At Miltenberg, the Roman frontier did something unusual: it stopped being a wall and became a river. North of the town, the Main served as the frontier for some fifty kilometres, guarded by forts and watchtowers along its western bank, and here, where the river bends, the land frontier began again, heading south through the Odenwald. The watchtowers WP 7/1 to 7/36 belong to this stretch, and while most are only traces in fields and forests, they are part of the UNESCO Frontiers of the Roman Empire. The Romans built forts at Miltenberg, too, and some of their finds are displayed in the town museum.
Miltenberg is one of the prettiest towns on the Main. Its old town stretches along the river at the foot of a steep, wooded hill, with a long main street lined with half-timbered houses, many of them with carved and painted beams. At the heart of it lies the Schnatterloch, a small, sloping square surrounded by timber-framed houses, with a fountain and a castle on the hill above. The local red sandstone was quarried here for centuries and used in buildings across the region, including in Roman times.
The riding in the area is a delight. The roads along the Main follow the curves of the river, with views of vineyards, forests and villages, and the roads that climb into the hills of the Spessart to the north and the Odenwald to the south are winding and fun, with tight bends, steep climbs and very little traffic on weekdays. In summer, the riverside roads are busy with cyclists, and the towns slow you down. Spring, with blossoms, and autumn, with golden forests, are the best seasons.
Miltenberg, with nearly ten thousand inhabitants, has fuel, shops and plenty of restaurants and inns. Bürgstadt and Großheubach, nearby, are wine villages with taverns serving local wines, especially the red wines grown on the sandstone slopes. Try a Frankish Bratwurst with sauerkraut, a Schäufele, or a fish from the Main. And if you have time, a short walk up to the castle gives you a fine view of the town and the river.