Just to throw another option out there--how about Luebbenau in the Spreewald? We used to go there (less than 2 hours by train) when we lived in Berlin for summertime day trips. Many folks go on organized boat tours, but we rented canoes from Bootsverleih Richter and paddled ourselves. My grown kids were back there last month and said it was just as enjoyable as they remembered from when they were kids.

Thanks longhorn55. We're not canoists but I would enjoy a small town in the forest. Sounds like a nice option.

Of the three places you asked about, I think Leipzig probably has the most to offer and it is arty. If you want to switch it up a bit and try on some smaller town Germany, the Spreewald is a good option, as is Goerlitz, Bautzen, or Meissen. Considering their proximity (you would have to go through Dresden on another day trip for Goerlitz, and or Bautzen and Meissen), spending a couple of days in the area, perhaps using Dresden as a base might make some sense, too.

The most obvious and easiest day trip from Berlin would be Potsdam, did you consider that?

Among the 3 places mentioned I'd also vote for Leipzig. However, it's another large city. So far you are limiting yourselves to nothing but cities which is, forgive my blunt honesty, a typical beginner's mistake in Germany. Due to World War II there is hardly a city which has not suffered severe damage and has been rebuilt with mostly post-war and little reconstructed historical architecture. Authentic historical town centres rather exist in smaller places. My advice is adding some small town experiences.

Bautzen, Görlitz, Meißen are absolute gems but only make sense if you base yourselves in Dresden for a couple of nights. Spreewald sounds like a great idea (I haven't yet been myself). Other options to investigate:
Quedlinburg
Wernigerode
Stralsund
Brandenburg
Torgau
Wittenberg

Agree with quokka as usual.

To add two more small towns: Havelberg and Tangermünde. Both are brickstone gems.

I didn't care much for Weimar. Too much Goethe and Schiller for my taste. The town itself isn't *that* exciting, the parks are really nice.

What about Naumburg? A bit shorter than Weimar and I liked it better.

I.

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. We are not beginners to Germany, though that is where we began our travels over 50 trips ago. What we are is beginners to train travel. We've previously gone almost exclusively by independent car but husband is tiring of all the driving and I'm trying to ease us into a program of day trips by train while based in larger city hubs.

Quokka I actually started my exploration of options reading one of your earlier posts in which you recommended Quedlinburg, Wernegerode, Hanover and Goslar and was very excited to see those places as I, too enjoy small towns and countryside (and fear that we will see less and less of that as we give up driving in favor of train travel). However, my research suggested that most/all of them would require 3 hour train trips from Berlin where we are booked for the full 9 days of our trip so I reluctantly gave up those possibilities. Again because of our existing booking, I no longer have the option to extend time in Dresden for day trips from there. I will investigate the additional small town options (my preference) you all have provided and hope to find one or two that are within an hour or two train ride from Berlin--or wind up going to Leipzig as you advise among my originally listed options. Did not consider Potsdam for this trip because we were there on our one previous trip to Berlin.

Perhaps I should have asked a different question from the get go--please suggest small towns for day trips from Berlin requiring only an hour or two by train. Thanks for your help. Responses to this revised question greatly appreciated.