Forget about typical tourist attractions where everyone’s jostling for the same sunset photo. Below our feet lies a hidden world of extraordinary places, from ancient cities carved into rock to modern marvels of engineering. While most travelers look up at skyscrapers or out at ocean views, some of the world’s most remarkable destinations actually require looking down – and then climbing, hiking, or stepping into elevators that descend deep into the Earth.
Here’s your guide to exploring the world beneath our feet, where every destination tells a story of human ingenuity or natural wonder.
Salt Cathedral
Deep beneath the Colombian town of Zipaquirá lies a cathedral carved entirely from salt, where massive crosses and intricate religious sculptures glow in softly lit chambers. The tunnels stretch for more than 500 feet below ground, featuring 14 small chapels representing the Stations of the Cross.
Massive salt columns support chambers large enough to hold hundreds of worshipers, while underground pools reflect the ethereal lighting. This working church hosts Sunday services 600 feet below the surface, making it one of the most unique places of worship on Earth.
Coober Pedy
This Australian opal mining town took the concept of beating the heat to the extreme by moving almost entirely underground. Residents live in ‘dugouts’ carved into the rock, complete with bedrooms, kitchens, and even churches that maintain a constant, comfortable temperature despite surface temperatures that can reach 120°F.
Underground hotels offer visitors the chance to experience subterranean living firsthand, with amenities ranging from basic to luxury. The town’s history museum showcases both the opal mining heritage and the unique development of underground architecture.
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Derinkuyu
This ancient underground city in Turkey could shelter 20,000 people across eight levels of tunnels and chambers. The complex features everything a community would need to survive, including wells, ventilation shafts, communal kitchens, and livestock pens.
Heavy stone doors could seal off sections in case of attack, while a sophisticated ventilation system kept air flowing even when the city was sealed. Visitors can explore multiple levels of this remarkable feat of ancient engineering, which remained hidden until 1963.
Cave of Crystals
Nearly a thousand feet below Mexico’s Chihuahuan Desert lies a cave filled with some of the largest natural crystals ever found. Some selenite crystals reach lengths of 36 feet and weigh up to 55 tons, creating an otherworldly landscape of geometric giants.
The cave’s natural temperature reaches 136°F with 90-100% humidity, requiring special cooling suits for visitors. Guided tours allow small groups to experience this remarkable natural wonder while learning about the unique conditions that created these massive crystals.
Wieliczka Salt Mine
This Polish wonder features chandeliers carved from salt crystals, underground lakes, and dozens of statues carved by miners over the centuries. The mine reaches depths of 1,073 feet and contains over 2,000 chambers connected by 120 miles of tunnels.
Visitors can tour three levels of the mine, including a massive underground cathedral where every detail, from the altar to the biblical reliefs, is carved from salt. The mine even features an underground health resort where the salt-laden air is used to treat respiratory conditions.
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Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Deep beneath New Zealand’s North Island, thousands of bioluminescent glowworms create a living ceiling of starlike lights. Visitors travel by boat through dark underground rivers, guided by the ethereal blue glow of these remarkable creatures.
The cave system features remarkable limestone formations created over millions of years, while the glowworms provide a natural light show unlike anywhere else on Earth. Special photography tours allow visitors to capture this unique phenomenon while learning about the delicate ecosystem that supports it.
City of Caves
Beneath the streets of Nottingham, England, lies a vast network of over 500 sandstone caves dating back to the medieval period. These artificial caves served as homes, workshops, pub cellars, and air raid shelters over the centuries.
Modern technology has revealed the full extent of this underground city, with new chambers still being discovered. Guided tours take visitors through different historical periods, from medieval tanneries to Victorian slum dwellings.
Cappadocia Underground Cities
Turkey’s Cappadocia region features dozens of underground cities carved into soft volcanic rock, with Kaymaklı being among the most impressive. This eight-level complex could house thousands of people, featuring sophisticated ventilation systems, wine presses, storage rooms, and religious spaces.
The narrow tunnels connecting different levels were designed with defense in mind, easily blocked with large stone doors. Visitors can explore four levels of this remarkable underground city, witnessing the ingenuity of ancient architects.
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Bochnia Salt Mine
Poland’s oldest salt mine offers visitors the chance to experience underground slides, boat rides, and even overnight stays in converted mining chambers. The mine features multimedia exhibits showcasing 750 years of salt mining history through light and sound displays.
Underground chambers have been converted into unique spaces, including a restaurant, conference center, and sports field. Visitors can ride a mining train deep into the Earth before exploring miles of tunnels on foot.
Reed Flute Cave
This natural limestone cave in China has been enhanced with multicolored lighting that transforms rock formations into a surreal underground landscape. The cave extends almost 800 feet into the mountain, featuring dramatic stalactites, stalagmites, and rock columns formed over millions of years.
