Purpose: Palliative day care clinics (PDCCs) complement inpatient and home palliative care and provide access to a range of multi-professional services. However, they are not part of standard care in Germany. Yet, international studies show that PDCCs have a positive impact on e.g. quality of life.To evaluate one of the firstPDCCs in Germany (Aschaffenburg-Alzenau (PDCC-AA)) by describing theexperiences, satisfaction, challenges, wishes of patients and relatives andpossible alternatives to treatment in the PDCC.Methods: Qualitative study using semi-structuredtelephone interviews. Data was analyzed using qualitative structuring contentanalysis according to Kuckartz with deductive a priori categories and inductivesubcategories.Results: A total of 31 patients and 38 relativescompleted telephone interviews. The majority of patients were diagnosed with a canceror tumor disease. The following four main themes emerged: (1) alternatives totreatment at the PDCC, (2) symptom relief, (3) sense of security, (4) “everydaylife framing” (normality of everyday life).Participants valued the medicaltreatment (especially for pain), psychosocial support given and having directaccess to a range of services (e.g., wound care and pleural drainage), whilerelatives valued being provided respite services. A sense of security,availability of therapies, and devoted time that healthcare providers spent toexplain e.g., treatment options were mentioned most positively, as well asconfidence in dealing with the illness. As to whether there was an alternativeto treatment in the PDCC, some saw further inpatient stays, the emergency roomor care by general practitioners as options (although not preferred). Patientsexpressed concern that they were not treated and informed according to theirneeds in other care settings.Conclusions: PDCCs may close a gap betweeninpatient and home palliative care. Participants mentioned that hospital stayscan be delayed or even prevented.