World's most fascinating underground cities
What's the story
Exploring underground cities ensures a unique glimpse into the past and an exciting adventure for those willing to delve beneath the surface.
These subterranean marvels, often concealed from plain sight, unveil fascinating histories and architectural ingenuity.
From ancient civilizations to modern-day wonders, these underground cities ensure a thrilling experience for explorers seeking something different.
Here are some of the most intriguing underground cities across the globe adventurous travelers can visit.
Ancient wonder
Derinkuyu: A subterranean marvel
Turkey's Derinkuyu is one of the largest excavated underground cities in the world.
This ancient city was capable of housing 20,000 people along with their livestock and food stores.
It has multiple levels connected by tunnels, with facilities such as kitchens, stables and even schools.
The city served as a refuge during times of invasion, highlighting the remarkable engineering skills from centuries ago.
Urban exploration
Montreal's underground city: A modern labyrinth
Montreal's Underground City is an enormous web of interlinked complexes under downtown Montreal in Canada.
Stretching more than 33 kilometers, it consists of shopping malls, hotels, metro stations, and residential areas.
This modern labyrinth protects you from the brutal weather conditions above while ensuring a lively urban experience below.
Historical refuge
Naours: Hidden beneath Picardy
Situated in France's Picardy region, Naours is an underground city that dates back to medieval times.
Carved out as limestone quarries in Roman times, it later became a refuge during wars across history.
With over 300 rooms spread across two kilometers of tunnels at its most widely-used time, soldiers took shelter here.
Unique architecture
Setenil de las Bodegas: Built into rock formations
Setenil de las Bodegas in Spain is famous for its unique architecture, with houses built into rock formations.
Narrow streets weave through this beautiful town, where buildings are not just above ground, but also partially sunk into natural caves below.
This one-of-a-kind integration creates living spaces unlike anywhere else on earth.