Ancient inscriptions found in the cave date back to the Tang Dynasty, proving it has been a tourist attraction for over 1,200 years. Modern lighting techniques create stunning reflections in underground pools, making every chamber feel like a different world.
Seattle Underground
After the Great Fire of 1889, Seattle rebuilt itself one story higher, creating an underground network of abandoned streets and storefronts. The underground passages preserve perfectly the city’s 19th-century architecture, complete with original skylights that now serve as sidewalk prisms above.
Tour guides share fascinating stories of how this underground world served as everything from storage space to speakeasies during Prohibition. The network of underground sidewalks and passageways offers a unique glimpse into Victorian-era urban life.
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Bounce Below
Inside an abandoned Welsh slate mine, massive trampolines suspended in underground chambers create a unique subterranean playground. Nets and slides connect different levels of bouncing platforms; all dramatically lit to highlight the industrial cavern’s features.
The facility spans chambers as high as 180 feet, with the lowest trampoline, suspended 80 feet from the chamber floor. Safety briefings and special suits allow visitors to explore this underground adventure park safely.
Turda Salt Mine
This Romanian salt mine has been transformed into a surreal underground theme park featuring a Ferris wheel, amphitheater, and rowing boats on an underground lake. The main chamber reaches heights of 430 feet, with wooden platforms and bridges providing spectacular views of the carved walls.
Therapeutic properties of the salt-laden air attract visitors seeking natural treatments for respiratory conditions. The mine maintains a constant temperature of 52°F year-round, making it a popular escape from summer heat.
Sunken Palace
Istanbul’s underground Basilica Cistern features 336 marble columns rising from dark waters, creating an atmospheric forest of stone. Built in the 6th century to store water for the Great Palace, the cistern’s most famous features are two column bases carved with the head of Medusa.
The restored cistern features dramatic lighting and elevated walkways that allow visitors to explore while classical music echoes through the chambers. Special photography platforms provide perfect angles for capturing this unique underground space.
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Cu Chi Tunnels
This vast network of underground tunnels in Vietnam spans over 120 miles, featuring everything from cooking areas to command centers. The multi-level network included hospitals, living quarters, and weapons factories, all hidden beneath the jungle floor.
Visitors can explore sections of the tunnels that have been enlarged for tourism, experiencing firsthand the conditions of underground warfare. Guide demonstrations show the ingenious ventilation and defense systems that kept the tunnel network functioning.
Moaning Cavern
This California cave features a chamber large enough to fit the Statue of Liberty, accessed by a spiral staircase or rappelling adventure. The main chamber was used as a burial site by prehistoric peoples, with remains dating back over 12,000 years.
Modern adventurers can choose between a walking tour of the upper cavern or a more challenging spelunking experience in the lower levels. The cave’s name comes from the unique acoustics that transform even whispers into haunting moans.
Mary King’s Close
Beneath Edinburgh’s Royal Mile lies a perfectly preserved 17th-century street, complete with homes, workshops, and the stories of past residents. The close (alleyway) was built over rather than demolished, preserving a remarkable time capsule of medieval urban life.
Costumed guides share both historical facts and ghostly legends associated with this underground street. The preserved rooms feature original furnishings and artifacts, bringing the past vividly to life.
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Forestiere Underground Gardens
A Sicilian immigrant spent 40 years hand-carving this underground oasis in California’s Central Valley, creating a subterranean home and garden. The complex features nearly 100 rooms, courtyards, and passages spread across three levels, all designed to stay cool in summer and warm in winter. Fruit trees grow underground, their trunks reaching up through skylights to the surface. The entire system was built without formal plans, guided only by its creator’s vision and ingenuity.
Batu Caves Temple
While famous for its surface features, this Malaysian cave temple complex includes lesser-known chambers deep within the limestone hill. Ancient shrines tucked into dark recesses of the cave system are lit by butter lamps and minimal electric lighting.
Hidden passages lead to meditation chambers used by monks for centuries, some requiring careful climbing to access. The caves maintain their religious significance while offering visitors a glimpse into both natural and spiritual mysteries.
Hellfire Caves
These artificial caves near London were carved in the 18th century and later became infamous for hosting secret society meetings. The network extends a quarter mile into the hillside, featuring a banqueting hall, wine cellar, and various chambers linked by winding passages.
Various chambers are associated with different historical figures and legends, from Benjamin Franklin to local ghosts. Modern lighting and pathways make it easy to explore while maintaining the caves’ mysterious atmosphere.
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Underground Wonders
These subterranean destinations remind us that some of Earth’s most remarkable places lie hidden beneath the surface. Whether carved by nature or human hands, these underground spaces offer unique perspectives on history, geology, and human ingenuity.
While some require advanced booking or special equipment to visit, each provides an unforgettable experience that goes far beyond typical tourism. Remember that underground environments require respect and careful preparation – but the rewards of exploring them can be truly extraordinary.
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