no admission charge. So kick off those shoes – and cover your heads, ladies – and let’s step inside.

Oh. Huh. It’s just a big carpeted room with Middle Eastern-esque painted walls, some of which are blue.

Unlike the intricate statues and luxuriant ornateness of many Christian (especially Catholic) churches, mosques – even the most famous ones – offer comparably fewer aesthetics. No pictures or busts of prominent Muslims, no grand organ, no gilded chalice holding the alcohol-infused blood of a deity.

Instead, the Blue Mosque is a bunch of windows and patterns. It’s beautiful and interesting for like two minutes. But once you’re done looking around at the reason for its colorful nickname – its 20,000 handmade İznik tiles, a turquoise ceramic, decorated with Turkey’s familiar tulip pattern – it’s just boring. (Note: those truly enamored of Turkish interior design should instead visit the Topkapi Palace Harem.)

Suggested alternative: Assuming you’ve already toured the nearby Hagia Sophia (well worth it), check out the Spice Market, Istanbul’s cavernous covered bazaar dedicated to the region’s culinary delights. Many stalls can vacuum pack spices to survive the plane ride home.

1 The Eiffel Tower (Paris)

The official tagline for Paris’ skeletal skyscraper is “There’s no feeling like it.” And that’s true… if that feeling is abject boredom mixed with regret at wasting several hours better spent elsewhere in the City of Lights. Hell, the ashen ruins of Notre Dame are more appealing.

For starters, a single ticket providing top-level access to the Eiffel Tower is $30. But look! If you buy online, you can skip the line… unless some of the tower’s other 16,000 daily visitors stumbled open this newfangled thing called the Internet. Back of the line, mon ami (P.S., it’s a cliché to say “mon ami” to a Frenchman. Instead say nothing at all!) Rather climb 90 stories of stairs? Be my guest.

But of course, once the waiting is over and you’re up at the top, the view is breathtaking! Only it isn’t. It’s a park surrounded by endless, mostly gray buildings. But hey, just buy a flute of exceptionally overpriced champagne and take in the panoramic ennui.

Like so many other urban “for the view” attractions – the Circle Line boat tour around Manhattan comes to mind – the Eiffel Tower sends tourists over a city they should be diving into. You’re in Paris for God’s sake. There’s better things to do than look at rooftops.

Suggested alternative: The Musee Picasso Paris is among the finest collections of the Spanish artist’s extensive work, housing more than 5,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, ceramics, prints and engravings. It’s more digestible and less crowded than the Louvre, and offers far better views than the Eiffel Tower.

Top 10 Iconic Places Pictured From Behind

The world is full of unexplored and lesser-travelled destinations just waiting to be fully discovered. Whether it be an historic site, hidden beach, unusual museum or half-buried ruins, these places make for unforgettable holidays, day trips and memories.

Related: 10 Beautiful Images Of Abandoned Structures

10 Huacachina

Peru is a very popular tourist destination because it is the location of Machu Picchu, the Inca Trail, the Sacred Valley, Sillustani and many other stunning attractions. Before the pandemic hit, the country received on average between 3 and 4 million foreign visitors each year.

These numbers drop to the low thousands, however, when it comes to the small village of Huacachina that sits surrounded by sand dunes in southwestern Peru. The village is built around a small but breath-taking oasis and is inhabited by only 100 people. Legend has it that the oasis, which is a natural desert lake, was created when a native princess was in the process of getting ready to take a bath but then saw a hunter approaching her. Dropping the mirror she was holding, she ran, and the mirror turned into a lake. Today there are still rumors of a mermaid living in the waters of the lake, with many locals believing it is the very same princess.

The water is also said to be therapeutic, and locals bathe in it to relieve symptoms of rheumatic diseases and asthma.

9 Cosmosphere

The concept of space and what may or may not be out there, has long since fascinated humankind. For those who are interested in space travel, the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas makes for a fantastic tourist attraction. This museum houses more than 13,000 spaceflight artifacts and offers acclaimed educational programs.

Here visitors can explore The Hall of Space Museum, The Carey Digital Dome Theatre that brings space documentaries to life, The Justice Planetarium that takes you on a journey through the night sky, and Dr. Goddard’s Lab where you can watch an interactive show on the history of rockets. The artifacts on display in the Hall of Space include the Liberty Bell 7 Mercury spacecraft, a Moon rock from Apollo 11 and the Gemini 10 space capsule.

8 Bazaruto Archipelago

Mozambique is well-known for its beautiful beaches, traditional music, and excellent seafood. It is also the location of the Gorongosa National Park when you can have the ultimate immersive wilderness experience.

