Berlin

A thriving city rich in history and culture, Berlin is the perfect destination for MFL tours, History tours and Politics tours.

No city is more synonymous with global political history. Previously the capital of Prussia and of Bismark’s unified German Empire, Twentieth Century Berlin bore witness to the rise and fall of Hitler’s Nazi regime, before becoming a focal point of political tensions during the Cold War, when the city was brutally divided between East and West. Today capital of the re-united Germany, Berlin has many reminders of its fascinating past, not-to-mention a plethora of world-leading museums, and will certainly bring both history and politics to life for your students.

Tours to Berlin will also give students of German the ideal opportunity to practise and build confidence in their language skills, to learn more about German culture, and, for many pupils, to sample German cuisine for the first time (look out for the street vendors selling fresh pretzels and Wurst all over the city!)

Most of the main points of interest are centrally located and many of the sights can be seen simply by exploring the city on foot. Why not contact us today to find out more?

Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum

The first concentration camp to be built following the appointment of Heinrich Himmler as Chief of German Police in 1936, Sachsenhausen was prison to more than 200,000 people between 1936 and 1945. Tens of thousands of people died at the camp as a result of starvation, disease, forced labour, mistreatment and most notably, extermination. Today Sachsenhausen serves as a moving memorial and museum to remind us of the horrors of National Socialism, including the Holocaust. Our groups have a self-guided visit with audio-guides (English-speaking tour guides can be pre-booked, but are subject to availability and at an additional charge). Please note, Sachsenhausen is a place of mourning and remembrance and can be an emotionally distressing visit, especially for pupils. We therefore advise that only groups of older children (15 years and over) visit this excursion, which is recommended for History tours and Religious Education tours. Please click here to visit their website.

Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz

On 20th January 1942, a group of senior Nazi officials came together at the Wannsee Conference to discuss the Final Solution of the Jewish Question. This meeting would be one of the deadliest in history, ensuring the cooperation of various governmental departments in the persecution and deportation of European Jews to the ghettos and concentration camps of Eastern Europe. Today Wannsee House is a Holocaust memorial and museum, which tells the history of the infamous meeting and the involvement of conference participants, the ramifications of the meeting and the genocide of European Jews, and the general history of anti-Semitism and racism under National Socialism. School groups are provided with an English-speaking guide (guides are very much subject to availability, so early booking is highly recommended). Suitable for History tours, Religious Education tours and Politics tours and recommended in conjunction with a visit to Sachsenhausen. Please click here to visit their website.

Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie

Located at the site of the most well-known border crossing between West and East Germany, the Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie tells the fascinating story of the Berlin Wall, from its overnight construction without warning in 1961, separating families and friends; the political and financial ramifications of splitting Berlin in two; the unbelievable and ingenious attempts by citizens to cross the border illegally; and finally the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9th November 1989. Our groups have a self-guided visit of the museum (English-speaking tour guides can be pre-booked, but are subject to availability and at an additional charge). This excursion is perfect for History tours and Politics tours. Don’t forget to take a picture of the military policemen at the guard house outside! Please click here to visit their website.

DDR Museum

This fun and interactive museum is an ideal excursion to include in your school trip to Berlin, especially if you’re looking for a more light-hearted visit which offers a real historical focus. The museum is full of hands-on exhibits, centred on life in socialist GDR (East Germany) during the Cold War period. Visitors can sit in a real Trabi car, have a nose around an East German apartment, marvel at the fashions of the period, read diaries from the era and learn about the spying and interrogation techniques of the East German Ministry for State Security; the Stasi. A great visit for German tours, History tours and Politics tours alike, there will be something for school groups of all ages at this museum. School visits are usually self-guided (English-speaking tour guides can be pre-booked, but are subject to availability and at an additional charge). Please click here to visit their website.

TV Tower

Still one of the most iconic and popular attractions in Berlin, the Fernsehturm offers 360° of the city from a viewing platform 207m high. You can see many of Berlin’s landmarks from up there – the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate and Olympic Stadium; on a rare clear day, it is said that you can see for up to 40km! In the sixties the GDR government built the tower, not least to demonstrate the strength and efficiency of the socialist party system. Today the tower shapes the skyline of the German capital and is as important to Berlin as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. The ideal addition to any school trip to Berlin, as the tower is open until late, groups have the opportunity to visit this excursion in the evening as well as during the day. Please click here to visit their website.

Of course, the above excursions are only a sample. We will tailor-make your tour to engage with your exact learning requirements, and our information packs contain details of our extensive excursion package. Why not contact us now to request more information?

We work with a number of excellent and centrally-located hotels and youth centres in Berlin. All of our accommodations have ensuite facilities and are often located within walking distance of the main attractions. Students are generally accommodated in multi-bedded rooms sleeping between two and six pupils (depending on the accommodation) and adults are accommodated in twin and single rooms. Evening meals are generally taken at the accommodations’ on-site restaurants, or if there isn’t one on-site, at a nearby restaurant. Many of our accommodations also have rooms and areas available during the evening for activities or for study. Please contact us for further details or to discuss your exact requirements.