Berlin and Potsdam in five Days, 2015
For an American group of five friends
On behalf of Wilcox Travel Leaders, Syracuse NY www.wilcoxtravel.net
In 2015, this trip was arranged according to the individual wishes of the participants. The trip consisted of two components:
- Historical and tourist sites of Berlin and Potsdam, such as the Memorial Church, the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the Holocaust Memorial, and various Prussian castles and gardens.
- Individualized guided tours of Berlin’s many museums
In addition, there was time and opportunity to explore different city districts and neighborhoods to stroll around, to shop, eat and drink.
A concert visit completed the days in Berlin and Potsdam.
5 Nights in Berlin incl. an excursion to Potsdam
Itinerary
Day 1
Morning
Individual arrival in Berlin and check-in at the hotel
Noon
Individual lunch
Afternoon
Meeting with your local tour guide at the hotel and departure for the city tour.
First you explore the former West Berlin with its various sights like the Charlottenburg castle or the memorial church.
When the weather is fine, there are also opportunities for a magnificent panoramic view of the city.
Afterwards you drive through the government district, get off in front of the Reichstag and walk past the Soviet Memorial to the Brandenburg Gate.
From here you walk via Potsdamer Platz with its post-reunification skyscrapers to Kreuzberg with its colorful mixture of students, artists, migrants, hipsters and tourists.
Evening
Individual dinner in one of the many international restaurants. Return to the hotel on your own.
Day 2
Morning
Meeting with your local tour guide at the hotel and departure for the city tour.
Today you explore the former East Berlin with the Gendarmenmarkt, the famous boulevard Unter den Linden, Bebelplatz – place of the book burning of the Nazis – the State Opera, Humboldt University, the Berlin Cathedral, the world cultural heritage of the Museum Island and Alexanderplatz with the television tower.
Noon
Individual lunch break in one of the restaurants and cafés along the Spree or on and around Alexanderplatz.
Afternoon
Individualized Museum Island tour with visit to one or more museums.
Afterwards
Return to your hotel
Evening
Individual dinner
Day 3
Morning
Meeting with your local tour guide at the hotel and departure for another tour of the city.
On this day you will dive deeper into Berlin’s history and visit the Topography of Terror, which provides information about the atrocities of the Nazi era, and visit the various Holocaust memorials.
Noon
Relax and enjoy lunch on the roof of the Reichstag, seat of the German Bundestag.
Afternoon
During a visit to the Berlin Wall Memorial you will hear about the division of Berlin after the Second World War, the building of the Wall and the fall of the Wall.
Afterwards
Return to your hotel
Evening
Individual dinner and visit to a concert, play, or show
Day 4
Morning
Meeting with your local tour guide at the hotel and departure for Potsdam, former summer residence of the Prussian kings and German emperors, with its palaces and gardens.
Depending on interest and weather you can explore the new garden with the nearby Belvedere or Park Sanssouci and/or visit the castles. For example Cecilienhof, venue of the famous Potsdam Conference, Sanssouci Palace, Summer Palace ofFrederick the Great or the New Palace, with all its baroque splendor.
Noon
Take a break in a restaurant near the palaces and gardens or in the Potsdam city center.
Afternoon
Further sightseeing of castles and gardens or a walk through the so called Russian colony “Alexandrovka” or through the historic city center of Potsdam with the Dutch quarter and the rebuilt city castle.
Afterwards
Return to Berlin
Evening
Individual dinner
Day 5
Morning
Meeting with your local tour guide at the hotel and drive to the Berggruen Museum, where you will get to know famous works of classical modern art on a personal guided tour.
Afterwards, you can immerse yourself in the surrealist art of the Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection opposite.
Alternatively, you can go on an individual shopping tour and spend the morning with window shopping, shopping or “rumbling”, because what would Berlin be without a visit to the KaDeWe with its famous “food department” or, depending on the day of the week, a visit to one of Berlin’s weekly markets or one of the many flea markets.
Noon
Individual lunch
Afternoon
Relax during a boat cruise on the River Spree or enjoy a little more art and visit the Gemäldegalerie with its old masters with a private guided tour or, if you are interested in contemporary art, go on an art gallery tour through Berlin Mitte instead.
Evening
Individual dinner
Day 6
During the day
Now it’s time to say goodbye and individual homeward journey.
