cheshirecatsmiler's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Paris, France

The Bouquinistes of Paris

The tradition of open-air secondhand and antiquarian bookselling in Paris dates back to the Renaissance.
Paris, France

Temple de la Sybille (The Temple of Sybille)

This structure atop a craggy cliff in one of the most beautiful parks in Paris boasts an unbeatable view.
Paris, France

The Duluc Detective Agency

Noirish green neon marks the location of one of the oldest private detective agencies in France.
Paris, France

Louis XIV's Globes

Two awe-inspiring globes from the reign of the Sun King hang from the ceiling of France's national library.
Paris, France

La Promenade Plantée

The first green space constructed on an elevated viaduct.
Paris, France

Carousel of Extinct and Endangered Animals

Known as the "Dodo Manège," this carousel features a herd of animals that have disappeared—or may be gone soon.
Paris, France

Musée Curie

The history of radiation is on safe display at the foot of a radiation science laboratory.
Paris, France

Parc Monceau

The ruins of a Duke's bucolic dream, where camels once roamed alongside "Dutch" windmills and faux-Italian vineyards.
Paris, France

Musée Carnavalet

A museum on the history of Paris, including a set of Napoleon's toiletries, Proust's room, and relics of the Revolution.
Paris, France

Musée de la Vie Romantique

Down a cobblestone alleyway is a museum dedicated to Romanticism, with a secret garden.
Paris, France

Le Louxor Palais du Cinema

Egyptian Revival movie palace abandoned for decades and restored in 2013.
Paris, France

Foucault's Pendulum

19th century pendulum and a clock restored by a rogue group of guerilla artists.
Paris, France

Gustave Eiffel's Secret Apartment

High atop the Eiffel Tower is a small apartment built exclusively to entertain the science elite and make the rest of Paris jealous.
Paris, France

Museum of the History of Medicine

One of the oldest medical collections in Europe focusing on rare surgical instruments.
Paris, France

I Love You Wall

Paris' linguistic guide to the international language of, yes, love.
Paris, France

Musée des Arts Forains

A museum of carnival attractions where you are invited to ride the rides.
Paris, France

Shakespeare and Company

This iconic Parisian bookstore doubles as the "Tumbleweed Hotel" for traveling writers.
Paris, France

House of Nicolas Flamel

The oldest stone house in Paris was built by its most famous alchemist.
Paris, France

Bibliothèque nationale de France (National Library of France)

This massive library holds what was once the largest book collection in the world.
Paris, France

Petite Ceinture

Abandoned railway line circling the city of Paris.
Florence, Italy

Massimo Listri Foundation

An extraordinary house museum and cabinet of curiosities in the heart of Florence.
Florence, Italy

Museo Opificio delle Pietre Dure

Overlooked amid the tourist bustle of Florence, this museum is dedicated to the craft of stone inlay.
Florence, Italy

L’importuno di Michelangelo

The famous sculptor left his mark on this Italian wall in an internationally protected example of street art.
Florence, Italy

Medici Hall of Maps (Sala delle Carte Geografiche)

Over 50 exquisite hand-painted Renaissance maps decorate a Medici storage room.