Ludwigsburg, Germany

As much as I enjoy seeing new places, this is the second regional spot I’ve been to twice in less than a year, and both repeat visits were great! The first trip to the Ludwigsburg Palace was in June, when the gardens were blooming beautifully. Our GPS didn’t know its way around all the fancy multi-acre fenced-in grounds, which was a first-world problem! Just follow signs for parking (P in a blue square). The 30-35 minute drive is worth it.

There are several separate museums inside the Palace, and we saw the porcelain exhibit the first time. In addition to items inside the display cases, the floors were gorgeous parquet, and the walls were covered with silk! Typical of many European museums, all bags are required to be stored in no-cost lockers.

The fall visit included a fantastical display of every type of pumpkin, gourd, and squash imaginable! A new German acquaintance asked me to explain the difference between pumpkins and squash… um, gulp! A walking dictionary I am not, but I grabbed a pen to make a drawing of various veggies.

The outdoor paths were nicely decorated, and there were numerous snack and sales booths around the property. The pumpkin soup was tasty, but the pumpkin beverage didn’t match my taste buds.

This time, we went to the antique clothing museum, which was spectacular. In addition to women’s dresses, an amazing variety of accessories were displayed: bejeweled shoe buckles, embroidered buttons, handbags, bow ties, hats, shoes, and more. Too bad women couldn’t sit when wearing hoop skirts! The audio guide in multiple languages was included in the ticket price. No photos were allowed in this museum.

After touring the Palace museum and grounds, we walked just a few blocks to the old town part of Ludwigsburg. Lots of shops, cafes, and a pretty church square make it worth your time and effort. I look forward to returning!