East Germany Road Trip: The Best Week from Potsdam To Prague

Just a 40-min drive from our local depot, Potsdam is a quick and easy first stop on this East Germany road trip from Berlin.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is poised on the banks of the Havel River, with an interesting blend of architecture, history, and green spaces.

Your first stop should be Sanssouci Palace, truly Germany’s answer to Versailles. Once the summer home of King Frederick the Great, this opulent palace is dripping in luxury and surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens.

If spy novels are more your thing, Potsdam has plenty of Cold War intrigue to get your motor running. Glienicke Bridge once formed a border between West Berlin and East Germany, creating an ideal location for the regimes to exchange their captured secret agents.

For this reason, it became known as the “Bridge of Spies,” and even served as a filming location for the so-named film inspired by true events, starring Tom Hanks.

Haven’t you heard? Leipzig is the new Berlin! One of the oldest cities in Germany is experiencing a modern-day Renaissance, thanks to the recent influx of creatives and young professionals.

Hip cafés, clubs, and galleries are popping up left and right, making it an excellent stop to include on any East Germany road trip itinerary.

Where else but Leipzig can you catch a concert of Johann Sebastian Bach’s greatest hits, then dance the night away to the latest techno beats? The wave of artists and musicians flocking to the city has created infectious energy that pulsates day and night.

Get your fill of beautiful architecture in the Old Town, then head to Karli (short for Karl-Liebknecht-Straße) to dance the night away in techno clubs that rival sister Berlin’s.

Zipping right along the autobahn, you’ll cross the border and reach the Czech capital in around three hours.

On arrival, take advantage of Prague's excellent public transportation to easily get around the city. Join a free walking tour at Náměstí Republiky to tick off the main sights in one afternoon: Charles Bridge, the Astronomical Clock Tower, and Old Town Square are worth battling selfie stick-wielding crowds to see.

On the other side of the Vltava River, Prague Castle cuts an imposing figure on the city skyline. Explore the church, castle complex, and surrounding gardens at your leisure before grabbing a shameless photo opp at the colourful John Lennon Wall.

There are usually some extra brushes and paint laying around, so feel free to leave your mark (political statement or otherwise).

When you’re ready for a pivo or three, there are traditional beer gardens like Letna and Riegrovy Sady, or head to the hip riverfront hangout Naplavka.

Görlitz might just be the coolest German city you’ve never heard of. Nestled right up against the Polish border, this sweet Saxon spot is the perfect for the final of your West Germany Roadtrip.

Park your campervan and hit the cobblestoned streets of it’s beautifully preserved Old Town. You might even recognize scenes from movies like Inglourious Basterds and The Grand Budapest Hotel -- they both filmed scenes in Görlitz.

Buildings in the Old Town include a late-Gothic church, early-Renaissance and Baroque museums, and even art nouveau. The Altstadtbrücke (Old Town Bridge) links Görlitz to the Polish town of Zgorzelec.

Stroll right across and tick off the third country on one road trip! Back on the German side, no visit to Görlitz is complete without sampling some local flavours.

The signature dish is Schlesisches Himmelreich, smoked pork loin served with dumplings, dried plums and apricots. Sleep well on a full stomach and head back to Berlin the next morning.