Berlin and Day Trips in

Four days in central Berlin, plus day trips to Potsdam, Dresden and the Spreewald

You stay in Mitte the whole time without changing hotels. Spend three days on central Berlin, then use three days for day trips: Potsdam's palaces, Dresden's Baroque old town (about two hours by intercity train), and a flat-boat cruise through the Spreewald's waterways. The last half day is in western Berlin, at Charlottenburg Palace. The pace alternates between busy and relaxed, suited to travelers with a longer holiday who want to see Berlin and the surrounding area of former East Germany in one trip.

Spreewald boat trips run at peak from about April to October, with fewer departures in winter.

Day by day

Day 1 · Arrival and Brandenburg Gate

Berlin（Reichstag Building、Brandenburg Gate、Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe）

Take the FEX airport express to Berlin Hauptbahnhof, about 30 minutes. After checking in at Mitte, explore on foot.

Book a Reichstag dome visit in advance.

Stay: Mitte

Day 2 · Museum Island and TV Tower

Berlin（Museum Island、Berlin Cathedral、Hackesche Höfe、Berlin TV Tower & Alexanderplatz）

Spend the day on foot in Mitte. Museum Island to Alexanderplatz is about 1 km.

Book a timed ticket online for the TV Tower observation deck.

Stay: Mitte

Day 3 · Potsdam Sanssouci Day Trip

Berlin（Sanssouci Palace, Potsdam、Cecilienhof Palace）

Take the S7 or RE1 to Potsdam, about 40 minutes. Bus 695 and others connect Sanssouci with Cecilienhof Palace.

Stay: Mitte

Day 4 · Dresden Old Town Day Trip

Dresden（Frauenkirche & Neumarkt、Zwinger、Dresden Castle & Green Vault、Brühl's Terrace）

Take an EC or IC train from Hauptbahnhof, about 1 hour 45 minutes, to Dresden. Old town sights are within walking distance. Return in the evening.

The Historic Green Vault has timed entry, so book ahead. Take an early train out and a late train back.

Stay: Mitte

Day 5 · Berlin Wall and Cold War History

Berlin（Berlin Wall Memorial、Checkpoint Charlie、Topography of Terror、East Side Gallery）

Take the tram to Bernauer Strasse, the metro to Checkpoint Charlie, and the S-Bahn to the East Side Gallery.

Stay: Mitte

Day 6 · Spreewald Waterways Day Trip

Berlin（Spreewald）

Take the RE2 to Lübbenau, about 1 hour. Take a flat-boat cruise through the waterways for 2–3 hours, then return in the evening.

Fewer boats run in the off-season. Alternatively, visit Leipzig or Sachsenhausen.

Stay: Mitte

Day 7 · Charlottenburg Palace and Departure

Berlin（Charlottenburg Palace、Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church）

Take the S-Bahn or bus to Charlottenburg Palace, then walk to the Zoologischer Garten area. In the afternoon, take the S-Bahn to the airport, about 50 minutes.

Charlottenburg Palace is closed on Mondays.

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