Paul Sullivan enjoys fabulous scenery and oodles of local history on a hike from Wannsee to Potsdam…
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There are many different routes one can take through Berlin’s vast Grunewald forest, but this hike along its western and northern edges, where it meets the shoreline of the Wannsee and Havel, is one of my personal favourites. As well as peaceful scenery along the pine-lined forest pathway, the route is peppered with royal architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries, often bizarre traces of the former Berlin Wall, and a few decent cultural attractions en route too–not least in Potsdam where the walk ends.
You can easily reach the starting point by taking an S-Bahn from the city centre to Wannsee station (an AB ticket), whose eye-catching expressionist architecture—especially the striking octagonal ticket hall with skylights you’ll see on your way out—is the work of Weimar architect Richard Brademann, whose influence on Berlin’s transport system was comparable to that of Alfred Grenander.
From the station, cross the busy Kronprinzessinnenweg to the lake, from where you can already enjoy expansive views all the way over to Kladow. Head south past the BVG ferry terminal and boat-tour piers, keeping the lake to your right; to get across to the lakeside path, you have to make a short detour back up to the main road (Königstrasse) and then cut back down the narrow Am Grosser Wannsee (follow the signs for the Liebermann Villa).
Am Grosser Wannsee runs parallel to the shoreline and is lined with blocky, glass-fronted modern residences along the left hand side, and a mix of watersport clubhouses and historic villas on the right. The latter are remnants of the Alsen Colony, an exclusive villa-dotted park created by banker Wilhelm Conrad in the 1870s as a lakeside playground for the city’s wealthy elite.
After buying the land and building his own summer residence (Villa Alsen), Conrad— managing director of the Berliner Handelgesellchaft and member of the prestigious Club von Berlin (which is still running today) set about convincing his friends and business connections to build homes there too, resulting in a …