Private Potsdam & Babelsberg Tours for Film Professionals
- Matti Geyer
- 10 hours ago
- 9 min read
A discreet local experience beyond the studio gates
Potsdam has always been a city of cinema. Long before streaming platforms and virtual stages, Babelsberg was shaping film history — from Metropolis and Marlene Dietrich to Inglourious Basterds, The Matrix Resurrections, Dark and Babylon Berlin.
Today, Potsdam regularly hosts international actors, directors, and production teams working at Studio Babelsberg and across the city. If you’re filming here — or spending time between shoots — a private Potsdam tour offers something rare: perspective, calm, and a genuine sense of place beyond the set.
A Local Guide Who Knows the Film World — and When to Stay Quiet
I’m Matti, founder of Tours of Berlin, a second-generation guide and historian based in Berlin and Potsdam. I’ve been guiding privately since 2008 and regularly work with journalists, academics, and high-profile guests.
Through my work as a radio journalist and guide, I’ve met and worked with plenty of well-known faces — and I treat them exactly the same as everyone else. No fan behavior, no photos, no stories shared later. Just a solid, thoughtful tour.
I grew up with Potsdam and Babelsberg, studied History and English at Potsdam University, earned a Master’s in European Studies, and spent some time living in New York. That combination allows me to bridge German history with an international perspective — in fluent, natural English.
I offer private Potsdam tours, Babelsberg neighborhood walks, and Berlin–Potsdam combinations for individuals, families, and film professionals. Tours are available on foot or by private vehicle, in English or German, and can be tailored entirely around production schedules. I am fully licensed by the Prussian Palace Foundation.
Why Potsdam Is the Perfect Counterpoint to Berlin During a Shoot
Berlin is electric. Potsdam is elegant.
Between shooting days, Potsdam offers:
Space, greenery, and quiet neighborhoods
World-class architecture and landscapes
Deep historical layers — Prussia, WWII, Cold War
Film history literally built into the streets
From Sanssouci to Babelsberg, this city tells stories without demanding attention — ideal for anyone who spends their working life in the spotlight.
Babelsberg: A Film Neighborhood, Not a Theme Park
When people hear “Babelsberg,” they often think of studio gates and sound stages. But Babelsberg is first and foremost a neighborhood — and one of the most fascinating ones in Germany.
My private Babelsberg tours are not studio tours and not focused on Filmpark attractions. Instead, they explore the landscape that has quietly shaped film history for more than a century.
We walk through:
Elegant 19th- and early 20th-century villa districts along Griebnitzsee
Former homes of actors, directors, writers, industrialists, and exiles
Streets marked by German Expressionism, forced emigration, and return
Cold War borderlines where film sets once stood just meters from the Wall
This is the Babelsberg filmmakers tend to appreciate most: The one where cinema, politics, architecture, and private lives overlap — without signage or spectacle.
VIP Potsdam Tours — Without the Pretension
“VIP” doesn’t mean velvet ropes here. It means:
Flexible scheduling around shoot days
Walking or driving tours with top-notch vehicles
No rushing, no scripts, no groups
Start and end wherever makes sense — Potsdam, Berlin, hotel, or set-adjacent
Popular options include:
A 3-hour Potsdam overview for orientation
A full-day Potsdam & Cold War tour
An off-the-beaten-path Babelsberg & Glienicke tour
Custom routes built entirely around your interests
Where to Stay in Potsdam During a Production
Potsdam deliberately moves at a different pace than Berlin — and that includes its hotel landscape.
There are no five-star hotels in Potsdam. What you’ll find instead are well-run, high-quality four-star properties that value space, calm, and discretion over spectacle.
Inselhotel Potsdam (Hermannswerder)
A true retreat — and one of the most relaxed places to stay near the city.
Located on its own island, surrounded by water and greenery
Large spa and wellness area with indoor & outdoor pools
Excellent restaurant and lake terrace
Easy access to Potsdam and Berlin, while feeling completely removed
For anyone working long hours on set, this is one of Potsdam’s best places to actually recover.
Hotel Am Jägertor (Old Town)
Elegant, central, and quietly refined.
Right by the historic Jägertor and close to Sanssouci
Stylish rooms, excellent breakfast, and very personal service
Ideal if you want to be able to walk everywhere without being in a scene-heavy area
A favorite with guests who value atmosphere and understatement.
The most logistically convenient option for Studio Babelsberg.
Directly opposite Filmpark Babelsberg and Metropolis Halle
Modern rooms, gym, 24/7 bar and lounge
Popular with international crews and production teams
Not boutique — but extremely practical during a shoot.
A quiet classic — and a known quantity in the film world.
