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heritage sites are part of an integrated concept of Vulkaneifel consists of approximately 270 eruption
protection, education and sustainable development. centres (Vulkaneifel European Geopark, 2010b)
A Geopark achieves its goals through a three- which dominate the landscape. Volcanic maars and
pronged approach: conservation, education and diatremes, remnant volcanoes and scoria cones,
geotourism. calderas (Laacher See) and mineral springs, lava
(UNESCO, 2006a) and tephra layers, pumice deposits, tuff rings and
columnar jointing are common volcanic features
In the literature the Vulkaneifel is generally and although some of the older volcanoes have
attributed with a unique geology and therefore nearly eroded away, many of them are still visible.
holding a special attraction for visitors (Spielmann, The origin of the volcanic activity in this region
2003; Schmincke, 2009). The region has long been is suspected to be possibly related to hot spot
a popular holiday destination with easy access, activity, although the opinions differ. Due to the
good infrastructure for transport and fact that some of the volcanic landforms have
accommodation combined with attractive volcanic been dated as being of more recent times this has
landscapes including 70 maars, of which 8 are still given rise to the assumption that the Vulkaneifel
filled with water.
may not be as dormant as previously thought.
Although the eruption which caused the
History of tourism in the Eifel collapse of a magma chamber creating the Laacher
The Vulkaneifel and especially the area around the See was seen as one of the last events (Baales et al,
Laacher See was over a century ago described as a 2002; Meyer et al, 2007), and one of the most
major tourist attraction of the volcanic kind by powerful late Quaternary eruptions in central
Rudolph Blenke (1879), who declared that it Europe (Schmincke, 2004, 2009; Park and
would be difficult to find another equally Schmincke, 2009), future eruptions are taken into
interesting region anywhere else in Germany. In consideration and seen as possible by geoscientists
his opinion the Laacher See and its surroundings (Bojanowski, 2007; Meyer et al, 2007), with
held a range of attractions for people with an smaller earthquakes on a regular basis indicating
interest in geology and mineralogy, but also ongoing seismic activity, a situation which is very
offered ecosystems with rare types of vegetation similar to the younger volcanic centres in the
growing in the volcanic environment and, south of Australia and in Queensland.
moreover, the unique landforms were also catering The Laacher See may well be the main
for the connoisseur of scenic beauty. attraction in the Vulkaneifel with two million
A few years later Johann Baumgarten (1884, visitors every year, athough according to Spielmann
1888) published two books which included several (2003) the whole region is one of the most diverse
chapters about the Eifel and its volcanic attractions mountain landscapes in Germany with many
for tourists with detailed advice how to get to the remnants of its fiery past.
different places of interest including timetables for
trains. His publications were very similar to the Tourism in the Vulkaneifel
contemporary Lonely Planet guidebooks, although Germany has a longstanding history of marketing
without illustrations. Baumgarten also refers to the the dormant volcanic region of the Vulkaneifel as
numerous hot and mineral springs as having their a key tourist destination. The Vulkaneifel was one
origin in past volcanic activity, which has been of the first European geoparks and offers everything
confirmed by a variety of authors as an attraction related to ‘geo’ such as geo-destinations, geo-
of the Vulkaneifel (e.g. Meyer et al, 2007). adventure, geo-knowledge, geo-conservation, as
well as interpretation and communication within
Past volcanic activity the geo-environment. Healing hot springs, already
The European Cenozoic Volcanic Province appreciated by the Romans 2000 years ago are
(ECVP) comprises several small volcanic areas among the many attractions; so is a 28 metre high
with the Eifel volcanism being part of this ECVP ‘Volcano-Info-Platform’ with views over the
(Meyer et al, 2007). The geological heritage of the region, and volcano museums with interactive

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