Germany at a Glance

14 Potsdamer Platz At the new heart of Berlin, the Potsdamer Platz , shopping malls have been built. Potsdamer Platz Arkaden and Mall of Berlin combine shops of textiles, design objects, shoes, and more in chic atmosphere. Right beside the shopping centre many cinemas, restaurants, cafés, the musical theatre and a casino are tempting to extend a stay at Pots- damer Platz until midnight. Located on Potsdamer Platz the Sony Center enthrals some eight million visitors every year. Seven steel and glass structures and a light-flooded plaza spanned by a spectacular roof offer space for a modern lifestyle: entertainment and events, cafés and restaurants, working and living in the middle of the German capital. • www.potsdamerplatz.de Surroundings No visit to Berlin would be complete without a trip to nearby Potsdam, the city which best reflects the brilliance of Prussian history, with its magnificent historical buildings. Once the summer residence of the Prussian kings, it has a wealth of enchanting palaces and extensive parks such as Sanssouci or Cecilienhof . The past is brought back to life in the centre of Potsdam with its picturesque Dutch quarter and the Russian colony of Alexandrovka. Also worth a visit is the nature reserve Spreewald , an extraordinary forest hiding a labyrinth of water canals. Only very few roads lead to this only landscape of its kind in Europe. The usual traffic is done on punts. Further excursions from Berlin could lead to Martin Luther's town Wittenberg or to the concentration camp Sachsenhausen. • www.potsdam.de • www.reiseland-brandenburg.de 11