Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich

Hardly even off the beaten path, the Nymphenburg Palace is just a quick Tram ride away (tram 17 or bus 41). It was once the summer home of the Wittelsbach family and was built in several individual phases beginning in 1664.

Richie and I were impressed with the neighborhood surrounding the palace, which seems quiet and reserved, but very clean and charming. While we didn't go inside the palace, the grounds alone are worth a stroll and the exterior of the building is impressive in a stately, if not overly flamboyant way.

I should not consider this castle an "off the beaten path", but a must see activity.

The castle is located in the neighborhood with the same name. The building itself is very beautiful, specially inside.

Behind the building a never-ending garden, which is specially beautiful on fall.

A café at one side of the garden completes the visit with the opportunity of a coffe with some bavarian speciallity.

Some men keep 'little black books'. King Ludwig I commissioned portraits.

In Schloss Nymphenburg you must check out the Gallery of Beauties, Ludwig's portrait compilation of the most beautiful women of his time.

This one is of Marie Gilbert, the Irish-born dancer and courtesan better known as LOLA MONTEZ. Her affair with the king had historical repercussions. Shortly after he elevated her to the title of Baroness von Rosenthal, Ludwig was forced to abdicate. Lola headed to America, where she tried to annex the goldrush territories and rule in Lolaland as Queen. She may have inspired the saying 'whatever Lola wants, Lola gets' . But Lola never got California.

While on the palace grounds be sure to visit the lake and extensive gardens. In addition, there is a separate kid-friendly museum called Man and Nature, with interactive displays.

If you are heading to Nymphenburger Schloß, try to time your visit to end with the sunset. There are few things more romantic than watching the sun set over the schloß and the canal. In fact. 2 of my friends got engaged in this spot -- we should all be so lucky ...

Schloss Nymphenburg, the summer residence of the Bavarian rulers, is a Baroque palace set in a fine park, dotted with pavillions.
As the palace lies some 4km northwest of central Munich, take tram no. 17 or U-Bahn to station "Rotkreuzplatz" and tram no. 12 to Romanplatz.

It seems that this is one of the most beautiful castles in Europe. Unfortunately, as the castle closes at 4 pm (admission until 3.40 pm) in Winter, we came too late and had not the opportunity to visit it. The park is open until 7 pm, so we had a nice walk in the park and this is what I read in my travel guide on a bench near the water:
"Visit the legendary beauty gallery of King Ludwig I, birth room of King Ludwig II and the multistory festival hall "Steinerner Saal" with the magnificent ceiling fresco by Johann Baptist Zimmermann.
The Marstallmuseum in the former Court stables shows among its treasures the coronation coach of the Emperor Karl VII or the fantastic state coach of Ludwig II. On the top floor the Bäuml collection gives an almost perfect outline of the porcelain art of Nymphenburg manufacture."

The Nymphenburg Palace is located a few miles west of the center. You can get there by U-Bahn line U1 or tram lines 12 and 18.