One of the minor locations hop-on-hop-off buses will take you to is Glienicke Bridge, or Glienicker Brücke, aka the Bridge of Spies. Built over where the Havel River meets Glienicker Lake, it's another Cold War historical site in a city that has played a major role in World War I, II, and the aforementioned Cold War. After the Berlin Wall was constructed, Glienicke Bridge was one of the only points connecting Potsdam to West Berlin. As such, it was a location used to exchange spies, agents, and political prisoners. Hence, the nickname.
When I say minor, I simply mean it doesn't seem to be a major location people stop at. We got off here, were dropped off on the side of the road, and seemed to be the only ones to do this. Most of the tour buses passed by here without stopping, people seeming satisfied just seeing it. If you do choose to stop by here, you'll have a great view of the water and Babelsberg Palace in the distance. And if you have a bit more time, you can also visit the Villa Schöningen, a historic residence that now doubles as a museum about the bridge and the former border. Just walk past the Romanesque monument on the western side of the bridge, and it's that first house you see on the fork.
All in all, it made my parents happy and entertained the aunties and uncles, as they were all pretty big fans of the Bridge of Spies movie. Plus, it was a nice, clear day and an enjoyable walk. I'm not as interested in Cold War history, but it's still really cool to visit a historical site and contemplate how this used to be an armed border only a few years before I was born. I love history, so it's cool to stand in a spot and be viscerally reminded that history is something still in the making. read more