On the wooden benches and tables you can kick back and enjoy traditional German food. No trip to Munich is complete without at least trying a "handle", or half a chicken, bratwurst and of course, giant piles of fried potatoes.

The meat might be slightly overcooked, the portions overly generous and vegetables other than potato totally verboten, but it's hearty and satisfying, and much better when eaten as it's intended - washed down with a "mass", meaning a liter of German beer.

After a day relaxing in the park you may feel the need for a bit of European decadence. You will find it at Schloss Nymphenburg, the summer palace of the eccentric Bavarian royal family since 1675.

The monarchy no longer reigns in Germany, but they managed to keep their heads and the man who would be king, Franz, Duke of Bavaria, still lives in a flat in one of the wings of the palace. The rest, however, is open to the public.

Entry to Nymphenburg is 6 euros ($7.80), an audio guide costs 3.50 euros and is available in English, German, French, Italian, Russian and Spanish.

The audio guide tour takes you through the grand reception room and into the former private apartments of past kings and queens.

One fascinating, if not slightly creepy, part of the castle is the "Gallery of Beauty".

It is a room dedicated to portraits of beautiful women, that were commissioned by King Ludwig I, who ruled from 1825 to 1848. The women gaze down from their frames, ethereal and serene, their charm forever captured in time.

Some were royalty, others commoners. Their lives are far more fascinating than those of the frescos and furniture that dot the castle and it is worth hiring the audio guide just for the backgrounds of the women in the portraits.

The most famous portrait is of Helene Sedlmayr, a 15-year-old employee of a toy store. She is said to be the embodiment of Bavarian beauty and caught the eye of the king when delivering parcels to the palace.

After you have dipped into Germany's royal past you might want to view some of its more recent achievements.

Deutsches Museum is the place to go. Germany's great engineering feats are on display here, along with an impressive collection of aircraft, from propeller planes to World War II fighter jets and airships.

If you are a science freak or aircraft enthusiast there will be lots for you to admire here, and even if you are not, the collection is impressive.

Disappointingly only some of the written texts describing the exhibits are in English, so either brush up on your German or simply enjoy the view. Tickets to the museum are 8.50 euros for those 16 and over, children between 6 and 16 are 3 euros, and children under 6 can visit for free.

Munich may be best known for Oktoberfest, it's two-week long autumn folk festival, but this wealthy, picturesque and very European city has much to recommend it to visitors throughout the year.

Contact the writer at sundayed@chinadaily.com.cn.