Toni Novack and I decided to go to Villach, about 18 KM (11 miles, 23 min by train) today to see the town and the castle ruin above it. I checked the train schedule and we decided to catch the 9:16 train to Villach. All went well, we bought the tickets and caught the train…and the Villach stop came up and we got off…we were the only ones that got off (first clue). Then we started walking…there was no town! We asked how long a walk to town, and were told 2km, about a mile and a half (2nd clue). We went back and looked at the train schedule…we got off at Villach-Seebach (the sign was the last clue…should have been Villach HBF)…and the next train was in…an hour, to the main train station. We went out the other side where there was a tobacco shop and asked about buses (none); taxi (none)…so we returned to the road and walked to town. It wasn’t far really (don’t believe Toni…) and found the train station, and a taxi stand.  

We got a taxi to Landskron Castle (it dropped us off at the bottom of the hill), but the walk up was worth it, the view was awesome. The castle was mostly in ruin, but had a great location.

We went into a couple of churches in Villach, but didn’t climb to the top of St Jacobs’ church. After returning to Portschach (and getting off at the right stop, though we did exit the wrong way initially…Toni went to catch her plane to London and Wimbledon and I rented a bike and rode to Velden at the end of the lake (Portschach is in the middle), a nice ride, all via bike lanes. I walked around Velden, which was quite busy on a late Saturday afternoon, then rode back. Off to Munich tomorrow, then back to the USA.