A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Southampton vs. Potsdam for Attractions, Food, Couples, and Nightlife

Should you visit Southampton or Potsdam?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Southampton or Potsdam? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Southampton

Southampton is a waterfront, dynamic, and up-and-coming port city. It's a beautiful place to visit, too. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Potsdam

Potsdam is a park-filled, historic, and accessible city. With fun activities and sights, this is a small town worth visiting. It's a beautiful place to visit, too. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food.

Southampton and Potsdam: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Southampton or Potsdam?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Potsdam than Southampton. While Southampton is larger than Potsdam, Potsdam has more sights and attractions for tourists. Potsdam is more touristy than Southampton and is popular for its beautiful palaces, scenic town center, and accessibility to Berlin. Also, Potsdam is famous for The Sanssouci Palace. Southampton is well known for its popularity as a cruise ship port as well as its focus watersports.

How is Southampton different from Potsdam?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Potsdam and Southampton. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Southampton or Potsdam?

Potsdam is a great city for its historical sights. Also, Southampton is not as popular, but is still a nice port city for its sights and museums.

Potsdam offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. People visit this city for its high concentration of historic sights. The Renaissance Orangery Palace is a highlight of the visit for many travelers.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Southampton. Museums are a favorite activity in town. There are a surprising number of options including SeaCity Museum, the Tudor House and Garden, and Southampton City Art Gallery.

Is the Food Better in Southampton or Potsdam? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Potsdam is a great city for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Southampton is not as popular, but is still a nice port city for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Potsdam has a huge number of terrific restaurants. You'll find a diverse restaurant scene, although the city is quite small. There are international restaurants as well as local venues where you can try regional specialties.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Southampton area. While most people used to pass through Southampton on their way somewhere else, the city now offers a dynamic food scene with local restaurants mixed with international options and even fine dining.

Is Southampton or Potsdam Better for Nightlife?

If the nightlife is your priority, you'll find notable options in both Southampton and Potsdam.

If you're looking for night time activities Southampton has a few options to choose from. The nightlife scene is filled with restaurants, pubs, and bars as well as a few nightclubs mixed in.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Potsdam. The city is not far from Berlin, so head in to Germany's nightlife capital for the most famous clubs and venues. In the town of Potsdam there are cocktail bars and breweries that make for a mellow and relaxed evening.

Is the Shopping Better in Southampton or Potsdam?

If you're looking to go shopping, Southampton and Potsdam both offer plenty of notable spots.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Southampton. The city has two indoor shopping centers, as well as a range of markets and several independent vendors.

Many visitors go to Potsdam to go shopping. There are plazas and shopping streets that have the standard chain stores as well as antique shops and other boutiques.

Is Southampton or Potsdam Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Southampton or Potsdam.

Southampton offers lots of family activities. This cruise port city offers a handful of fascinating activities for kids including learning about the Mayflower and the Titanic. There are also many parks and gardens as well as the Mayflower Theater, which regularly has kid-family productions.

Potsdam is a family-friendly place to visit. There are a number of playgrounds around town as well as several beaches by lakes that are fun for kids. Another highlight for families is a visit to Babelsberg Film Studios.

Is Southampton or Potsdam Better for Couples?

Southampton is well known for its romantic activities. Also, Potsdam is still popular, but not quite as popular for couples.

Couples visit Southampton frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. Museums, parks, gardens, and chartered boats all offer a romantic experience for couples visiting the area.

Potsdam is a good port city for couples to visit. Exploring the city and soaking up the sights is the best way for couples to enjoy their time. There are some nice hotels and restaurants in the area that make for a great date night.

Is Southampton or Potsdam Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Potsdam is a popular place for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Southampton is not a backpacker-friendly destination.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Potsdam. There are a handful of hostels to choose from in town.

Southampton is not a backpacker-friendly destination.

Is Southampton or Potsdam Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Potsdam is a great city for times when you don't have a car. However, Southampton is not known for its public transit.

The public transit in Potsdam can get you around easily. The city is well connected to Berlin by S-Bahn and bus.

Public transit is generally limited in Southampton. There are buses around town that make some areas accessible even without a car.

