6 Best Day Trips from Berlin

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If you’re looking for a perfect day tour outside the German capital, this list of the best day trips from Berlin as recommended by travel experts has got you covered!

Berlin is one of my favorite European capitals with lots to offer in terms of culture, history, art, food, and nightlife. Another great thing about Berlin is that you can easily take a day tour to other German cities, historic sites, or even to a neighboring country.

I asked fellow travel bloggers about their favorite day trips from Berlin. Here’s what they said, plus pro travel tips on how to get there and what to do.

Read more:

• Best Berlin 2, 3 and 4 Day Itinerary Ideas

 

Best day trips from Berlin:

Potsdam

Recommended by Noel from Travel Photo Discovery

An easy and fantastic day trip to enjoy just on the outskirts of Berlin is a visit to the historic city and castles of Potsdam.

Once the place of royal palaces of the German kings of Prussia, Potsdam has a gorgeous and old downtown district that is easy to walk through. There are also so many amazing royal palaces, gardens and other historic sites that you can visit on an entire day exploring the area.

The two most significant palaces worth visiting on the grounds of the natural Sanssouci park include the Neues Palais and Sanssouci palace, which the Prussian kings designed as a German showpiece to rival the elaborate Versaille castle.

Both have intricate interiors done in the high Baroque period style that was very popular during that timeframe, with gorgeous gilt silvers and gold details on all the walls, ceilings, and furniture, along with the best decoration, art, sculpture, and design – the Prussians wanted to impress and show off their status and power.

It really is amazing to explore both palaces and their extensive gardens that you can hike through.

For a nice break, there are some lovely restaurants and cafes in the pedestrian promenade close to the palaces, and you can spend some time enjoying the boutique stores, galleries and tourist shops that cater to the tourists and locals spending some time outdoors.

You can book a day trip from Berlin to Potsdam, including a walking tour of the city, here.

 

Ravensbrück concentration camp

Recommended by Kendal from Getaway Girl

Many of us know the stories of Jewish prisoners dying in Dachau and Auschwitz from gas chambers. However, few people have heard about Ravensbrück, the women’s concentration and labor camp near Berlin.

The most common reasons women were imprisoned here were for political or “asocial” reasons, meaning most women wore a red and/or black star while at Ravensbrück. These women lived in and tried to fight off cruel labor and living conditions, unethical medical experiments, prostitution, and the gas chambers.

Ravensbrück is well worth a day trip from Berlin. Since it’s not as well-known as other concentration camps, it has avoided mass tourism and all the negative side effects of it. Ravensbrück also reveals a part of Nazi Germany’s horrors many people haven’t heard yet.

To get there, take the train RE 5 from Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) to Fürstenberg (Havel) in the direction of either Rostock or Stralsund. As of writing this, the RE 5 train departs Berlin Hbf every hour 42 minutes after the hour (ex. 9:42, 10:42). The train ride takes approximately one hour and costs 10.50 euros one-way.

Once in Fürstenberg, you can either walk or take a taxi to Ravensbrück. The walk is about 2.5 km or a 25 minutes’ walk. Fürstenberg is a small town, so there is sometimes a taxi or two waiting in front of the train station. If there aren’t many taxis around, you can ask to join another party’s taxi.

Otherwise, you can ask the info center inside the train station for a taxi number. There are no Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare services available here.

Entrance to the Ravensbrück museum and memorial complex is free.

 

Dresden

Recommended by Megan from Absolute Armenia

One of the best day trips from Berlin is the eastern city of Dresden near the Czech border.

While Dresden may not be the first place in Germany on people’s travel list, it definitely gets its fair share of visitors.

Many people head there to visit the Dresden Frauenkirche, a Baroque church that has gained international fame for its intricate design and usage of dark materials in its construction.

However, I think the best thing about Dresden is sitting across the river in Dresden Neustadt, or Dresden’s newer city.

In Dresden Neustadt, you will see a different and less traditional side of the city. Green parks, quirky cafes, and lots of hip spots make this the coolest place to visit in Dresden.

After visiting the Zwinger and Semperoper and other famous Dresden sights, the Neustadt will offer a cup of tasty coffee while you peruse the many concept shops that exist on that side of the river. It is truly one of the coolest neighborhoods in Germany.

Getting to Dresden from Berlin is fairly simple, too. You can take a Flixbus there for a super cheap price and it will take you around 2 hours and 15 minutes. There are also regular trains departing from Berlin that go to Dresden (2 hours), or you can get there by private car.

If you’re looking to make it more than just a day trip, there are plenty of hotels and guesthouses ready to host you and show you how Dresden turns her nightlife on in the evenings.

 

Kassel

Recommended by Elisa from World in Paris

Kassel, in the state of Hessen, makes an interesting day trip from Berlin. It is located by the River Fulda, right in the center of Germany, and it is at only 2 hours and 40 minutes by train from Berlin.

The city was once home to the Grimm Brothers and if you are a fan of their fables and fairytales you will want to visit the Grimmwelt Kassel, the museum dedicated to them and their works.

There are also two beautiful parks worth exploring: the Karlsaue, with a beautiful Orangerie on one of its sides, and the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, dominated by the sculpture of Hercules.

The Bergpark is the largest hillside park in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the east side, there’s a beautiful 18th-century castle, but the park’s main feature is the Wasserspiele, a water cascade that comes to life every Wednesday and Sunday at 14:30 from May to October.

