Potsdam

Day 1: Sanssouci Park and Frederician splendour

Settle into Potsdam’s royal landscape with a full day in Sanssouci Park. Distances are bigger than they look, so plan smartly and pace yourself. If your Day 1 falls on a Monday, swap this day with Day 3, as many palaces close on Mondays.

• Morning: Arrive early at Sanssouci Palace for your timed entry (book the sanssouci+ ticket several days ahead in peak season). Stroll the vineyard terraces and pop into the picture gallery next door; note no interior photography and expect un-airconditioned rooms in summer.
• Midday: Pause by the historic windmill for a light lunch/picnic, then wander to the Chinese House and, if open (typically Apr–Oct), the orangery’s Raphael Hall; climb a tower for views if the weather is clear. In hot weather, carry water; in winter, expect reduced hours and chillier interiors.
• Afternoon: Walk (c. 2.5 km) or take bus 695 to the New Palace to see the grotto hall and marble halls; allow 60–90 minutes inside. If time and energy permit, add Charlottenhof and the Roman Baths for a quieter romantic ensemble.
• Evening: Head into the Dutch Quarter for dinner among red-brick gables; it’s lively but less hectic than the palace area. In August, the Potsdam Palace Night lights up the park (book very early and expect crowds).

Day 2: New Garden, Cecilienhof and the Cold War shoreline

Today mixes lakeside calm with world history. You’ll circle the Heiliger See, step into 1945 at Cecilienhof, and end at the Bridge of Spies with views towards Berlin.

• Morning: Walk the New Garden loop and visit Cecilienhof; the Potsdam Conference exhibition is sobering and superb (renovations mean altered routes and occasional closures until roughly 2027—book a timed slot). Give yourself 60–90 minutes and bring layers; interiors can feel cool even in summer.
• Midday: Tour the Marble Palace for early neoclassicism and refined interiors; check seasonal openings (often reduced in winter, closed some Mondays). A lakeside bench here makes a perfect sandwich stop.
• Afternoon: Continue to the Glienicke Bridge to stand on the former border line and read the onsite panels; consider Villa Schöningen for added context. If the weather’s fine, cross to Babelsberg Park for sweeping views and an undulating English landscape (good footwear; summer water taxis on the Havel are a pleasant shortcut).
• Evening: Catch sunset from the Belvedere on Pfingstberg for the best panorama of Potsdam’s cultural landscape (verify closing times; it closes earlier in winter). If it’s off-season or raining, swap this with an earlier slot and opt for a cosy café near Nauener Tor.

Day 3: City centre, museums and living heritage

Explore Potsdam’s rebuilt heart, its top museum, and sites of conscience, then end with Russian village charm. Use trams 91/93/96 and buses from Hauptbahnhof to save steps; a day ticket is good value.

• Morning: Start at Alter Markt to take in the reconstructed city palace façade (now the Brandenburg parliament; note the “Ceci n’est pas un château” inscription) and then visit the Museum Barberini for Impressionism (timed entry recommended; coat checks for larger bags). Many museums close on Mondays—reorder days if needed.
• Midday: Walk to the Brandenburg Gate (Potsdam) and on to Nauener Tor, then linger over lunch in the Dutch Quarter’s cafés; spring brings the Tulip Festival, winter the Christmas market. Expect cobbles—comfortable shoes help.
• Afternoon: Visit Gedenkstätte Lindenstraße, the former Nazi/Soviet/Stasi prison; it’s powerful and best approached quietly (allow 60–90 minutes). Continue to the Russian Colony Alexandrowka for the wooden houses, the small museum in House No. 2, and tea and cake in House No. 1; check opening days outside peak season.
• Evening: Stroll the Havel riverfront or take a seasonal sunset cruise from near Freundschaftsinsel. Alternatively, for skyline views and an ongoing local debate in context, consider an evening visit to the Garnisonkirche tower (partially open; check times), then dine back around the Dutch Quarter.

By Air

• Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) is the nearest major airport.
  • By train: typically 50–70 minutes to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof with 1 change (e.g., BER → Berlin Hbf by airport express, then RE1 to Potsdam). An all-S-Bahn option via Berlin (e.g., S9/S45 + S7) takes around 70–85 minutes.
  • By car/taxi: about 40–55 minutes, traffic-dependent.
• Other useful airports (connect via Berlin by train, then RE1/S7 to Potsdam):
  • Leipzig/Halle (LEJ): roughly 1 h 45–2 h 30 total.
  • Dresden (DRS): roughly 2 h 30–3 h total.
  • Hamburg (HAM): roughly 3–3 h 30 total.

By Train

• Main station: Potsdam Hauptbahnhof. Other useful stops: Potsdam Charlottenhof, Babelsberg, Griebnitzsee.
• Regional-Express RE1 (Magdeburg–Brandenburg–Potsdam–Berlin–Frankfurt (Oder)) runs frequently and is the fastest regular rail link from Berlin to Potsdam (about 25–30 minutes from Berlin Hbf; around 20–25 minutes from Zoologischer Garten).
• S-Bahn S7 runs from central Berlin to Potsdam (about 40–50 minutes from central hubs).
• Long-distance trains (ICE/IC) generally do not serve Potsdam directly; change in Berlin (Hbf or Südkreuz) to RE1/S7.
• Indicative times via Berlin Hbf, then RE1:
  • From Hamburg: ~1 h 45 (ICE) + 25–30 min.
  • From Hannover: ~1 h 45 (ICE) + 25–30 min.
  • From Leipzig: ~1 h 15 (ICE) + 25–30 min.
  • From Dresden: ~2 h (IC/ICE) + 25–30 min.
  • From Munich: ~4 h (ICE) + 25–30 min.
  • From Frankfurt (Main): ~3 h 45–4 h 15 (ICE) + 25–30 min.
• Fare note: Potsdam lies in the Berlin ABC/VBB zone; ABC tickets cover Berlin–Potsdam on S-Bahn/RE.

By Car

• From Berlin: A115 (AVUS) leads directly towards Potsdam; typical driving time 35–50 minutes from central districts.
• From the orbital: A10 (Berliner Ring) exits (e.g., Potsdam-Nord, Michendorf) provide access from other directions.
• From BER: around 40–55 minutes via A113/A10/A115 (traffic-dependent).
• Parking in the historic centre is limited/paid; use car parks at Potsdam Hauptbahnhof or park-and-ride sites and switch to trams/buses.