Copyright: Eifel Tourismus GmbH, Dominik Ketz
Top 15 excursion destinations
Discover nature, history and culture
The Eifel is a place for real experiences. When you are out and about here, you will encounter a landscape that tells stories: of volcanoes and monasteries, of artisan architecture and quiet retreats, of nature that touches and culture that remains.
Our top 15 selection shows you excursion destinations that allow you to experience the Eifel in different ways. Many of them can be easily combined with a hike or bike tour, others are ideal starting points for a day trip. They invite you to take a closer look. From the mysterious Laacher See lake to the imposing Eltz Castle, from the spiritual power of Maria Laach Abbey to romantic half-timbered towns such as Monschau and Bad Münstereifel and the wild beauty of the national park - each place is special in its own way.
Take your time, get involved - and get to know local stories and special features.
Top 15 excursion tips
15 Ergebnisse
The High Fens
Jederzeit frei zugänglich
One of the last Highland moors in Europe. One particulary special nature experience are the hiking trails over wooden walkways.
Historic centre of Monschau
MonschauHeute geöffnet
The historical old town of Monschau at the Rur.
Juniper heathlands, Vordereifel region
ArftHeute geöffnet
The juniper heathlands of the Vordereifel region are a real insider tip. They were created as a result of a particular form of land management.
Eifelmuseum - EifelTotal
MayenHeute geöffnet
Genovevaburg castle is a symbol of the town of Mayen. It can be seen from far and wide, towering over the town centre. Inside, it is home to the Eifelmuseum with the exhibiton "EifelTotal" and the German Slate Quarry Museum.
Laacher See
Maria LaachHeute geöffnet
With around 3.3 km² and a depth of 53 m, Laacher See is the largest lake in Rhineland-Palatinate. The area around the lake has been a nature reserve for almost 80 years. The last eruption of the former “Laacher volcano” occurred around 10,930 BC. B.C., about 13,000 years ago. Traces of volcanic activity can still be found in the form of volcanic outgassing, the so-called mofettes, on the eastern shore of the lake. The total ejection quantity of the outbreak at that time was about 16 km³. The eruption was one and a half times as strong as that of Pinatubo in 1991, or 6 times as strong as the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. Although Laacher See is widely regarded as the largest maar in the Vulkaneifel, it is scientifically not a maar and also not a real crater lake, but a water-filled caldera - a burglary crater that resulted from a collapse after the magma chamber was emptied below the volcanic cone. The volcanic mountain collapses and only the ring bead on the outer edge remains. Over time, the remaining boiler fills up with water. The Laacher See is in the Eifel, next to the neighboring Wehrer Kessel, the largest caldera and the only water-filled one in Central Europe.
