The prince-bishops' summer resort is a jewel of Baroque architecture and horticultural art.

 
Veitshöchheim summer palace - just a few miles north (40 minutes by excursion boat; ongoing departures from the Alter Kranen) of the Würzburg city limits - is well worth the trip and perhaps a 90-minute visit. Although the palace is charming, it's the extensive gardens - one of the most impressive Rococo parks in Europe - that appeal most.

 
The gardens show formality buffered by a strong sense of whimsy. Wooded boulevards branch off to hedge-rimmed pavilions. Statues of gods and mythological beings mingle with those of peasants and shepherds. A winged horse spouts water from an island fountain in an artificial lake. (Bring some bread and watch the giant carp and ducks fight over it). Perhaps most interesting: a grotto inhabited by creatures formed entirely from seashells, like a hideous, razor-toothed monkey. Benches are placed every 50 feet or so for reflection or relief.

Contact:
Tel: +49 (0)931/915 82
Fax: +49 (9) 31/519 25
www.schloesser.bayern.de
sgvWuerzburg@bsv.bayern.de

The garden is open daily until dusk without charge.