A special city in its own right and yet inseparable from Berlin. Potsdam: historic residence of Prussian royalty and the capital of Brandenburg. This is where Frederick the Great and his successors lived and ruled, planned and established today’s Berlin, designed and adorned Potsdam itself.

Despite the past burden of socialism, the city is currently finding it’s way into the present, enjoying and polishing-up its monarchic roots: The New Palace, Sanssouci Palace and its 287 hectares, abounding with big and little highlights. Alone the two golden grid pavilions or the Chinese Tea House, for instance, are worth a visit.

Not to mention the numerous city villas by Schinkel, the brick-red facades of the Dutch quarter, the wooden houses of the Russian Alexandrowka colony, the city gates, the churches, the Marmorpalais (marble palace) at lake Heiligen See, Cecilienhof Palace, where the Potsdam Conference took place in 1945 and, of course, the many lakes with their romantic banks.