Castles and kings

Numerous castles can be found all over Germany surrounded by parks or artistically laid-out gardens.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding is still a topic of conversation as we stroll around the beautiful grounds at the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, at Potsdam on the edge of Berlin. It is prompted by the marriage of Georg Friedrich Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia, the great-great-grandson of Kaiser Wilhelm II and Sophie Princess of Isenburg. Royal weddings also have a long history here, as you can see by looking around Potsdam’s architectural riches.They include Sanssouci, a place where Frederick could relax away from Berlin’s court.

Sanssouci is a breathtaking example of the opulence of the era and a lasting reminder of how the state of Prussia rose to become a significant major power when Frederick the Great, or “Old Fritz” ruled. Next year marks the 300th anniversary of Frederick’s birth and a series of events, including a major exhibition, are planned to mark the milestone.

Castle Cecilienhof is a reminder of Germany’s more recent past. It was here that President Truman, Churchill and Stalin sat down to decide Germany’s fate at the 1945 Potsdam Conference. The castle was originally built between 1914 and 1917 for the Crown Prince of the German Empire, Wilhelm and his wife Cecilie. Today it is a hotel, as well as a museum and visitors are still able to visit the rooms, including the conference table, where the Big Three – Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States arranged the post-war world to their liking.

Potsdam is small enough to stroll around or explore by bike. It’s a lovely place to wander and enjoy a coffee or a snack at one of the many cafes and restaurants.

The historic Dutch Quarter, originally built for Dutch craftsmen, with its red brick buildings, featuring shops, workshops, houses, bars and restaurants, is the largest collection of buildings in the style outside of the Netherlands and is worth a visit.

Under Soviet rule many of East Germany’s castles and palaces were put to different uses, such as schools and hospitals. Following reunification a great deal of effort has been put into restoring them. In some cases this work continues as at the palace at Rheinsberg, in a beautiful setting in front of a lake. Part of the restoration is taking place in front of visitors, with craftsmen and women working to bring the palace back to life as we visit. Built as a moated castle in 1566, Rheinsberg Castle was heavily damaged during the 30 Years War and later given to the Prussian King Frederick William I and his son who became Frederick the Great.

Our next stop is Land Fleesensee, an area that the Germans like to go to relax and get away from it all. It is an area famous for its golf courses and other outdoor activities including horse riding. There is a chance to take a bicycle ride or take a boat trip around the lake. Our hotel, Radisson Blu Resort Schloss Fleesensee, is a former 19th century castle surrounded by a national park. There is also a spa and golf courses.

On our way to our next destination, Schwerin, where we are to see one of the region’s grandest palaces, we stop off at an historic estate Schloss Basthorst that has also been transformed into a hotel and spa. Schwerin’s castle, perched on its island setting, looks like a fairy-tale castle. Today it serves as the seat of the parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and before that it was the home of dukes and grand dukes. Built between 1845-1857 it incorporated existing buildings, but the foundations the castle stands on are far older. Much restoration work has been done, but during the Second World War it was used as a military hospital and later as a college. As well as being a political seat it is also a museum.

In Schwerin itself the historical centre has timbered houses and cute streets. It is also an area with plenty of green space and its grand buildings are a constant reminder of the monarchy and the grand times this brought to the region.

Our final destination is Hannover where one of our first ports of call is the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen. Vast, beautifully-laid out and maintained gardens, are popular with visitors and the locals alike. The grotto was redesigned in an intricate, colourful style by artist Niki de Saint Phalle.

This is a fascinating city, which mixes old and new, with a chance to take in a bit of shopping, enjoy its cafés, restaurants and bars and breathe in a bit of the city’s history at the same time.

Hannover’s Old Town is a lovely place to wander through with its quaint buildings and streets. The Old Town Hall, parts of which date back to 1410, is today a place for fine dining and events and is also home to the registry office.

Building began on the city’s New Town Hall in 1901 and is one of the city’s most famous landmarks. Inside, there are miniature models showing how the city looked in 1689, 1939, 1945 and today.

During the Second World War 85 per cent of the city centre was destroyed in bombing raids and the models starkly show the impact.

Another area of the city popular for recreation is Lake Maschsee, Hannover’s biggest lake, where the locals jog or skate, take a boat trip or enjoy the restaurants with lakeside views.

Visitors can easily get around the city and its attractions on foot by taking the Red Thread walking tour, which weaves past many of the city’s highlights.

Getting there

Joanne Ginley flew to Berlin and from Hannover with BMI. www.flybmi.comwww.flybmi.com

In Potsdam she stayed at Schlosshotel Cecilienhof visit www.relexa-hotels.de/content/english/viewer/potsdam_start_8.htmlwww.relexa-hotels.de/content/english/viewer/potsdam_start_8.html

In Land Fleesensee she stayed at Radisson Blu Resort Schloss Fleesensee visit www.radissonblu.com/resort-fleesenseewww.radissonblu.com/resort-fleesensee.

In Schwerin she stayed at Hotel & Restaurant Speicher am Ziegelsee, visit www.speicher-hotel.comwww.speicher-hotel.com

For information about Potsdam, visit www.potsdam-tourism.comwww.potsdam-tourism.com; Rheinsberg, visit www.brandensburg-tourism.com; Schwerin at www.schwerin.infowww.schwerin; Hannover at www.visit-hannover.com