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The Glory Of Prussia Tour - Berlin Experiences

The Royal Potsdam Tour

The Glory Of Prussia

Duration6 HoursGroup6 PeopleFormatPrivate Van Tour
Schloss Sanssouci
Schloss Cecilienhof
Bridge Of Spies
Overview

…Schloss Charlottenburg, Schloss Sanssouci, the grave of Frederick the Great, the Schloss Cecilienhof site of the Potsdam Conference, the Neues Palais, the ‘Bridge of Spies’, and much more…

Discover the story of a mighty European state that no longer exists – the Kingdom of Prussia. Understand how this defunct power redrew the map of the European continent; became the driving force behind German unification, and the leading state in the German Empire.

Examine the jewel in the Prussia crown – the captivating ensemble of UNESCO World Heritage listed parks and palaces in Potsdam – the former summer residences of the Prussian Kings & German Emperors –join us inside the Golden Cage of the Iron Kingdom.

A flute concert of Frederick the Great at Sanssouci/Adolph von Menzel
A flute concert of Frederick the Great at Sanssouci/Adolph von Menzel

For more than 200 years Berlin served as the capital of a powerful European state that no longer exists – the Kingdom of Prussia.

Schloss Sanssouci in 1895/Public Domain
Schloss Sanssouci in 1895/Public Domain

This ‘Iron Kingdom’ helped redraw the map of the European continent under the reign of Frederick the Great – and following the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte saw its political and economic influence grow exponentially. Becoming the driving force behind German unification and the leading state in the German Empire from unification in 1871.

Traces of this once glorious Imperial power remain visible across Berlin – but most significantly in an ensemble of opulent royal palaces and parks in the nearby city of Potsdam.

Neues Palais/Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-30705-0012 / Klein / CC-BY-SA 3.0
Neues Palais/Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-30705-0012 / Klein / CC-BY-SA 3.0

A city of kings and emperors, Potsdam housed Prussia’s royal House of Hohenzollern (lit: ‘High-Taxer’) family on the edge of Berlin until the fall of German imperialism in 1918. While actually older than Berlin as a city settlement by around 300 years, Potsdam only began to rise to importance in the 1600s – with the growing power of Prussia. This city settlement would soon boast its own grand palace, following the acquisition of Potsdam by the Great Elector – Frederick William I – from the aristocratic Hake family.

Now often referred to as Berlin’s equivalent of Versailles, Potsdam has a collection of impressive palaces and gardens – mostly originating in the 18th and 19th centuries. The most famous of which being the Schloss Sanssouci – commissioned by Frederick the Great to act as his philosopher’s retreat away from the pomp and ceremony of the Prussian capital of Berlin.

Potsdam Schloss Charlottenhof/Johann Gabriel Friedrich Poppel
Potsdam Schloss Charlottenhof/Johann Gabriel Friedrich Poppel

Although Potsdam did not make it out of the Second World War entirely unscathed, it retains much of its old-world splendour – visible in its luscious lakeside parks, castles, and its charming historical centre. It would also serve in 1945 as the location of the final conference of the war-time Allies – with Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and US President Harry S. Truman gathering at the Cecilienhof Palace to conduct 17 days of negotations that would come to define the Cold War landscape – and shape the framework of European and German discourse for decades to come. 

Potsdam St Nikolaikirche/Johann Gabriel Friedrich Poppel
Potsdam St Nikolaikirche/Johann Gabriel Friedrich Poppel

Come and join us for a day out in this beautiful city, boasting architectural wonders of Baroque, Rococo & Neo-Classical style. European in the truest sense of the word.

Best experienced during the warmer months – from April until November.

Where it starts
Our Royal Potsdam Tour can start wherever is best for you – at your accommodation or elsewhere

“I can’t imagine a better tour of Berlin than Matt’s. He’s extremely knowledgeable, yet makes it feel like a casual conversation rather than a lecture. It was a very enjoyable day and set us up with a great background and ideas to plan the rest of our week. Couldn’t recommend more.”

Patricia BeckerPotsdam Parks & Palaces · June 2025

“Matt was a wonderful guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and took us to many locations we didn’t know about or expect to see, yet still was very receptive to our requests on places we wanted to visit. Since one of our group was elderly and walked with a cane, he allowed us to walk at a slower pace and also suggested using a car on our second day with him. He supplemented his tour with a very comprehensive album of photos which he showed us on his large screen mobile device. His driver, Markus, also added to the tour with his stories of escaping from East Berlin. We would highly recommend Matt as a great tour guide.”

Kate DonaldsonPotsdam Park & Palaces · May 2025

“Matt was so knowledgeable and professional during our Berlin, multi-gen family tour – thank you!”

