10 Unmissable Day Trips from Berlin

Not sure which amazing day trips from Berlin to take? This guide has all the information you need for a great time when you visit Berlin.

I first visited Berlin a few years ago and fell in love with the city. There is so much history and culture you could spend weeks exploring all the museums and various places. I dream of returning to Berlin since I didn’t have time to see everything on my bucket list.

If you’re visiting the capital city of Germany, make sure you also make time in your itinerary for some Berlin day trips!

Berlin is very well connected to the rest of the country by train, so you can easily get around to other places in just a few hours.

german government building with german flags flying on top of it, things to do in berlin

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Visiting Berlin

After exploring Berlin’s top sights and attractions, here are the best Berlin day trips not to miss:

Tour Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam
Visit Saxon Switzerland National Park
See stunning architecture in Dresden
Drink cheap beer in Leipzig
Enjoy the sun at Wannsee Lake
Go hiking in Bad Musukau
Border hop to Poland from Kromlau
Learn about Martin Luther in Wittenberg
Take a train to nearby Prague
Become a foodie in Poznan

german flag flying high above german government building

Potsdam

Postdam is the most popular day trip from Berlin because you can get here in under an hour. If you’re short on time, Potsdam can be done in half a day.

As a smaller city outside Berlin, Potsdam allows you to see a charming part of Germany and experience more history and culture.

Even though Potsdam has many beautiful streets and places to explore, people mainly come here to tour the stunning Sanssouci Palace. Many people compare it to Versailles in France because the architecture and the gardens look very similar.

The best part is that Sanssouci Palace is less well-known than Versailles, so you can tour the gardens with far fewer people than the palace in Paris.

A day trip to Potsdam from Berlin is simple and easy whether you take the train or book a tour. If you’d rather do it with a private tour, this tour includes the train from Berlin for the day! And this tour will take you to Wannsee and Potsdam.

Getting to Potsdam

The best way to travel from Berlin to Potsdam is to take the S-Bahn 7. You can take it directly to Potsdam Main Station. If you plan to visit the palace, buses right outside the station flash the name “Sanssouci.”

You can hop on one of these buses and be at the palace in just a few minutes.

Saxon Switzerland

If you’re interested in seeing the beauty of East Germany, Saxon Switzerland is one of the best weekend trips from Berlin.

It takes about 3 hours to get here from Berlin. While it can be done in a day, it’s often better to spend the night if you have the time.

Saxon Switzerland is a national park located right along the Elbe Valley. It’s the perfect place for nature lovers, with plenty of rock climbing, hiking, and biking opportunities. Despite its name, it’s in the easternmost part of Germany, not Switzerland!

I recommend visiting Saxon Switzerland if you need a break from the hustle and bustle of city life or just want to experience the stunning nature of this region of Germany.

mountains in saxon switzerland, cliffs overlooking the winding river, greenery and plants growing from the cliff

Getting to Saxon Switzerland

Book an overnight tour to Saxon Switzerland or find a day trip that leaves early in the morning and returns at night.

Otherwise, you will need to rent a car to Saxon Switzerland. Renting a car and driving in Germany is pretty easy, so don’t get nervous if you decide to drive!

Dresden

Dresden is one of the best day trips from Berlin by train. You can easily reach Dresden in about 2.5 hours.

Most people visit Dresden for the architecture because it’s very different from Berlin and other German towns. Some of the most popular architectural sites to visit include the Semperpoer Opera House, Zwinger Palace, and Frauenkirche, a stunning Lutheran church.

Saxon Switzerland is about an hour away from Dresden. Many people combine these two Berlin day trips over a few days or a weekend.

dresden germany, berlin to dresden day trip, government building in dresden, german architecture building with domes and figurines on top of the domes

Getting to Dresden

You can catch a train to Dresden from any train station in Berlin. Some are direct, and others might have a few transfers. You can also take a bus which is cheaper.

Leipzig

Full of culture and hip places to visit, Leipzig is a must-visit if you’re looking for a top-day trip from Berlin. You can get here in about an hour and a half when you take the high-speed train from Berlin.

Many people love Leipzig because it has the same vibe and atmosphere as Berlin but is much more affordable.

Many Berlin residents and families lived in Leipzig before the Berlin Wall came down. Once the wall was torn down, people moved to Berlin because there were more opportunities for jobs and schooling.

Most of Leipzig’s population is now very young, and a few universities are in the area. This means the food and drinks are cheap! You can also find a lot of choices for budget accommodation and hostels.

Getting to Leipzig

Trains to Leipzig run conveniently every hour. I recommend taking the express train as it’s direct and only takes about an hour and a half. The other trains have more stops and can take a long time.

Wannsee

Since you can get to Wannsee in less than an hour by train and car, it’s a popular day from Berlin for those who don’t want to go too far out of the city.

Wannsee has a beautiful lake where Berlin residents come during the summer to relax and cool off. It also has a small beach to relax and drink a few beers.

