Smiip's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Amboise, France

Leonardo da Vinci's Tomb

The great Italian Renaissance painter was laid to rest here in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert.
Ars-en-Ré, France

Oyster Vending Machine

For those late-night mollusk cravings.
Le Château-d'Olonne, France

Le Puits d'Enfer (The Well of Hell)

This crack in France's seaside cliffs once hid a sinister secret.
Les Sables-d'Olonne, France

L'île Penotte Seashell Art

Wall after wall of this French seaside neighborhood is intricately decorated with seashells and corals.
La Rochelle, France

Nazi U-Boat Pens

A massive, secret marina for the Nazis' most formidable weapon in the Atlantic.
Saint-Georges-d'Oléron, France

Fort Boyard

Fighting the British and making game shows for over 150 years.
Bourcefranc-le-Chapus, France

Fort Louvois

A castle-like sea fort from the 17th century is now a museum to oyster farming.
Bordeaux, France

Miroir d'eau

The world's largest reflecting pool is just two centimeters deep.
La Teste-de-Buch, France

La Dune du Pilat

Bordered by forest on three sides and the ocean on the other, the Great Dune of Pilat is the highest sand dune in Europe.
Capbreton, France

Capbreton Blockhouses

Abandoned blockhouses from Nazi Germany's Atlantic Wall erode into the sea on a French beach.
France / Spain

Pheasant Island

This tiny river island switches sovereignty every six months as part of a rare, centuries-old agreement.
Zugarramurdi, Spain

Museo de las Brujas (Witches Museum)

A museum dedicated to the Spanish occult in a town that was terrorized by the Inquisition.
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Spain

Gaztelugatxe

Hundreds of stone stairs and a winding medieval bridge connect this haunting Spanish island to the mainland.
Bilbao, Spain

Jeff Koons' Puppy

Giant topiary dog once played a role in a terrorist bomb plot.
Portugalete, Spain

Vizcaya Bridge

Two towns are linked by an engineering marvel masquerading as a boring suspension bridge.
Santander, Spain

Magdalena Peninsula

This beautiful spit of land was once the summer playground of the king of Spain.
Llanes, Spain

Bufones de Arenillas

Stormy conditions send jets of seawater bursting through holes in the cliffs.
Toledo, Spain

Monument to the Eagle of Toledo

An homage to the first Spanish cyclist to win the Tour de France.
Consuegra, Spain

Consuegra Windmills

This line of 12 tower mills described in the story of Don Quixote is among the most iconic landscapes in Spain.
Calzada de Calatrava, Spain

Silo de Calzada de Calatrava

A series of colorful murals breathes new life into old grain silos in Spain.
Güejar Sierra, Spain

Mulhacén Peak

The highest peak in mainland Spain is said to be the final resting place of a Muslim king.
Júzcar, Spain

Júzcar

This quaint Spanish village agreed to be painted blue as a marketing stunt but found that they preferred it that way.