Prussian Glory

Potsdam. Berlin’s quaint neighbour entwined in a series of lakes and rivers is just under an hour by train southwest. Few towns’ architecture so vividly displays the effects of history – from the elaborate Prussian rococo playpens at Fred the Great’s Sanssouci park / 0331 969 42 00 / free entry to park, palace entry by guided tours only / closed Mon / spsg.de / to the mock-tudor Cecilienhof / Neuer Garden / 0331 969 42 00 / closed Mon; the cute Dutch quarter built to attract immigrant labour; and Soviet eyesores thrown in for good measure. Starved? Potsdam’s no culinary treasure, but head to the Dutch quarter for a decent array of bites, including Crêperie La Madeleine / Lindenstr. 9 / 0331 270 54 00 / creperie-potsdam.de / for apple cider and, well, duh. Catch the S1 train to Potsdam (you’ll need a Zone C ticket). Once there, the straightforward bus network takes you to all the sights, or rent a car (see V. Useful)