Kassel is also a must for contemporary art lovers as it hosts the Documenta, an internationally renowned contemporary art show, every five years from June to August.

The Documenta showcases the work of the most famous contemporary artists in the city’s museums but also in public spaces. The exhibitions are temporary but, usually, the city decides to buy 2 or 3 of these urban artworks so the citizens can enjoy them forever.

Finally, Kassel has 2 or 3 interesting Biergartens, the locals’ favorite meeting points during spring and summer. My favorite one is Rondelle, with a large garden terrace with views over the Fulda River.

 

Poznan, Poland

Recommended by Iris from Mind of a Hitchhiker

Berlin is actually less than 100 kilometers from the Polish border. If you’ve never been to Poland or ‘Eastern’ Europe, a day trip to a Polish town or city may help satisfy your curiosity.

A 2,5 hours EuroCity train ride from Berlin-Lichtenberg station will take you to the capital of the region of Greater Poland (Wielkopolska).

Poznan is a large city full of history that defined the present-day country.

It was one of the first settlements in Poland to ditch Paganism in favor of Christianity more than a thousand years ago.

Urban warfare during the final months of World War II left Poznan’s historic core severely damaged. The Cold War brought the restoration of the Old Town, but also the introduction of Communist Era concrete housing blocks.

Today, the municipality has invested heavily in trams and other forms of public transportation and pedestrianizing the city center. There’s even a tourist walk called the Poznan Royal-Imperial Route that will take you through the city’s history.

From the train station, head east and then walk a nice route to the Polish Theatre, Wolności Square, and the pedestrian shopping street Półwiejska.

Visit the Old Market square – take a break and eat some pierogi or zapiekanka – and then cross the Warta river to Tumski Island. There, you’ll find Poznan Cathedral, famous for being Poland’s oldest.

If you still got the energy, you can cross the Cybina river too to get to the recreational reservoir called Lake Malta. If you’re running out of time, you can take an Uber back to the train station to save those sore feet.

All this makes Poznan a great ‘Poland for beginners’ destination, especially as a day trip. Since my first visit, I keep coming back for more!

To learn more about the history of Poznan, join a guided walking tour of the Old Town here.

 

Hamburg

Recommended by Larch from The Silver Nomad

Hamburg is just under two hours by train from Berlin. Pick up a Hamburg Card either online or at the station to get unlimited travel around the S-Bahn, buses, and trains, and also discounts with many of the museums and sites.

Once you arrive in Hamburg, head down to Hafencity and the magnificent Elbphilharmonie. The 82-meter curved escalator sweeps you up to the viewing deck where you can look out over the Elbe River.

Not far from the Elbphilharimonie are the Discovery Docks where you can explore the workings of the docks with virtual headsets.

A short walk from the Discovery Docks, in one of the red stone warehouses of Spiecherstadt, is the Miniatur Wunderland. Take a trip around the world with these amazing miniature railway landscapes.

Next door is the Hamburg Dungeon, where you can wander through Hamburg’s dark past.

In the center of Hamburg, you will find the Rathaus – the City Hall – which is worth a guided tour. Alternatively, you can walk down to Alster Lake and take a trip around the canals.

The infamous Reeperbahn has bars, nightclubs, the Beatles monument, the Panoptikum waxwork museum as well as sex shops and clubs!

As you walk around Hamburg look out for “Stumble Stones”. These form a part of an art project across Europe honoring victims of the Nazi regime. There are 5,000 in Hamburg.

Near the baroque St Michael’s Church, with its five organs and 132m high tower, is the Krameramt, which was the Guild of Shopkeepers and goes back to 1375.

The houses of the Krameramt are the oldest lane of terraced houses in Hamburg dating from the 17th century. You can browse and stop for a cup of coffee or visit the museum.

Hamburg has much to offer on a day trip from Berlin and you will find plenty to do in this vibrant city.

 

So there you have it – travel bloggers’ favorite day trips from Berlin to help you explore more of Germany or even add another country to your travel itinerary. Which one will you choose?

 

Have you taken a day tour from Berlin? Share in the comments section below!

 

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More travel tips

Travel Insurance

SafetyWing – Travel insurance is very important and you should never leave home without it! I use and recommend SafetyWing travel medical insurance for travelers, remote workers, and nomads.

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You can subscribe online here for a minimum of 5 days to a maximum of 364 days, or opt for a monthly subscription instead.

 

Cheap flights

Looking for the best airfare deals? Skyscanner is my favorite travel search engine for finding cheap flights around the world. They also offer price tracking and alerts to help you secure the best deals.

 

Accommodation

When it comes to accommodation, Booking.com is the best site out there. From hotels to apartments, resorts, villas, B&B, and guest houses, it offers the best prices for accommodation all over the world. I book the vast majority of my stays through them.

 

Yoga Retreats

Looking for a yoga retreat near home or in an exotic destination? BookYogaRetreats offers the best yoga retreats, holidays, and courses around the world for all budgets and levels of experience.

 

Tours

GetYourGuide is my favorite platform for local tours, unique experiences, and skip-the-line tickets to attractions all around the world.

Klook is another great resource for tours and activities, especially if you’re looking for things to do in Asia.

 

Car Rentals

Booking.com has a car rental search engine that compares the biggest brands in car hire and allows you to find the cheapest deals all around the world.

 

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Read more:

• Best Berlin 2, 3 and 4 Day Itinerary Ideas

 

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