Potsdam

Prussian palaces and Hollywood's European home

This historic city near Berlin is home to Sanssouci Palace, the Dutch Quarter, and Babelsberg Studios. Explore royal gardens, film history, and Cold War landmarks.

4.4

out of 5

Stroll through lavish baroque gardens

Historic Park Sanssouci in Potsdam features the Rococo-style Sanssouci Palace, ornate gardens, and cultural sites on 290 hectares.

Visit Frederick the Great's palace

Explore Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam: a historic Rococo site with gardens, art, and royal rooms.

Site of the Potsdam Conference

Cecilienhof Palace, Potsdam: Site of the 1945 Potsdam Conference with original rooms and gardens.

Discover the world of German cinema

Explore Filmstudio Babelsberg in Potsdam, the oldest major film studio known for 'Metropolis' and recent hits.

Enjoy Babelsberg Castle and gardens

Explore Babelsberg Park in Potsdam: a historic garden with Babelsberg Castle and scenic views.

Potsdam's rendition of Berlin's Gate

Potsdam's Brandenburg Gate, a peace symbol from 1770, shows two styles and opens to Prussian history.

Experience Dutch architectural charm

Explore Potsdam's Dutch Quarter with its 18th-century red brick houses, local crafts, and rich Prussian history.

Explore the New Palace

The Neues Palais in Potsdam is a historic baroque palace with over 200 rooms and UNESCO heritage status.

Map page

Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg, is located 25 km southwest of Berlin. This city was once home to Prussian kings and now houses numerous palaces, parks, and historical sites. You can explore the rococo Sanssouci Palace, walk through the red-brick Dutch Quarter, or visit the Tudor-style Cecilienhof where world leaders met after WWII. Potsdam also has strong ties to the film industry, with the famous Babelsberg Studios playing a significant role in its cultural landscape.

Exploring Sanssouci Park

Sanssouci Park is part of Potsdam's UNESCO World Heritage site. At its center stands Sanssouci Palace, Frederick the Great's summer retreat built in the 1740s. You'll see the palace's yellow facade and ornate interiors that showcase the king's preference for rococo style. As you walk through the terraced gardens, originally designed for grape cultivation, you'll come across fountains and sculptures. The park also contains other palaces, including the large Neues Palais, which Frederick the Great constructed after the Seven Years' War to demonstrate Prussia's power.

Cecilienhof and 20th Century History

Cecilienhof Palace hosted the 1945 Potsdam Conference, a significant event in 20th century history. Built to resemble an English Tudor manor, it was the final palace constructed by the Hohenzollern dynasty. You can explore the rooms where Stalin, Truman, and Churchill met to discuss post-war Europe. After your tour, take a calm walk along the shores of the Jungfernsee lake in the palace grounds.

Discovering the Dutch Quarter

In Potsdam's city center, you'll find the Dutch Quarter. This area, with its red brick buildings, was built in the 1730s to house Dutch artisans invited by Frederick William I. Today, the quarter is home to many boutiques, cafes, and restaurants. You can enjoy coffee and cake at one of the cozy cafes or browse the artisan shops for locally-made items.

Potsdam's Film Legacy

Potsdam has long been associated with filmmaking, primarily due to the historic Babelsberg Studios. Founded in 1912, these are the world's oldest large-scale film studios. While studio tours are limited, Filmpark Babelsberg offers a look behind the scenes of movie production. For more film history, visit the Potsdam Film Museum in the former royal stables, which presents exhibits on German cinema from its silent era beginnings to modern productions.

Getting There and Around

Regular S-Bahn and regional trains connect Potsdam to Berlin's main stations, with the journey taking about 30-40 minutes. In Potsdam, you can walk to many of the main sights. For more distant attractions, use the city's tram and bus network. Renting a bike is another option that allows you to easily explore the expansive parks and lakeside areas.

Average temperatures during the day in Potsdam.

May

19°

Jun

22°

Jul

24°

Aug

23°

Sep

19°

Oct

14°

Nov

7°

Dec

3°

Jan

2°

Feb

3°

Mar

8°

Apr

13°

What people say about Potsdam

4.4

People

Food

Spaces

Value

Safety

Jules Rude

Potsdam is beautiful, feels cozy, and has Berlin's artsy vibe. I was staying there for a few days to celebrate New Year with friends.

There is a ton of beautiful architecture. Sanssouci and Neues Palaces, University of Potsdam are amazing and can be checked out in one long walk, as they are situated on opposite sides of Park Sanssouci.
If you stay in Innenstad area, you can stumble on beautiful architecture even while having a regular walk to a shop or a parking garage.

Some great places for food are in Dutch quarter.
I fell into a food coma in "Augustiner" restaurant after taking pork cheeks, apple strudel and glühwein with amaretto (many German places have it in winter, even if it’s not on the menu).

My rating for safety is poor, because I was in Potsdam around New Year, and saw some New Year night's madness. It was pretty great to look at all the fireworks from up the hill, but pretty scary to walk through the streets. Enormous amount of fireworks, from around 23:00, and until 3:00. There were some mishandled fireworks, some "sound" firework, the sole purpose of which was to make an extremely loud exploding sound and film the reactions of the people. Rebel teen spirit in it's beauty.
But this is the only negative impression. I guess it is predictable to have some New Year craziness around Berlin. And apart from NY night, the city seemed pretty chill.

Jensa

I was in Potsdam during New Year's celebrations, and I like the city very much. I was expecting a Berlin suburb, but it feels quite different! It's calm and full of old beautiful architecture. Park Sanssouci is beautiful in winter, but in the summer or spring it should be even nicer. I want to return to see it.