Hello everyone. Which one of you wants to leave for an adventure in the so called “city of lakes and castles”? Everyone, right? Well, let’s get to know our destination.

The German city we will visit today is Potsdam. It is located in the region of Brandenburg and many of its cultural sites are contained in the UNESCO heritage list. The city is also an important industrial and scientific center, in continuous research; all that, makes us think that most of the people who live there are students (in fact the city is home to the University of Potsdam). We said before about its multitude of lakes, but we didn’t specify how many. Well, these are twenty in all and we will see them, but only a few, during our trip. Babelsberg is the best known district of the city (which we will see in detail later) because once was, but still today, a major film studio. Potsdam is also a city very close to Berlin, this makes it an easily accessible destination.

To know more ( what to eat, where to eat, where to have fun, things to visit…) continue to read.

We have already mentioned the great cultural importance that surrounds the city and now we just have to see with our eyes what we are talking about. Let’s start!

PLACES TO VISIT (MUSEUMS/THEATERS…)

Sanssouci Palais

• St. Nikolaikirche: is an important church in the city, located in the center of Potsdam, in the Alter Markt.
• Heilandskirche am Port von Sacrow: is a church located on the banks of the Jungfernsee, near the Sacrow Castle. Inside it contains many valuable objects and its location makes all much nicer.

Before to lose ourselves in the magnificent castles of Potsdam we must say that most of these, with the addition of several royal palaces, are located in the vast Sanssouci Park. Said that, we can begin!

• Neues Palais: this is a castle located in the western part of Sanssouci Park in Potsdam. The castle has several floors and several rooms, including: the Grottensaal, the Muschelsaal, the Marmorsaal and so on. All rooms with painted ceilings and walls, paintings, precious objects. There is also art galleries, statute, fossils and the theater of the palace. In the proximity of the latter it is located the Freundschaftstempel (friendship temple) and the Antikentempel (ancient temple).
• Orangery Palace: Sanssouci palace is located inside the park. Outside, the building has a portico and gardens filled with exotic flowers and several species of plants. The structure is part of the UNESCO heritage list.
• Sanssouci Palais: situated to the east of the Sanssouci park is a castles in rococo style and the most famous one (it was the “small” summer residence of the king). The palace has a natural scenary that creates a perfect harmony and you can see it in the entrance of it. The building presents a long staircase where on the side, the so called ancient vineyard terraces, there is a little taste of vegetation that dominates the place and in low there is a fountain. The interior is very luxurious and studied in details. It includes lots of rooms (concert hall, guests room, library…) all strictly connected to each other, being a summer residence and so a place of “pleasure” everything had to be achieved with minimal effort. Comfort and lust at the first place, not bad! Not far from the castle there are other buildings: Chinesisches Haus, Neptungrotte, Bildergalerie.
• Schloss Cecilienhof: this is the famous palace where Queen Elizabeth II was hosted during her visit to Potsdam. The building is part of the UNESCO heritage list. Today the building houses a museum, a restaurant and it is used as a hotel.
• Stadtschloss: a palace that symbolizes what once was an important historic building in the main square of the city (Alter Markt).
• Brandenburger Tor: is a monument located at the Luisenplatz. This gate marks the start of the pedestrian area of ​​the city.
• Nauener Tor: gate of the city (which seems the facade of a castle). It is one of the best examples of the Gothic style.
• Museum FLUXUS+: is the first museum of modern art that born in Potsdam. The museum includes many works from private collections and temporary exhibitions, events, a meeting place for each artist and art lover. Inside you will find a café.
• Der Botanische Garten Potsdam:  a fascinating but also relaxing botanical garden.
• Filmmuseum Potsdam: the film museum. It’s a very interesting place to discover the world of cinema and its history.
• Potsdam Museum: this museum shows arts and the story of Potsdam.
• Museum Barberini: German art museum located in the city center. The building houses the collections by artists such as: Wolfgang Mattheuer, Bernhard Heisig and Werner Tübke and Gerhard Richter.
• Alexandrowka: this place is very special. This is a Russian colony (which is part of the UNESCO Heritage List) situated to the north of Potsdam. A perfect place to enjoy the Russian culture and know its style. A very charming place that you have tu visit!

