Nymphenburg Palace

Nymphenburg Palace began in 1664 as a summer residence commissioned by Elector Ferdinand Maria and Henriette Adelaide of Savoy. Later rulers extended it into a long Baroque facade of pavilions and galleries, and today it is one of the great royal residences of Europe. It sits west of the centre in Neuhausen-Nymphenburg, at the end of a long canal flanked by avenues.

Inside, the best-known room is the Gallery of Beauties, created for King Ludwig I, who commissioned the court painter Joseph Karl Stieler to portray 36 women from different social backgrounds, among them the shoemaker's daughter Helene Sedlmayr and the dancer Lola Montez. The Lacquer Cabinet is closed for restoration until the end of 2027, but the other state rooms are open.

The South Wing houses two further museums. The Marstallmuseum, in the former royal stables, holds one of Europe's largest collections of coaches and sleighs, including the ornate state carriages of Ludwig II and the coronation coach of Charles VII. Above it, the Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain displays more than a thousand pieces from the Nymphenburg manufactory founded in 1747.

The park covers around 200 hectares and mixes formal gardens with English-style landscape. Scattered through it are four small park palaces: the Amalienburg, a Rococo hunting lodge by François de Cuvilliés with a mirrored hall; the Badenburg with its tiled bathing hall; the chinoiserie Pagodenburg; and the Magdalenenklause, a deliberately ruined-looking hermitage. These pavilions open only from April to mid-October, so a summer visit gives the fullest picture. The fountains in the park usually run from Easter to mid-October, from 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:00, and the historic pump houses that drive them can also be visited in that season.

The palace uses timed tickets, which can be booked online up to the day before, while the Marstallmuseum and park buildings need no time slot. In summer everything opens 9:00 to 18:00 and in winter 10:00 to 16:00, and the park itself is free. Allow at least half a day to combine the palace, carriages and a walk to the Amalienburg. Take the U-Bahn to Rotkreuzplatz and change to the tram to Schloss Nymphenburg, or the S-Bahn to Laim and then a bus; there are also about 450 free parking spaces.