Around Berlin

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Around Berlin
Includes 
Potsdam. . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Sachsenhausen
Concentration Camp. . 133
Spreewald . . . . . . . . . . 134
Brandenburg an der
Havel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Frankfurt (Oder). . . . . 138
Chorin & Niederfinow. 139
Best Places to
Eat
¨¨Maison Charlotte (p132)
¨¨Edelmond Fisch- und
Steakhaus (p135)
¨¨Restaurant Altes
Gärtnerhaus (p135)
¨¨Schmiede 9 (p132)
Best Places to
Stay
¨¨Hotel Villa Monte Vino
(p132)
¨¨Schlosshotel Lübbenau
(p137)
¨¨Pension Zum Birnbaum
(p138)
¨¨Pension am Alten
Bauernhafen (p137)
Why Go?
Berlin is fabulous, and you’ll certainly want to spend quite
a bit of time there, but don’t forget to earmark a day (or two
or three) for the surrounding state of Brandenburg. A land
shaped by lakes, canals and waterways, large swathes of it
are protected as biosphere preserves and nature parks, creating a delightful escape from the urban hustle for Berliners and visitors alike. Culture lovers, too, will be rewarded.
Headlining the list of discoveries is the drop-dead-­gorgeous
park and palace of Sanssouci (the ‘German Versailles’) in
Potsdam, a jewel box of a summer retreat built by King
Frederick the Great and a mere half-hour train ride from
central Berlin. Nowhere is Brandenburg’s watery heritage
more evident than in the Spreewald, one of Germany’s most
unique landscapes and home to the indigenous Sorb ethnic
minority, who cling to their ancient customs and traditions
in handsome remote hamlets. A sobering antidote to all
that cultural and natural splendour – and no less important or memorable – is the Nazi-era concentration camp at
Sachsenhausen, north of Berlin.
When to Go
Water characterises much of the countryside around Berlin, meaning that you will want to visit between spring and
autumn when you can experience the region at its best by
taking a boat trip or hiring a kayak. Of course you won’t
be alone, especially on blue-sky weekends, during the summer school holidays and around public holidays. Potsdam,
too, is best visited midweek during summer, but its palaces
and museum actually make a fine destination year-round.
Sachsenhausen is, by definition, of timeless appeal.
125
MECKLENBURG-WESTERN
POMERANIA
B193
Lake Müritz
A24
A19
B103
B198
B198
Neustrelitz
A20
Prenzlau
Uckerfelde
B198
Mescherin
Gartz
A11
B96
Rheinsberg
B189
A24
Angermünde
B103
B109
Neuruppin
B167
Bernau
A10
br
uc
h
Riv
er
Seelow
BERLIN
Müncheberg
B1
A10
Brandenburg
an der Havel
Slubice
Frankfurt (Oder)
A12
A10
Ludwigsfelde
Beelitz
B102
A2
B246
Beeskow
BRANDENBURG
B96
B2
A13
SAXONY-ANHALT
B102
Dessau
B168
B320
Lübben
Jüterbog
Lutherstadt-Wittenberg
B246
B87
Schlepzig
B115
0
0
er
B158
Falkensee
Potsdam
A9
Od
B167
B5
Spandau
B1
Niederfinow
r
B107
Rathenow
POLAND
Eberswalde
Sachsenhausen
Concentration Camp
Oranienburg
B188
B2
e
Od
B102
Chorin
Löwenberg
Lübbenau
B87
50 km
25 miles
B101
Lehde
B96
Spreewald
Leipe
Cottbus B97
A15
Lichterfeld
Spremberg
Halle
SAXONY
Leipzig
A13
A round Berlin Highlights
1 Reliving the majesty that
once surrounded Schloss
Sanssouci (p126) and other
Potsdam palaces
3 Getting into the mind of an
2 Communing with nature
4 Preparing for goosebumps
as you confront the
ghosts of Sachsenhausen
concentration camp (p133)
while punting around the
web of waterways in the
enchanting Spreewald (p134)
A ro u n d Be rli n A r o u n d B e r l i n H i g h l i g h t s
El
Riv be
er
Havel
B2
Lower Oder Valley
National Park
eccentric aristocratic garden
artist at Park & Schloss
Branitz (p136) in Cottbus
5 Rubbing your eyes in
disbelief at huge barges
travelling in a massive ship lift
(p139) at Niederfinow