Beyond Berlin
Potsdam and Sanssouci: the back story
The back story
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Carsten Steger · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Potsdam and Sanssouci: the back story
Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg, borders Berlin to the south-west. Its palaces and parks, Sanssouci with its terraced vineyard, the New Palace and the gardens along the Havel, are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site “Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin”, inscribed in 1990.
Getting there
Regional trains and the S7 run from central Berlin to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof; a Berlin ABC ticket covers the journey.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © H. Zell · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsSanssouci
Sanssouci Palace stands at the top of its terraced vineyard; book a timed ticket on the SPSG website.
Regional trains and the S-Bahn run from central Berlin to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof; an ABC ticket covers the journey.
The New Palace
At the western end of Sanssouci Park, the New Palace is the largest of the park’s palaces.
The town
The Dutch Quarter and the old market square are a short walk from the park.
Our advice: book Sanssouci’s timed tickets before you go, and allow a full day for the park.
Why it's on our list
- Getting there
- Sanssouci
- The New Palace
- The town
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Potsdam and Sanssouci: the back story before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Potsdam and Sanssouci: the back story are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Key sights
- Charlottenburg Palace21 kmCar or taxi 60 min
- KaDeWe22 kmCar or taxi 64 min
- Philharmonie24 kmCar or taxi 70 min
- Brandenburg Gate25 kmCar or taxi 72 min
- Reichstag25 kmCar or taxi 73 min
- Gendarmenmarkt26 kmCar or taxi 74 min
- Museum Island26 kmCar or taxi 76 min
- TV Tower27 kmCar or taxi 78 min
- Berlin Wall Memorial27 kmCar or taxi 79 min
- East Side Gallery28 kmCar or taxi 81 min
Main railway stations
- Berlin Zoologischer Garten22 kmCar or taxi 64 min
- Berlin Südkreuz22 kmCar or taxi 65 min
- Berlin Hauptbahnhof25 kmCar or taxi 73 min
- Berlin Friedrichstrasse26 kmCar or taxi 75 min
- Berlin Alexanderplatz27 kmCar or taxi 79 min
- Berlin Gesundbrunnen28 kmCar or taxi 80 min
- Berlin Ostbahnhof28 kmCar or taxi 81 min