A faint gurgling, and then absolute peace and quiet. Another little drop falls softly down from the ceiling to the floor and lands on the wet ground … blubb. Cool vapours linger in the dark air, untouched. However hot it may be outside, here, 1,000 metres into the mountain, it is always cool, if not cold. It's hard to believe that these tunnels were formed by human hand without the use of machinery.

Who'd be a miner?

There are four show mines in South Tyrol – and they have it in them: equipped with bright yellow helmet, waterproofs and sturdy boots, lots of miners used to trudge to their place of work in the underground in this underground realm. For hours they chipped away at stone, while outside the sun travelled across the sky and the moon appeared. Deep in the mountain though, the workers weren't aware of this. Even if it doesn't sound like it, this job was much sought-after and lucrative – as far back as the Middle Ages, mountain miners were organised enough to have health insurance and pensions! Rightly so, as before the advent of explosives, a miner armed with a mallet and using all his might could chip 4 cm of rock from the mountain walls – but the tunnels are many kilometres long. There were hundreds of miners working at the spot where we, in safety and on guided tours, walk through and visit what was the scene of daily life for them many years ago.

Look, a healthy mountain mine!

While the water drips from the ceiling gurgling, you can breathe in the cool air and calmly carry on, step by step, so that you don't miss any of this incredible history. The mountain mine at Prettau-Ahrntal was a working mine for 500 years before closing down. It has been open to visitors since 1996 – and has been on display since then. Guided tours are available for any adventurers, families or school classes who may be interested. A mine railway goes through a narrow shaft, which you can't help marvelling at. A few tunnels are used as climate tunnels, where the cool, pure air provides a few months' relief for patients with respiratory problems.

Prettau-Ahrntal Mountain Mine: opening times

Watching how the miners dismantle the mountain

There is another mountain mine to visit at Schneeberg in Ridnauntal valley. Here, mining was not for copper, but for lead. Thanks to its low melting point (327° degrees), lead was used by the ancient Babylonians to make vases, and lead roofs protected their houses from storms. The mine at Schneeberg may be investigated by both big and small visitors today – the original machinery is still intact and shows how ore was mined for 800 years. On adventure-filled tours, the old equipment is switched on and you can almost see the miners going about their work in the long mine shafts.

Ridnaun Schneeberg Mountain Mine: opening times

A silver lining in the mountain

There are over 75 types of minerals hidden in the belly of Villanders mountain mine on Pfunderer Berg (http://bergwerk.it/). Mining was for silver, lead, copper and quarz – in a 70-km-long network of tunnels, many of which are thought to date back to the 12th century. At the time, this mountain mine was one of the most important mining areas in Tirol! It often changed owners and saw several heydays, but had to close at the start of the 20th century and it is open to visitors today, who can immerse themselves in the dark world of mountain mining at 1,000 metres above sea level.

Villanders Pfunderer Berg Mountain Mine: opening times

You can see things that are not apparent from the surface – it's always worth exploring! A visit to a show mine in South Tyrol is an experience for the whole family. And you're sure to find the right accommodation with a nearby private host. Maybe they have mining ancestry?