Meet the Pied Piper of Hamlyn
The narrow streets of the town square are dotted with open air eateries, flanked by sandstone and half-timbered houses rebuilt in the Weser architectural style. Significant features include subdivided facades adorned with scrolls, pyramids, obelisks, fine chiselled stones, and ornamental coats of arms.
And protruding bay-windows, or Utluchten.
"In those days," explains our musical guide with a grin, "there was no television. So the hausfraus, or housewives, could look out through these windows to see what was happening in the neighbourhood."
Hamlyn, ('Hameln' in German and also known as 'Hamelin' and 'Hamlin' ) is just one of the idyllic little villages which nestle in the hills and forests of the Weserbergland region. But it is certainly the most famous.
Image: Tourists relax in the town square. Picture: Hamlyn Tourism