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07 July 2018 / 29 Comments

Potsdam in Germany - and Sanssouci Castle

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Potsdam in Germany and Sanssouci Palace offered a positive surprise. Potsdam has buildings inspired by Italy, Russia, China, Scotland and the Netherlands. Among other things. In a way, it feels like the whole world is here. In fact, Potsdam is a bit like a Disney town, except that it's real. Most fascinating of all is Sanssouci Palace!

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From Oranienburg to Potsdam

Driving from Oranienburg to Potsdam with our motorhome took no more than an hour, and we arrived in the afternoon. We first looked for a parking spot in the city called Lustgarten, but due to some temporary event we didn't make it. Instead, we parked in the car park outside Sanssouci Palace, where you can stay overnight with your motorhome (20 euros/day). What was good about this was that we could take the opportunity to look at the castle at once!

If you come by regular car, there are also plenty of parking spaces, and you can get from here to the city centre by bus, or by a half-hour walk. 

Sanssouci Castle

The magnificent Sanssouci Castle (Schloss Sanssouci) was built in 1745-1747 as a summer residence for Frederick the Great. In 1826-1828 the castle was extended and today it is truly magnificent. In the past, various royals have lived here, but in 1863 the castle became a museum for the public.

Keep in mind that the castle is only a single storey with a dome, and that's not the norm. It feels a bit like Versaille! Here on the top terrace you will also find the king's tomb. On the north side, you can see 88 pillars that form the entrance where you will also start your guided tour, which you must do if you are there.

Potsdam i Tyskland - slottet Sanssouci
Potsdam in Germany - Sanssouci Palace

No worries

There is a lot of French flavour around the area. If you read Sans Souci in the picture above, you can imagine that someone has been playing with words. Sans Souci comes from French, but it's not entirely clear what it means. If you write the word "Sans, Souci." with a comma and a full stop, it means "small stick - no worries". How should we interpret this? There may have been a few different things going on in these castles and gardens, who knows?

Sanssouci Palace
In the castle park, overlooking Sanssouci Palace
Slottspark
Potsdam in Germany with Beautiful Castle Park!

Around Sanssouci Castle

The castle is located in a huge castle park, filled with other castles and palaces. The park and castle are, of course, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and you'll need at least a full day to get the best of it. Here you can see the Charlottenhof Palace where Frederick William IV, King of Prussia, had his intimate meetings with beautiful ladies. You can also check out the beautiful rococo tea house, the picture gallery or the Chinese pavilion.

North of the castle, you'll find the Renaissance-style Orangery Palace, with Italian architecture and paintings from Raphael's masterpiece. Instead, if you head west from the park by bus, tram or walk, you'll find the magnificent Prussian Baroque Neues Palais, with ballrooms and a huge theatre. Around the three-storey palace there are also 400 sandstone statues. Not a penny was spared on the façade, which was a tribute to the Seven Years' War.

Selfi Sanssouci
Over 30 degrees hot, phew!

Just as fancy inside

We booked a guided tour inside the castle, which turned out to be a tour with an "audioguide". We always find it a bit difficult to concentrate and understand what is said on audioguides, but regardless, the castle is very interesting. fantastic to see inside. No expense has been spared here! The art collection with works by Watteau, Baptiste Pater and a bust of Voltaire is incredible and the architecture is world class.

Sans souci interiör
Nicely worse!
Sanssouci Potsdam
One room is more beautiful than the other

Guided tour in Potsdam, Germany

The next morning we took the campervan to a central car park (why not pocket park the campervan?) and went on a guided tour of the city. We like guided tours - with a guide you get to know a city in a completely different way. If you also want to take a guided tour of Potsdam, check out the Potsdam tourist office.

Fickparkering husbil
Peter parked the FREEDOM in Potsdam

Potsdam is a low-rise city and full of small, picturesque alleys, with cafés, restaurants and shops. There are three old gates that were the entrances with the old city wall: Jäger Tor, Nauener Tor and Brandenburger Tor, and if you get to any of them you are on the edge of the old town. 

Head to the Alter Markt, Potsdam's historic city centre. On the old square is the Church of St Nikolai (Nikolaikirche) from 1837 and north of the square you will find the oval-shaped French Church (Französische Kirche).. 

