Part of Berlin’s charm is its proud grittiness, but don’t chide yourself for being bourgeois if it gets to you - it got on the nerves of Friedrich der Große (Frederick II the Great), too. The ruler of Berlin (and all of Prussia) from 1740 to 1786 built his favorite abode Sanssouci, outside Berlin in the town of Potsdam.

'Without a worry' was the French name of his palace, though thanks to considerable care taken by its architect Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff, craftsmen, and artisans, it is hailed as the Versailles of Germany. Sanssouci was intended as a summer residence, and though Friedrich stretched out the seasons he spent here, tourists don’t have the same privilege: many buildings close between mid-October and April. The best attractions are open through winter – Park Sanssouci’s Schloss Sanssouci and Neues Palais; and the Neuer Garten’s Marmorpalais and Schloss Cecilienhof.

Besides the palaces and parks, the compact town’s centre, half faded and half restored, makes for a pleasant stroll. The Kolonie Alexandrowka is in a park along Puschkinallee, south of the rise to the Belevedere. Quaintly enough, the log cabins here were built in 1826 for a 12-member Russian choir who had helped the Prussians fight Napoleon. Most of the boys got homesick and eventually left. The redbrick Holländisches Viertel (Dutch quarter) is another failed settlement, but a great place to get a meal and browse in some shops. Friedrich Wilhelm I built the small district in the 1730s to attract Dutch craftsmen.

Potsdam basics
Potsdam is just a thirty-minute ride on RE train N°1 or 3 from central Berlin. From Potsdam’s Hauptbahnhof station take bus N°695 to get to the city centre and Sansoucci park. More information: Postdam Tourist Information, Am Alten Markt 5, tel. +49 331 275 58 20, www.potsdam.de.



RESTAURANTS

Drachenhaus
The 'dragon house' is a charming 235-year old Chinese pagoda, decorated with golden dragons and originally built for the man taking care of the first terraced gardens here. The café and restaurant serves international, regional and vegetarian dishes in the lovely surroundings of the Park Sanssouci.
Maulbeerallee 4a, Park Sanssouci, Potsdam, tel. +49 331 505 38 08, www.drachenhaus.de. Open 11:00-19:00. Nov-Feb 11:00-18:00, closed Mon. Dinner by advance reservation only.

Dragon's In
An 'indoor street coffee' café in a covered courtyard serving the widest variety of coffees in Potsdam, as well as non-alcoholic drinks and great cakes, muffins, sandwiches and soups. Occasional events such as DJ performances and parties rock the house.
Lindenstraße 20, Lindenhof, Potsdam, tel. +49 331 647 41 01, www.dragonsin.de. Open 09:30-18.30, Sun 12:00-18:30.

Villa von Haacke
A 160-year old classicist villa built for a major in the Prussian army, just north of central Potsdam, has been transformed into an elegant setting for this refined Italian restaurant. There's fresh fish from the Mediterranean, pasta, and regional dishes from across Italy, all supplemented by the large wine collection in the vaulted cellar.
Jägerallee, tel. +49 331 270 19 91, www.villa-haacke.de.