Nancy BeardThe Potsdam Parks & Palaces Tour · July 2024

““Matt was so knowledgeable and professional during our Berlin, multi-gen family tour – thank you!””

Nancy BeardRoyal Potsdam Tour - The Glory Of Prussia · July 2024

““We were extremely impressed with Matt’s level of knowledge on the city of Berlin. There wasn’t one question we had that he was not able to answer. We enjoyed everything we saw and appreciated the look into the dark history of Berlin. Would highly recommend Matt to anyone!””

Jackie HostetterThe Glory Of Prussia Tour · December 2022

““We would highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to experience the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Our guide Matthew was brilliant – super friendly, helpful, considerate and extremely knowledgeable. He had a special way that he presented this dark and heavy material that kept us engaged throughout the tour. We were able to learn and process everything in our own way and in our own time. Thank you again Matthew we wouldn’t have wanted anybody else to show us around!””

James GriesserThe Glory Of Prussia Tour · October 2022

★ 5.0 · Google · Tripadvisor · Facebook

Good to know

  • We also offer private walking-tour variations of all our famous private transportation tours.
  • Get in touch for bigger group tours — we also offer bus tours for companies and schools.
  • English-language tours with native English speakers — in other languages on request.
  • Book directly with a local company — over 20 years' experience offering guided tours of Berlin.

The itinerary

Sites that can be included in this tour.

All of our private tours are carefully tailored to our clients wishes and expectations.

Featured experiences

Deep-dives on the sites you'll explore.

Mythbusting Berlin

The myths we set straight on this tour.

Beyond visiting the sites across Berlin and Potsdam that are connected with the Prussia era we will also discuss the myths and realities of the story of what was once one of the greatest European powers.

  • What was Prussia?
  • When was Prussia abolished?
  • Why did the Prussian royal family construct their palaces in Potsdam?
  • Was National Socialism the continuation of Prussian imperial ambition?
  • Was Potsdam damaged during the Second World War?
  • Why was Schloss Cecilienhof chosen for the post-WWII Potsdam Conference?
  • Why is there a Russian colony in Potsdam?
  • Does Potsdam have the largest Dutch quarter in the world outside of Holland?
  • How did Frederick the Great get his nickname?
  • Did Frederick the Great introduce the potato to Germany?
  • Was Frederick the Great gay?
  • Was German unification inevitable?
  • Are there any living relatives of the German Hohenzollern royal family?
  • Was Prussia the first state to adopt the Protestantism of Martin Luther?
  • Was Prussia the last area in Europe to convert to Christianity?
  • Was Germany responsible for the First World War?
  • Was the colour blue invented in Prussia?

Go deeper

More on our history websites.

Before you book

Frequently Asked Questions

View from the Siegessäule, Berlin
View From The Siegessäule
How do I book a private guided tour of Berlin?

Booking a tour via our website is simply a matter of navigating to the tour page and choosing the date you would like to tour and starting time via the calendar panel on the page. You will then be taken to a booking form, where you enter your personal details and can then choose your payment option. Once you complete your tour booking it will then enter our system as pending until confirmed on our side (this usually takes less than an hour depending when we see the booking request). Then within the next 24 hours we will contact your directly via the email you supply during the booking process to say hello and confirm the booking. If you have any special requests or requirements, please add them to your booking during the checkout process and we can finalise these details via email.

How do I pay for a tour?

You pay securely at the time of booking. When you pick your date and booking option on the tour page you’re taken straight to a secure checkout (processed by Stripe) that accepts all major credit and debit cards — VISA, Mastercard, Amex and more. Standard and Flexible bookings are paid in full at checkout; if you Reserve with a Deposit you pay half now and the balance 45 days before the tour. For bank transfer, agent invoicing or any other payment question, email info@berlinexperiences.com before booking and we’ll arrange it.

When do the tours start?

We find that as many of our clients are holidaying in Berlin that starting slowly in the morning for our Full Day Experiences is both recommended and most rewarding. A relaxing 10am start for our five/six hour tours also means that we can integrate a short coffee/snack break or lunch around 12:30pm. For the Half Day Experiences, we would also recommend the same – although along with the One Hour Experiences there is more flexibility due to the reduced length of the tours. When booking your tour, you will find the options for starting times in the booking window. If you don’t find the time you are looking for – get in touch(info@berlinexperiences.com) and we can work something out!

Where do the tours start?

For all of our Full Day Experiences, it is possible start and finish the tour at your hotel/accommodation. Depending on the location in the city and its distance from the areas we will be exploring, it may be more advisable to start at a centrally located landmark (within the Mitte district) such as the Brandenburg Gate or Museum Island. Our One Hour Experiences are designed with specific starting point and end points in mind – for each of these tours there is a train station nearby which is easy to reach for travellers wishing to arrive by public transportation. Check the description on the tour pages for these One Hour Experiences to see exactly where the meeting points are. For the Half Day Experiences, it may be possible in some cases (such as the Bitesize Berlin 3 Hour Private Van Tour) to start at your accommodation also. The other tours listed have specific starting points – be they the Berlin Brandenburg Airport for the Airport Transfer Tour or the Brandenburg Gate for the Berlin Explorer Tour.

