Berlin is a huge city with so much to offer. Besides being the capital of the largest country in the European Union with an incredible amount of history, it’s also well known as open-minded, alternative, and hipster city and is popular both for its many vegan food options as well as its popular gay scene.
On visiting Berlin, it might not occur to you to leave the city limits. But if you’re planning a trip longer than a few days, taking the time to escape from the capital and see some of the surrounding towns and nature can be a great way to get a bit of perspective on and context for this fascinating city.
You don’t have to go far outside of Berlin to experience some of the beautiful nature that surrounds the city, and to the south are some other cool cities worth checking out, while in the north you have easy access to the Baltic Sea. So here are nine of the best day trips from Berlin Germany, some of them with an overnight option too!
Best Day Trips from Berlin Option #1: Less than 100km from Berlin
Potsdam
Probably the easiest day trip from Berlin, Potsdam is actually the capital city of the neighboring state of Brandenburg, but it’s right next to Berlin, and even accessible on the same local rail system. Known for its university and film studio where many classics and modern hits have been shot, the city has a lot of history and is surrounded by beautiful lakes. Highlights here are the cute Holländische Viertel, several blocks of 18th century Dutch-style houses, many homes to independent boutiques and cafés, and the former royal residence of Sanssouci Palace.
How to get to Potsdam: Take the RE1 in the direction of Brandenburg, the S7 in the direction of Potsdam from central Berlin in less than an hour. Make sure to have a ticket valid for the Berlin C zone.
Bad Saarow
Roughly halfway from Berlin to the Polish border, Bad Saarow is a small spa town on the edge of a lake known for its thermal baths. The best reason to visit is for the Therme Bad Saarow with both indoor and outdoor spaces, making it ideal for a visit at any time of year, and with quite reasonable prices. However, you’ll be granted free access if you go on your birthday and bring ID that proves this.
How to get to Bad Saarow: Take the RE1 in the direction of Frankfurt an der Oder to Fürstenwalde, then change to the very cute RB35, a tiny diesel train, to Bad Saarow.
Check out this helpful post: Insider Tips for Visiting Berlin for the first time!
Spreewald
A UNESCO biosphere reserve, this park some 80 kilometers south of Berlin is famous for maintaining its traditional irrigation system that covers the landscape with over 200 tiny canals. Perfect for hiking or biking around, there are tons of paths to follow through cute villages, but the most popular thing to do is take a tour on the canals in the traditional flat bottomed riverboats.
How to get to the Spreewald: Take the RE2 or RE24 in the direction of Senftenberg or Cottbus to Lübben, from where you can easily hire bikes to get around.
Check out this half-day tour from Berlin: Sachsenhausen Memorial
Top Day Trips from Berlin Option #2: South of Berlin
Dresden
Probably the most ambitious day trip from Berlin, Dresden is also a destination in its own right, so a trip here for a night or two would make more sense. The center of the city was almost completely destroyed in the Second World War, but soon after, was rebuilt almost exactly to its original plans. Nowadays, it’s one of the greenest cities in Europe and well known for its opera scene and many fascinating and unique museums, such as the German Hygiene Museum and the Transport Museum.
How to get to Dresden: Take one of the Intercity trains headed to Prague in around 2 hours, or take a coach in around 3 hours.
Saxon Switzerland National Park
No, it’s not in Switzerland, this park about 50 kilometers south-east of Dresden actually crosses the border between Germany and Czech Republic. As a day trip from Berlin this indeed would be ambitious, and it would be a much better idea to stay at least one night, if not more, to fully enjoy it. The park itself is full of well-marked hiking opportunities and is famous for its unusual rock formations.
How to get to Saxon Switzerland National Park: Take the S1 from Dresden to Bad Schandau.
READ THIS: Is Berlin Safe For Solo Female Travelers?
Leipzig
As the largest city in Saxony and with a huge student population, Leipzig is a vibrant and happening place with tons of stuff to offer visitors as well as a budding vegan scene, fascinating street art and an excellent café culture! The areas to the south of the center of the city, like Südvorstadt and Connewitz are especially worth checking out to discover Leipzig’s alternative side. It’s also a great place for music lovers, as there’s a strong tradition of live music and many second hand and new record shops to explore.
How to get to Leipzig: Take any of the highspeed ICE trains heading towards Munich for a journey of 1 hour and 15 minutes, or take the coach in about 2 and a half hours.
Great Day Excursions from Berlin Option #3: North of Berlin
Schwerin
Right on the shore of a large and beautiful lake of the same name, Schwerin is one of the largest cities in the otherwise sparsely populated state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommen and it makes for a pleasant day trip from Berlin to see something quite different. The main and certainly most impressive sight in town is the Schwerin Palace, former residence of local Dukes and now the seat of the state parliament, built on an island in the lake. The town is a nice place to wander around and admire the Hanseatic architecture.
How to get to Schwerin: Take any of the EC trains to Hamburg, and change at Ludwigslust for an RB train in the direction of Wismar in just under 2 hours, or take the coach directly in just under 3 hours.
Another Favorite: The Best Christmas Markets in Berlin
Rostock
With a great foody scene, plenty of cool shopping opportunities and a young, hip, vibe, Rostock is a breath of fresh air coming from Berlin. With some excellent and well-preserved examples of Hanseatic, Baroque, Gothic and post-war architecture, it’s visually very unique and, perhaps unsurprisingly, as home to one of the oldest universities in the world, has a diverse and alternative scene of events, available to anyone.
How to get to Rostock: Take the RE5 in 2 and a half hours, or take the coach in about the same time.
Warnemünde
There are many popular beach towns along the German Baltic coast, but Warnemünde is probably the best connected and easiest to visit on a day trip. As a former fishing village, it’s full of cute houses, but also has a modern and upscale side. The beach itself is long, deep and very clean meaning there’s plenty of space even on the hottest days, though the Baltic sea never really gets that warm so come prepared!
How to get to Warnemünde: Go to Rostock and then take the S1, 2 or 3 from Rostock Hauptbahnhof in 25 minutes.
This is a post by Guest Contributor, Auston
About the author: Auston runs the blog Best Vegan Tours and is also a freelance writer. His work has been featured in many publications including Attitude Magazine, Edge Media Network, The Houston Chronicle, and ManAboutWorld Magazine.