Is Southampton or Potsdam a more walkable city?

Potsdam is a great city for its high level of walkability. Also, Southampton is not as popular, but is still a nice port city for its ease of walking around.

Potsdam is a very walkable city. It's a smaller, compact city that can mostly be explored on foot.

Southampton is a somewhat walkable port city. It's possible to walk in parts of Southampton but in general it's easier to take a taxi.

For even more information, also check out Is Southampton Worth Visiting? and Is Potsdam Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Potsdam or Southampton?

How long in Southampton or Potsdam?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Southampton or Potsdam to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Southampton than Potsdam because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Southampton, and 1-2 days is enough time in Potsdam.

Families should spend more time in Potsdam than Southampton. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Potsdam, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Potsdam than Southampton if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Potsdam.

One day in Southampton or Potsdam?

In Southampton, you'll find nightlife and food. This port city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the park-filled city of Potsdam. One day should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A weekend in Southampton or Potsdam?

In Southampton, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Southampton has to offer.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the park-filled destination of Potsdam. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Five days in Southampton or Potsdam?

Southampton is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

The park-filled city of Potsdam offers shopping and museums. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

A week in Southampton or Potsdam?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Southampton. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Southampton. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Potsdam. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, The Best 10-Day Tours from London, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Germany, and The Best Adventure Tours to Germany.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Southampton and Potsdam, we can see that Southampton is more expensive. And not only is Potsdam much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Potsdam would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Potsdam and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Southampton would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Southampton than you might in Potsdam.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Southampton Expensive? and Is Potsdam Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Southampton or Potsdam?

Southampton has a larger population, and is about 69% larger than the population of Potsdam. When comparing the sizes of Southampton and Potsdam, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Southampton or Potsdam?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Southampton or Potsdam in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Southampton as well as Potsdam. The family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Southampton this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Potsdam for the small town charm and the family-friendly experiences.

Southampton is around the same temperature as Potsdam in the summer. The daily temperature in Southampton averages around 18°C (64°F) in July, and Potsdam fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Potsdam. In the summer, Southampton often gets less sunshine than Potsdam. Southampton gets 195 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Potsdam receives 232 hours of full sun.

Southampton usually gets less rain in July than Potsdam. Southampton gets 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Potsdam receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Southampton or Potsdam in the Autumn?

Both Potsdam and Southampton are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Southampton for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area. Also, many visitors come to Potsdam in the autumn for the shopping scene, the small town atmosphere, and the natural beauty of the area.

In the autumn, Southampton is a little warmer than Potsdam. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Southampton in October average around 12°C (53°F), and Potsdam averages at about 10°C (51°F).

Southampton usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Potsdam during autumn. Southampton gets 107 hours of sunny skies, while Potsdam receives 114 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Southampton usually receives more rain than Potsdam. Southampton gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Potsdam receives 36 mm (1.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Southampton or Potsdam in the Winter?

Both Potsdam and Southampton during the winter are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Southampton in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Furthermore, most visitors come to Potsdam for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.

Potsdam can be very cold during winter. Southampton can get quite cold in the winter. In January, Southampton is generally much warmer than Potsdam. Daily temperatures in Southampton average around 4°C (40°F), and Potsdam fluctuates around -0°C (31°F).

In the winter, Southampton often gets more sunshine than Potsdam. Southampton gets 52 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Potsdam receives 47 hours of full sun.

Southampton usually gets more rain in January than Potsdam. Southampton gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while Potsdam receives 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Southampton or Potsdam in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Southampton and Potsdam. Most visitors come to Southampton for the natural beauty during these months. Furthermore, the spring months attract visitors to Potsdam because of the small town charm and the natural beauty.

Southampton is around the same temperature as Potsdam in the spring. The daily temperature in Southampton averages around 9°C (48°F) in April, and Potsdam fluctuates around 9°C (48°F).

Southampton usually receives less sunshine than Potsdam during spring. Southampton gets 147 hours of sunny skies, while Potsdam receives 168 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Southampton usually receives around the same amount of rain as Potsdam. Southampton gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Potsdam receives 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Potsdam and Southampton