are tours necessary from berlin to potsam

I went there by public transport, looked around. I suppose it depends on your interest and what you want to do.

Yes. You can do this on your own. It is very easy to take the train or the S-Bahn to Potsdam and then the bus to where you want to go when you're in Potsdam. If you have the BVG transit card that covers zones A, B & C, it covers your trip out to Potsdam on the S-Bahn and the bus in Potsdam.

We visited Schloss Sansoucci in late 2022 and their guide took us around the palace. It wasn't optional - we couldn't go without him. Cecilienhof (which I found totally fascinating) has a good audioguide that leads you through the rooms.

You can also see the Bridge of Spies when you're out there. I did this on public transport, using Google Maps. I got off the S-Bahn before Potsdam and transferred to a bus which let me out at the bridge. Then I walked (again using Google maps) to Cecilienhof, through a lovely residential neighborhood.

However, you can also just get off at Potsdam HBF and hop on a bus to anything you want to see. You really don't need anyone to just drive you out there, unless there is a tour offering something special.

Not really, except very special interest a guide can serve better. As support on DIY you can use Potsdam in one day.

As well as Mark's link, have a look at https://www.spsg.de/en/palaces-gardens/palaces-and-gardens. There are a lot of different palaces and other royal sights in the Potsdam area and it's best to do some research in advance to decide which ones you want to visit and what the best ticket to purchase is. Make sure you use the filter on the site and select "Potsdam", as a few of the places on the page are in other parts of the wider Berlin region.

Thanks so much. This is very helpful. There seem to be about 5 different tours at the Sansoucci palace, all of which must be bought at the palace. Any recommendations on must see tours at the play. Seems like we could spend the whole day there. Aside from the palace, any other must see. The links are really helpful. Thank you.

If you have an interest in WWII history then I would recommend Cecilienhof. As you probably know, that's where the Potsdam Conference was held in July 1945. Being a big history nerd, it was thrilling to me to be in a building of such historical significance. Truman, Churchill, and Stalin were all there! Though if you are just looking for a traditional schloss experience, Cecilienhof is not it. It's got sort of a Tudor look to it and the interior was all done to accommodate the attendees of the Potsdam Conference.

There are also taxis outside the Potsdam train station that I have taken to the palace area. I am not checking this, but pre-Covid, tickets to Sansoucci could be purchased online before arrival. It is a special place and does sell out. Tours are required from their onsite providers, but didn’t vary other than time when I was there. Perhaps it has changed.

Cecilienhof - agree with above comments especially for WWII interests. And, Bridge of Spies for Cold War, spy history.

I’ve visited the other palaces, the mill, Potsdam city center also over time. I think the “best” places have been discussed above. I have seen all DIY from Berlin. My only thought on a tour is that if you have limited time, a day tour might facilitate seeing multiple places. I didn’t see everything in just one day- took several.

My husband is a big history buff and we just listened to a book about Truman’s first 4 months as President. Sounds like the palace and Cecilienhof could fill our day. You all have been so helpful. Thanks ever so much.

Sounds like a good combination!

If you are up for it, I walked from Cecilienhof to Bridge of Spies - Glienicke Bridge. Google maps says 21 minutes, one-way. The route is through a park, quite pleasant. I encountered one of those "cultural differences" - lovely unusually warm spring day in Potsdam, many locals discretely but naked-ly sun-bathing.

If you aren't up for the walk, no concern - fun for me to see, but not as good as the palaces.