Stage 1 of the 66 Lakes Trail (“66-Seen-Wanderweg”): Royal palaces and gardens.

Address

Potsdam Hbf
Babelsberger Straße
14467 Potsdam
Marquardt
Hauptstraße
14476 Potsdam OT Marquardt
Potsdam Marketing und Service GmbH
Babelsberger Straße 26
14473 Potsdam

Stage 1 of the 66 Lakes Trail (“66-Seen-Wanderweg”): Royal palaces and gardens.

Hiking tours
Length: 18 km
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Hiking tours
Length: 18 km
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A grand opening: Potsdam’s Prussian kings shaped palaces and landscaped parks that still captivate visitors today. Pull on your walking boots and leave the Brandenburg capital behind as the route winds through the UNESCO World Heritage landscape into the peaceful Havelland countryside. Wide skies, quiet waters and open fields set the scene before Marquardt Palace and its park come into view, now known as a popular film location. A rewarding start to the great 66 Lakes Trail, filled with unexpected contrasts.
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  • Russian Colony Alexandrowka in Potsdam, Foto: Nadine Redlich, Lizenz: PMSG Potsdam Marketing und Service GmbH
  • Belvedere Pfingstberg in Potsdam, Foto: André Stiebitz, Lizenz: SPSG/ PMSG
  • Palace in Marquardt, Foto: André Stiebitz, Lizenz: PMSG Potsdam Marketing und Service GmbH
  • Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam, Foto: André Stiebitz, Lizenz: SPSG/ PMSG
Length: 18,3 kilometres (4-5 hours) starting Luisenplatz | 21 km starting from Potsdam main railway station

Start: Luisenplatz at the Brandenburg gate, Potsdam

Finish: Marquardt Palace

Logo/signpost symbol: blue circle against a white background

Getting there: From S+U Berlin Hauptbahnhof, take the RE1 train towards Magdeburg or the S7 to S Potsdam Hauptbahnhof. From there, continue with bus 695 towards Alt-Golm or tram 91 to Potsdam, Luisenplatz-Süd/Park Sanssouci.

Getting back: From Potsdam, Marquardt Hauptbahnhof take the RB21 to S Potsdam Hauptbahnhof and continue with the RE1 to S+U Berlin Hauptbahnhof (approx. 1 hour).

Route description: The Brandenburg Gate in Potsdam’s historic city centre marks both the starting point and the finish of the 66 Lakes Trail. Just a short walk away lie Sanssouci Park and Sanssouci Palace, the celebrated summer residence of Prussian king Frederick the Great. The route continues across the wooded Ruinenberg hill, through the Russian Colony Alexandrowka and into the New Garden, home to the royal Marble Palace and the historic Cecilienhof Palace.

From the two Italian-style towers of the Belvedere on Pfingstberg hill, wide views open across the city and surrounding countryside. Nearby, the former “Red Barracks” reveal another striking contrast. Once home to soldiers, the imposing red-brick buildings have since been transformed into modern apartments.

Beyond Nedlitz and lake Weißer See, the scenery becomes more rural. The trail follows field paths and former royal roads, passes allotment gardens and continues along the banks of the Sacrow-Paretz Canal. The route leads on to Marquardt Palace and its park, where old trees, open meadows and peaceful views create a calm finale to the first stage.

Sights along the route:
  • Potsdam: Brandenburg Gate, Russian Colony Alexandrowka, New Garden, Marble Palace, Cecilienhof Palace (currently closed for interior visits due to restoration works), Belvedere on Pfingstberg hill
  • Marquardt Palace (exterior visit)

Trail conditions: Flat hiking trail with asphalt and gravel paths

Websites:

  • https://www.brandenburg-tourism.com/poi/dahme-seenland/hiking-tours/66-lakes-trail/
  • https://www.germany.travel/en/nature-outdoor-activities/66-lakes-trail.html

Maps / guidebooks (in German only):

  • Bialk, Daniela: "Von See zu See. Wandern auf dem 66-Seen-Weg rund um Berlin", GU Verlag, Auflage: 1 (2026), ISBN 978-3-7589-0227-7, 28,00 Euro
  • "66-Seen-Weg, Hikeline Wanderführer", 1:50.000, Verlag: Esterbauer, Auflage: 5 (2024), ISBN: 9783711101624, 13,90 Euro
  • Reschke, Manfred und Sternfeldt, Andreas: "Die 66-Seen-Wanderung. Zu den Naturschönheiten rund um Berlin", Trescher Verlag; Auflage 10 (2024), ISBN 978-3-89794-623-1 (https://www.trescher-verlag.de/reisefuehrer/deutschland/66-seen-wanderung/), 16,95 Euro
  • Wander- und Radwanderkarte "66-Seen-Weg: Der beliebte Wanderweg zu den Naturschönheiten rund um Berlin", 1:50.000, Verlag: Barthel, Dr., Auflage: 4 (2021), ISBN 9783895911552, 9,90 Euro

