“What’s there to see in Potsdam?” That was our initial thought when we began searching for a weekend destination from Berlin. Potsdam came highly recommended from all directions, and up to that point, we didn’t know much about it other than it being the capital of Brandenburg. After brief research, however, we unanimously agreed: the attractions in Potsdam, the numerous cozy cafes, parks, and castles, were exactly what we craved after a busy and bustling week in Berlin.
And if you’re still looking for blog posts about other destinations, just take a look around on the homepage of our blog.
That’s why in this post, we’ll show you what to see in Potsdam and how to spend a perfect weekend in this city close to Berlin. We’ll also provide you with tips on getting there, suitable accommodations, as well as our recommendations for cafes and restaurants. So, nothing stands in the way of your next weekend getaway.
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Is Potsdam the right choice for your weekend getaway?
Potsdam is located in the state of Brandenburg in northeastern Germany, about 25 kilometers southwest of Berlin.
What we particularly love about it is that the city stretches along the Havel River and the Brandenburg Havel lakes – cities by the water simply have a special charm.
Potsdam is renowned as the city of palaces and gardens. The numerous parks offer a beautiful setting for walks and relaxation amidst nature. Moreover, the city boasts a rich cultural scene with museums, theaters, and art galleries. Additionally, you’ll find a variety of charming cafes and bistros here, serving everything from traditional German cuisine to international specialties.
We believe that Potsdam is ideal for a weekend getaway if you’re seeking a good balance between a classic city trip with museum visits and plenty of tranquility in nature, along with cozy culinary breaks. Despite its approximately 190,000 inhabitants, Potsdam didn’t feel too large or overwhelming to us, and we explored it mostly on foot. And as we’re occasionally asked about family-friendliness: Even though we don’t have children ourselves, Potsdam seemed very well suited for a family outing.
What to see in Potsdam
As always with our weekend trips, whether it’s a city break or a retreat in nature, we aim to strike a good balance in our recommendations between culinary delights, culture, and relaxation. That’s just how we like to design our weekend getaways.
1. The Dutch Quarter
Let’s start with our absolute favorite place in Potsdam: the Dutch Quarter. Located in the center of Potsdam, this quarter consists of exactly 134 red brick houses arranged in four blocks. These were built around 1740 under the direction of the architect Jan Bouman to make Potsdam more attractive to Dutch craftsmen. To this day, it remains the largest ensemble in Dutch style outside the Netherlands. In the Dutch Quarter, you’ll find many small boutiques, galleries, and cozy cafes for breakfast and coffee breaks.
We explored the Dutch Quarter along with the Old Town on a 3-hour street food tour. We enjoy taking tours of this kind on city trips because we not only get to know the history of a city but also its culinary specialties. Unfortunately, the gastronomic aspect was less emphasized during the tour in Potsdam, and it didn’t focus on regional specialties. So, we sampled a variety of foods from macarons to hummus, salted caramel ice cream, and pizza at various small street cafes. While the quality of the food was top-notch, we found the selection somewhat random and less fitting. However, the tour itself was truly fantastic, very interesting, entertaining, and the 3 hours flew by.
- In the Dutch Quarter, there are countless great cafes, bistros, and restaurants. You're spoiled for choice here. We tried a bit of everything, and our favorites for breakfast were Buena Vida Coffee Roasters with the best coffee and delicious croissants, as well as the Havelbohne.
But we also loved La Maison du Chocolat, where we got a spot without a reservation on Sunday morning and enjoyed breakfast and a vegan chocolate cake. Another recommendation is Kaiserwetter. The ambiance is especially pink and somewhat unusual, but the selection of cakes and the service are great. However, without a reservation on the weekend, it can be very difficult to get a table for breakfast.
If you’re looking for a hearty break, we recommend Friedrich Burger for really delicious burgers and fries at fair prices.
2. The Old Town
You enter the Old Town of Potsdam through the Brandenburg Gate. Like its counterpart in Berlin, it received its name because the road leads to the city of Brandenburg. However, this is not the original gate, it was replaced with the current one after the end of the Seven Years’ War.
