Potsdam is a one day trip from Berlin, and is a city that invited exploration as it has 17 palaces spread across 3 parks from a Prussian royal heritage. The National Parks and palaces complex are today an UNESCO World site and a mix of styles with gardens inspired from many parts of the world – Greece, Italy, France or ancient Asia.

Four stops – I started my tour in the Baroque city center at the first Brandenburg Gate, then explored Sans Souci and New Gardens, before ending the day at Glinicke Bridge and Babelsberg.

City center

Old Market, New Market, Brandenburg State Parliament, Filmmuseum, Potsdam Museum inside Old Town Hall and Museum Barberini. Interesting fact – the Brandenburger Tor of Potsdam was build before the one in Berlin.

Let’s not forget the Dutch quarter with St Nicolas Church and Dutch-style houses.

Sanssouci – No worries

Now, Palaces. Schloss Sanssouci is the most famous and beautiful one, in my view, and the summer residence and favorite place of King Frederick. The popular route starts here in Sansouci Park:

• Neues Palais – or the New Palace – is the biggest palace in Sanssouci Park and in Potsdam
• Small Charlottenhof Palace (or villa) inside Sanssouci Park
• Orangery Palace
• Historic Windmill
• Marmorpalais – Marble House
• Chinese House

New Garden

The Cecilienhof Country House is located in the New Garden and is the historic site of the Postdam conference after the end of World War II, in the summer of 1945.

A ticket on Cecilienhof Palace can be combined with a visit to Belvedere on Pfingstberg and Russian Orthodox Church on Kapellenberh Hill.

Babelsberg Palace And Park

Last, Babelsberg Park hosts the Babelsberg Castle and the international film studio.

Glinicke Bridge separated German East and Crossing Glienicker Bridge, that connects Wannsee (Berlin) and Potsdam in Brandenburg, the same one that became known as the “Bridge of Spies”. Across the river Havel, the view is wonderful.

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Source credit for feature picture: https://visitworldheritage.com/en/