Schloss Nymphenburg - No 10 of Top Ten Things to See and Do - The Best of Munich

After having lived for two years in Munich, I’ve become the “go-to” for advice on how to spend a couple of days touring the city.

Unfortunately for many of my friends, family members and colleagues who are North Americans  with a full-time job, this means two weeks in Europe and maybe 2-3 days spent whizzing through each city (shortening the stay when first impressions don’t live up to expectations).

Having put together a list similar to this a thousand times, I wanted to share a formal “Best of Munich”, outlining my favourite things to do in what will remain forever in my books die beste Stadt der Welt!

So, in an effort to break things up a bit, I will write about my ten favourite things to do in Munich, starting with #10 and working backwards to my all-time favourite thing to do.

The Best of Munich!

Ready? Here we go!

#10. Schloss Nymphenburg:

I would love to say that Schloss Nymphenburg is a step outside the hustle and bustle of Munich’s downtown core, but there’s really not enough hustle and bustle to require a break at all. Visiting the Schloss (which means palace) is, however, a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. 

Built over the course of the 17th and 18th century, the palace design is very difference from typical castles or palaces you might find in other parts of Europe, notably in France or the U.K. Schloss Nymphenburg is a massive complex, but appears, on the outside, to be quite modest in design, lacking extravagant detail but certainly holding its own as a noble looking structure.

Mimicking a smaller version of the French palace of Versailles, Schloss Nymphenburg welcomes incoming visitors with a thin waterway making its way from the street leading to the entrance of the palace and continuing on the other side of the Schloss as far as the eye can see. The canal ends at a cascade, quite a distance from the palace itself.

Once you make your way through the main gate (free of charge), you can explore the hidden lakes, ponds, and grassy areas branching off the central green that make up Nymphenburg Park. In separate corners of the park, you’ll find statues, greenhouses, and four additional palaces including the Amalienburg (a must-see for art and architecture lovers alike), the Badenburg, the Pagodenburg and the Magdalenenklause.

While I, myself (shamefully) have not yet entered into the belly of this beautiful beast, it has been said that the innards of the great Schloss are definitely worth a peak.

If you're strapped for time, take a virtual tour of the Nymphenburger Schloss before leaving home. One of the biggest attractions inside the palace is the Schönheitengalerie, the Gallery of Beauties, named as such because it is this room that houses walls filled with paintings of 36 women, hand-picked by King Ludwig I. 

Insider Travelers Tip:

If you visit the Schloss on a weekend, more likely than not, you'll witness a wedding photo shoot that brings the fairy tale wonder of this gorgeous palace to life!

Travel Tip shared by Arden
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