Berlin’s surroundings are full of lakes, forests and palaces, and Germany’s fast trains put historic cities within easy reach. Here are the best day trips, with how to get there.
Potsdam and Sanssouci
Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg, was the summer residence of the Prussian kings, and its palaces and parks are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The highlight is Sanssouci Palace, Frederick the Great’s single-storey Rococo retreat on top of terraced vineyards, built in 1745 to 1747. From November to March it opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4.30pm and is closed on Mondays; it also closes on 24 and 25 December. Visits have fixed admission times. In 2026 a single ticket costs €14, or €10 reduced, and the sanssouci+ ticket covers all open SPSG palaces in Potsdam on one day; prices are due to rise from 1 January 2027. Some park buildings only open from April or May to October.
Beyond the park, Potsdam has a Dutch Quarter of red-brick houses, the New Palace, and Cecilienhof, where the Potsdam Conference was held in 1945. Potsdam is in fare zone C, so you need an ABC ticket. Regional trains from Hauptbahnhof take about 25 minutes, and the S7 about 40.
Sachsenhausen Memorial
The former Sachsenhausen concentration camp in Oranienburg, north of Berlin, is now a memorial and museum. Admission is free. In winter, from 27 October to 30 March, the outdoor areas and exhibitions open from 8.30am to 4.30pm, and in summer until 6pm; the visitor information centre opens daily from 8.30am to 5pm. Take the S1 to Oranienburg, about 45 minutes from Friedrichstraße, or the faster RE5 regional train from Hauptbahnhof, about 25 minutes. From Oranienburg station it is a 20-minute walk, or take bus 804 to the Gedenkstätte stop. You need an ABC ticket. Allow at least three hours on site; many visitors come on a guided tour from Berlin.
Spreewald
The Spreewald is a UNESCO biosphere reserve of canals, meadows and forest south-east of Berlin, where you explore by punt or canoe and eat the region’s famous pickled gherkins. Lübbenau is the main base and is about an hour away by regional train. Boat trips run mainly from spring to autumn, so it is best outside winter.
Wannsee and Peacock Island
On Berlin’s south-western edge, the lakes of the Havel are a classic escape. Take the S-Bahn to Wannsee, about half an hour from the centre. From there you can visit the House of the Wannsee Conference memorial, take a ferry across the lake, or reach Peacock Island, a royal park with a mock-ruin castle, by bus and a short ferry.
Leipzig and Dresden
Leipzig, the city of Bach and the peaceful revolution of 1989, is about an hour and a quarter away by ICE, with a lively old town, the Thomaskirche and arcaded shopping passages. Dresden, about two hours by train, has the rebuilt Frauenkirche, the Zwinger and some of Germany’s richest art collections on the Elbe. Both make long but rewarding day trips, and Hamburg is also around two hours away.
Tips
For trips in zone C, buy an ABC ticket rather than AB. For Leipzig, Dresden and Hamburg, book Deutsche Bahn tickets early for the cheapest fixed-train fares. Guided day tours to Potsdam and Sachsenhausen leave from central Berlin daily and handle the transport for you.