When one talks of touring the grand, romantic castles of Europe, it’s always with the thought of Versailles, Buckingham, or perhaps Neuschwanstein; those vivid and picturesque places that celebrated the wealth and excess of Europe’s certifiably-crazy royals. On the same token, when one talks of visiting Berlin, must-see destinations always include The Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, The Brandenberg Gate, and perhaps one of their many impeccably-curated museums. However, both inside and just beyond the reaches of this very cool, hip and historical city are incredible castles that rival the best in the continent.
One of the best travel values you’ll find is the Berlin Premium Day Ticket. This offers visitors a literal All You Can Eat Castle buffet, and it tastes like gold! For one price, you can tour as many castles listed in one day, and combined with the Berlin Pass (which is a great value for museums and public transit), you can get an even deeper discount! One quick tip: wear comfortable shoes. And no, not “my flip flops are TOTES comfortable,” but rather “these orthopedic shoes feel like I’m walking on clouds” kind of comfortable.
One more quick tip: plan your tour in advance. Several of the areas are about a 30-40 minute train ride from the center of Berlin, so I would suggest heading out early and arriving about 45 minutes before the first castle on your itinerary opens, so you can purchase your ticket and avoid long lines. Potsdam is my recommendation, because this is where you find Sanssouci and with several other castles within a 10- minute walk from the main entrance-so you can see a lot in a shorter period of time.
Nearby is the Neus Palace (or the “New Palace”), which was built for the singularly express purpose of Frederick wanting to show the world just how rich and powerful he was, completed in the Baroque style en vogue in Europe at the time. A large, centered dome is the crowning architectural glory of the palace, along with a breathtaking theatre on the second floor.
The Orangerie is also a very short walk away, built by Freidrich Wilhelm IV, and is Renaissance-inspired, based on the Villa Medici in Rome and the Uffizi in Florence. The Orangery is a much smaller palace, and a short, one-hour tour in English is offered, as opposed to a self-guided audio tour. The highlight of the tour, alongside the magnificent rooms, of course, is that you have to put on giant wool clogs to walk through. This preserves the integrity of the castle. Germany’s preservation of its historic treasures is admirable, and they will not hesitate to put you in line if you lean even a half-inch over carefully-placed velvet ropes to get a better look.
The jewel in the Berlin castle crown is Sanssouci, the summer palace built by Frederick the Great. Sanssouci was designed in the Rococco style, which means that everything is carved, fancy and covered in as much gold as possible. Take advantage of the audio tour (it’s offered in English) and wander the castle at your own leisure, taking in both the delicately-detailed ceiling murals, the splendor of the Marble Hall, the exquisite Library rotunda, and the beautiful grounds that are ideal for photo backdrops and a short picnic.
After three exhausting castle tours, you will be tired, but you will have enough energy for one more: Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, a residence commissioned by Queen Sophie Charlotte herself. You will get to know Sophie well during your tour—each room has multiple portraits of her mug staring back at you. You will need to get past this creepy narcissism quickly, so that you don’t miss a thing in this place. The Porcelain Cabinet Room is a definite highlight, and the lovely gardens and grounds can offer you some relief from the long day of castle walking. Reward yourself with a refreshing Berliner Weisse at a nearby bar—you’ve earned it!
