Things to do in Potsdam

Q: What are the top things to do in Potsdam?

The top things to do in Potsdam are: Memorial and Museum Sachsenhausen New Palace (Neues Palais) Sanssouci Palace Glienicke Bridge Cecilienhof Palace (Schloss Cecilienhof)

Q: What are the top activities in Potsdam?

Top activities in Potsdam include: Warnemünde Shore Excursion: Private Sachsenhausen and Berlin Tour City Sightseeing Potsdam Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour City and Palaces Tour Potsdam - Stadt- und Schloesserrundfahrt Potsdam Potsdam and Palace Cecilienhof Walking Tour In the Forbidden City - Potsdam Walking Tour

Q: What are the top things to do near Potsdam?

Check out things to do near Potsdam: Berlin Rostock Karlovy Vary Hamburg Poznan

Berlin’s best day trip

While the holiday season brings classic Christmas cheer to Potsdam, there are plenty more things to do than just fill your cup with gluhwein. This former summer retreat for Prussian royalty is full of palaces and parks worth exploring—so many in fact, the whole town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cross over bridges where spies had clandestine meetings and see where the world’s first silent film was made. With its charming brick houses, the Dutch Quarter alone is well worth the short train ride from Berlin.

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Top 8 attractions in Potsdam

Tours & Tickets

Memorial and Museum Sachsenhausen

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Located just north of Berlin, Memorial and Museum Sachsenhausen was once one of the Nazi regime’s harshest prison camps. Today, Sachsenhausen is a memorial to those who lost their lives here, as well as a museum with a library, archive, and open-air exhibits to educate visitors.More

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New Palace (Neues Palais)

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The Neues Palais (New Palace) is the largest 18th-century structure in Potsdam’s Sanssouci Park. Situated on the western side of the park, the building was completed under Prussian King Friedrich II in 1769. It is the last palace that Frederick the Great built in the Potsdam park grounds — no further baroque palaces were built in Germany after this one. Once the royal residence during the German Empire (1871-1918), the New Palace is made up of opulent main reception rooms, beautiful galleries, and luxurious royal apartments.Today, the New Palace is home to the University of Potsdam’s philosophy department, and various other institutes. Out of the 200 palatial rooms, some 60 can be viewed by visitors. Among these are the Grottensaal (Grotto Hall), the Marmorgalerie (Marble Gallery), and the guest apartments. The Visitor’s Hall is located in the historic Südtorgebäude (South Tower), and is a reception point for groups of visitors as well as a multimedia information center for adults and for children. A bronze model located here allows blind and visually impaired visitors to literally get a feel for the park. The New Palace also has an on-site restaurant (Fredersdorf), which combines the fresh, modern kitchen with a royal backdrop.More

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Sanssouci Palace

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Glimpse the lavish days of the aristocracy in 18th-century Prussia at Sanssouci Palace. Built for King Frederik the Great, the palace is a fine example of rococo opulence. Gilded ornaments and priceless antiques fill the interiors, while perfectly manicured grounds with fountains and follies, and even a vineyard, are outdoors.More

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Glienicke Bridge

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Glienicke Bridge is better known by its Cold War-era monikers, “the Bridge of Spies” or “the Bridge of Unity.” Dating back to the 17th century, the bridge became notorious during the Cold War, when it served as the official border between East and West Berlin. Today, it’s an important historic landmark, marking the boundary of the Brandenburg and Berlin regions.More

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Cecilienhof Palace (Schloss Cecilienhof)

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History buffs flock to the Cecilienhof Palace—the former home of Prince Wilhelm of Prussia—to see where the Potsdam Conference, a pivotal event in shaping the post-World War II era, took place. However, with its timber-framed edifices and beautiful English gardens, this palace is a delight for anyone fond of design or architecture.More

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Babelsberg Film Park (Filmpark Babelsberg)

Step inside the world of cinema and TV at the Babelsberg Film Park, and discover what goes on behind the scenes at one of Europe’s most prolific film studios. With 4D movies, stunt shows, and real movie sets to explore, the theme park is action-packed and suitable for the whole family.More

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Potsdam's Gardens

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Potsdam’s stunning gardens, and the historic buildings within them, comprise part of the largest UNESCO World Heritage Site in Germany. Built during the reign of Frederick the Great of Prussia, in the middle of the 18th century, these gardens originally surrounded the palaces and buildings that made up the royal family’s summer residence.More

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Marble Palace (Marmorpalais)

The only surviving early neo-classic Prussian palace, Potsdam’s Marble Palace was commissioned by King Frederick William II in the late 1700s and remained a royal residence until the early 20th century. Now, it’s a museum with beautifully preserved interiors. Highlights include marble fireplaces from Italy, Wedgwood vases, and grandfather clocks from Parisian trendsetter Madame de Pompadour.More

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Explore Potsdam by interest

Top activities in Potsdam

Warnemünde Shore Excursion: Private Sachsenhausen and Berlin Tour

From

$822.11

From

$19.76

Private Walking Tour of Potsdam and Sanssouci

From

$137.20

In the Forbidden City - Private Potsdam Tour

From

$82.32

Private Potsdam City Tour in an authentic vintage van

From

$274.40

per group

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All about Potsdam

When to visit

Winter is a great time to visit Potsdam, especially if you’re a fan of Germany's famous Christmas Markets. Visiting the palaces in the colder months offers a culturally rich way to stay cozy. However, the cultural quarters and waterways are debatably more enjoyable in the warmer months of May through September. Summer brings hours of sunshine best spent on Lake Griebnitzsee or in Sanssouci Park. Spring and fall have lighter crowds and fuller harvests, making them ideal times for visiting foodies.

Getting around

Even though it’s a separate city, Potsdam is part of Berlin’s C zone. You can use a Berlin ABC public transport ticket on all transport in Potsdam—first by getting to Potsdam HBF from Berlin HBF. Trams, buses, and water taxis are convenient and cheap ways of getting around Potsdam compared to rental cars and taxis. However, many sites are reachable on foot or by bicycle.

Traveler tips

One of the best ways to maximize your time in Berlin and Potsdam while sticking to a budget is to buy The Berlin Welcome Card - Potsdam Edition. These cards are available for durations from 48 hours up to six days and offer you free public transport in both cities plus discounts on more than 200 attractions. So you can get cheaper entry to highlights such as Sanssouci Palace, Potsdam Biosphere, and Museum Barberini.

Local Currency

Euro (€)

Time Zone

CEST (UTC +1)

Country Code

+49

Language(s)

German

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Things to do in Potsdam

Berlin’s best day trip

Top 8 attractions in Potsdam

Explore Potsdam by interest

Top activities in Potsdam

All about Potsdam

When to visit

Getting around

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