There are a number of tucked-away (quite literally) subterranean canals and roads around Madrid that look like they could make for a spectacular piece of an already wonderful vacation. They can be found and traversed all around the city and its surrounding area, and are well worth a look.

Few people are aware that Madrid was built on seven hills. Many kilometers of gloomy passageways and obscure tunnels have been drilled into them over the last thousand years. Where these underground galleries lead is known in some cases, but in many others the destination remains a mystery... That is, if they lead anywhere at all.

It is possible to visit some of these subterranean roads, while others allow visitors no further than the entrance. And even though they appear to meander randomly under the city, this way and that, nearly all of them had a practical purpose when they were built: some were shelters, others prisons, arsenals, archives, water canals, wine cellars or food storage deposits. In nearly all cases, the driving need was the same: keeping something valuable under wraps. Read More