Having always been an hopeless sucker for anything vaguely mystical, there are certain areas in the world that i’ve always been fascinated by. Powerful energies, mythical histories; the world, it would appear, is full of places that challenge what we think we know to be true – yet we continue to visit the Eiffel Tower like its a rocket set for Mars and its launch is tomorrow. Put your cynicism to one side and come with me on a journey to the five most mystical places in the world…

Atlantis: Ibiza

Ibiza as a whole is not short on tales of mystical energies and folklore, having once been the hippie retreat du jour, but I can personally vouch for Atlantis being particularly special. It’s an area of carved stone in an unnamed place that rises up from the sea like some glorious stone beast. Its location is a famously well-kept secret by Ibicencan locals but if you can be bothered/have the time to dig around, cajole, research and finally, walk a lot, you’ll find yourself standing on a truly remote, breathtaking spot that is like an outdoor art gallery naturally created by the sands of time. It was created over 1,000 years ago when rock was quarried to build the fortress walls of Ibiza town. Over the centuries other stonemasons and sculptors have created art out of the landscape, with people, dragons and symbols seemingly emerging from within. From someone who has experienced the treachorous journey, I would more than recommend it. Where is it? It’s a secret, silly! And besides, as the old saying goes, it’s the journey, my friend, not the destination. One clue: find the pirate tower (Punta De Ses Portes), and you’ll be able to see Atlantis from a distance from here. Now just figure out how to get down from there. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Es Vedra, Ibiza

Ok, so it might seem unfair to have two mystical spots not only on the same island, but within a 50m radius of each other – but they truly both deserve a mention…promise! Es Vedra is a huge rock just across from Atlantis that, due to extremely high concentrations of metals and minerals has a highly magnetic field around it, resulting in it being the third most magnetic spot on the globe. Compasses are basically impossible to read in the surrounding area and the magnetic fields are said to affect moods and even create visions in some more sensitive individuals. The rock is said to be the point at which the Sirens try to tempt Odysseus into their lair in the Greek epic The Odyssey, and it has also been associated with UFO landings, as well as being connected to lunar changes. Whether you believe any of it or not, it’s undeniably a formidable presence and impossible to look away from, and if nothing else you’ll be able to enjoy the genuinely spectacular views over the ocean as you gaze from the Ibizan cliffs.

Easter Island, Polynesian Island near Chile

One of the most isolated islands in the world, the history of this mystical place is incredible; 1200 years ago a group of settlers arrived on the island and created a society in complete isolation from the rest of the world. For reasons still unknown they began carving huge statues out of volcanic rock. These monuments, known, as “moai” are visually breathaking and are all that is left of the the people of Easter Island who called themselves the Rapa Nui and disappeared without a trace into the annals of history.

Castlerigg Stone Circle, Cumbria

We decided to shun Stone Henge (yep, you heard it right, we are SHUNNING Stone Henge, it’s so last century) in favour of another stone circle, this one in Cumbria. An amazing impressive pre historic monument, the stone circle is said to date back to 3200 BC. 38 stones of different shapes and sizes comprise the circle and there is virtually no knowledge about how or the circle was built. It has been suggested that the location was carefully selected as a place to observe the sun and moon rise and fall behind the distant peaks.

The Bimini Road, Bahamas

This road is an underwater structure that stretches for half a mile near Bimini Island in the Bahamas. The whole structure is formed of large limestone blocks that bear uncanny resemblance to an ancient road. The official explanation for the bizarre underwater path is that it was caused over thousands of years by heavy concentrations of shells and sand. This doesn’t, however, explain why the formation is completely unique to this one place in the world, and hasn’t occured elsewhere. Various anthropologists and oceanographers believe that the road might have been created by an ancient civilization, and might even have led to the fabled lost city of Atlantis.

Header image source: architecture.about.com