Ice Holes near Appiano

Between the municipalities of Appiano and Caldaro, at the bottom of the Monte Ganda, the Ice Holes are located, more precisely in the component localities of Ganda and Appiano Monte on the Wine Road. Here, at 500 metres a.s.l. in a wood filled with rocks on the foot of the Mendola, you can find plants which normally only grow at 1,200 metres a.s.l. in the high mountain regions.

The physical principle of wind tubes explains the phenomenon - a crack system in the Porphyry stone causes a continuous cold draught. The cold air streams to the bottom and escapes from the lower holes as ice cold air (0 - 9 degrees C). The Ice Holes (Eislöcher) can be found on a 200 m long and 40 m wide stripe of land - here you'll see long ice-stalactites also in high summer.

The Ice Holes in Appiano are nowadays a popular walking destination. The further you walk into the hollow the more you can feel the change of temperature - the place is really cold. The opposite phenomenon can be observed in Caldaro, on the Monte di Mezzo above Lake Caldaro: Warm air also flows out of the hot air springs all year round at a temperature of 25 degrees C.