Just north of Munich is the suburb of Schleissheim, home to several castles that hold a candle to anything in the heart of the city. Make sure you see the Great Gallery, the charming French-style gardens and the magnificent display of Meissen porcelain in Palace Lustheim. Originally a moorland farm, the Altes Schloss (Old Palace) had its heyday as a splendid Renaissance building before it was completely destroyed in WWII. Today it contains part of the Bavarian National Museum and a museum of religion, which includes a collection of cribs and Easter eggs from around the world. The Neues Schloss (New Palace) was commissioned by Prince Max Emanuel II as a summer residence and modelled after Versailles. Don't miss the exquisitely decorated banqueting halls and Barockgalerie, which displays around a thousand paintings including masterworks by Rubens, Titian, Veronese and Van Dijck.