June 4, 2008

Under the Radar

Underground Adventures

It’s no longer safe to sunbathe, and if you see another museum you’ll scream. Take a cue from the ever-popular Paris catacombs and head underground.

Cave Creations
Loved Gloworms? Then you’ll flip for the real thing. New Zealand’s Waitomo Glowworm Caves have been a destination since late 1800s adventure seekers came to explore the underground caves and their unique inhabitant. If caving doesn’t sound daring enough, try black-water rafting through the underground rivers.

When in Italy
The Scavi tour leads to the ancient city located beneath Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, where you’ll navigate streets of the Necropolis, see old shops and homes, and end at Saint Peter’s grave. (Plan in advance and read the fine print: Securing tickets can be tough.) Farther north, Tra-Ghetto is a Dante-themed theatrical performance that takes audiences on a tour of the canals under Bologna (the ones you’d never know were there).

Close Encounters
Hidden beneath Edinburgh’s Royal Mile is the remainder of a different Scotland: Mary King’s Close, which housed 16th- and 17th-century working-class families and businesses before overcrowding and the plague. The Close now makes regular appearances on most haunted lists, though the creepy sounds you might hear are probably a natural phenomenon called infrasound.

Gimme Shelter
No space is wasted in overcrowded Beijing. During the 1970s, the city built tunnels as precautionary bomb shelters (in case communist neighbors attacked). Entrepreneurs have since transformed sections of Underground City and built shopping and business centers, theaters, and bargain hostels.

Turkish Delight
Bargain for rugs in the bazaar, then head to Derinkuyu in Cappadocia to see how the ancients really lived. In an age of religious discrimination, a subterranean city protected early Christians from persecution. Though sundecks may have been out, they were not lacking in amenities like shops, wineries, schools, and an extraordinary church on the lowest level.

This One’s a Gem
The Australian Outback is hot. So hot that most of Coober Pedy is underground. The desert mining town (the opal capital of the world) has been the setting for films for its barren landscape and dugout homes. You’ll find just about everything underground, including the pubs and your accommodations. About the only thing still above ground are the unique golf courses. Even if you’re not a player, shoot a few holes — locals play at night with glow-in-the-dark balls.

What Lies Beneath
You thought you’d have to head to the mountains to stroll the deserted streets of a ghost town, but next time you’re in Seattle, look down. The downtown district, which was built on tidelands and frequently flooded, was destroyed by fire in the 1889. The new downtown was built atop the old streets, and Seattle’s underworld became a haven for seedier citizens. Today, cleaned-up sites are reserved for Bill Speidel’s quirky tour.