What a hidden gem off the beaten path in this part of Germany. Have you ever heard of Bruchsal,…read moreGermany? My best guess is no (unless you're here reading this review and then it's maybe likely!) but my point is that this palace is located in a very small town, but is worth the visit. This Baroque palace boasts some unique features I hadn't seen before on such scale - such as the impressive use of Trompe-l'œil frescos on the building's exterior and interior. Keep in mind that like much of Germany what you see here will be largely reproductions due to bombings during WWII, but if you venture on a tour, you'll learn a ton about the wealthy folks that lived here long ago, and the journey to reconstruction in post war Germany. Before you leave be sure to take a gander at the music machine museum, as it captures a really unique moment in human entertainment history. I had no idea that these massive music boxes played such an important role in carnivals, cruise ships, and general entertainment prior to movie theatres and speakers. They are really fun to see and if you allow your mind to wander, you can imagine what it was like to take these in while visiting Coney Island, or even while on board the RMS Titanic. There is a lot here that isn't open to the public, but that's par for the course with historic properties.

Spent a good part of the afternoon strolling the palace grounds…read more We went here on a Monday in November, which was a mistake as the museum is closed on Monday. However, that didn't stop us from taking advantage of the grounds and parks surrounding it. The grounds are well kept and expansive. Since it was already winter, the many fountains and water were not flowing, but that did not deter us from enjoying them. There is a really nice playground for every age of child hidden among the many paths. Even if you don't make it inside the palace, spending time strolling through the parks is worth the visit.