Not quite as trodden, are the paths that run through the Bazaruto Archipelago. The archipelago consists of six islands and became a national park in 1971. Its beauty remains protected and because of this there are still wild horses that play in the surf, intact coral reefs, and a population of around 180 sea cows to be spotted. In addition, 141 bird species, 18 reptile species, 21 mammal species and 5 dolphin species also inhabit the area.

7 Heaven Lake

In China, there are temples where you can learn kung fu, famous restaurants that offer unforgettable cuisine, giant pandas, fragrant teahouses, and many impressive tourist destinations including the dramatic Yellow River, The Great Wall, and the Forbidden City. On the lesser-known side of the scale, China is also home to the Dongchuan Red Lands, the Zhangye Rainbow Mountains, and the historic Fujian earthen buildings.

Nestled in a mountain range on the border between North Korea and China, lies the magical Heaven Lake. The lake lies within a caldera on top of the Paektu Mountain and is the highest volcanic lake in the world. Heaven Lake boasts its very own mythical monster, known as the Lake Tianchi Monster. It is also rumored that Kim Jong-iI was born near the lake and that the ice covering it cracked loudly after his death.

6 Penghu

Penghu in Taiwan consists of 90 small islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait that offer a host of activities, great beaches, and a glimpse into ancient history.

Walking around on the islands, you will see many beautiful temples, basalt cliffs, and the Chixi Rock Waterfall which is said to resemble a galloping horse. An old ship port is now known as the Penghu Paradise Road, which is a narrow footpath that leads out into the ocean.

Then there is Duxinghsi Village which is the oldest military housing in Taiwan and used to house the Japanese army during WWII. Many Japanese-styled homes can still be found here. On the southwest side of the West Island stands the Sitai Ancient Fortress which was built in the Qing Dynasty and hidden in a basalt.

5 Southern Namib Desert

The desert isn’t exactly the first place that comes to mind when planning a vacation, but the Southern Namib Desert in Namibia not only provides one of the best spots for nightly stargazing, but the sweeping desert views are truly mesmerizing. The Namib Desert is believed to be the oldest desert in the world, dating back around 55 million years and is home to springbok, ostriches, zebras, cheetahs and even lions, despite the harsh environment and minimal rainfall.

Often, thick rolling mists obscure the view of the nearby ocean, as the cold air from the Benguela Current clashes with the hot desert air. The Namib Desert is also the place where desert-adapted elephants roam, but sightings are rare because poaching has caused their numbers to dwindle dramatically.

4 Tohoku

In 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami killed over 18,000 people in Tohoku alone and caused great damage to infrastructure. In addition to this the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant was also severely damaged, with the meltdown of three nuclear reactors which led to the release of radioactive materials into the environment.

The resilience of the people of the Tohoku region has seen the area bounce back, however, and today it is again a beautiful place with so much to offer visitors. This includes the Aomori Nebuta Festival, the archaeological sites in Hiraizumi, and the Hakkoda Mountains. There is even a bright yellow train called Pokemon with You that was designed and built with the idea to bring smiles back to the faces of children whose families and homes were impacted by the tsunami. The train is decorated with Pikachu’s and Poke balls and includes a Playroom car.

3 New Caledonia

New Caledonia lies in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, around 900 miles east of Australia. The Isle of Pines forms part of its archipelago and it is here where you will find the magnificent Upi Bay. Turtles and dolphins frolic in the clear aquamarine water and huge rocks seemingly float on its surface.

Tourists can sail around in a traditional outrigger while taking in the stunning sight of Upi Bay, go for a swim or go sightseeing in the adjacent rain forest. Turtle Bay boasts clear waters, reef sharks, stingrays, and turtles, while Brush Island has a deserted beach just begging to be explored.

On the mainland of New Caledonia there are Melanesian dishes to be enjoyed, lakes to visit and waterfalls to take in.

2 Tsitsikamma National Park

Visitors to South Africa seem to prefer the well-known locations such as Cape Town and Johannesburg over the lesser-explored destinations to be found here, of which there are an abundance.

One of these underappreciated attractions is the Tsitsikamma National Park which forms part of the Garden Route National Park. It is the largest marine reserve in SA and harbors the giant Outenique yellowwood trees. It is also the location of the 42km hiking trail known as the Otter Trail.

Through the Tsitsikamma Mountain Range, the powerful Storms River winds its way to the Indian Ocean. It is one of the best places in the country to go diving or snorkeling and the Storms River area is home to the highest commercial bungee jump in the world.