While the lake and beach are stunning, not all parts of Wannsee are as serene. You might have heard of this city before because it’s known for being part of the Wannsee Conference. This is where the Nazi officials first met to discuss the “Final Solution” regarding how to eliminate Jewish people in Germany.

You can tour the building where the conference occurred and see artifacts and newspapers from then on.

lake in wannsee, pier going into the lake, lily pads in the water, river boat passing by, day trips from berlin, weekend trips from berlin

Getting to Wannsee

The easiest way to get to Wannsee is to take the S Bahn S1. It has a few stops throughout Berlin, and then you will reach Wansee. The S7 line also goes to Wannsee, but there are more stops.

Bad Muskau

Most people come here from Berlin to visit Muskau Park. It’s a huge park and garden known as one of Central Europe’s largest and most beautiful parks. It’s also been an official UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.

Located right on the border of Poland, you can easily visit the park and then hop on over the border if you’re interested in adding another European country to your list.

castle in bad muskau, red castle on the banks of the landscaped grounds, trees growing in front of the castle, berlin day trips, day trips from berlin by train

Getting to Bad Muskau

There isn’t a great way to get to Bad Maskau without a car, so I suggest renting a car if you want to visit Muskau Park. You can also book a tour if you prefer not to drive. By car, it only takes about 2 hours to reach Bad Muskau using the easy roads of A13 and A15.

Kromlau

If you’re searching for one of the best day trips from Berlin to Poland, I recommend visiting the little town of Kromlau. It’s right on the border of Germany and Poland. If you’re like me and want to visit as many countries as possible while visiting Europe, you can easily cross the border and spend a few hours in Poland.

Kromlau is very close to Bad Muskua, so it’s best to visit both places on the same day.

Like Bad Musuka, most people visit Kromlau to visit the stunning park that calls this city home. Rakotzbruecke Park is over 200 acres large.

Residents often refer to Rakotzbruecke Park as Devil Bridge, as there is a legend the Devil helped build the bridge in exchange for the soul of the first person who crossed the bridge after completion.

While the park is beautiful any time of year, spring and autumn are the best times to visit. In the spring, you can see all the flowers blooming and wildlife coming out after the long winter. All the leaves are changing color in autumn, giving tons of great photo opportunities.

Getting to Kromlau

Like Bad Musuka, the best way to get to Kromlau is to rent a car or book a tour. If you want to take public transport, you may want to make this a weekend trip as it can take long to get there.

The only options for public transport are to take a train to Cottbus and then take a steam train from there to Kromlau.

Wittenberg

Most people have heard of Wittenberg before or at least heard of the most famous person from there: Martin Luther. Wittenberg was where the Protestant Reformation started. You can even see the door where Luther nailed his original 95 theses.

Other than exploring the history of Protestantism, Wittenberg is a gorgeous city with old cobblestone streets, small boutique shops, and plenty of places to sit and enjoy lunch and a few beers.

town square of wittenburg, martin luterh statue, white building with orange roof, castle in the background, day trips from berlini

Getting to Wittenberg

You can take a train from the main station of Berlin and directly get to Wittenberg. The train takes about an hour and 45 minutes. You can get to Wittenberg in about 40 minutes if you have a rental car.

Prague

Prague is one of my favorite cities in the world, and it’s popular with tourists. I list it as a day trip, but you really need a weekend to explore this city from Berlin. From Berlin, you can reach Prague in about 4.5 hours by train.

More and more tourists visiting Europe are coming to Prague because the prices are very cheap compared to neighboring European countries.

Prague also has amazing architecture, especially in the city center. One of my favorite things in Prague is just walking around the historic streets and taking photos of the old buildings.

Getting to Prague

The easiest way to get here if you don’t have a rental car is to take the train. It will take about 4.5 hours, but the journey is easy and scenic. You can also take the bus if you have extra time, but it usually takes 6 hours or more.

purple and pink sunset over the streets of prague, statues on either side of the street, street lamps glowing, day trips from berlin, weekend trips from berlin

Poznan

If being close to the border of Poland in Kromlau wasn’t enough for you, you can take a real day trip from Berlin to Poland by visiting Poznan.

It’s a charming city that is most well known for its food scene. The city has everything from traditional Polish food to high-end establishments where you can try food from all over the world.

For laid-back food, there are plenty of cafes and bars where you can relax and sample things from the menu.

And if you want to learn about the food you’re sampling, you can tour places like the Croissant Museum. It’s set in a beautiful Renaissance building where you can see how croissants are handmade and, of course, sample many different kinds with different fillings.

Getting to Poznan

Getting to Poznan is easy since there are a few different train options. Take the high-speed train so you can make the most of your day and the limited time.

The express train has a few stops, but it only takes about 2.5 hours to get from Berlin.

Don’t Miss These Incredible Day Trips From Berlin!

Ready to take some amazing day trips from Berlin? Getting out of the city and exploring the neighboring towns and countries is an excellent opportunity to experience more of the culture and history of Europe.

Are you going to Germany soon? Which of these day trips are you going to take first?