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Making Venice Magic

My Best of Europe in 21 Days tour has left Austria and crossed through the Alps to Italy. Our first stop: Venice. During some of my free time, I’m taking the opportunity to spruce up my guidebooks. And organizing our travel information on Venice is one of my favorite challenges. Even after a lifetime of visits, this magical city of canals remains one of the great thrills of European travel.

It often seems that the city of Venice has abandoned itself to tourism. The resident population is shrinking, and those remaining have turned old buildings into various kinds of hotels — some slick and modern... others old and funky. A big part of my work is finding good-value hotels to recommend in my guidebooks. Here, from the top of a friendly little B&B, I can imagine calling this room home, stepping out onto my balcony, and enjoying the view of the back lanes and canals of this great city.
It often seems that the city of Venice has abandoned itself to tourism. The resident population is shrinking, and those remaining have turned old buildings into various kinds of hotels — some slick and modern… others old and funky. A big part of my work is finding good-value hotels to recommend in my guidebooks. Here, from the top of a friendly little B&B, I can imagine calling this room home, stepping out onto my balcony, and enjoying the view of the back lanes and canals of this great city.
Each year, as Venice sinks and the sea rises, floods are more common. [Flooded St Mark moors]The lowest part of the city — St. Mark's Square — floods first. And tonight, it became a delightful reflecting pond.
Each year, as Venice sinks and the sea rises, floods are more common. The lowest part of the city — St. Mark’s Square — floods first. And tonight, it became a delightful reflecting pond.
You know you’re eating in a characteristic place that’s a good value when you share a rustic table with gondoliers in their striped shirts. This is exactly the kind of eatery I seek out for my guidebooks.
You know you’re eating in a characteristic place that’s a good value when you share a rustic table with gondoliers in their striped shirts. This is exactly the kind of eatery I seek out for my guidebooks.
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Armin’s Vision for Ehrenberg

When I first hiked up to the Ehrenberg Castle ruins, it was overgrown with trees and entirely desolate. Today, it’s more welcoming for adventurous travelers thanks to a local archaeologist, Armin Walch.

Standing atop the Ehrenberg Castle ruins and surveying the valley, which two thousand years ago was the Via Claudia upon which Roman trade crossed from Germany south into Italy, you can appreciate the strategic importance of a castle erected right here.
Standing atop the Ehrenberg Castle ruins and surveying the valley, which two thousand years ago was the Via Claudia upon which Roman trade crossed from Germany south into Italy, you can appreciate the strategic importance of a castle erected right here.
Armin Walch — who I think of as the Indiana Jones of Tirolean archaeologists — has endless energy to make his dream of turning Ehrenberg, an ensemble of four castles from four different ages, into a meaningful historical experience. Even in a driving rain, he took us to the highest castle to proudly show off his work in progress.
Armin Walch — who I think of as the Indiana Jones of Tirolean archaeologists — has endless energy to make his dream of turning Ehrenberg, an ensemble of four castles from four different ages, into a meaningful historical experience. Even in a driving rain, he took us to the highest castle to proudly show off his work in progress.
On my last visit a few years, ago I was “knighted” by my medievalist friends here in Reutte. Coming down off the mountain, having surveyed the castle ruins with Armin, we were met by the “Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian” and his entourage for a fine dinner where I was presented with my own sword (which now resides in the little castle museum).
On my last visit a few years, ago I was “knighted” by my medievalist friends here in Reutte. Coming down off the mountain, having surveyed the castle ruins with Armin, we were met by the “Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian” and his entourage for a fine dinner where I was presented with my own sword (which now resides in the little castle museum).
The next day, we dropped by the castle museum with our group and enjoyed letting our imaginations off their leashes. Here, tour guide Reid sets tour member Malcolm up in a suit of mail. Very stylish...but kind of heavy.
The next day, we dropped by the castle museum with our group and enjoyed letting our imaginations off their leashes. Here, tour guide Reid sets tour member Malcolm up in a suit of mail. Very stylish…but kind of heavy.

P.S. I’m on a Best of Europe in 21 Days Tour.

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Reliving My Early Tour Guiding Days at Ehrenberg Ruins

Hiking to the Ehrenberg Castle ruins with our group brought back memories of the 1970s, when I was a college kid taking gangs of eight through Europe in a minibus on our very first tours. Over years of experimentation, we discovered the fun sights that distinguish our tour program to this day. From this video clip, you can imagine how fun it is for me to share this amazing sight with our tour members 35 years later.

If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.

P.S. I’m on a Best of Europe in 21 Days Tour.

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The Ehrenberg Ruins

Way back in my student travel days, I discovered a handful of completely offbeat sights and experiences like the Ehrenberg Castle ruins in Reutte (in Austria’s Tirol), just across the border from the extremely popular and commercial “Mad” King Ludwig’s castles. To this day, we carefully balance the sightseeing on our tours, mixing the famous must-sees with undiscovered “Back Door” sights like these.

The Ehrenberg ruins are an example of the countless castles ruins rotting away on hilltops all over Europe. They’re free to enter and offer lots of medieval wonder to anyone hardy enough to hike up to the top. Imagine: You’re all alone in your own private castle ruins in the Alps of Austria.
The Ehrenberg ruins are an example of the countless castles ruins rotting away on hilltops all over Europe. They’re free to enter and offer lots of medieval wonder to anyone hardy enough to hike up to the top. Imagine: You’re all alone in your own private castle ruins in the Alps of Austria.
A tour guide has to be careful not to exhaust the group. An experience like this is optional for our tour members. We’ve already had a full day of regular sightseeing. Those who are ready for a break are dropped off at the hotel. Then, the rest of us storm the castle.
A tour guide has to be careful not to exhaust the group. An experience like this is optional for our tour members. We’ve already had a full day of regular sightseeing. Those who are ready for a break are dropped off at the hotel. Then, the rest of us storm the castle.
Assistant tour guide Trish Feaster helps tour guide Reid Coen surprise our gang of thirsty knights by serving beer at the summit of our little mountain. By the way, many of the photos on this series of blog entries were taken by Trish (for her travel blog, see www.thetravelphile.com).
Assistant tour guide Trish Feaster helps tour guide Reid Coen surprise our gang of thirsty knights by serving beer at the summit of our little mountain. By the way, many of the photos on this series of blog entries were taken by Trish (for her travel blog, see www.thetravelphile.com).

P.S. I’m on a Best of Europe in 21 Days Tour.