Places Xavier Wants to Go

The great polar explorer is remembered in this far northern town, where he embarked on his final expedition.

The world's most charming instant portrait studio also happens to be its smallest.

The world's northernmost botanic garden has 25 collections of plants from arctic and alpine regions.

The world's northernmost aquarium looks like it has fallen over.

At the very tippity-top of Europe is a cliff from which you can view the midnight sun.

This roadside attraction looks like a flying saucer parked atop the tundra.

This modernist island church incorporates the Finnish nature into its worship practices.

At this Arctic outpost, get to know members of the indigenous Sámi community and meet their herds.

This functioning parish church is also the site of many concert performances due to its wonderful acoustics.

A reconstructed farm shows what life was like in Norway 1,500 years ago.

A long-forgotten Victorian swimming hole is still a fun spot for a dip.

This 22-acre botanical garden is home to the largest collection of rhododendrons in the world.

Florence’s mother built a stairway down to her daughter’s coffin so she could comfort her during storms.

A psychedelic labyrinth on the San Francisco bay.

A terrific purveyor of natural history objects and curios.

A bizarre house filled with an astounding array of collections.

An abandoned railroad tunnel is now filled with bioluminescent bugs.

This mysterious artificial cave has long puzzled New Englanders.

A classically inspired temple in Redwood City.

The fire inside this temple has burned for more than 1,500 years.

This secret collection of the strange and occult was rediscovered in a forgotten room of an old house.

This futuristically sylvan church is a glass-enclosed marvel of modern architecture.

Lithuania's outdoor sculpture trail of wooden folk art.

This small-town Connecticut restaurant gives each diner a free book from its vast library.