Top things to do in Potsdam
Attractions, tours and activities in Potsdam
Recommended museums in Potsdam
Where to discover culture and the arts in Potsdam
Potsdam: the city's best neighbourhoods
Find a great area to stay in Potsdam
About Potsdam
Including tips for the best time to visit Potsdam
Potsdam’s endless assortment of Prussian palaces, parks and gardens have earned it the nickname ‘Versailles of the North’. Over a million tourists visit Brandenburg’s state capital each year to explore its historic sites and wonderful landscape intertwined with rivers and lakes.
Potsdam is a veritable open-air history exhibition, with its many palaces (known as schlosses) and parks the result of it being a favoured residence of Prussian kings for two centuries. Cecilienhof Palace played a significant part in world history when it was used for the Potsdam Conference of 1945. Here, Churchill, Truman and Stalin set out the plans for post-war peace. Today, the venue hosts an exhibition which recreates the famous summit, compete with the famous round table where the key figures had their meetings. There’s also the rococo masterpiece of Schloss Sanssouci, once the summer palace of Frederick the Great. Surrounded by a gigantic park, it’s a great place to stroll down various meandering paths and explore the magnificent palace interiors. The city is also home to the Glienicke Bridge, connecting Brandenburg to Berlin. As well as marking the previous border between East and West Germany which famously fell in 1989, it’s also known as the ‘Bridge of Spies’ due to its use as a point where captured US and Soviet undercover agents were exchanged. Thanks to the city’s position on the Havel River, you can also take a cruise to take in the UNESCO-listed sights from the water.
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| Most popular time to visit | October–December |
| Cheapest time to visit | January–March |
| Local currency | € 1 = CNY 8.08 |
| Language | German |
| Average weekend price | CNY 792 per night |
| Average weekday price | CNY 837 per night |
| Typical stay | 1 night |
Points of interest in Potsdam
Stay near the top sightseeing spots in Potsdam
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Sanssouci Palace
0.9 miles from city centre
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Dutch Quarter
0.1 miles from city centre
Potsdam reviews
What other travellers say about Potsdam
Sanssouci Palace is wonderful, but quite a few bits of it...
14 May 2025
Sanssouci Palace is wonderful, but quite a few bits of it are closed for renovation. If you can ride a bike, do so as the estate is very extensive. The Barberini art gallery is excellent, as is the Filmmuseum if you are into German film. Two days was just right for me to get a feel of the place before moving on to the glories of Berlin.
We were there to visit family in Golm, and have been to...
25 April 2025
We were there to visit family in Golm, and have been to Potsdam a few times. We used the train, buses, and tram; it was very easy to get around. We have been to Schloss Sansouci, which is beautiful. We also walked through a shopping district and the Dutch Quarter, and we went to the Biosphere which was very interesting.
Lots to do in Potsdam.
24 March 2025
Lots to do in Potsdam. Worth more than a day trip. Sanssouci Park, Potsdam Museum, WWII history, Brandenberg Strasse. The Tourist info has a great app which covers the town and history with downloadable commentary. They have gone to a great deal of effort. We are glad we stayed 4 days and could have stayed longer.
Potsdam is a work in progress.
9 September 2024
Potsdam is a work in progress. The town center suffered ariel bombardment in WWII, followed by shoddy post war reconstruction. I visited Potsdam to see the the ongoing restoration work in the town center. The work to date is impressive, and so too are the surrounding parks and palaces, in particular Sanssouci. Sanssouci, in itself, is reason enough to visit Potsdam. I spent several days exploring it at a leisurely pace and enjoyed every minute I spent there.
I have visited many cities in Germany many times.
28 May 2024
I have visited many cities in Germany many times. I felt a different and beautiful ambiance in Potsdam. This is a very beautiful city that is clean, decent, and where history and nature are intertwined. If I were to live in Germany, I would prefer this city.
A very walkable city with good transport links to Berlin ( a...
18 March 2024
A very walkable city with good transport links to Berlin ( a S- bahn train every 10 mins). Park SansSouci was worth seeing,. Lots of nice restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries everywhere. Easy day trip from Berlin although an overnight stay would allow more time for a relaxed stay and to take in all the attractions.
Popular places to stay in Potsdam
Stay in some of the best accommodation Potsdam has to offer
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Ferienoase an der Wublitz Potsdam, Germany
From CNY 768 per night
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Guest house Villa Fritz Potsdam, Germany
From CNY 744 per night
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ENCANTO Apartment Potsdam, Germany
From CNY 800 per night
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Amaroo - Apartments Potsdam “Brandenburger Tor” Innenstadt, Potsdam
From CNY 1,140 per night
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Apartmenthaus im holländischen Viertel Innenstadt, Potsdam
From CNY 1,334 per night
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Other accommodation in Potsdam
Choose from a wide variety of places to stay in Potsdam
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Apartments
From CNY 323 per night
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Villas
From CNY 1,132 per night
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Cottages
From CNY 566 per night
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Serviced apartments
From CNY 283 per night
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Holiday homes
From CNY 566 per night
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Guest houses
From CNY 348 per night
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Hostels
From per night
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Homestays
From CNY 404 per night
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Self catering accommodation
From CNY 283 per night
