An impossibly romantic vision in yellow and white surrounded by an enormous moat-like lake and a park that is at turns both wild and formal, baroque Schloss Moritzburg was the preferred hunting palace of the Saxon rulers and the site of some rather lavish post-hunting parties under August the Strong. It's no surprise then that antlers are the main decorative feature in halls sheathed in rich leather wall covering, some painted with mythological scenes.
Prized trophies include the antlers of an extinct species of giant stag and bizarrely misshapen ones in the Hall of Monstrosities. Considerably prettier is the legendary Federzimmer (Feather Room) downstairs whose centrepiece is a bed made from over a million colourful duck, pheasant and peacock feathers.
Moritzburg is about 14km north of Dresden. Buses 326 and 457 make regular trips from Dresden-Neustadt train station (€4.20, 30 minutes). For a more atmospheric approach, take the S1 train to Radebeul-Ost (€4.20, 15 minutes) and from there the 1884 narrow-gauge Lössnitzgrundbahn (www.loessnitzgrundbahn.de; €6.70, 30 minutes) to the palace.
