Private walks · In English · Up to 10 people
Find your own
way into Potsdam.
Six starting points, one personal approach. Choose the history that interests you and the time you’d like to spend.
01For curious city explorers
City life and royal ambitions
Old Town and Dutch Quarter
Potsdam’s grand façades tell one story. The lives behind them tell another. At the Alter Markt, we look at the rebuilt City Palace and St Nicholas Church, then follow the city’s development through its streets and squares.
Why did a Prussian king build a Dutch neighbourhood? In the Dutch Quarter, I tell you about the craftsmen the kings hoped to attract, and how soldiers, newcomers and royal ambitions shaped everyday life. The Brandenburg Gate brings another chapter of that story into view.
What we explore
- Alter Markt, the City Palace exterior and St Nicholas Church
- The Dutch Quarter and its red-brick houses
- Potsdam’s Brandenburg Gate
- The Soldier King and life in the garrison town
02For garden and palace lovers
Gardens and a king’s retreat
Sanssouci Royal Garden Walk
Sans souci means “without a care”. Yet the king who gave his palace that name was far from a simple character. Among the terraces and gardens, we talk about Frederick the Great’s interests in philosophy and music, his dogs, and the contradictions of his life.
The palace exterior and Frederick’s grave are part of a landscape carefully composed around him. I explain how its views and fountains work together, share the legend of the Historic Mill, and introduce the Church of Peace and a later generation’s vision for the park.
What we explore
- Sanssouci Palace exterior and the vineyard terraces
- The Great Fountain and garden views
- Frederick the Great’s grave
- The Historic Mill and the Church of Peace
03A good introduction to Potsdam
Town and crown, connected
Potsdam and Sanssouci Combined
The ordered streets of the town and the garden world of Sanssouci were created by the same royal family, but served very different purposes. This walk connects the two, making the city’s history easier to picture as a whole.
We explore the Old Town and Dutch Quarter before continuing towards Sanssouci. Along the way, city gates, façades and garden views become clues to the relationship between military discipline, everyday life and royal leisure. A good choice if you want both the city and the park in one visit.
What we explore
- Alter Markt and Potsdam’s historic centre
- The Dutch Quarter
- Historic city gates along the route
- Sanssouci Park and the palace exterior
04For a closer look at the details
Architecture and garden discoveries
City and Extended Park Tour
Potsdam rewards a second look. After exploring the historic centre, including the French Church, we continue into Sanssouci Park and its changing architectural worlds. This longer walk gives us room to connect details rather than hurry past them.
The Chinese House, Dragon House, Orangery Palace and New Palace show how successive rulers added their own ideas to the landscape. We discuss their different ambitions and agree a route that suits your interests and walking pace.
What we explore
- The historic centre and French Church
- Chinese House and Dragon House
- The Orangery Palace
- The New Palace and the wider Sanssouci landscape
05For twentieth-century history enthusiasts
A city at the centre of history
Cecilienhof and Cold War History
In 1945, Cecilienhof became the setting for decisions that would shape post-war Europe. In the New Garden, we consider the Potsdam Conference, its participants and its consequences, with the palace and its surroundings as our starting point.
The walk continues into the former Soviet military district, once known as the “Forbidden City”. The former prison at Leistikowstraße and its memorial bring the human consequences of Soviet repression into focus. Alexandrowka, the earlier Russian colony, adds a very different chapter to Potsdam’s connections with Russia.
What we explore
- Cecilienhof and the history of the Potsdam Conference
- The New Garden
- The former Soviet military district
- Leistikowstraße Memorial and the Russian colony Alexandrowka
06For visitors with a full day to explore
A day built around your interests
Your Full Day in Potsdam
A full day gives us the freedom to connect the Old Town, royal landscapes and the city’s more recent history. We plan the route together, so the day reflects what you want to discover and how much walking feels right for you.
The programme brings together the Old Town and Dutch Quarter, Sanssouci Park, and the New Garden with Cecilienhof and the Marble Palace. The former Soviet district and Alexandrowka add further perspectives. Glienicke Bridge can also be included by arrangement. We allow for a lunch break; meals are separate from the guiding fee.
What we explore
- Old Town and Dutch Quarter
- Sanssouci Park and its royal architecture
- New Garden, Cecilienhof and Marble Palace
- Soviet history and Alexandrowka; Glienicke Bridge by arrangement
Your time in Potsdam
Let’s make it yours.
Tell me when you’re coming and what you’re curious about.
I’ll help you find the right walk.