Overview

Potsdam is a mere 30 kilometres from Berlin, but the two cities couldn’t be more different. If you’re staying in Berlin, then we think a day trip to Potsdam is a must and with our 1-day hop-on hop-off tour you won’t miss a thing in this uniquely attractive city.

Until the start of the 20th century, Potsdam was the home of the Kings of Prussia and then the German Kaiser. The modern city was built at the height of Prussian power and planned to be “a picturesque, pastoral dream”. It’s full of palaces, lakes and green open spaces. Hop on the bus at Luisenplatz, where you can see the city’s own Brandenburg Gate. Though not as big as Berlin’s, it’s still an impressive structure.

If you’re a fan of the cinema, then hop off at the Filmmuseum, which tells the story of nearby Babelsberg Studios, the oldest operational large-scale film studio in the world, where some of the classics of German cinema were made as well as some modern Hollywood blockbusters.

Hop off at the Dutch Quarter (Holländisches Viertel) and explore this delightful neighbourhood, which consists of 134 restored red-brick houses built in the Dutch style in the 18th century. It’s a delightful place, with lots of small shops, galleries, cafés and bars and definitely worth an hour or two of your time.

To see architecture that’s more spectacular in nature, hop off at Marmorpalais (Marble Palace), a stunning palace that was built in the late 18th-century for Frederick William II of Prussia. It’s lakeside location really is a treat.

Dutch, Prussians and now Russians. Head for Alexandrowka, which was the city’s Russian colony. It consists of 13 wooden buildings, forming an imitation Russian village that is like something from a fairy tale. There’s so much more to the city, so book your ticket and start planning.