Started today at a leisurely pace as we continued sailing along the river. We were treated to a glassblowing demonstration by a traditional German glassblower this morning. The exquisite works of art were a hit with many of the passengers who literally fought to get hold of the items they wanted!! After another delightful lunch we were ready for our afternoon excursion.

Miltenberg is an enchanting riverside town that looks like it stepped out of a fairy tale. Documented for the first time in 1237, the city looks back on a lively past. The buildings are picture-perfect. Traditional half-timbered houses line the streets, in all sorts of colours and designs - enchanted maze of centuries-old, traditional German timber-frame houses, past ornate Renaissance-style sandstone wells, along the pinnacles of the medieval castle and the overcasting shades of awry gables, cryptic statues and imposing watchtowers. Viniculture, wine trade, river traffic and fishery, as well as wood and stone industries were the most important growth engines of trade and craft. During the early 19th century the city suffered the loss of being the top quality location of the Electoral State of Mainz and as a result found itself unfortunately situated on the brink of the Kingdom of Bavaria. The major phases of urban development were history and hence the medieval townscape was preserved to this day for which we are eternally grateful.

By crossing the Main bridge (mark that the river is named "Main", it does not stand for the English word "main"), you will automatically walk through the massive Bridge Tower, which was built in the year 1900. The bridge and tower are made of red sandstone, not uncommon for buildings and structures in Miltenberg, as the town had its own sandstone quarries and used to be an important centre for the processing of sandstone. Other major buildings in Miltenberg which have been built with sandstone are the old town hall, as well as the large Jakobus church that you can see dominating the townscape.

Along the river, you will find the bronze statues of three young men urinating in a square-sized pool. What might appear obscene or bizarre to some people is actually a historical comment on Miltenberg's long-standing struggles with flooding. In the old days in times of severe flooding, the water would often flood the entire historic town centre, making it virtually impossible for many of Miltenberg's residents to leave their houses. The problem was that houses back then of course didn't have modern toilets, but most of the time there was simply a hole dug in the ground at the backside of the house, with a wooden box as a seat if one was lucky. During the floods these could of course not be reached, which is why the male residents would simply relieve themselves out of the main entrance of the house straight into the river water.

The "Black Quarter" of Miltenberg is a network of old alleys and picturesque streets. It is a lovely part of town, deeply steeped in history, which you simply should not miss. The "Black Quarter" got its name, because it is almost the entire time cast into darkness, as the rays of the sun cannot reach the bottom of the streets since everything has been built so narrowly. This however gives this part of town its unique charm and there are many intriguing things to explore.

"Schnatterloch" - The old Market Square
We entered the old part of Miltenberg at the catholic Jakobus church with its mighty double spires. Originally built in the 13th century, the church has undergone significant changes over time, and even though being gothic in its core now is characterized by a marked neo-classical style. Right in front of you, you can see Miltenberg's old market square. This could be right out of the Brother Grimm's Fairy Tales book: An awe-inspiring panorama of cramped together timber-frame houses that flank the square on each side. At the centre of the square you can see an old Renaissance well from 1583, made of sandstone (surprised?). During a lovely spring or summer day, the square will be bathed in the bright colours of arranged flowers and the cafes and wine bars around the square invite to sit down, have a drink and let life slowly pass by.

The old sandstone building from the 14th century was used in the old times as a ware- and trading-house. As the name already says, the Old Town Hall is not in service as the actual town hall anymore but is mainly used for cultural events and concerts.

In the heart of Main street you will find the oldest pub in Germany, called "Zum Riesen" (Inn of the Giant). This is one of the most frequented landmarks of the old town and popular with locals and tourists alike. King Gustav of Sweden and Elvis (among many other celebrities) have been here to dine and drink. The menu is made up primarily of typical hearty, rather heavy German delicacies.

Obviously, Germany has a painful and shameful history of the Persecution of Jews and the Holocaust during which the Nazis murdered around 6 million Jews. To commemorate the Jewish victims of this horrible chapter of German history, artist Gunter Demnig has created cobblestones made of brass called "stumbling stones". These serve as memory plaques installed in front of the houses where Jews used to live before they were seized and murdered by the Nazis. You can find these kind of stones inserted into the pavement in many German cities, so too in Miltenberg. Keep your eyes open and I'm sure you will stumble across them as this was the first town we have found them in.

As you wander around the quaint alleys of the historic core of Miltenberg make sure you pay attention to the detailed carvings, ornaments, and statues that you can occasionally find on the ancient timber-frame houses and be sure to look up as you pass Guntram's Malerarche to see the rather risque windows!!