Welcome to Potsdam!
Welcome to the city of parks and palaces, welcome to the cozy, green and beautiful city of Potsdam! It was the favorite city of Frederick the Great and Frederik William IV, the place where the Prussian army was born and where also the fate of post-war Europe was decided. There is a lot to see here, so don`t come just for a couple of hours on your way to Berlin! Stay longer to explore the unique past surrounding you from all the sides like a picture book on the history of Prussia, the state which appeared rather late at the worlds map and disappeared again after the Second World War.
As in the 17th century this majestic landscape reach of woods, hills and water drew attention of the Great Elector, the modest town became the second residence of Prussian kings. Though Potsdam never had it easy: wars and deceases demolished the population and devastated the land regularly, and at the end of the second World War over 1,5 thousand people were killed in one-night bombardment, to say nothing about the ruined downtown. So what we see today are reconstructed baroque houses of the 18th century adjoining Italian style villas of the 19th century are panel constructions of socialist time, and all these three components inevitably belong here.
As you stroll through Sanssouci believed to be “the visiting card of Potsdam”, you should not expect the splendor of Versailles or the gloss of Peterhof. Prussian kings did not care for show off that much and moreover were usually short of money, so many of their palaces look more like manor houses. Also no medieval churches with high steeples are to be found here, the oldest city building being dated back to 17th century, and the city wall appeared only in the 18th , for rather exotic purposes besides.
So what is it that makes Potsdam so attractive and charming, that many visitors are eager to come over again? We hope that our project will help you to answer to this question and you will join the broad circle of Potsdam admirers. We, the residents of Potsdam watching it turn from ugly duckling to a magnificent swan every day are eager to share with you our inspiration. Join us in Instagram and Facebook, follow the events calendar here and explore with us the corners “not for tourists”! Enjoy different Christmas markets here; try local foods and the “new Prussian kitchen”. Rent a bike to explore the picturesque surroundings following our advice or to just relax, rent a yacht or stroll through the parks or through the downtown with our guides. Get acquainted with locals who are very active reconstructing the old, building the new and discussing every detail in heated debates – as only few German cities had such a controversial history as Potsdam.
Many celebrities and VIPs preferred (and prefer) to live not in Berlin but here, in neighboring Potsdam – so do not hurry back! Spend the night in a modern hotel or a small B&B in the downtown, surrounded by walls eager to tell you about the events they witnessed if only they could speak. Make more of your stay and enjoy real and amazing Potsdam!
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id you know that…
Potsdam has the largest number of palaces per capita among German cities (an absolute record!)?
Potsdam is much older than his neighbour Berlin?
There are 20 lakes within the city area of only 187,3 sq.km?
Parks, woods and water make up to 40% of the city?
Potsdam is home of the biggest German film studio and also one of oldest in the world, where the first silent movies were shot?
Potsdam has a University of its own as well as several scientific institutes?
Albert Einstein had his summer house near Potsdam?
A lot of famous people such as Voltaire, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Heinrich Heine, Marlene Dietrich etc. also lived here?
There was a „forbidden city” in Potsdam, and foreign intelligence agents were exchanged at the bridge to Berlin?
The famous German scientist and traveler Alexander von Humboldt called the view from this bridge one of the best in the world?
The narrowest place between two former German borders of only 15 m width is located in Potsdam?
The street with the biggest number of children in Germany is located in Potsdam?
That the only ALDI- Discount in Germany you can reach with the boat is located in Potsdam?
That the number of tourists visiting Potsdam steadily grows?
Travelling on your own
How to get to Potsdam
Potsdam is easy to reach by car. Take A115 if you are coming from Berlin. Get the information on parking as well as traffic jams and detours.
You can also reach Potsdam by train from all directions. Potsdam is connected to the intercity and regional transport network of Deutsche Bahn. Long-distance trains stop at Berlin Main Station, from where you can take the S-Bahn (S7 line) to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof in 45 minutes. Regional express trains to Magdeburg or Brandenburg/Havel are much faster.
Due to the proximity of the two airports Schönefeld (SXF) in Brandenburg and Tegel (TXL) in Berlin you can also reach Potsdam by plane. Trams, buses and ferries run day and night.
Regional trains and buses run directly from Schönefeld to Potsdam. There is an airport bus from Tegel to Berlin Main Station. From there you can take the S-Bahn or the regional train to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof.
Potsdam has an extensive bus and tram network covering almost the entire city. The daytime interval is 10-20 minutes, with a schedule at each stop.
Unknown Potsdam
There are a lot of places “of the beaten track” in Potsdam, where almost no tourists go. Usually they are also not mentioned in the guidebooks and blogs. But it does not make them less interesting!