This Italian Town Welcomes Spring With Snakes

Every May, crowds gather in Cocullo, Italy, to celebrate the town’s patron saint, San Domenico Abate, a wandering Benedictine monk who traveled across Italy during the 10th century. As in many other Catholic festivities, a statue of the saint is carried around the town in procession; in Cocullo, though, the statue is fully covered with living snakes.

Test Your AO Places Knowledge!

General Sherman

Named after Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman, this ancient arbor is located deep in California’s Sequoia National Park. While it’s not the tallest tree or the widest or even the oldest, General Sherman has split the difference and is thought to be the largest single stem tree by sheer volume.

We’ve Been Experimenting…

We built something new — a social space inspired by Atlas Obscura’s spirit of curiosity. It’s playful. A little unexpected. And worth a wander.

Where Illinois Goes Dark

At Middle Fork River Forest Preserve, darkness is something to protect. Designated as Illinois’s first International Dark Sky Park, the preserve offers a rare chance to experience a night sky free from artificial glow. Visitors gather for stargazing, walk designated dark trails, and watch as the Milky Way comes into view above the landscape.