Places isabelvanoorschot Wants to Go

A spiral staircase twists to the top of this unusual Czech lookout tower.

A meandering boardwalk across the bogland leads to a "stairway to heaven" with sublime views.

This centuries-old gothic monster has been converted into a sprawling, glossy bookstore.

Finally, you don't have to be a pious Swedish seaman to relax like one.

A long spiraling walkway winds through the woods, and around a copper beech tree at the center.

When the rain falls, this drain system turns into a musical instrument.

No need to strap in for a “ride” on this walkable roller coaster.

Gigantic mosaic sculptures of the figures on Tarot cards fill this colorful Tuscan garden.

A museum in England’s Lake District dedicated to the trusty pencil wants you to know the story of their World War II spy pencils.

A million years ago, our ancient ancestors were cooking with fire in this cave.

Hundreds of pieces of ancient Taíno art cover the walls of this Caribbean cave system.

No one knows why ancient labyrinths were built on this tiny northern island.

This 3,800-year-old site contains markers used to study the movement of the sun and moon and create a lunar calendar.

Stumbling upon this whimsical wooded garden is like stepping into an enchanted forest full of philosophical musings.

The traditional Polish croissant, folded 81 times into the shape of a horseshoe, is a legally protected cultural treat.

While the U.S. and Soviet Union were engaged in a space race, Poland built a UFO on the ground.

This serene, turquoise lake in an extraordinary nature reserve showcases a rare natural phenomenon.

A forest of immensely tall and unusually straight oak trees planted nearly 200 years ago to build naval ships that never came to be.

Built from one couple’s vast personal collection, this free museum showcases a century’s worth of state-sponsored agitprop.

This 11th-century fortress is now the seat of Aragon’s state legislature.

A microbiologist-chef is slinging noodles with hyperlocal Nordic ingredients.

This last stalwart of the now-forgotten feminist restaurant movement served food in an activist atmosphere since 1977.

Home to artworks so small you need a microscope to see them.

This entire museum is dedicated to a single smelly delicacy.