Discover world heritage sites from the water

Boat tour along unique places

The Stern und Kreis World Heritage Tour is a boat tour on the river Havel that lets you explore the rich world cultural heritage of Potsdam's palaces and gardens from the waterside. Hop on at one of three departure ports along this scenic route. Piers are located at Wannsee train station in Berlin and at Cecilienhof and Lange Brücke in Potsdam. Along the tour, get educated on historical facts and information about the buildings you get to see via an audio guide. The audio guide is available in German and English. Lean back, relax and enjoy the picturesque Havel landscape.

Idyllic landscapes along the Havel river

The tour starts at Wannsee pier. Past the Liebermann Villa and the house of the Wannsee Conference you will have views of the Pfaueninsel (peacock island) and its castle. From the ship you can see the location of Nikolskoe with the Church of Peter and Paul on the south-east bank, and a short time later the Church of Our Savior in Sacrow on the north-west bank.

Arriving in Potsdam, the next highlight is Cecilienhof Palace. Jointly with the castles and parks Glienicke and Pfaueninsel, it was appointed  UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990.

We continue down the Havel river, passing underneath the famous Glienicke Bridge, which is known to many as the border between the former GDR and the Federal Republic of Germany through the exchange of agents during the Cold War. The landscape ensemble around the bridge is now also a World Heritage Site.

After crossing the bridge there is a clear view of the beautiful idyllic Babelsberg Castle and surrounding park. Enjoy the view of the well-tended area that gently slopes down to the waterside before you turn your eyes to the Flatow Tower. The 46 meter high brick tower, which looks like it came from a fairy tale, was badly damaged in the Second World War and was only restored in the 1980s. The last stop is Lange Brück (long bridge) next to Potsdam Central Station.

The tour highlights at a glance:

✔ Pfaueninsel & Castle

✔ Nikolskoe with the Church of Peter and Paul

✔Sacrower Heilandskirche

✔Cecilienhof Palace

✔Glienicke Bridge

✔Flatow tower