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« Long ways, long lies »... For centuries, legends and myths have brought to life secluded lands and faraway continents, mysterious kingdoms and curious people, feeding our imagination and our dreams. This new Poetical Atlas takes us on a fascinating voyage through 34 mythical places, bringing to life the background, real or completely made-up, of their legendary scenes. Whether related to ancient myths or based on testimonies and tales from navigators and conquerors of all times, these mythical places have shaped our imaginary world. From Cythera – home to the love Goddess Aphrodite – to Crete, where Theseus faced the Minotaur, and to the well-known city of Troy described in the Iliad, the journey takes us eastwards on the steps of Marco Polo and his tales of the Orient’s wonders – the sumptuous palaces, the gems and pearls from Cathay, Cipangu or the Mughal Empire…. In Africa, the descriptions of the Kingdom of Prester John, of the Kingdom of Sheba and its appealing goldmines, of Congo, the land of milk and honey, with its luxuriant nature and stunning wildlife, have contributed to give the Portuguese conquerors a taste of heaven; while the New World inspired just as many legendary places, such as the Land of the Amazons, Cibola’s Seven Cities of Gold, and the Columbian El Dorado. Through a well-documented text, alongside historians, explorers, conquerors, writers and scholars, and with the delicate illustrations of dreamlike maps, this Atlas will take you to the fascinating or troubling shores of reality.