The Residenz tour: twelve written reviews in four languages, for the other half of the choice
Twelve reviews, and every one is about a person
Diana, David and Iliana are named. Several more guides are described without a name, always in the same terms: knowledgeable, passionate, and better than the reviewer expected. Nobody praises the route. What the twelve are consistently about is somebody walking them through rooms they would otherwise have looked at in silence — which is exactly the thing the Nymphenburg state ticket does not sell.
“die Tour war sehr gut. Leider habe ich eine englischsprachige Führung ausgewählt, aber der Guide hat mir viele wichtige Inhalte nochmals kurz in Deutsch zusammengefasst. Der Guide hatte eine sehr angenehme Art und hat viele Informationen gegeben. Zusammengefasst: Gerne wieder”
“Exceptional tour, very intimate tour! I was the only person on the tour when I went! One other person was supposed to show up but they did not. The guide was very knowledgeable about the Residenz, she said it is her favorite place in Munich. The decor, architecture, furniture, and history is fascinating and beautiful. I recommend this tour!”
“We loved the tour. Diana was a fantastic guide with so much knowledge. The palace is worth visiting, even with children (ours are 9, 10, and 14).”
“La guida era molto preparata e simpatica: è perfino riuscita a far interessare i nostri due figli adolescenti ! Il Residenz è bellissimo. Decisamente un tour super consigliato.”
“La guía que nos ayudó con el recorrido fue muy amable y atenta, respondió a todas nuestras preguntas; El Palacio es un lugar lleno de historia de la aristocracia que por mucho años lo habito.”
“It was a great tour with a friendly, knowledgeable tour guide. Although it was uncomfortably hot, the tour was worth it.”
“the tourcwas excellent. the guide was extremely knowledgeable and kept our interest. Thank you for a wonderful tour.”
The two accounts to read if you are choosing between the palaces
Alexander’s, because it is the only account anywhere in this catalogue of what happens when the language on the listing and the language in your head do not match. He booked English, got English, and the guide summarised in German for him anyway. That is a guide going out of their way rather than a policy, and it is the only data point there is on the subject.
And the January review about children, because it is the only one on this site that says a palace interior held the attention of a nine-year-old. Francesco’s Italian review says the same about two teenagers. Both belong to the Residenz — so if children are the deciding factor, that is where the written evidence points, and the full comparison — both tariffs, both sets of hours, what each actually holds — is on Residenz or Nymphenburg.
Where Nymphenburg fits beside it
This tour is the city-centre palace; Nymphenburg is about five kilometres west of it, its own afternoon. No listing on this site does both in one booking except the German either-or tour, which sells you a choice rather than a pair. Getting from one to the other is on getting there, and how the two fit into a short trip is on two days in Munich.
What works
- 190 ratings and twelve written reviews, the deepest guided record on this site for either palace
- Skip-the-line tickets to the Residenz Museum, the Treasury and the Cuvilliés Theatre are all included
- Two separate reviews say it held the attention of children and of teenagers
- Guides named individually and warmly, which usually means the guiding is the product
Worth knowing
- It is the city-centre palace — pair it with a Nymphenburg afternoon on another day
- A group of up to twenty-four is not a small group, whatever one reviewer’s empty departure suggests
- One reviewer found it uncomfortably hot; these are indoor rooms in summer
- The Cuvilliés Theatre keeps its own shorter hours, so check what is open on your date
The other side of the same question
Pick one palaceMunich: Nymphenburg Palace OR Residenz Guided Tour
Palace + carriagesMunich Nymphenburg Palace & Carriage Museum Fast-Track Tour
Most bookedMunich: Nymphenburg Palace Entry Ticket
The either-or tour is led in German, in costume, with tickets included, and sells you one palace of the two — it has thirty-six ratings and a single written sentence, quoted on the reviews hub. The Nymphenburg guided tour is reviewed here, and the plain Nymphenburg ticket here.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tour go to Nymphenburg Palace?
No. It is a tour of the Munich Residenz, in the city centre, about five kilometres from Nymphenburg, and none of its twelve written reviews mentions Nymphenburg at all. The two palaces are compared side by side on Residenz or Nymphenburg.
Is the Residenz good with children?
Two reviewers say so directly, which is two more than say it about Nymphenburg anywhere in this catalogue. One took children of 9, 10 and 14 and calls the palace worth visiting even with them; an Italian reviewer says the guide managed to interest two teenage sons. Under-18s go free at both palaces.
What does the Residenz tour include?
Skip-the-line tickets to the Munich Residenz, to the Treasury and to the Cuvilliés Theatre, with a licensed guide, in a group of up to twenty-four. The theatre keeps its own shorter, partly afternoon-only hours, so it is worth checking what is open on your date.