NelmoSimmo's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Loading map...
Zipaquira, Colombia

Cathedral of Salt

Cathedral carved out of salt, located a mile below the earth's surface.
Hope Valley, England

The Round Building

This petite cutlery factory sits on the foundations of a defunct gasworks.
Chichen Itza, Mexico

El Caracol

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

Pyramid of Kukulcan at Chich'en Itza

Every equinox this Maya pyramid puts on a spooky ancient light show.
Chichen Itza, Mexico

Chichen Itza Chirp

Clap your hands at the base of the pyramid, and the song of a sacred Mayan bird will echo through the air.
Ekbalam, Mexico

"Angels" of Ek' Balam

These winged Maya figures are the subject of speculation and conspiracies.
Valladolid, Mexico

Casa China

A mysterious, abandoned Chinese building in Mexico pays homage to the area's East Asian immigrants.
Valladolid, Mexico

Cenote Zací

If you can look past the nearby sewer pipes, this urban sinkhole grotto is a mini-paradise.
Bacalar, Mexico

Laguna de Bacalar (Lake of Seven Colors)

At least seven hues of blue and turquoise make this freshwater lagoon unique.
Guatemala

Lago de Atitlán

Central America's deepest lake is actually a volcanic caldera, surrounded by three volcanoes.
Uvita, Costa Rica

Punta Uvita Tombolo

Along a coast that sees the annual migration of humpback whales, a geological formation that takes the shape of a whale’s tail.
La Fortuna, Costa Rica

La Fortuna Hot Springs

The same water that fills a luxury resort’s pools feeds these free hot springs in the rainforest.
El Peñol, Colombia

El Peñon de Guatape

A 10 million-ton rock once worshiped by the Tahamies Indians, accessed by an astounding staircase.
Medellín, Colombia

The Gondolas of Medellín

An unusual and beautiful form of mass transit serves the city's steepest neighborhoods.
Medellín, Colombia

Plaza Botero

Home to 23 voluptuous and instantly lovable sculptures by one of Latin America's most celebrated artists.
Medellín, Colombia

The Birds of Peace

Two identical statues by Fernando Botero, one blown to pieces in a terrorist bombing, the other donated as a gift for peace.
Villa de Leyva, Colombia

Museo El Fósil

A museum built around a bus-sized fossil on the side of the highway.
Villa de Leyva, Colombia

Villa de Leyva

This colonial town in Colombia sits around the largest stone paved square in South America.
Bogotá, Colombia

Bogotá Botanical Garden

Colombia's biggest botanical garden contains plants from all across the country.
Santiago, Chile

La Chascona

Pablo Neruda's custom-built lover's nest was made to remind him of the sea and named after his mistress' hair.
Puerto Varas, Chile

Pablo Fierro Museum

This fairytale house on the shore of a Chilean Lake oozes an eclectic mix of Chilote and German Cultural heritage.
Auckland, New Zealand

Sky Tower

A New Zealand communications tower stands as the tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere.
Auckland, New Zealand

Symonds Street Cemetery

One of Auckland's oldest cemeteries was partially demolished during the construction of a major highway in the 1960s. 
Auckland, New Zealand

Maungawhau (Mount Eden)

The platform atop this verdant volcano was built with the help of a royal elephant.