WHAT LURKS BENEATH
12 Mysterious Underground Tours
There's more to most cities than what scrapes the sky—as long as you're willing to peer beneath the surface.
After the Great Fire of 1889 destroyed 25 city blocks, Seattle rebuilt one story higher because of flood concerns, pushing the charred remains below ground level. In 1907, the underground city was condemned because of fears of bubonic plague, but today visitors can walk along sidewalks, streets, and storefronts, some still intact and some restored. Bill Speidel's Underground Tour, 206/682-4646, undergroundtour.com, 90-minute tour $15.
The 3rd Infiltration Tunnel, a narrow, mile-long shaft below the Korean border, was dug in secret by North Korea, apparently designed for a surprise attack on the South. Discovered by South Korea in 1978, the tunnel is just 32 miles from Seoul. Grace Travel, 011-82/2-332-8946, triptokorea.com, part of the six-hour DMZ Transit Tour $38.
Through the ages
Beneath the 2,500-year-old city of Vienna is a maze of medieval cellars, preserved baroque crypts, excavated Roman ruins, and underground passageways. While they were built over several centuries, many of these sites are now connected by tunnels that served as air-raid shelters during WWII. Vienna Walks & Talks, 011-43/1-774-8901, viennawalks.com, 90-minute tour $24.