Eight cool destinations in Rhineland-Palatinate offer relief from summer heat

Underground retreats

The Lavakeller in Mendig, former basalt and lava cellars, maintain year-round temperatures of around ten degrees Celsius. Guided tours take visitors into the extensive underground halls, revealing the region's volcanic past. Further south, the Teufelsschlucht (Devil's Gorge) in the Südeifel uses towering sandstone cliffs to create a cool microclimate, with shaded rest areas along its hiking paths. The Besucherbergwerk Fell, a former slate mine, offers depths where even in midsummer only about ten to twelve degrees prevail, and tours show how slate was once extracted.

Forest and wine cellar shade

The Pfälzerwald forest provides noticeably cooler conditions under its dense leaf canopy than cities or open ground. Numerous trails lead through shady valleys and past castle ruins, with managed huts offering refreshments. At the historic wine cellars of the Vereinigte Hospitien on the Moselle, centuries-old vaulted cellars keep temperatures pleasantly constant. Many wineries offer tours that combine escape from heat with insights into viticulture.

Monastic and park coolness

Kloster Maria Laach, with its thick Romanesque abbey walls, acts like a natural air conditioner. Shaded paths around Laacher See invite a leisurely walk, and visitors can extend the trip with the monastery nursery or shop. The Wild- und Wanderpark Südliche Weinstraße (Southern Wine Route wildlife park) offers large shaded areas for observing animals and strolling cool paths.

Gorge and streamside calm

The Ehrbachklamm in the Hunsrück, part of the so-called dream loop, promotes its route as free of traffic noise.

There is no traffic noise – in the forest silence, only the rush of the Ehrbach can be heard.

Many benches are provided for breaks. The eight destinations were compiled to help residents and tourists endure a hot weekend without needing a pool or lake.