Places scionthewing Wants to Go

What might look like a cliffside sacrificial altar at first glance is actually a stone compass pointing to cities and lighthouses all around the world.

According to the locals, the sands of this secluded Norway beach are infused with gemstone particles.

World's strongest whirlpool.

Longest road tunnel in the world features an air treatment plant and the illusion of daylight.

Across the Pacific in a raft, a museum dedicated to Thor Heyerdahl's now legendary expedition.

One of the most breathtaking railways in Europe also takes one of the steepest climbs, from fjord to mountain plateau.

This Arctic storage facility is a secure backup for agricultural biodiversity.

An intricately carved Viking church overlooks a glistening fjord.

The convergence of two currents makes this a surprisingly pleasant getaway in the Arctic Circle.

Home to three historic ships from the age of Vikings.

A serpentine highway twists and turns over the treacherous Norwegian Sea.

Only electricity pylons carrying both AC and DC circuits.

His body was found mysteriously preserved in a Swedish mine over 40 years after his initial disappearance.

A plaque on this tiny Swedish island commemorates an unusual Cold War standoff of Soviet submarine intrigue.

A memorial to a Swedish hockey player's "encounter" with aliens.

Stone carvings record the Norse myth of Sigurd, providing a glimpse into Scandinavia's transition from paganism to Christianity.

Frequent fliers welcome in this airplane hotel.

This Scandinavian island is the site of the first modern observatory.

The single richest source of elemental discoveries in the world.

Ancient burial grounds of the wealthy.

Iron Age grave stones and Viking burials, a short drive from Gothenburg.

If there is one thing you don't want to be in Sweden during Christmas, it's a Yule Goat.

This encrypted monolith protected a secret of Norse mythology by hiding in a church wall for over a millennium.

One of the world's few mounted blue whales, its jaws are hinged open allowing visitors to descend into a lounge.