Do you customise your tours?

While each of our tours have been designed to approach a certain historical theme or aspect of the city, we can always tailor your time in the city further. Berlin is not laid out chronologically, so when exploring it is only natural that we will pass landmarks and locations that are from different periods or are worth mentioning for certain events that have taken place there. If there is any aspect of Berlin’s history or theme that you would like to explore further we can always work on integrating relevant parts of the city into a tour you book – or suggest another tour that might be more relevant. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if there is something you would like to explore that you don’t see as part of our catalogue of tours. Send an email to info@berlinexperiences.com and we can discuss how to best make the most of your time in our extraordinary city.

What is your cancellation policy?

This depends on the booking option you choose at checkout. With a Standard booking (our best value) you can cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund, and up to 30 days before the tour for a 75% refund of the tour price; within 30 days of the tour, sales are final. A Flexible booking lets you cancel up to 14 days before the tour for a full refund of the Standard tour price (the Flexible premium itself is non-refundable). If you Reserve with a Deposit, the deposit that secures your date is non-refundable after the first 24 hours, and once the balance is paid the booking is confirmed and can no longer be cancelled. You can compare all three options, and their prices, on every tour’s booking calendar and on our Booking options & cancellations page. If you’d prefer to move your tour to another date rather than cancel, we’re always happy to help at no extra cost — just request a cancellation from your account or email info@berlinexperiences.com, and any approved refund is returned to your original payment method automatically. We always recommend travel insurance for unforeseen circumstances; your invoice can be used to claim from your insurer or card provider.

Can I book multiple tours?

Absolutely. You can do this either by booking tours individually through the booking platform we used or by adding tours to the shopping card system and booking multiple tours together.

Do you accept last minute bookings?

Due to the high number of tours we have booked during the high season (April-December), we have a one week limit on our booking platform. This means that you cannot automatically book any tour that would take place within the next 7 days through the platform. If you would like to book a last minute tour – just because we do not list availability on our booking platform does not mean that one of our guides is not available – do get in touch via email(info@berlinexperiences.com) and we will see what we can do!

Does Matt personally lead all of the Berlin Experiences tours?

I (Matt) endeavour to lead all the tours I offer, but depending on availability may already be booked with other clients. In which case, I have a team of the best professional guides in Berlin, all with years of experience and dedication to their work, that I work with. All are members of the Berlin Guides Association, an organisation known throughout the world for its guiding excellence. When you book you will receive a confirmation email within 24hrs to follow up on your booking and present which guides might be available and best suited for your tour/s.

Are all the suggested sights listed in your tours covered on every tour?

The sights listed in the itinerary sections of our tours are a general guide to what may be covered when booking those particular tours and not necessarily what we may be able to cover during that day. Particular factors such as official state visits, political demonstrations, reconstruction – and even the odd bomb disposal of Second World War ordnance – can shape & reshape our path through the city. We appreciate that every guest is different and approaches the city with different expectations and interests – and we tailor our tours accordingly. If you find something in particular that interests you then please do refer to this when contacting us so we can arrange your day accordingly.

Can you arrange an airport transfer for my day of arrival/departure?

Our professional drivers are also available for airport transfers – provided with either Mercedes Benz V-class or Volkswagen Caravelle vans. This service is for up to 4 people – including a moderate amount of baggage (one large bag and one small bag per person). You can book directly via the private BER airport transfer item in our booking platform. If you are looking for a private airport transfer and require a larger vehicle for a bigger group – get in touch via email(info@berlinexperiences.com).

I am having issues with the booking process/my card was rejected.

If you are having issues booking through our booking platform – please get in touch via email ASAP(info@berlinexperiences.com) so we can see what we can do to fix the problem. If you receive a particular error message that might be due to our booking system please do take screenshots (photos of your screen with the error) if possible. We also accept alternative forms of payment through bank transfer/Paypal or cash on the day for clients who would prefer these methods.

Do you charge VAT on your tours?

As we are based in Germany, we charge the official 19% VAT (sales tax) – already calculated as part of the cost of our tours and the price that you see when you pay. Additionally, we include the booking fee, guide fee, admin fee, driver and transportation costs (where applicable), and the mandatory German tourism insurances as part of the costs we present. We aim to be 100% transparent with our services – offering a fair price for a fantastic day’s exploration!

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Step inside the story.

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Reserve The Royal Potsdam Tour