Germany

Potsdam

OG

23 May 2012 • 3 min read

There was more gold paint in these castles than you could shake a stick at. If you desired to do so, that is.

Just about 30km outside of Berlin lies Potsdam, a small city so perfectly put together that you feel like you're on a movie set at times. There are castles, lakes, blooming meadows and cobble stone streets lined with cute cafés and restaurants. No wonder the Prussian emperors had a soft spot for this place.

The famous Prussian emperor Frederick the Great (Friedrich II) built his summer seat here: Sans Souci or "without a care".

I wouldn't have a care either if that were my summer house...

Quite ingenious, the terraced steps leading up to the castle are lined with glass cabinets to grow wine. Like tiny individual greenhouses that can be opened or closed depending on the weather. When we were there it was nice and warm so the doors were open.

Not very practical for harvesting but sure looks pretty.

The guest house. Because you will obviously have a shitload of guests with a summer house like that.

Where else would you drink your afternoon libations?

Don't even THINK about touching those buster.

We rented bikes for the day to see as much as possible (and have some cool air flowing around us since the sun was relentless). So besides Sans Souci and its various outhouses and parks we also saw the old Dutch quarter in Potsdam proper. The houses were built for Dutch workers brought to Potsdam in the early 1700s, presumably so they'd feel more at home.

And then there are all the gorgeous lakes and canals around the city...