1 Extremadura

Extremadura is often referred to as ‘Spain’s best kept secret.’ The area is bordered by Andalucía and Portugal and was an important part of the Iberian Peninsula during Roman times as it lays astride a major trade route for the trading of copper and tin. It is the poorest region in Spain and the least populated but has a wealth of historic heritage and majestic open spaces to offer.

Merida is the capital of Extremadura and lies at the point where Ruta de la Plata crosses the river Guadiana. The Roman bridge that spans across the river is the longest of its kind in the world. Merida also boasts a Roman theatre, stadium, three aqueducts and an amphitheatre.

There are also two historic monasteries in Extremadura, including the Santa Maria de Guadalupe where Christopher Columbus thanked God for the discovery of the New World, and the monastery of Yuste where the emperor Charles V lived for the last two years of his life.

New York City wasn’t always the gleaming skyscraper hub that it is now. In 1624, the Dutch settled along the Hudson River and stayed for two years before establishing the colony of New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island. The British took over control of the area in 1664 and renamed it New York City. New York City was the capital of the U.S. from 1785 to 1790 and has a rich and interesting history. One that provided ample reasons to take photographs, some of which are vintage artifacts today.

Today, New York is a huge tourist attraction for people worldwide who want to take in Times Square, gaze at the famous buildings, watch a Broadway show, or take a trip to see the Statue of Liberty. Looking at the old photographs now, it is fascinating to see how the city has grown to be the mammoth attraction it is in modern times, with a population of over 8.5 million—especially considering that around 20,500 years ago, it was nothing but a 1000-feet thick sheet of ice.

Related: 10 Ways You’re Picturing Popular Tourist Attractions Incorrectly

10 Three Anchor Bay

Cape Town, also known as the Mother City, is located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The city lies at the foot of Table Mountain and boasts the second-most residents in the country.

Three Anchor Bay is a very popular, upmarket suburb of Cape Town, renowned for the beach of the same name where famous Afrikaans poet, Ingrid Jonker, drowned herself in 1965. The suburb sports many high-rise apartment buildings overlooking the sea and a raised promenade that is a firm favorite of joggers. Visible through gaps between the buildings is Lion’s Head, a mountain that lies between Table Mountain and Signal Hill.

However, back in 1905, Three Anchor Bay only had a few houses, and there wasn’t a promenade in sight. Instead, there was an expanse of sandy beach where bathers could lounge in the sun, and Lion’s Head was in full view.^[1]

9 Canyon de Chelly

The Ancient Puebloans settled in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, making use of the natural water sources, rich soil, and abundant animal life to sustain their families. Life was good here until the mid-1300s when the Puebloans left the area searching for better farmlands. Following their departure, their Hopi descendants started planting corn fields and fruit orchards in the canyons. The Hopi also didn’t stay, and the canyons then became home to the Navajo people. The Navajo Nation and the National Park Service share resources in modern times and continue to work together to preserve Canyon de Chelly.

In this striking photograph taken in 1904, Navajo riders can be seen crossing the desert with Canyon de Chelly towering above them. The image was captured by Edward S. Curtis and is one of his best-known photographs.^[2]

8 Cappadocia

Cappadocia is the place of “fairy chimneys,” which are remarkable rock formations that change color every day at sunset. The rocks were formed after ancient volcanic eruptions covered the area in thick ash, which later became solid soft rock called “tuff.” Over time, erosion shaped the rocks to form pointy shapes, some as tall as 130 feet.

During Roman times, Christians who suffered persecution fled to Cappadocia and soon realized that it was relatively easy to dig into the soft rock. Soon houses, caves, storehouses, and even churches sprung up. They also built underground cities reaching almost ten stories deep and with enough room to hide 10,000 people at a time.

In 1935, John D. Whiting and G. Eric Matson traveled to Cappadocia at the request of the National Geographic Society, during which they captured a series of 134 photographs, including this one with their stationary car in front of one of the fairy chimneys.^[3]

7 Isle of Skye

Magical is the word that comes to mind when looking at photographs of the Isle of Skye. Skye is the largest of the Inner Hebrides islands, and much of the landscape consists of moorland. Here you will find Dunvegan Castle, picturesque fishing villages, the famous Fairy Pools, and if luck is on your side, you might even catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

Skye has been occupied since prehistoric times, and its long history has provided many reasons for photography, other than the magnificent landscapes, that is. In this photograph (date unknown) is a house in the village of Dunvegan overlooking a sea loch.^[4]

6 Machu Picchu

The ruins of Machu Picchu have a deeply mysterious atmosphere that can mesmerize you even if you’re just looking at them in a photograph. It is believed that German adventurer Augusto Berns may have visited the ancient Inca citadel in 1867, but it wasn’t truly “discovered” until 1911 when Yale professor Hiram Bingham was led to the site by Melchor Arteaga, who was a local Quechua-speaking resident. At the time, Bingham was in search of Vilcabamba (the lost city of the Incas).

