On hot summer days in Berlin, there are two options: stay in the overheated city or spend what feels like half the day squeezed into crowded regional trains in search of a suitable lake. My tip: take a day trip to Potsdam. Because there, you’ll find some solid ways to escape the heat. Simple, but effective is Heiliger See. With its expansive sunbathing lawns and a backdrop of palaces and historic villas, it combines relaxation with a remarkably scenic view, right in the middle of the city. Covering around 34 hectares, the lake is part of the Neuer Garten and is one of Potsdam’s best-known inner-city bodies of water. (Important to note: this refers to the Heiliger See in Potsdam, not to be confused with the lake of the same name in Berlin.) The easiest way to reach it is by bike or by taking tram 93 to Glienicker Brücke. Even the journey there, lined with grand old buildings, feels like a slow exhale. If you have a bit more time, walk from the southern entrance of the Neuer Garten via the Gothic Library down to the water, where you’ll be rewarded with especially beautiful views of the park and lake along the way. Once you cross the Schwanenbrücke, voices and music drift in from the shore, willows hang low over the water, small boats glide past, and it becomes immediately clear why locals are so fond of this place. At nearly thirteen meters deep, the Heiliger See feels surprisingly vast. It’s mainly fed by groundwater, which is one reason the water is often particularly clear. Swimming is only permitted at the single designated bathing spot on the northern shore, but there’s no need to worry about space.
Despite its central location, the lake is known for relatively good water quality. As with all lakes in Brandenburg, it’s still worth checking current updates on water conditions or potential algae blooms before diving in. While floating in the water, your gaze falls on the Marmorpalais, standing directly at the shoreline, combining exposed brick with marble elements in its façade. If you’re still hungry after swimming, find options nearby in the Neuer Garten: Café Cecilie in the courtyard of Schloss Cecilienhof, or the beer garden at the Meierei offer a good place to pause. A day at the lake and a cold beer in the evening, there are few combinations better.
Text: Isabelle Marten / Photos: Mohit Amlani
Heiliger See, 14467 Potsdam; map