Potsdam
Main street Brandenburger Stasse in Potsdam, Germany

The houses in Potsdam are from different times, as you can see from the house below, which shows both older and newer times, by "rolling" the older version of the house.

Potsdam stad
The older version of the house is rolled out behind the newer one.

Potsdam's charming neighbourhoods

But above all, the houses in Potsdam have been inspired by different parts of the world. There are houses copied from models in Italy or Russia, a city gate designed to resemble a Scottish castle and a whole neighbourhood of 'Dutch' houses. According to the guide, one of the kings was unable to travel abroad - so he sent people to come back and build the houses they had seen in other countries.

Stadsport Potsdam
The Scottish city gate

Now that the city was being built, skilled craftsmen were needed and new neighbourhoods sprang up. North of the city centre is the Russian colony of Alexandrovka, with Russian architecture, including an Orthodox chapel.

There is also the Dutch quarter, Holländisches viertel, with around 150 houses built from red bricks in the Dutch style. Dutch craftsmen were invited to build and settle in Potsdam, and the area is one of the most visited neighbourhoods today. There is also supposedly a fantastic Christmas market there, which we would love to visit in the future.

De holländska kvarteren
The Dutch neighbourhoods

The rulers of the city sit in a house that looks like it's from the 18th century, but is really only about five years old. We fell in love with Potsdam, which is big enough to walk around and has a lot to offer. Welcome to an exciting city!

Potsdam Tyskland
The pink government building looks like an old palace, but is only a few years old. The Church of St Nicholas can be seen in the background.

Good to know about Potsdam in Germany

Potsdam in Germany is located 35 kilometres from Berlin in Brandenburg and is the capital and largest city in Brandenburg. Potsdam and the surrounding area is Germany's largest UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was split almost in half when the Berlin Wall was built and part of it ended up on the eastern side.

The Glienicke Bridge was the famous bridge where spies were exchanged during the Cold War, with the West on one side and the East on the other. The bridge is also featured in many films. If you look up Griebnitzsee, it's a campus of sorts, and a historical site and border between East and West. Babelsberg Park is not to be missed.

See more in Germany

Of course, there is also plenty to see around Germany. Here are three places not too far away that are worth a visit.

  • Oranienburg and Oranienburg Castle is worth a visit if you like history, castles and castle parks.
  • Templin includes a park with Indians and cowboys, as well as great camping sites.
  • New cell is a small town in eastern Germany with a wonderfully impressive monastery.
All our top tips about Germany. Click on the image!

Facts about Potsdam

  • Country: Germany
  • Language: German (some also speak English)
  • Currency: Euro
  • Price mode: A bit cheaper than Sweden
  • Residents: Potsdam ca 175 000 (2017)
  • Time difference: None
  • Emergency number: 112
  • Religion: Christianity
  • El: Like Sweden
  • Water: Drinking beard
  • Tourist Office: Potsdam Marketing und Service GmbH Georg-Hermann-Allee 99.

Travelling to Potsdam

  • Flights direct from Arlanda to Berlin takes 1 hour 35 minutes.
  • Train from Berlin to Potsdam takes about 20 minutes.
  • Bus from Berlin Central Station to Potsdam takes about 1 h 40 min.
  • Bil or rent a car from Berlin and drive via the L40, it takes about 30 minutes and is 38 km long.

Sanssouci Palace: opening hours and prices 

  • Opening hours: In the winter season 2018/2019 open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-16:30, and in the summer season 2019 open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-17:30. The castle is closed on Mondays and some public holidays.
  • Prices: Single ticket for adults is €12 and for children €8 (2019). Tickets for all SPGS palaces including a timed visit to Sanssouci cost €19 for adults and €14 for children (2019).
  • More info: Here you will find more information.

Food and drink in Potsdam

  • Steakhouse Mendoza at Kopernikusstrasse 19.
  • The butt at Gutenbergstrasse 25, fish and seafood.
  • Restaurant Loft at Brandenburger Str. 30-31, how about schnitzel?
  • Mejeri pub brewery in the New Garden at Im Neuen Garten 10. If you like beer, you've come to the right place, with German accessories.

