I'm trying to book flights for September before my practical side kicks in and tells me that my finances don't allow a trip this year so I want to book this weekend without any recent reading on these locations.

Looking for number of days in each location. Without counting travel days nor arrival day, I'm thinking of 3 days in Dresden, 2 days in Potsdam (including travel from Dresden), and 5 days in Berlin. This seems about right to me but I'm wondering if I need more time in Dresden or Potsdam. Perhaps for some small side trips. I can take up to 2 weeks for the trip.

I like everything, especially churches - all kinds from Baroque to Cistercian - and enjoy a leisurely style rather than running from sight to sight.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

adrienne,

if you can, I would stretch the trip to the full 2 weeks to give you a few more days in Dresden, which is a great centre for side trips.

only 3 nights [ie 2 days] in Dresden will not give you time to explore both the city and the surrounding area using the boats and other public transport. you might also want an extra night in Potsdam so that you have a chance to take in all the sights there too.

hopefully Ingo will chime in here as he lives in Dresden and knows a huge amount about what there is to see and do - you could try a search for his previous threads on Dresden.

Relocating hotels to me at least is a real pain. Potsdam is about a half-hour S-bahn train ride from central Berlin - base in Berlin and do one day, more than enough, in Potsdam, which I love - Sans Soucci taking a few hours plus rambling around the vast park this Prussian Versailles sit on the edge of - seek out the various follies - whimsical edifices serving no real purpose - scattered around the park.

But one day is enough and there are loads of great day trips from Berlin to use those two days on: Sachenhausen concentration camp; Boat rides thru the canals at Lubenow, a dash over to Poland, etc.

ann - I'll definitely take your advice on 2 weeks. I need to use FF miles for the air and have found flights that give me the 2 weeks. Thanks for reminding me about Ingo as I'd forgotten he resides in Dresden.

Pal - I hear you about changing hotels but for me it works best. I like to sight see all day and then go back to the hotel for a rest, shower, and change and then go back out for dinner and a stroll or evening activity. I would get too tired for a day trip to Potsdam from Berlin and would not want to stay late.

As far as your "mad dash" to Poland - another trip without the mad dash. My next Poland trip will be driving through the SE and then a few days in my beloved Krakow hence a leisurely trip.

I'll be looking for more specific itinerary feedback after booking flights, and reading, reading, reading. Previously, I've copied links to tons of threads and TRs that I have to sort through.

If anyone has anything specific that I should not miss then comment away.

Thanks!!!

Of course I'll chime in

Whatever amount of time you have in Dresden, it can easily be filled with things to do and see. Especially if you do a couple of excursions to the nearby towns and the National Park Saxon Switzerland you could easily spend all the two weeks here.

I suggest once you booked the flights and have done some reading you come back with specific questions. Right now I don't know what exactly to recommend.

I.

adrienne - I agree with you about being able to go back to the hotel, have a nice rest, then go out in the evening - that's what we like to do too.

we had a day in Potsdam and it wasn't really long enough to see everything plus the town itself is picturesque and interesting. I think that you get so much more out of a place if you stay for 3 nights as opposed to 2 - and why not if you've got the time?

you can click on my screen name to find my trip report from a couple of years ago - our first stop was Potsdam and our last was Dresden which might help you to locate the bits of the TR which may help.

adrienne - I agree with you about being able to go back to the hotel, have a nice rest, then go out in the evening - that's what we like to do too.>

Well I certainly understand that - we have different styles of travel - I never go back to my hotel until night - but I see your reason and I think it is great and yes Passau is much more than just Sans Souci Palace.

I enjoyed walking from Potsdam to Babelsberg Park (a don't miss IMO)to the old border bridge where spies were traded - then along a sandy beach along the Wannsee (totally naked bathers everywhere!) to Peacock Island (loved it!) to Wannsee B-Bhan station - if into longish walks really nice.

ann I love your TRs. I was looking at my notes and see that I had already copied a link for your "...Go to Eastern Germany" into my Word file.

Thanks, Ingo - looking forward to your future comments!

Pal - didn't see your second comment until I refreshed the screen. Hmmm...totally naked bathers - sounds interesting as long as they are young and buff!!

>>adrienne on Mar 15, 14 at 11:51am

Pal - didn't see your second comment until I refreshed the screen. Hmmm...totally naked bathers - sounds interesting as long as they are young and buff!! <<

Lol, no guarantees there!

We just spent 6 nights in Dresden and could have spent more, but we are not high energy types.

I do like your idea about staying in Potsdam. There's so much to do in Berlin that Potsdam often gets short shrift.

Woohoo - just booked my tickets this morning. Because of FF ticket availability it was a choice of 12 or 16 days. I took the 16 day ticket so have plenty of time to explore and eat good German food!

Pal - didn't see your second comment until I refreshed the screen. Hmmm...totally naked bathers - sounds interesting as long as they are young and buff!!>

Naw - like in Munich's Englischer Gardens and many other public parks in Germany where nudism is tolerated and has been mushrooming they all seem like me - old f's with bellies drooping - eye candy definitely not. (BTW I did not disrobe!)

This is my slightly out-of-date two cents on Berlin with help from many others, things we liked about Berlin - to me one of the most fascinating cities in Europe right now - seeing a world capital being rebuilt into a grand world capital.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...in-journal.cfm

adrienne - 16 days? wow.

what a great trip in the making.

Are you going to spend any time in Berlin first? or go straight to Potsdam or Dresden and work your way back?

Hi Ann - I think it's really 15 days if I don't count arrival day. I'm flying into Dresden and home from Berlin.

When in Potsdam, you may want to check out this church:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_...deemer,_Sacrow
The location is quite nice.

If you like to travel at a leisurely pace, you can do many short or long boat trips from Potsdam.

see - i can't count.

but 15 days is still pretty good.

have you decided how to divide up your time?

<< have you decided how to divide up your time? >>

Not yet. I am planning on 5 days in Berlin. I know as I read the other 10 days will fill in rapidly. After gathering some information I can easily see 3-4 days in Dresden and at least 2 in Potsdam, perhaps 2.5 as the first morning will be transiting from Dresden.

Cowboy - that church is officially on my itinerary. Along with every other church I stumble upon!

If you have a couple of days to fill in your itinerary, Prague is a pretty easy train trip from Dresden.

Thanks for the suggestion but I've been to Prague twice. It is beautiful.

Which day trips from Dresden have you planned? Or maybe even overnights? Are Meißen, Freiberg, Bautzen, Görlitz on your radar? National Park Saxon Switzerland?