Not everyone feels comfortable going underground or underwater. However, there are plenty of cool attractions located in different places around the world, many of them are simply gorgeous. Regardless of whether these places appeared naturally or were built by human hands, they are worth a visit. We guarantee that you will live unique experiences when you visit them. Here, below, are just a few of them:
Under Restaurant, Norway
Although not so much underground, as rather underwater, the Under restaurant in Kristiansand, Norway, deserves all the attention. This elegant restaurant is the largest restaurant in the world built below sea level and the third of its kind. Under is five and a half meters deep, customers can admire the underwater life while enjoying the tasting menus here, based on the best the sea has to offer.
A laboratory dealing with marine research is also housed here.
The restaurant was opened in 2019. On the day of the launch, 7,500 people reserved a table, and journalists from over 30 countries took part in the opening.
Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, Colombia
In fact, the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá is a church that was built in the shaft of an abandoned salt mine at a depth of 200 m underground, about 50 km from Bogotá. It is both a tourist attraction and a place of pilgrimage.
The place is very impressive with its architecture and the way it is lit. The light filters magnificently, filling the rooms and tunnels with a fog in neon shades of blue and purple.
Salina Turda, Romania
Salina Turda is a place of breathtaking beauty. The history of this place begins almost 2000 years ago - for a long time it was an important center of activities for the people of the area. During the Second World War, its caverns were used as a shelter, and later to store cheese.
The salt pan is 100 m underground and has an impressive surface. After descending through a series of narrow and cramped tunnels, you reach a high platform that offers an amazing view of the main cave. You can walk through the mine on some pieces of wood or you can choose the glass elevator that allows you to enjoy the view while going down.
The place intended for activities is huge and includes, among others, billiard and ping pong tables, a handball court and a bowling alley. The main attraction is the big wheel, with a height of 20 m, it has 6 gondolas with 8 seats each, and a complete tour takes 8 minutes.
Another underground descent leads to a small island with a jetty, which allows you to rent boats on the underground lake. Stalactites hang from the marble ceiling, while old carts and transmission wheels remind of the way miners used to work.
It should be noted that the unique microclimate of the saline has therapeutic effects.
Ajanta Caves, India
The Ajanta Caves are Buddhist temples and monasteries located in caves located near the village of Ajanta in western India. The temples are hollowed out of granite rocks on the inner side of a 20-meter ravine in the Wagurna river valley, in a place of great scenic beauty.
The group of approximately 30 caves was excavated between the first centuries BC. and 7 AD, being made up of two types of rooms: caityas ("sanctuaries") and viharas ("monasteries"). No room is like the other. Although the sculpture, especially the rich ornamentation of the caitya pillars, is noteworthy, the fresco paintings are the main interest of Ajanta, being breathtaking. These paintings depict colorful Buddhist legends and deities, with an exuberance and vitality unsurpassed in Indian art. The caves were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.
The Ajanta cave complex is also a visual delight due to the abundant vegetation with which it is surrounded, the presence of birds and the nearby waterfalls.
Thrihnukagigur Volcano, Iceland
Thrihnukagigur is a non-active volcano near Reykjavik, Iceland. The volcano covers an area of 3,270 square meters and has a depth of 213 meters. It has not erupted since the 2nd century BC. It is the only volcano in the world where visitors can take an elevator to reach the magma chamber. It is believed that magma, which would normally fill the chamber that would thus become sealed, has leaked out.
The beauty of the crater consists, for the most part, in the different colors found inside it and in its enormous, intimidating size. As an idea, the space on the ground is equivalent to almost three normal-sized basketball courts placed next to each other, while the height is equivalent to that of the Statue of Liberty. A visit here is a once in a lifetime experience!