Looking to escape the city of Berlin? Check out this post for the best day trips from Berlin you can do!
Known as the capital and the largest city in Germany, Berlin is a city packed with a vibrant cultural scene, exceptional landmarks, and many foreigners. However, it’s okay to escape everything if you’ve been living in the city for quite some time. Some people who live in Berlin are used to the business and liviness of the city while others feel the need to escape for their physical and mental health.
So, if you’re of the latter you’ve come to the right place, this post alone highlights the best day trips from Berlin you can take to escape the city as well as what you can do while you’re there.
Germany Travel Series
P.S. This is a post in my Germany Travel series. Here is the complete series:
Cologne Restaurants: Where To Find the Best Restaurants in Cologne Germany
Prettiest Cities: The Top 8 Prettiest Cities in Germany You Need To Visit
Uber: Is There Uber in Germany?
Beer Festivals: 10 Top German Beer Festivals in Germany Other Than Oktoberfest
Best Day Trips From Berlin Map
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Poznan, Poland
Poznan, Poland is a great day trip from Berlin you can do! This city is obviously outside of Germany but the train ride from the Berlin hbf to there is under 3 hours. While you’re there, be sure to visit the Old Town where you’ll find a group of colorful buildings. They give the city its color and they’re very instagrammable.
In addition, Poznan has a great culinary scene you should try out before you leave. The coffee shops there are also phenomenal along with the wine bars and pastry shops.
Leipzig, Germany
Leipzig, Germany is another great day trip from Berlin you can do! The city is easily accessible with the Deutschlandticket and the train ride takes about three hours to get there with the Regionalbahn. While you’re there, be sure to visit a trade fair since it’s what the city is most known for locally. The city is also home to some of the world’s most famous classical composers so definitely be sure to check out the Radio Symphony Orchestra.
So, if you’re looking to learn more about a famous composer like Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, I highly recommend visiting Leipzig as a day trip from Berlin. The house he died in is still available for tourists to visit in Leipzig even though his grave is in Berlin.
Szczecin, Poland
Szczecin, Poland is another day trip from Berlin you can do! Although it’s outside of Germany, a Flixbus ride to Szczecin from Berlin is just about two hours so it’s no different from going to another nearby German city. While you’re there, be sure to visit the seaport since it’s the largest one in Poland. Szczecin even has an Emerald Lake called Lake Szmaragdowe that many tourists gawk at consistently.
The reason for this has to do with the fact that the lake was formed during an excavation of an old chalk mine long ago. It’s also the home to many protected animal species so I don’t blame people for wanting to see this with their own eyes.
Potsdam, Germany
Potsdam, Germany is another day trip from Berlin you can do! You won’t have to travel far to reach this city since it’s located in the Brandenburg state. In fact, with the Regionalbahn, you can get there in 24 minutes from the center of Berlin. While you’re there, be sure to visit the Sanssouci Palace and its many parks, making it Germany’s largest World Heritage Site. The city was even considered the birthplace of modern film since the world’s first silent film was made there.
So, if you’re looking to stroll through a palace that’s a copycat of Versailles, I highly recommend visiting Potsdam. The city itself also has the highest number of palaces per inhabitant in Germany which is a cool fun fact.
Dresden, Germany
Dresden, Germany is another day trip from Berlin you can do! The city is easily accessible with the Deutschlandticket like all other German cities and the train ride takes about three hours from Berlin. While you’re there, be sure to vist Frauenkirche which is a notable landmark in the city. It’s essentially an 18th century Lutheran church that was destroyed during WWII and now is a symbol of the city’s resilience.
In addition, the Dresden Castle is also another place you should check out while you’re there. It’s now a museum complex that was once the residence of electors and kings of Saxony and Poland and it has one of the largest art collections in Europe, giving you a lot to look thorugh and explore.
Spreewald, Germany
Known as the “Green Venice” of Germany, Spreewald is another day trip from Berlin you can do! The town is also easily accessible with the Deutschlandticket and it takes about 3 hours to get there from Berlin with the bus and train. While you’re there, be sure to visit the canals since many Germans go there for kayaking on vacation. In fact, you could also cycle the Gurkenradweg which is a great choice for a day tour. They call it the Gurkenradweg because the path has gherkin signs on it which is a funny way to keep cyclists en route.
So, if you’re looking to paddle into a fairytale, I highly recommend visiting Spreewald. It’s a beautiful forest in Germany’s Brandenburg state, giving you the opportunity to canoe or kayak as you please.
Hamburg, Germany
Hamburg, Germany is another day trip from Berlin you can do. As expected, it’s accessible with the Deutschlandticket and the train ride is about 2 hours and a half from Berlin. While you’re there, be sure to visit its many art museums like the Hamburger Kunsthalle or the Museum of Art and Industry as well as its vibrant neighborhoods like Speicherstadt which showcases architecture from the 19th century.
So, if you’re looking to take a day trip to a city that will transport you back in time, I highly recommend visiting Hamburg. Although the word “hamburger” does derive from the city of “Hamburg”, there is no correlation between the food and the city.
….in case you were wondering
Bremen, Germany
Known through the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale, “Town Musicians of Bremen”, Bremen is another day trip from Berlin you can do! Accessible with the Deutschlandticket, the city is about 6 hours away with the Regionalbahn so I highly recommend taking the ICE if you want to do this day trip.
While you’re there, be sure to tour the Bremen Town Hall or wander around the Medieval Schnoor Quarter. The Bremen Town Hall is a symbol of the independence of its citizens that live there and the Medieval Schnoor Quarter is Bremen’s oldest district.
So, if you’re looking to take a day trip from Berlin to a fairytale town, Bremen is it! There’s even a statue at the western end of the Town Hall, commemorating the role this town played in the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale, “Town Musicians of Bremen”.
Kromlau, Germany
Kromlau, Germany is another day trip from Berlin you can do! With the Deutschlandticket, the town is accessible by train and bus and it’s only a 2.5 hour trip from Berlin.
While you’re there, be sure to visit the Devil’s Bridge which is one of the most photographed places in Germany. It’s called the Devil’s Bridge due to it’s design which many people consider to be so dangerous that it must have been made by the devil. The bridge on its own is shaped as a semi-circle but when you look at its reflection in the water below, it becomes the perfect sphere.
So, if you’re looking to see more of the Devil’s creations here on Earth, I highly recommend visiting Kromlau. Crossing the bridge however is prohibited so your best bet is to take a picture of it from afar and photoshop yourself in it later.
Overall, I hope you enjoyed this post on the best day trips from Berlin you can take to escape the city. Please let me know in the comments if you’ve been to any of the cities I’ve mentioned in this post. I would love to hear your experience! 🙂
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