Seventeen acres of subtropical gardens constructed over a century ago on a formerly bleak, windswept island. It’s like a Douanier Rousseau painting, with species from 80 countries, from Brazil to Burma. Beyond the garden and on neighbouring islands are some of the best unspoilt beaches in Britain. You could be in the Canaries or somewhere really exotic (until you put your foot in the water).

www.tresco.co.uk/the_abbey_garden/

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The Electress Amalia’s hunting lodge has one large room, two smaller ones, a single day bed, a Delft-tiled kitchen, an indoor kennel for her dogs (who clearly lived in greater comfort than most of the population), one lavatory (not for use by visitors) and no fireplaces.

The domed central room has vast silver-gilt mirrors and crystal chandeliers, the walls painted the pale green-blue colour of infinity that you see when you stand between two parallel mirrors. On a winter day in the snow, it was cold, deserted and magical.

Schlosspark Nymphenburg
www.schloesser.bayern.de

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The church is easily recognisable from a distance, the statues above the door jutting out into the street, but nothing prepares you for the interior. It was built in the 1730s by two architect brothers called Egid Quirin and Cosmas Damian Asam as their private chapel undisturbed by the demands of patrons, town planners or deadlines. Almost inpossible to film or photograph, it is dark, sinister and wildly baroque, full of optical illusions, the decoration covering every square inch of every surface area. The lighting is peculiar, with patches of brightness without any obvious source, the perspectives slightly odd so that as you walk along the aisle everything changes subliminally and, seen out of the corner of your eye, the statues appear to move.

Sendlinger Strasse 32.

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