After breakfast, disembark your ship and transfer to your destination. Potsdam straddles one of the Elbe’s main tributaries, the Havel River. It boasts a rich history that spans more than 1,000 years. From its humble beginning, Potsdam burgeoned into a royal city, hosting the residences of Prussian and German rulers until the early 1900s. A series of tumultuous events followed, but through it all, Potsdam maintained its prominent stature. And in 1990, with Germany’s reunification, Potsdam was named Brandenburg’s state capital. Today, the city’s regal past lives on in its 16 well-preserved palaces and three elegantly landscaped parks.
Arrive and check in to your hotel. After a decades-long postwar rift, Germany’s capital has been reunified and undergone a remarkable rebirth as a center of art, culture and great architecture. It is still riding the wave of its newfound energy, and exploring its streets feels akin to browsing a newly opened museum. Risen from the ashes of war, many of its buildings that once stood for division now embrace unity. Among them, the Reichstag parliament building embodies a new transparency with its glass dome, and the city’s Museum Island celebrates self-expression and creativity.
Shore Excursions
Shore excursions vary by each itinerary and are subject to change.
Potsdam Walk & Sanssouci Palace
Marvel at one of Germany’s most magnificent palaces, elegant in design and rich in history.
Brewery Visit & Dinner
Enjoy dinner and beer tasting at a neighborhood microbrewery in a revitalized industrial setting.
Videos
Christmas Along the Elbe
This 10-day itinerary from Prague to Berlin (or the reverse) introduces the festive, time-honored holiday traditions of Christmas markets—all while showcasing the cultural heritage and history born along the Elbe.
Thanksgiving in Europe
Celebrate Thanksgiving with Viking on November sailings. There is no better way to complement your succulent turkey dinner than with a stroll through one of Europe’s cultural capitals.
Explore Europe with Viking
Sail Europe’s picturesque waterways in elegant comfort with Viking. Ranging from 7 to 23 days, our itineraries offer a wealth of unforgettable journeys across the continent.
Are You a First-Time River Cruiser?
There is no more enriching and convenient way to travel than on a Viking river cruise. If you are new to river cruising and would like to know what you can expect, watch this video.
Cooking with Karine: Bratwurst
Taste a variety of German delicacies with Karine in Nuremberg’s medieval district, and learn some of the best side dishes to go with them, perhaps paired with a local brew.
The Berlin Airlift
Go behind the scenes at Tempelhof Airport, long closed to visitors, and learn about the famed “Raisin Bombers” and their role during the historic Berlin Airlift, the largest in history.
Shopping in Berlin
Today’s Berlin is a veritable treasure trove of gift ideas for the holidays. Join Karine as she shares some of her favorite things in the cosmopolitan German capital.
Jewish Museum
Designed by New York architect Daniel Libeskind, Berlin’s compelling Jewish Museum provides an unforgettable journey through Jewish culture and a rich chronicle of memory and hope.
German Language Lesson
Learn a few useful German words and phrases with Rebecca, your Viking tutor. Prost!
Explore: Berlin
Experience a vibrant city that is always reinventing itself. See iconic Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall and the Reichstag, an architectural masterpiece. Stroll around Museum Island or go shopping in the Mitte District.
