From the Dutch Quarter to Alexanderplatz - A student's view and perspective on Berlin & Potsdam (Part 1)

Potsdam-

If you're looking for a break away from the city of Berlin than Potsdam is an ideal destination to visit. Potsdam's about a 45 minutes drive away from Berlin or you can catch the train which takes around 30 minutes. 

Glienicke Bridge-

One of the most iconic attractions in Potsdam is the Glienicke Bridge which connects the city of Berlin to Potsdam. The bridge is a symbol of the divide between East & West Germany because during the Cold War it was used to exchange captured spies between both sides which gave it the nickname of the Bridge of Spies.If you're travelling to Potsdam by road then I would highly suggest stopping off at the bridge because it's a decent photo opportunity as the views are remarkable. For some reason it reminded me of the scenery in Scandinavia with the tree's and the open area surrounding the bridge. 

Here's a couple of photo's to give you an idea of Glienicke Bridge and the scenery:

Sanssouci Palace-

Sanssouci Palace is one of the many icons in Potsdam and it was known to be the palace for Frederick the Great during the summer season.

Inside the palace there is the Rococo style interior which is very eye-catching. Tour's are available of the palace which are worth it as you're able to have more information on the rooms in the palace and it's interior, there's also an audio guide available for any international visitors.

My top tip would be to visit the city of Potsdam during the summer season as you can get a better experience of Potsdam and the Sanssouci Palace as there is vineyards and fountains on display which look better from photos during the Summer Season although it will possibly be busier during this time as it's peak time.

Potsdam City-

The city of Potsdam has a small city area which has some shops which are mostly independent stores, a lot of bakery's and a fair amount of restaurants to cater for your needs. There were some'quick and easy' food spots which were mostly traditional German food with the option of Currywurst or 'Doner Kebabs' which appears to be one of the German's favourites for fast food. 

Here's a couple of photo's of some pastry and the traditional 'Currywurst' on offer in Potsdam:

Dutch Quarter-

One area in the city that's worth visiting is the Dutch Quarter which is an area located in Potsdam which is  full of Dutch businesses, cafes, pubs and restaurants. The area is worth visiting as it's the largest closed Dutch-style buildings outside of Holland. The brick-work and architecture is completely different to the rest of Potsdam, it's also easy enough to get to the area due to it been located in the centre of Potsdam,.

I would highly suggest visiting Potsdam if you're looking to experience other destinations in Germany whilst visiting Berlin, Potsdam isn't too far from Berlin and it's also easy to travel to.

If you're looking for somewhere to visit for shopping then this isn't the city for you although if you're looking for a traditional German city then Potsdam would be for you. 

The attractions in Potsdam are scattered around so if you're looking at visiting the majority of attractions in Potsdam then I would suggested hiring a bike, getting a taxi, finding somewhere to park if you're driving or alternatively walking in and around Potsdam. 

Conclusion & Relating back to the first assignment and what expectations we had of both locations vs reality:

My thoughts of Berlin before visiting was that it was going to be vibrant city with a multicultural food choice, amazing nightlife and culture which all lived up to it's expectations.I was expecting Berlin to be much more busier then it was as I felt like the streets in areas like Alexanderplatz weren't overly busy compared to other cities like London. 

The locals were very friendly and also spoke good English. If you compare Berlin to other cities which I've experienced such as London or New York it's not as welcoming and it's much more busier so you have to deal with the bustle of the city although Berlin wasn't overly busy which may've been because it's winter although it's the capital so it shouldn't make too much difference.

The city of Berlin is very vibrant with plenty of activities and attractions to do for all ages as the city has a mixture between old and new with art and fashion in Berlin been very prominent. Areas such as the East Side Gallery and Teufelsberg have plenty of street art which will attract students and visitors interested in graffiti and art.

I was previously told that Berlin wasn't ideal for shopping although I personally found that it suited my taste of fashion which a mixture between sportswear and more minimal brands, in my opinion Berlin is one of the best destination's which I've visited as there is a wide variety of stores to visit. 

If you're wanting to experience a thriving which is full of culture then Berlin is the city for you as it doesn't matter how old you are, there's something for you! Prior to my visit I knew Berlin was going to be something special although I wasn't expecting to have so much love for a city in a short space of time, usually when I visit other cities a couple of days is enough although next time I'll probably go for an entire week. I would highly recommend this city to anyone.

The second destination which I visited was Potsdam and prior to my visit, Potsdam appeared to be a small peaceful city that's very spacious which was portrayed in the blog post that I analysed for my assignment. 

Although when in Potsdam I felt like it was possibly over-sold and not as perfect as I thought it would've been. I did like the city although I wouldn't rush back to Potsdam like I would for Berlin, the scenery at certain locations like Glienicke Bridge wasn't as 'Fairytale-like' in reality. As a group we went on a tour of the Palace, although it didn't appeal to me as I would rather look around the palace at my own leisure but it was very beneficial as I gained more information on the palace and the history behind it.

I would recommend visiting Potsdam although only for a day trip as I would say the majority of the attractions can all be done in a day. The best places to visit in Potsdam in my opinion would be the Glienicke Bridge which felt very Scandinavian to me, then areas such as the Dutch Quarter and Brandenburg Gate (Potsdam) because there's some bakeries worth visiting and a couple of bars. 

Check out my photo diary on Berlin & Potsdam: 

Check part 2 out of my blog below where I discuss some attractions in Berlin