Too beautiful to be true: California as an island, sunken kingdoms, and the earthly paradise – these and other perceived facts have been meticulously recorded by cartographers throughout the centuries in their atlases. Some of these phantoms had surprisingly long lives. For example, an island in the Gulf of Mexico, born from imagination in the 17th century, was searched for until 2009, when the search was finally abandoned. Where did this misconception begin? Why were geographical locations recorded that did not exist? And what fascinated people about all these bizarre stories and figures? The historical maps presented here showcase not only some actual discoveries by travelers and explorers but also inventions and errors. Together with engaging accompanying texts, they create an amusing book for browsing, marveling, and wondering.