We'll be in Munich for three days at the end of a Danube River cruise. It falls during the opening weekend of Oktoberfest...unintended. We're staying at a hotel in Schwabing, adjacent to the English Gardens. Which palace would be a better option to visit? The Residenz is more centrally located and easier to access. Nymphenburg is further out, but might be less crowded. What are the pros and cons of each? Thanks for your insights!
Posted by
Chicago
542 posts
I saw both of them in 1996 and recommend Nymphenburg Palace over the Residenz.
Nymphenberg is more interesting in part because of the Gallery of Beauties. It is a collection of 38 portraits of the most beautiful women from the nobility and bourgeoisie of Munich, gathered by Ludwig I, the king of Bavaria from the 1820s to the late 1840s. The Gallery of Beauties is probably the most compelling collection of portraits I've seen. And I believe it's an in-situ collection, meaning it is situated in its original place.
Nymphenberg also hosts cultural events -- concerts, plays and such -- outside in the summer, though I don't know if it does in the fall.
Getting to Nymphenburg is part of the fun. A Munich streetcar deposits visitors right in front of the palace. The streetcars in Munich do not share lanes with cars: They glide past traffic jams of cars. The system illustrates a well-designed transit system.
The Residenz is nice, too, especially the antiquarium. It originally housed a 400-year-old antique collection.
Posted by
USA
23 posts
Last month, I visited both spots. I vastly preferred Nymphenburg. Besides the palace itself, the combo ticket includes access to the various buildings around the palace park. I thought the buildings were very unique and interesting. There is also a museum devoted to royal carriages and sleds, which used to be part of the Residenz. I saw so many palaces on this recent trip to Bavaria. Looking back, many of these places bleed together in my memory, but most of the park palaces at Nymphenburg stand out for me. Also, the grounds are lovely to explore. We had a picnic lunch on a lakeside bench, and we enjoyed Happy Hour at the outdoor cafe.
At the Residenz, there are many grand rooms. After the initial 20-30 minutes, it started to become monotonous. Plus, several parts of the palace are reconstructions done after WWII. Nymphenburg remained untouched, which makes it more authentic in my eyes.
Posted by
Alsenborn, Germany
1312 posts
If the weather is nice, and you like walking around the gardens, then Nymphenburg is the better choice. But I like the Residence a lot, as it has one of my favorite statues (Perseus & Medusa), and the interior is so very different than the exterior, which is nowhere near as ornate as the schloss' at Nymphenburg.
If you choose the Residence, the Royal and English gardens are right there, plus you have a much larger selection of places to eat. Consider it as part of a day's activities. Nymphenburg can easily take a day alone.