24km (15 miles) SW of Berlin, 140km (87 miles) NE of Leipzig
The best day trip from Berlin is to the baroque town of Potsdam on the Havel River. It's often been called Germany's Versailles. World attention focused on Potsdam July 17 to August 2, 1945, when the Potsdam Conference helped shape postwar Europe. The town has many historic sights and was beautifully planned, with large parks and a beautiful chain of lakes formed by the river. The palaces and gardens of Sans Souci Park, which lies to the west of Potsdam's historic core, are the major attractions here. A mile northwest of Sans Souci is the Neuer Garten on the Heiliger See, which contains the Schloss Cecilienhof.