You can take a wonderful stroll in the Old Town. On Brandenburger Straße, there are many small boutiques and street cafes. From the Brandenburg Gate, you walk straight ahead to the Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul.
Another impressive church in the Old Town of Potsdam is the St. Nicholas’ Church (German: Nikolaikirche) You’ll find it along with the Town Hall at the Old Market, and with its green dome it´s hard to miss. It is said to be modeled after the Panthéon in Paris and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. For 5 euros, you can climb the tower of the the St. Nicholas’ Church and view Potsdam from a bird’s-eye perspective. We didn’t hesitate to do this.
It’s worth noting that the Old Town of Potsdam doesn’t quite fit the typical image of a baroque, picturesque cityscape with historic buildings at every turn. Prior to April 1945, Potsdam had largely escaped the devastation of the Second World War, but in one fateful night, it was reduced to rubble. Since then, extensive restoration efforts have been undertaken, with many structures faithfully reinstated or reconstructed in tribute to their historical counterparts. However, rather than adhering strictly to a historical aesthetic, Potsdam has embraced a blend of modern, functional architecture alongside its historic buildings. This juxtaposition is particularly evident when viewed from the vantage point of the St. Nicholas’ Church.
- In addition to the food tour, we can recommend Café Miss Green Bean for a breakfast bowl or a lunch snack. And then there's Zeit für Brot. Here, you'll find the fluffiest cinnamon and chocolate buns ever! However, Zeit für Brot is more of a bakery and less of a traditional café; there are only a few seats at a small counter by the window.
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3. Sanssouci Palace and its gardens
Sanssouci Palace and its parklands are top attractions in Potsdam, often the first things that come to mind when thinking of the city. Built in the mid-18th century by Frederick the Great, fondly known as the “Old Fritz,” this palace boasts stunning views overlooking Potsdam. Since 1990, Sanssouci Park, covering about 300 hectares, has held UNESCO World Heritage status.
A day spent here offers relaxation and exploration in equal measure. Whether you fancy leisurely strolls or cycling adventures, the park offers an ideal setting. Entry to the park is free, while tickets to enter the palace itself cost €14 per person, available directly from the palace ticket office. These tickets also secure your entry time, so you don’t have to worry about missing out.
Besides Sanssouci Palace, the park is dotted with various other attractions, such as the Orangery, the Friendship Temple, the charming Chinese Tea House, and the grand New Palace.
- If you’re looking for dining options nearby, choices are somewhat limited. However, about a 15-minute walk away, Ristorante Pino offers a fine dining experience for dinner. If you prefer something more casual but equally delicious, MYLIA, a Vietnamese restaurant just five minutes further, is an excellent choice, perfect for a leisurely lunch stop.
4. The New Palace
After our leisurely stroll in the spring sun, we thought it’d be impossible to see all the palaces and the entire Sanssouci Park in just one day. So, we opted to explore the New Palace.
And let me tell you, we were absolutely blown away by what we saw. This palace was Frederick the Great’s way of showing off his power and status. The halls are dripping with opulence, especially the Grotto Hall, adorned with over 24,000 shells, minerals, corals, and gemstones from around the world, creating a mesmerizing sight.
During the tour, we got a peek into Frederick the Great’s own living quarters, where he’d stay instead of Sanssouci Palace when family members visited him during the summer months.
But here’s the thing: not all areas are open to visitors all the time. For example, we missed out on seeing the palace theater, and starting from November 2024, the royal apartments will be off-limits for renovations.
To visit the New Palace, you’ll need to join one of the guided tours. Just pick your entry time when you buy your ticket at the palace ticket office.
- As for food options nearby, there's only Café Caroline in the visitor center at the palace. It's not bad for a quick coffee and some time to soak up the sun, but for a proper meal, we'd recommend heading back to the Dutch Quarter.
