Potsdam

Sanssouci Palace, Cecilienhof Palace and the Dutch Quarter

Potsdam, the northernmost city with the southernmost flair! A castle on every corner! The Hohenzollern dynasty made Potsdam their second residence. But Potsdam also made history after World War II. Here Truman, Churchill and Stalin met at the Potsdam Conference.

For a visit to Potsdam, the state capital of Brandenburg, schedule in at least half a day.

You will reach Potsdam from Berlin in about 45 minutes by coach, depending on the traffic. Enter Potsdam by driving over the legendary Glienicke Bridge, where eastern and western spies had once been exchanged.

On the way to or from Potsdam, you can take a short detour to Lake Wannsee. Here lies the Villa of the German painter Max Liebermann. Today a museum with an exhibition of some of his artwork. Furthermore, this is where the House of the Wannsee Conference is located, where in 1942 the “Final Solution of the Jewish Question” was decided. Today it is a memorial site and education center.

Don’t miss the following highlights of Potsdam:

Sanssouci Palace

The favourite summer residence of King Frederick II. A small, private palace, where the king wanted to live “sans souci”, meaning without worry. Here you will also find his gravesite. The beautiful palace with the famous vineyard terraces is located in a 300 ha garden which was created by masters of garden art and design. An interior visit to the palace is definitely worth it. Pre-registration is strongly recommended!

Cecilienhof

Once the residence of the crown prince couple, later the venue of the Potsdam Conference. Here Truman, Churchill and Stalin decided the fate of Germany. Today the castle houses the Potsdam Conference Memorial, a well-documented exhibition on the topic, as well as some rooms of the Crown Prince and his consort Cecilie. In the nearby restaurant “Alte Meierei” you can directly dine at River Havel.

Dutch Quarter

The only remaining Dutch Quarter outside the Netherlands is situated in the old town of Potsdam. Small, but very pretty it offers nice restaurants and cafes for a little rest.
You find the lavishly restored dutch brick houses built around a street intersection. In April, the Tulpenfest (tulip festival) of Potsdam takes place here.
The dutch district is located directly next to the main shopping street in Potsdam, but offers itself small, fine shops and interesting offers in gifts and clothes. At the “Maison du Chocolat” or “The Flying Dutchman” in the heart of the Dutch Quarter, you can eat or enjoy a cup of hot chocolate in a nice ambiance.

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