Lakeside location close to Babelsberg studios
Famously hosted major productions, including casts led byTom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch and Bill Murray
Adaptable spaces that have been transformed into makeup rooms, costume departments, gyms, and production offices
It’s not a “star hotel” — and that’s exactly why productions trust it.
Schlosshotel Berlin by Patrick Hellmann (Grunewald)
While Potsdam itself doesn’t have five-star hotels, there is one option that many international guests prefer — especially those used to boutique luxury with privacy.
Located in the leafy villa district of Berlin-Grunewald, the Schlosshotel Berlin by Patrick Hellmann is one of the city’s most discreet five-star boutique hotels — and only about 20 minutes by taxi from Babelsberg, depending on traffic.
Set in a historic 1914 villa (Palais Pannwitz), the hotel offers:
Individually designed rooms and suites, some styled by Karl Lagerfeld
A 500 m² wellness area with pool, sauna, and garden access
An excellent restaurant with terrace, plus bar and champagne lounge
A calm, residential setting far removed from city noise and scenes
It’s a favorite for guests who want classic luxury without downtown exposure, and who value space, greenery, and privacy over being seen.
For film professionals working in Babelsberg, this is often the most comfortable way to combine true five-star standards with easy access to the studios.
Where to Eat: Upscale Potsdam Without the Scene
Excellent food, relaxed atmosphere, no scenes
Potsdam’s dining scene is understated in the best possible way. The city favors quality, atmosphere, and space over hype — which makes it ideal during a shoot or between long working days.
Here are some of the best restaurants and cafés in Potsdam, from refined dining to relaxed classics, all places where conversations stay private and nobody cares who’s at the next table.
Brunch, terrace & Sanssouci atmosphere
Located directly between Sanssouci Palace and the Historic Windmill, this spacious restaurant is hard to beat for location.
Why go:
Large terrace and Palm House
Ideal for breakfast, lunch, coffee & cake
Solid German classics
The closest restaurant to Sanssouci Palace — quite literally
Perfect for a relaxed daytime stop before or after a walk through the park.
French classics (Michelin-recommended)
A beautifully restored half-timbered house serving elegant French cuisine in one of Potsdam’s prettiest neighborhoods.
Why go:
Romantic, authentic, and high quality
Menu or à la carte options
French chansons in the background
Excellent aperitif spot outdoors in good weather
A favorite for quiet evenings and long dinners.
Michelin-starred dining in the heart of Potsdam
Potsdam’s only Michelin-star restaurant — and a standout well beyond the city limits.
Why go:
Creative “New Prussian cuisine”
Strong focus on regional ingredients
Seasonal five-course menu
One of the most beautiful courtyards in town
Ideal for a special evening or celebrating the end of a shoot.
Austrian comfort food in a hidden courtyard
A cozy, welcoming place serving classic Austrian dishes made with care.
Why go:
Hidden location, very relaxed
Schnitzel, dumplings & Kaiserschmarrn
Lovely beer garden
Generous portions, fair prices
Unpretentious, filling, and consistently good.
The best coffee in town (many would argue)
A cornerstone of Potsdam’s coffee scene, popular with locals and visitors alike.
Why go:
Specialty coffee from their own roastery in Babelsberg
Modern, stylish interior
Fairtrade beans
Excellent espresso & flat white
Outstanding chai latte and high-quality cakes
A perfect daytime stop or informal meeting place.
Vietnamese–German fusion in a stylish setting
A modern, ambitious concept blending Vietnamese flavors with contemporary European influences.
Why go:
Creative fusion cuisine
Beautiful summer garden
Stylish interior
One of Potsdam’s most interesting newer restaurants
Great for something lighter and a bit different.
Nordic dragon style, right on the water
Set in a restored former royal boat station in Norwegian dragon style, directly on the Jungfernsee.
Why go:
All-wood interior with real character
Classic to refined cuisine
Bouillabaisse and pulpo are highlights
Exceptional sunsets over the water
An atmospheric place for long summer evenings.
French bistro in a restored 1930s gas station
Just by Glienicke Bridge, this former petrol station has been transformed into one of Potsdam’s most charming restaurants.
Why go:
Iconic location with vintage car flair
High-quality French bistro cuisine
Excellent wine list
Popular for relaxed after-work evenings in summer
Casual, stylish, and very Potsdam.
A truly unique Potsdam experience
Set within the historic Russian colony Alexandrowka, this is more than a restaurant — it’s a cultural experience.
Why go:
Original 19th-century Russian settlement
Borscht, blinis & beef stroganoff
Tea served from a samovar
Summer terrace
A sense of place you won’t find anywhere else
Especially rewarding when paired with a walk through Alexandrowka.
Historic brewery with one of the best views in the city
Once a royal dairy farm, today a beautifully restored brewpub right on the water.
