Stage 21 of the "66 Lakes Trail": Back to Potsdam - a long way.

A successful endingOn the final leg from Seddin to Potsdam, Brandenburg reveals its most beautiful side once again: tranquil forests, sandy paths, and clear lakes. Caputh, with the pleasure palace of the Great Elector, lies along the way. The tour follows the Havel lakes, passing by both historical and modern architecture. Gradually, Potsdam draws closer. At the Brandenburg Gate in the state capital, the loop is complete. Here, the 66 Lakes Trail begins and ends. A crowning finale after 400 kilometers in hiking boots.

Length: 28 km (7 h)
Start: Seddin-Jägerhof bus stop
Goal: Luisenplatz in front of the Brandenburg Gate, Potsdam

Logo / route sign: Blue solid circle on a white background

Arrival: From Berlin Hauptbahnhof (S+U), take the RE7 (Dessau) to Seddin (Potsdam Mittelmark). From there, take bus 646 (towards Kähnsdorf) to Seddin (PM) Jägerhof (approx. 1 hour).
Check out: From Potsdam Hauptbahnhof (S-Bahn station) take the RE1 (Frankfurt Oder) or S7 (Ahrensfelde) to Berlin Hauptbahnhof (S+U Hauptbahnhof Berlin) (approx. 30 minutes).

Course: Seddin, Caputh, Potsdam

Directions: Beyond Seddin, the path quickly enters the wooded landscape. The Teufelssee (Devil's Lake) lies still and secluded. Along winding forest tracks and long, straight clearings, birch trees and heather add splashes of color. The route passes under the ring road and continues through the forest. A secluded bathing spot with a sandy beach on the Großer Lienewitzsee (Great Lienewitz Lake) is the perfect place for a rest. From there, it's not far to Caputh, where the Baroque palace of the Great Elector sits on the lakeshore and Albert Einstein's summer house is nestled on the Havel slope. North of the town, a pedestrian railway bridge crosses the Templiner See (Templin Lake) into the Pirschheide forest. Here, the city limits of Potsdam are reached. The trail now follows the lakeside path along the Templiner See, past the old airship hangar and the present-day Brandenburg Olympic Training Center, towards the city center. At the level of the marina, the path turns away from the water and into the royal Sanssouci Park. Just a few more steps – and you'll reach the Brandenburg Gate, the starting and finishing point of the great lake hike around Berlin.

Sights:

• Pirschheide: Viewpoint
• Potsdam: Sanssouci Palace and Park with Church of Peace, Charlottenhof Palace, Orangery, Chinese House

Possible combinations:

• Round the Potsdam Havel Lakes

Road condition / route development: Flat hike on asphalt and hiking trails

Maps / Literature:

• Bialk, Daniela: "From Lake to Lake. Hiking on the 66 Lakes Trail around Berlin", GU Verlag, 1st edition (2026), ISBN 978-3-7589-0227-7, €28,00
• "66 Lakes Trail, Hikeline Hiking Guide", 1:50.000, Publisher: Esterbauer, Edition: 5 (2024), ISBN: 9783711101624, 13,90 Euro
• Reschke, Manfred and Sternfeldt, Andreas: "The 66 Lakes Hike: To the Natural Beauties Around Berlin", Trescher Verlag; 10th edition (2024), ISBN 978-3-89794-623-1 (https://www.trescher-verlag.de/reisefuehrer/deutschland/66-seen-wanderung/), €16,95
• Hiking and cycling map "66 Lakes Trail: The popular hiking trail to the natural beauties around Berlin", 1:50.000, Publisher: Barthel, Dr., Edition: 4 (2021), ISBN 9783895911552, 9,90 Euro