5. The Biosphere
The Biosphere houses a botanical garden with 20,000 tropical plants and species, a small butterfly house, turtles, and plenty of exotic birds. We adore green spaces like the Biosphäre, even though we’ve visited more spectacular and larger botanical gardens before. Still, we’d recommend a visit, especially if you catch a rainy day in Potsdam or, like us, simply seek a cozy spot to warm up. Sustainability is a major focus here, with numerous easily digestible pieces of information that we believe make the Biosphäre appealing even for children.
- At the Restaurant Urwaldblick you're surrounded by bird chirps and have a direct view of the botanical garden. While the Tropical Brunch comes highly recommended, it's only available on selected Sundays. Thus, we settled for a vegetarian flatbread and a slice of cake.
6. Heiliger See
We absolutely loved the many parks, lakes, and waterways in Potsdam. Therefore, we’d like to recommend a trip to Holy Lake (German: Heiliger See). From here, you can visit the Marble Palace (German: Marmorpalais) and Cecilienhof Palace (German: Schloss Cecilienhof). The surrounding park invites you to take a leisurely stroll, and in the summer, you can swim at small bathing spots and picnic by the lakeshore.
Interestingly, the grassy areas around Heiliger See are supposedly off-limits. Our guide from the Street Food Tour pointed this out to us and shared stories of unpleasant encounters with the city’s authorities – it costs 70 euros if caught trespassing on the grass, so we quickly steered clear of it.
- A few minutes' walk from Cecilienhof Palace, you'll find the Gasthausbrauerei Meierei, a restaurant offering traditional German cuisine. For a more upscale experience, head to Villa Kellermann, a Michelin-starred restaurant.
What else to see in Potsdam?
Potsdam undoubtedly has more attractions to offer, and you could easily spend another day or two exploring the city.
In the summer, a boat trip is a great way to admire Potsdam and its numerous palaces and mansions from the water.
- Upon presentation of a ticket from the Marble Palace, New Palace, or the Picture Gallery, you'll receive a 25% discount on a day ticket to the Museum Barberini—and vice versa. This offer is not valid in combination with the Sanssouci+ ticket.
Alternatively, you can visit the Movie Park Babelsberg. We were a few days early in Potsdam as the park opens in April. However, it wasn’t at the top of our priority list either, as we’ve read mixed reviews—it seems the park is showing its age, and only the stunt shows are still worth seeing. If you still decide to visit the park, we look forward to hearing about your experiences. For us, it certainly won’t be the last visit to Potsdam.
How to Combine All Attractions for a Weekend?
Then head back to the Dutch Quarter in the afternoon to wander through the streets. Perhaps browse some boutiques or visit the Lindenstraße Memorial. You’ll inevitably pass by the Nauen Gate and can extend your stroll to the Old Town, passing by the Hunter’s Gate and the Brandenburg Gate.
Start your next day with a visit to Sanssouci Park. You can either tour the New Palace or Sanssouci Palace and then explore the park. You might want to bring a picnic or go for a bike ride. Or, in the afternoon, join a street food tour.
The Holy Lake is an excellent place to wind down your second day in Potsdam. This is just one suggested route, but it allows you to visit many of the recommended attractions in one weekend.
How to Get to Potsdam?
- If you're arriving by car, make sure your hotel has parking. Parking fees are usually not included in the room fee, and you can expect high parking fees. In the Dutch Quarter, we paid around 20 euros per night for parking.
- The nearest airport to Potsdam is Berlin Brandenburg Airport "Willy Brandt" in Schönefeld. It's a 1.5-hour train ride from here to Potsdam
If you haven’t booked a flight yet, you can find a suitable flight here at Skyscanner*.
Best Time for a Weekend Trip in Potsdam?
With its many gardens and parks, Potsdam is a great destination for spring, summer, and autumn. We visited in mid-March and had beautiful sunny weather, although the trees had few leaves, and many of the statues and pavilions in Sanssouci Park were still covered. Therefore, we’d recommend visiting Potsdam a few weeks later in the year. Late April seems very nice. Also, every year in April, the Tulip Festival takes place in the Dutch Quarter. Musicians, dancers, and craftsmen come from the Netherlands and offer Dutch specialties like cheese and Poffertjes, as well as baskets of tulips.
