MILTENBERG am MAIN

On the left bend of the River Main, Miltenberg is a charming little German village, with a mix of cobblestone streets and sloping red pitched roofs with loft rooms and windows.

Although only an hour’s drive south-east from Frankfurt, in the northern corner of Bavaria, this little gem has much to offer the inquisitive traveller: far from the maddening crowd of international travellers, with locals buying the best at reasonable prices, street “beergartens”, wine taverns under vine pergolas, steamboats mooring at the quay, and the oldest inn in Europe! Zum Riesen is dates back to 1280!

Frau Cilly Jöst and her retired architect husband, Werner, bought this dilapidated wood structured three storey building some 30 years ago and started to restore the third floor as an intimate little home away from home. Speaking only German, and without fax or e-mail facilities, communication is quite a challenge!

The narrow pedestrian’s Hauptstrasse runs parallel to the river. Many fascinating and original little shops, selling German handicraft and clothing lined both sides of the historic street façade.

But the reward of it all makes it worthwhile to consider this detour off the beaten track, as a last stopover, before flying out of Frankfurt.

- Johann Beukes