Accommodation in Potsdam

  • Dorint Hotel Sanssouci Potsdam at Jägerallee 20, 4-star hotel. Two minutes by car or 15 minutes walking to Sanssouci Palace.
  • Altstadt Hotel at Dortustrasse 9-10, 3-star hotel in the city centre.
  • Hotel Brandenburger Tor Potsdam at Brandenburger Str. 1, 4-star hotel in the centre of the city.

Pitch and camping

  • Campingpark Sanssouci at An der Pirschheide 41, a large campsite along the Templiner See. Tram number 91 runs from the campsite to the centre of Potsdam.
  • Car park Am Krongut at Potsdamer Str. 196 is a parking space or car park for large vehicles five minutes from Sanssouci. You pay €20 per day, without service.

You might also like:

Residenset i WürzburgResidence in Würzburg - stunning German baroque palace Borgen Regenstein i BlankenburgRegenstein Castle in Blankenburg - and sandstone caves Moritzburg utanför DresdenMoritzburg Castle near Dresden - a fairytale hunting lodge Schwerins slottSchwerin Castle - fairytale castle in northern Germany Slottet Rastatt i TysklandRastatt Castle in Germany - 18th century baroque castle Hofgarten Eremitage i BayreuthHofgarten Eremitage in Bayreuth - amazing park in Bavaria

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07 July 2018 6:00
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24 Comments

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  1. Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

    We have been to parts of Potsdam. How splendidly they built at that time.

    07 July 2018 - 7:32

    Reply

  2. 4000mil says:

    How nice!
    I love old castles and can also recommend Schönbrunn in Vienna.

    07 July 2018 - 7:49

    Reply

  3. Kenneth Risberg says:

    Impressive what beautiful buildings and many of them are works of art. Have a great weekend!

    07 July 2018 - 8:49

    Reply

  4. Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

    We've just whizzed past Potsdam, next time there will probably be a stop there too. Cool with buildings from different parts of the world.
    Castles are not our first priority, but this one looks really cool.

    07 July 2018 - 9:18

    Reply

  5. Maria / Magnolia Magis says:

    Thanks for the tips! This will be a visit next time! Beautiful!

    07 July 2018 - 10:54

    Reply

  6. Mr Steve says:

    I knew about Potsdam, but not that it has so much to offer. So beautiful and so far away from the former East Germany.
    Stylish pocket parking with FREEDOM.

    07 July 2018 - 11:13

    Reply

  7. Johnny Friskilä says:

    I myself probably liked the beautiful communist astronaut mosaics in the city best. 🙂

    07 July 2018 - 12:44

    Reply

  8. Our Vantastic Travels says:

    It's amazing that the castle still has so much of its interior compared to Versaille.
    When we were in Potsdam, in the early 90s, a lot of the houses were not prepared, so your pictures were a pleasant surprise. Beautifully renovated!

    07 July 2018 - 14:49

    Reply

  9. Ama de casa says:

    What incredibly magnificent buildings you find!

    Then I would rather ask the question "WHY pocket park a motorhome"? Haha! Yes, I am a sissy 🙂

    07 July 2018 - 15:10

    Reply

  10. BP says:

    To park a motorhome requires a husband, Peter that is;-) What a fun and different city Potsdam is. The castle beats Oranienburg by a wide margin, I think. Some unnecessary knowledge from my side: Potsdam has one of Germany's best women's football teams. But you just seem to be very cultural during this trip;-)

    07 July 2018 - 21:01

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      An absolutely fantastic city, we think! Just the right size to walk around and so many beautiful things to see, and imaginative architecture! Fun with a little unnecessary knowledge! 🙂

      09 July 2018 - 11:08

      Reply

  11. Travel Linda says:

    Potsdam is very nice. I love strolling in the parks or in the city! There is an equally large castle at the other end of the park and the orangery in the San Souci park is also very nice.

    09 July 2018 - 20:26

    Reply

  12. Lena in Wales says:

    Sanssouci, I have been there many times and some in Potsdam as well. Also Cecilienhof on the outskirts of Potsdam.
    Potsdam and its surroundings have so much world-class history.

    11 July 2018 - 9:54

    Reply

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