Continue readingcollapse
A grand opening: Potsdam’s Prussian kings shaped palaces and landscaped parks that still captivate visitors today. Pull on your walking boots and leave the Brandenburg capital behind as the route winds through the UNESCO World Heritage landscape into the peaceful Havelland countryside. Wide skies, quiet waters and open fields set the scene before Marquardt Palace and its park come into view, now known as a popular film location. A rewarding start to the great 66 Lakes Trail, filled with unexpected contrasts.
Continue readingcollapse
  • Russian Colony Alexandrowka in Potsdam, Foto: Nadine Redlich, Lizenz: PMSG Potsdam Marketing und Service GmbH
  • Belvedere Pfingstberg in Potsdam, Foto: André Stiebitz, Lizenz: SPSG/ PMSG
  • Palace in Marquardt, Foto: André Stiebitz, Lizenz: PMSG Potsdam Marketing und Service GmbH
  • Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam, Foto: André Stiebitz, Lizenz: SPSG/ PMSG
Length: 18,3 kilometres (4-5 hours) starting Luisenplatz | 21 km starting from Potsdam main railway station

Start: Luisenplatz at the Brandenburg gate, Potsdam

Finish: Marquardt Palace

Logo/signpost symbol: blue circle against a white background

Getting there: From S+U Berlin Hauptbahnhof, take the RE1 train towards Magdeburg or the S7 to S Potsdam Hauptbahnhof. From there, continue with bus 695 towards Alt-Golm or tram 91 to Potsdam, Luisenplatz-Süd/Park Sanssouci.

Getting back: From Potsdam, Marquardt Hauptbahnhof take the RB21 to S Potsdam Hauptbahnhof and continue with the RE1 to S+U Berlin Hauptbahnhof (approx. 1 hour).

Route description: The Brandenburg Gate in Potsdam’s historic city centre marks both the starting point and the finish of the 66 Lakes Trail. Just a short walk away lie Sanssouci Park and Sanssouci Palace, the celebrated summer residence of Prussian king Frederick the Great. The route continues across the wooded Ruinenberg hill, through the Russian Colony Alexandrowka and into the New Garden, home to the royal Marble Palace and the historic Cecilienhof Palace.

From the two Italian-style towers of the Belvedere on Pfingstberg hill, wide views open across the city and surrounding countryside. Nearby, the former “Red Barracks” reveal another striking contrast. Once home to soldiers, the imposing red-brick buildings have since been transformed into modern apartments.

Beyond Nedlitz and lake Weißer See, the scenery becomes more rural. The trail follows field paths and former royal roads, passes allotment gardens and continues along the banks of the Sacrow-Paretz Canal. The route leads on to Marquardt Palace and its park, where old trees, open meadows and peaceful views create a calm finale to the first stage.

Sights along the route:
  • Potsdam: Brandenburg Gate, Russian Colony Alexandrowka, New Garden, Marble Palace, Cecilienhof Palace (currently closed for interior visits due to restoration works), Belvedere on Pfingstberg hill
  • Marquardt Palace (exterior visit)

Trail conditions: Flat hiking trail with asphalt and gravel paths

Websites:

  • https://www.brandenburg-tourism.com/poi/dahme-seenland/hiking-tours/66-lakes-trail/
  • https://www.germany.travel/en/nature-outdoor-activities/66-lakes-trail.html

Maps / guidebooks (in German only):

  • Bialk, Daniela: "Von See zu See. Wandern auf dem 66-Seen-Weg rund um Berlin", GU Verlag, Auflage: 1 (2026), ISBN 978-3-7589-0227-7, 28,00 Euro
  • "66-Seen-Weg, Hikeline Wanderführer", 1:50.000, Verlag: Esterbauer, Auflage: 5 (2024), ISBN: 9783711101624, 13,90 Euro
  • Reschke, Manfred und Sternfeldt, Andreas: "Die 66-Seen-Wanderung. Zu den Naturschönheiten rund um Berlin", Trescher Verlag; Auflage 10 (2024), ISBN 978-3-89794-623-1 (https://www.trescher-verlag.de/reisefuehrer/deutschland/66-seen-wanderung/), 16,95 Euro
  • Wander- und Radwanderkarte "66-Seen-Weg: Der beliebte Wanderweg zu den Naturschönheiten rund um Berlin", 1:50.000, Verlag: Barthel, Dr., Auflage: 4 (2021), ISBN 9783895911552, 9,90 Euro

Continue readingcollapse

Address

Potsdam Hbf
Babelsberger Straße
14467 Potsdam
Marquardt
Hauptstraße
14476 Potsdam OT Marquardt
Potsdam Marketing und Service GmbH
Babelsberger Straße 26
14473 Potsdam
Stage 1 of the 66 Lakes Trail (“66-Seen-Wanderweg”): Royal palaces and gardens.

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Babelsberger Straße

14467 Potsdam

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Potsdam Marketing und Service GmbH

Humboldtstraße 1-2
14467 Potsdam

Tel.: +49 (0) 331-27558899
Fax: +49 (0) 331-2755858

Weather Today, 15. 6.

14 20
clear sky
  • Tuesday
    11 22
  • Wednesday
    11 24

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