For the most part, Hohenems is a fairly quiet town. It’s located in a rural area. There is no university nearby. The most common summertime activities—hiking, cycling, swimming—are dispersed in the nearby mountains or the Rhine valley. Even the main road through town doesn’t see much traffic—anyone who is just passing through will find that it’s quicker to circumvent the city center entirely.
But for a few hours today, the center of Hohenems was bustling with traffic, although the purpose was admittedly a bit different. The cars weren’t typical—instead, it was an old-timers rally, featuring an array of classic and vintage vehicles.
(If the video isn’t playing for you, try this link).
The event in Hohenems was part of a tour known as the Silvretta Classic. They’re touring in western Austria (Vorarlberg and Tyrol) as well as Switzerland and even Lichtenstein this weekend.
The old-timers rally is one of the many slightly-quirky-but-fun events taking place in Hohenems this summer. Although the town is small, there is plenty to enjoy here. There is a lovely open-air market on the Schloßplatz, in the center of town, on Saturday mornings. Live music is common. The week after next, the museum will host the European Summer University for Jewish Studies, bringing students from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to Hohenems.
It may not typically be loud, but things are certainly happening.
Just about 15 miles from Hohenems is the capital of Vorarlberg, Bregenz. For a small town it has quite a bit to offer: a cute downtown, a small museum , a large, lovely park, beach and pools along Lake Constance( Bodensee, in German),and the piece d’ resistance- the world -class modern lakeside Bregenz Opera Festival in summer. There is seating for over 6000 attendees, restaurant, an large indoor auditorium and the atmosphere is definitely very cosmopolitan.
In Hohenems itself we were impressed by the number of street signs that direct visitors to the Jewish quarter and the museum. And the Jewish cemetery is worth a visit-it laid out along a hillside ,with some graves dating back hundred years plus.
Eric and Doris Billes