Dutch Quarter in Potsdam: brick houses, cafés and shops

Updated on October 5, 2026

The Dutch Quarter (Holländisches Viertel) is a group of red-brick houses with scrolled gables in the heart of Potsdam's old town. King Frederick William I, the father of Frederick the Great, had it built between 1734 and 1742 to attract Dutch craftsmen; the architect Jan Bouman drew up the plans. It has 134 houses arranged in four blocks, and it is the largest ensemble of its kind outside the Netherlands. Today the ground floors hold shops, galleries, cafés and restaurants, and the quarter can be visited for free, as a stroll, in one to two hours. It combines easily with Sanssouci Palace and the New Palace on the same train ticket from Berlin: see our guide to Potsdam from Berlin.

Highlights

Mittelstraße

The main street of the quarter, lined with red-brick façades with white joints, shuttered windows and scrolled gables. Most of the cafés and shops are here.

Benkertstraße

The cross street is quieter and more residential. It is one of the best for photographing the houses. It has a chocolate maker and a restaurant, among other places.

The cafés

On Mittelstraße, Café Guam, at number 39, is known for its homemade cheesecakes; Lekker Koffie, at number 3, serves coffee and baguettes. Opening hours change from season to season: check them before you come.

The Jan-Bouman-Haus

At Mittelstraße 8, this house is named after the architect of the quarter; ask about its opening hours on the spot, as they are not guaranteed.

Practical info

Tips

The quarter is a place where people live: be discreet, especially in the evening. The shops are independent, with varying hours: not all of them open on Sundays. The quarter hosts events: a Dutch Christmas market with Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) and a Queen's Day party have been held in its streets; the dates change every year, so check the City of Potsdam's calendar. Admission is free.

How to get there

Mittelstraße and Benkertstraße, 14467 Potsdam. From Berlin Hauptbahnhof, allow about thirty minutes on the RE1 regional train or the S7 S-Bahn to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof (until 12 December 2026 the RE1 starts from Berlin-Charlottenburg), then about twenty minutes on foot, or a few stops by tram. Tram and bus stops are one to five minutes' walk from the quarter. Potsdam is in zone C: you need a Berlin ABC ticket (€5.00 single, valid for 120 minutes).