Berlin, Potsdam & Dresden

Destination 01

Berlin

10 places

Divided-city history, big museums and a late-night bar scene. Stay 2 days.

• Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de · CC BY-SA 3.0

  Brandenburg Gate

  Neoclassical gate that once stood inside the border strip, now Berlin's symbol.

  Tip Walk through to Unter den Linden at dusk when it is lit.

  SeeMitteFree20 minEvening
• Photo: Marc Boberach · Google

  Reichstag Building Dome

  Glass dome atop the parliament with a spiral ramp and free audio guide.

  Tip Register online days ahead and bring ID.

  SeeTiergartenFree60 minSunset
• Photo: Alexander Blum · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

  Field of 2,711 concrete stelae with an underground information center.

  Tip The information center is closed Mondays.

  SeeMitteFree60 minMorning
• Photo: Greg Drzazgowski (Greg Dee) · Google

  Berlin Wall Memorial

  Preserved stretch of Wall and death strip on Bernauer Straße, with a viewing tower.

  Tip Start at the visitor center opposite Nordbahnhof.

  SeeMitteFree1.5 hrMorning
• Photo: Max Henike · Google

  East Side Gallery

  1.3 km of Wall covered in murals along the Spree.

  Tip Combine with a walk across the Oberbaum Bridge.

  SeeFriedrichshainFree45 minMorning
• Photo: Janericloebe · Public domain

  Neues Museum

  Rebuilt museum on Museum Island holding the bust of Nefertiti.

  Tip Book a time slot online.

  SeeMuseum Island$$2 hrAfternoon
• Photo: Coooohen · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Tempelhofer Feld

  Former airport turned huge public park; cycle or skate the old runways.

  OutdoorsTempelhofFree1.5 hrLate afternoon
• Photo: Markthalle Neun · Google

  Markthalle Neun

  Restored 1891 market hall with Thursday Street Food night.

  Tip Street Food Thursday runs in the evening.

  EatKreuzberg$60 minThursday evening
• Photo: Curry 36 (Mehringdamm) · Google

  Curry 36

  Long-running stand for currywurst and fries near Mehringdamm station.

  EatKreuzberg$20 minLate night
• Photo: Maik Schwarz · Google

  Prater Garten

  Berlin's oldest beer garden, under chestnut trees since 1837.

  Tip Beer garden is seasonal, roughly April to September.

  DrinkPrenzlauer Berg$1.5 hrSummer evening

Destination 02

Potsdam

9 places

Prussian palaces and lakeside parks. Stay 1 day or overnight.

• Photo: Julio FERNANDEZ CASANOVA · Google

  Sanssouci Palace

  Frederick the Great's single-story Rococo summer palace above terraced vineyards.

  Tip Timed tickets; book online in summer.

  SeePark Sanssouci$$60 minMorning
• Photo: Wolfgang Pehlemann Wiesbaden Germany · CC BY-SA 3.0 de

  Park Sanssouci

  Large palace park with the Chinese House, Orangery and miles of paths.

  Tip Rent a bike to cover the length of the park.

  OutdoorsPark SanssouciFree2.5 hrMorning
• Photo: A.Savin · FAL

  New Palace

  Frederick's vast Baroque palace at the west end of the park, with the Grotto Hall.

  SeePark Sanssouci$$75 minAfternoon
• Photo: Daniel Naber · CC BY 4.0

  Museum Barberini

  Art museum in a rebuilt baroque palace on the Alter Markt, strong on Impressionist paintings.

  Tip Closed Tuesdays; book a timed ticket online for big shows.

  SeeOld Town$$2 hrMorning
• Photo: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Dutch Quarter

  Four blocks of red-brick gabled houses built for Dutch craftsmen in the 1730s.

  Tip Good for coffee and small shops.

  SeeOld TownFree45 minAfternoon
• Photo: Sasho Naumovski · Google

  Alexandrowka Russian Colony

  Wooden Russian-style houses built for Russian singers in 1826, a UNESCO site.

  SeeNauener Vorstadt$45 minAfternoon
• Photo: Uwca at German Wikipedia · Public domain

  Glienicke Bridge

  Bridge on the old border where East and West swapped spies.

  Tip Walk out to the midpoint marker.

  SeeBerliner VorstadtFree20 minAny
• Photo: Meierei Potsdam · Google

  Gasthausbrauerei Meierei im Neuen Garten

  Brewpub in a former dairy on the Jungfernsee, with house-brewed Hell.

  Tip Kitchen closes early; book for the terrace.

  DrinkNeuer Garten$$1.5 hrAfternoon
• Photo: Manuel Seoane · Google

  Brandenburger Straße

  Pedestrian street of cafés and bakeries between the Dutch Quarter and Sanssouci.

  EatOld Town$60 minLunch

Destination 03

Dresden

10 places

Rebuilt Baroque center on the Elbe, with sandstone peaks nearby. Stay 2 days.

• Photo: Netopyr · CC BY-SA 3.0

  Frauenkirche

  Baroque domed church rebuilt from rubble and reconsecrated in 2005.

  Tip Climb the dome for views over the Elbe.

  SeeAltstadt$60 minMorning
• Photo: Stephan Czuratis (Jazz-face) · CC BY-SA 2.5

  Zwinger

  Baroque palace courtyard with the Old Masters Gallery and Sistine Madonna.

  Tip The courtyard is free; the galleries need a ticket.

  SeeAltstadt$$2.5 hrMorning
• Photo: Historisches Grünes Gewölbe · Google

  Historic Green Vault

  Augustus the Strong's treasury of jewels and gold in Dresden Castle.

  Tip Timed tickets only; book ahead.

  SeeAltstadt$$$1.5 hrAfternoon
• Photo: Avda · CC BY-SA 3.0

  Semperoper

  Opera house where Wagner and Strauss premiered works; guided tours daily.

  DoAltstadt$$$3 hrEvening
• Photo: Nikater · Public domain

  Brühl's Terrace

  Raised riverside promenade known as the Balcony of Europe.

  Tip Walk it at dusk for the skyline across the Elbe.

  OutdoorsAltstadtFree45 minSunset
• Photo: Dawid Tomaszewski · Google

  Kunsthofpassage

  Linked Neustadt courtyards with artist-designed facades, including a drainpipe wall that plays when it rains.

  SeeNeustadtFree30 minAfternoon
• Photo: Dresdner Molkerei Gebrüder Pfund GmbH "Der schönste Milchladen der Welt" · Google

  Pfunds Molkerei

  1891 dairy shop covered floor to ceiling in hand-painted tiles.

  Tip No photos inside; buy cheese or a buttermilk.

  ShopNeustadt$20 minMorning
• Photo: Uwe Kaufmann · Google

  Bastei Bridge

  Sandstone bridge among rock towers 194 m above the Elbe in Saxon Switzerland.

  Tip Take the S1 to Kurort Rathen and hike up 30 minutes.

  OutdoorsSaxon SwitzerlandFree3 hrEarly morning
• Photo: X-Weinzar · CC BY-SA 3.0

  Ballhaus Watzke

  Brewpub in a historic ballroom on the Elbe making its own beer.

  Tip Beer garden has river views.

  DrinkPieschen$$1.5 hrEvening
• Photo: Tanja Kirschstein · Google

  Augustiner an der Frauenkirche

  Bavarian-style restaurant beside the Frauenkirche for hearty plates.

  EatAltstadt$$75 minDinner