Author: Ms. R.

When the Saruhan Bey Foundation decided to build its Center of Science, Culture, and Education in Manisa, Turkey, they faced a major problem: The construction site-to-be was already home to a tall pine tree, estimated to be over 325 years old. The foundation had already purchased the land but were reluctant to cut down the old tree. Their decision was clear: They’d build the foundation around the tree. All they needed to do was readjust the construction plan so that……

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Six decades after its founding, the Italian American Club Restaurant of Las Vegas is still going strong. Even on weeknights, singers on stage will serenade a dining room filled with snazzily-dressed eaters. The menu is long on classic Italian cuisine, with hits like chicken parm, veal Marsala, and fresh pastas. This is not a lunch joint: Portions are large, there are no sandwiches, and they’re open only for dinner. Frank Sinatra was a longtime member of the Italian American Club,……

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The town of Mayorga in Valladolid is home to an array of medieval architecture, including the churches of Santa María de Arbas and San Salvador. Mayorga is also known for its traditional festivals and local cuisine, which give a taste of authentic Spanish life. On an exterior brick wall of an old home, you can find a plaque and a small slit, marking the oldest working letterbox in Spain. The stone mailbox was installed in 1793, and is accompanied by an inscription……

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Athens has no shortage of tavernas with antique-filled interiors and rooftop terraces offering Acropolis views. But what makes Cafe Avissinia special is the gusto of its live traditional folk music shows held on weekends from September to June. The venue’s location in the central market district Monastiraki (“little monastery”) adds to the atmosphere: Patrons follow winding pedestrian-only back alleys past tiny shops and food vendors to a courtyard where the city’s most intriguing antique market sprouts on Sunday afternoons. Ketty……

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Each week, Atlas Obscura is providing a new short excerpt from our upcoming book, Wild Life: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Living Wonders (September 17, 2024). The more than 13,000 ant species around the globe have developed a diverse array of nest protection methods. Some spray toxic venoms; others erect rock blockades. Amid the lowland rainforests of Southeast Asia and India, however, there’s a group of ants with a particularly gutsy defensive technique: They explode, showering their enemies……

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There’s a lot to look at inside Golden Tiki, one of Las Vegas’s most popular tiki joints. There’s the flickering night sky on the ceiling, the (fake) shrunken heads of celebrities hung along the walls, the phallic stained-glass art above the bar, plus the Disney-inspired animatronic birds that spew dirty jokes. The bar was conceived as “an adult Disneyland,” and the connection continues with offerings like Dole Whip, which is a favorite concession at the theme park’s Tiki Room. Unlike……

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