Havel: Our most recommended tours and activities

Potsdam: Palace Tour by Boat

1. Potsdam: Palace Tour by Boat

Discover Potsdam from the water and admire the wonderful parks and palaces of the Hohenzollern Dynasty. See the most beautiful sights from the water in just 90 minutes in the morning or the afternoon. Cruise by Babelsberg Park with its imposing palace, see the Flatow Tower and the Hofdamenhaus, then pass under the historically-significant Glienicke Bridge to Jungfernsee. Ride along the former border between east and west and get a glimpse of the impressive palaces and gardens. See the Church of the Redeemer, Sacrow and discover the fairytale castle on Pfaueninsel. Further high points of the tour include the New Garden with its marble palace and the Cecilienhof Palace, where history was made in 1945 with the signing of the Potsdam Agreement.              

Potsdam by Boat: Island Cruise

2. Potsdam by Boat: Island Cruise

On this boat trip, enjoy the beauty of the river landscape around Potsdam with its Havel lakes and picturesque villages surrounded by great scenery. Hop on board, lean back and drive through the village of Caputh, the fishing and vine town of Werder, and pass the Sacrow–Paretz Canal in the north of Potsdam as well as the buildings, castles and manor houses of the Hohenzollerns on the banks of the Havel. See the impressive Caputh Castle, the Marble Palace or Cecilienhof Palace in the New Garden. Cruise past Glienicke park with its casino built by Schinkel, and discover Babelsberg Castle near the river. Finally, your journey takes you to famous Glienicke Bridge. Enjoy the unique panoramic view of Brandenburg's capital.

Potsdam: Babelsberg Park Self-Guided Discovery Walk

3. Potsdam: Babelsberg Park Self-Guided Discovery Walk

This tour is only available in German. Be inspired by the unique landscape, the historic buildings and the living history of Babelsberg Palace Park, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Get to know little secrets, solve small tasks and enjoy the walk in the beautiful nature inside this little paradise mostly with a great view of the Havel and Glienicke Lake. See with your own eyes today what Empress Augusta once saw through her little bay window. The tour is a great way to get outside and discover new things with family, friends or on your own. It's like being shown the palace grounds by a good friend. The tour can be started anytime and over and over again, on site or from home, with the browser of a smartphone. Enjoy your time in the Babelsberg Palace Park! *** Good to know *** You will receive the link to start the tour in an email directly after booking.

Other Sightseeing Options in Havel

Want to discover all there is to do in Havel? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Havel

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 2,362 reviews

Very nice tour with a variety of impressions and information. If you want, you can also get food and drinks at the table with friendly service. The information about the sights is easy to understand over the installed loudspeakers. The weather kindly cooperated too.

I took the castle tour through Potsdam with my 6-year-old son on the steamer. We sat outside and were even able to feed ducks along the way. The tour was very informative for me and very relaxing for both of us. On your next visit, we'd love to do it again.

Very nice tour. Entertaining and interesting. Great weather was another plus :) However, I noticed that the English notes sometimes said something different than the German ones. I would improve that.

We really enjoyed the castle tour, everything was well organized, friendly staff and an informative announcement made for a nice 90 minutes in perfect weather. We can recommend the tour :)

Calm beautiful ride with many sites and great Apple strudel!