Hofgarten

Lonely Planet review

Office workers catching some rays during their lunch break, stylish moms pushing prams, seniors on bikes, a gaggle of chatty nuns - everybody comes to the Hofgarten. The formal court gardens with fountains, radiant flower beds, lime tree-lined gravel paths and benches galore sits just north of the Residenz. Paths converge at the Dianatempel, a striking octagonal pavilion honouring the Roman goddess of the hunt. In summer it's a favourite spot for classical music recitals.

Boules players gather by the arcades on the park's north side, where the Deutsches Theatermuseum (German Theatre Museum) trains the spotlight on theatre in German-speaking countries with sets, props, costumes, masks and programmes in changing themed exhibits.

Bavaria's governor keeps his office in the humongous Bayerische Staatskanzlei (Bavarian Chancellery) which takes up the entire eastern flank of the Hofgarten. It's a strikingly modern glass palace built around the restored centre section of the Army Museum that for years stood as a ruined anti-war memorial.