One of the main theaters that we can find in Potsdam is the Hans Otto Theater.

Neues Palais

 

ENTERTAINMENT (PUB/DISCO/PARKS…)

Holländisches Viertel

Those who believe that the wonders of this city are already finished, are wrong. Curious to discover them? So let’s going on!

• Neuer Garten: a large park in Potsdam flanked by the two lakes Heiliger See, Jungfernsee with a view that you can’t miss. Listed as a World Heritage Site, the park is home to several historic buildings such as: Green House, Gothic Library and many others.
• Holländisches Viertel: is the Dutch district of Potsdam. A very quaint place, full of homes in Dutch style.
• Babelsberg: the city’s largest district, famous mainly for its namesake park and the namesake palace but also for the Babelsberg Studio (main film studio).
• Other importants streets in Potsdam are: the Alter Markt square in the old town, in opposition to the Neuer Markt and Brandenburger Straße shopping street and pedestrian zone.
• Volkspark Potsdam: a beautiful park where you can relax and maybe deciding to lie on the lawn and enjoy the beautiful day. The main attraction of the park is the Biosphäre Potsdam, an indoors botanical garden. This houses tropical flora and fauna (including the “Butterfly House”), ponds, waterfalls and much more.
• Three of the main lakes in Potsdam are: Heiliger See (the one closest to the parks), Schwielowsee, Sacrower See. They are also beach resorts.
• Belvedere auf dem Pfingstberg: a beautiful building located at the top of Pfingstberg mount where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the city.
  
• Now we will show you some tour to enoy better what the city has to offer: SUP TRIP (water sports), City Guide Berlin Tours, Eat-The-World Food Tour Potsdam (culinary tour).

Potsdam offers a wide range of opportunities as regards the nightlife, numerous bars are open until dawn. Let’s see some of them.

• Club Laguna Ihre Tanzbar mit Stil: nightclub.
• Gutenberg100 – Livemusik & Karaokebar
• ShamRock’s – Irish Pub Potsdam
• Unscheinbar: cafè.
• UCI KINOWELT Potsdam: movie theater.

Belvedere auf dem Pfingstberg

 

TYPICAL FOODS

Currywurst

You can’t visit a city and don’t try the local dishes. But before doing this, you have to be aware which are the dishes that are famous in the city.

• Currywurst: typical street food. It is a dish of grilled or boiled sausage and topped with a sauce made of tomato, ketchup and curry. The dish is accompanied by fries.
• Himmel und Erde: is a dish made of potatoes, bacon and apple sauce. A really interesting combination to try.
• Buchteln: it is a dessert made of yeast dough and filled with jam (often plum am). On the top there is icing sugar or a vanilla sauce.
• Bienenstich: dessert made of yeast dough. It is filled with vanilla cream and whipped cream. The surface is topped with caramelised almonds.

Bienenstich

 

WHERE TO EAT (RESTAURANTS/CAFE’..)

There are so many places where you can try the typical dishes. Let’s know some.

• Kades Restaurant Am Pfingstberg: German, European cuisine.
• Assaggi:  Italian, Mediterranean, European, Vegetarian cuisine.
• Zum Fliegenden Holländer: German, European, vegetarian cuisine.
• Anna Amalia Restaurant mit Seeterrasse: German and European cuisine.
• Potsdam Historische Muhle: European, German cuisine.
• Restaurant Otto Hiemke: German, European, contemporary cuisine.
• Erfrischungshalle: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern cuisine.
• La Maison du Chocolat: cafè with German and European cuisine.
• Buena Vida Coffee Club
• Café Guam: German, Dutch, European, vegetarian cuisine.

 

Our tour in the city of Potsdam is finished, the journey through the German cities not yet. How many more we have to explore? What will be our next destination? Continue to travel with us to find out.

Let us know your opinions about this place. If you liked it or not, if you’ve been there or you’re going to go there? What  you liked the most or least? We’re curious to read your opinions.

A big kiss to everyone.

 

Below we will list the accommodations that you can find in Potsdam.

http://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?city=-1844464&aid=960457&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1 – accommodations in the city center.

http://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?district=8643&aid=960457&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1 – accommodations in the Innenstadt.

http://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?landmark=1898&aid=960457&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1 – accommodations next to the main station.

Booking.com