Machu Picchu was excavated between 1911 and 1915 and then in 1934 and again between 1940 and 1941. The general consensus is that the site was constructed and occupied from the mid-fifteenth to the mid-sixteenth century and was likely a palace complex of the ruler, Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui.

Bingham captured a series of photos during his time at the site, providing an interesting glimpse at the excavation process and what Machu Picchu looked like over one hundred years ago.^[5]

5 The Wailing Wall

Jerusalem is home to the Wailing Wall, also known as the Western Wall, which is the most religious site in the world for the Jewish people. Thousands of people make the journey each year to visit the site and recite prayers which are often written down and placed within the cracks of the wall.

King Herod built the wall in 20 BC, and when the Romans destroyed the adjoining Second Temple in AD 70, its support wall (the Wailing Wall) was spared.

In this photograph, taken in 1921, a section of the massive wall can be seen, with two British soldiers standing knee-deep in the snow before it.^[6]

4 St. James’s Street

In the 17th century, St. James’s was a residential location for the British aristocracy. St. James’s is located in the City of Westminster, London, and forms part of the West End. The central district’s name is derived from the dedication of a 12th-century leper hospital, and the site of this hospital has been converted to St. James’s Palace.

The palace was built by order of Henry VIII in the 1530s and is the most senior royal palace in the U.K. It was one of the most important palaces of the early Georgian monarchy but was eventually displaced by Buckingham Palace around the early 19th century.

In 1897, Queen Victoria celebrated her diamond jubilee. The celebrations began with a Thanksgiving service at Windsor Castle. When she returned to London the following day, she found Union Jacks decorating balconies as far as the eye could see as well as a sea of flowers and smiling faces.

St. James’s Street, the main street in St. James’s, was decorated with garlands and lights and temporary structures set up in front of houses, shops, and offices as part of the festivities. A photo of the very festive-looking St. James’s Street was captured by York & Son and is now part of an exhibition of pictures at Birmingham Library.^[7]

3 The Sagrada Familia

It’s been almost 140 years since the design of The Sagrada Familia saw the light. The original architect Francisco de Paula del Villar was replaced by Antoni Gaudí, who changed the vision del Villar had. Gaudí worked on the project until his death in 1926, after which Domènec Sugranyes took over.

As decades passed, work on the minor basilica continued with construction halting in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In April 2021, construction continued with the focus on an 18-meter shaft of reinforced concrete that tops the Sagrada Familia. It is hoped that the building will finally be completed in 2026, which will also be 100 years after Gaudí’s death.

This photograph of the structure was taken in 1905, 23 years after construction started.^[8]

2 Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate is one of the most famous landmarks of Germany. It was built during the 18th century on the order of King Frederick William II, and it stands on the site of a former city gate that used to mark the start of the road from Berlin to Brandenburg an der Havel.

The Gate saw many major historical events take place, and while it was seen as a symbol of war for a long time, it is also upheld as a symbol of unity and peace in Europe. It was also the site where U.S. President Ronald Reagan made a rousing speech and where 4000 demonstrators gathered to prevent supporters of the anti-Islam group Pegida from marching to the Gate.

Every year around one million people flock to the Gate for a massive New Year’s Eve party.

This photo (left) of the Gate was taken in 1928 with the Quadriga statue that includes the Roman goddess of victory, Victoria, clearly visible on top of it.^[9]

1 Pont du Gard

The Pont du Gard aqueduct is a masterpiece of technical and artistic proportions. The Romans built it in the first century AD for the purpose of carrying water over 50 kilometers to Nemausus (Nîmes today). The structure took five years and 1,000 laborers to build and weighs around 50,000 tons. It crosses the river Gardon and is the highest of all the aqueduct bridges built by the Romans.

Its secondary use was as a toll bridge with the levies collected from travelers used for the upkeep of the structure.

Today it is one of the most-visited monuments in France, and it has been since the 18th century. This photograph of the magnificent aqueduct was taken by an unnamed visitor in 1947.^[10]