Nymphenburg Palace

Begun in 1664 as a summer residence and extended into a long front of pavilions linked by galleries, Nymphenburg stretches further across its park than most European palaces of its type. Ludwig I commissioned the Gallery of Beauties, thirty-six portraits of women he considered beautiful, painted by Joseph Karl Stieler between 1827 and 1850, ranging from aristocrats to a shoemaker's daughter and the dancer Lola Montez. In the park stand four garden pavilions, of which the Amalienburg is a small hunting lodge whose mirrored Hall of Mirrors in silver and blue is among the finest rococo interiors in Europe.

What you actually see

• The Gallery of Beauties - thirty-six portraits commissioned by Ludwig I.
• The Amalienburg - a rococo hunting lodge with a silvered mirror hall.
• The park - two hundred hectares of canals, lawns and pavilions.
• The porcelain factory - the Nymphenburg manufactory still on the estate.

When to go

April to October for the park and pavilions, which close for winter while the main palace stays open. The park is free and used by locals year-round.

Honest expectations

The garden pavilions close from roughly mid-October to Easter. The park is very large with long walks between buildings. Separate tickets apply to different parts.

Nearby

Central Munich lies east; the Olympiapark is northeast.