Why go:
House-brewed beer (“Meierei Hell”)
The legendary bratwurst with beer sauce
Large terrace directly by the lake
Possibly the most beautiful beer garden in Potsdam
Perfect after a stroll through Neuer Garten.
A Note for Film Professionals
If you’re in Potsdam for a production, I’m happy to recommend restaurants based on:
Proximity to your hotel or set
Quiet corners for private conversations
Lunch vs. late dinners
Dietary needs or preferences
Potsdam doesn’t shout — and neither do its best restaurants.
Best Museums in Potsdam
Potsdam is not just about palaces and parks — the city’s museums are cultural gems, ideal for private tours, inspiration for film creatives, and refined experiences for VIP guests. From world-class Impressionism to cinematic history and contemporary DDR art, these are the must-visit museums for those with a discerning eye.
Museum Barberini – Impressionism & Masterworks
Housed in the reconstructed Baroque-classical Barberini Palace, Museum Barberini showcases art from the Old Masters to contemporary works, with a focus on Impressionism. Its permanent collection of 107 works from the Hasso Plattner Foundation makes it one of the largest Impressionist collections outside Paris. Think Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Morisot & Caillebotte.
Bildergalerie Sanssouci – Royal Baroque Masterpieces
Built by Frederick the Great between 1755–1764, the Bildergalerie Sanssouci is Germany’s oldest surviving princely museum. Originally designed for Italian, Flemish, and Baroque art, it offers a rare glimpse into 18th-century royal taste and collecting. Highlights include works by Rubens, Caravaggio and Van Dyck. Ideally paired with a visit of Sanssouci Palace.
Cecilienhof Palace – The Potsdam Conference & 20th-Century World History
Cecilienhof Palace is one of Potsdam’s most historically charged sites — and unlike the grand Baroque palaces, its atmosphere is deliberately intimate and almost film-set-like. Built in 1917 in English Tudor style as the last palace of the Hohenzollern dynasty, Cecilienhof became the stage for one of the most important political meetings of the 20th century: the Potsdam Conference of 1945.
The permanent exhibition focuses on the conference that shaped the post-war world order, when Harry S. Truman, Winston Churchill (later Clement Attlee), and Joseph Stalin negotiated the future of Germany and Europe in these very rooms.
Minsk Potsdam Museum – DDR & Contemporary Art
The Minsk Kunsthaus, opened in 2022, is a contemporary art hub in a restored DDR-era building. Its 450 m² of exhibition space displays both contemporary and GDR-era art.
Filmmuseum Potsdam – The Legacy of Babelsberg Cinema
The oldest film museum in Germany, Filmmuseum Potsdam, offers an interactive journey through 100 years of film history in Babelsberg. Perfect for film professionals, creatives, and VIPs seeking insight into German cinema.
Gestapo, KGB and Stasi Prison Lindenstraße – History & Reflection
Situated in central Potsdam, the Lindenstraße Memorial documents political persecution across 20th-century German regimes and celebrates the peaceful revolution of 1989/90.
Many of these museums offer private viewings, guided tours tailored for film crews or actors, and early-access experiences. Combining these stops with visits to palaces, Babelsberg studios, and exclusive restaurants can create a fully curated Potsdam itinerary for high-end guests.
Potsdam, Berlin — or Both
Many productions are based in Babelsberg while living in Berlin. I offer:
Private Potsdam tours starting in Berlin
Logistics advice to save time (and guiding hours)
Crossing the Bridge of Spies into Wannsee
Just next door, a Potsdam tour can be seamlessly combined with Berlin’s elegant Wannsee district, connected by the legendary Glienicke Bridge — the “Bridge of Spies,” immortalized by Steven Spielberg’s film. Crossing this former Cold War border in minutes, guests move from Prussian palaces to lakeside Berlin, where highlights include Wannsee Lake, the House of the Wannsee Conference (site of the 1942 meeting that formalized the Holocaust), and the Max Liebermann Villa, the painter’s former summer residence with one of the most beautiful gardens on the water. For VIPs and film professionals, this short transition offers an exceptionally dense mix of history, cinematic locations, and refined lakeside scenery — all without changing hotels or losing time in transit.
A Tour That Respects Your Time — and Your Privacy
If you’re filming in Babelsberg, chances are you’re already surrounded by noise, attention, and schedules. A private Potsdam tour should be the opposite.
No performance. No pressure. Just a smart walk through a fascinating place — with someone who knows when to talk, and when not to.
If that sounds like your kind of experience, feel free to reach out.
Practical Details
Private tours only
Rates: approx. €60–120 per hour (depending on duration, group size & transport)
Languages: English & German
Walking or driving tours available
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