Germany’s capital has had a pivotal place in 20th-century history. Berlin recognises its past and has become a modern and cosmopolitan cultural hub providing many educational opportunities.
Berlin is rich in both culture and history, having played a major role in some of the 20th century’s most important historical episodes and famous artistic movements. Modern times have seen the reunified capital becoming a vibrant world city of culture, politics, media and science with an abundance of museums, theatres and art galleries whilst still retaining reminders of its past. This makes it an ideal destination for a wide range of subjects including art, history and of course language.
The majority of our groups travel with us to Berlin on a history school trip to learn more about WWII and the Cold War. But we can tailor your itinerary to fit your group’s educational focus. We can organise themed walking tours so that you can discover the city and its history and use our expertise to recommend the most fitting museums and attractions across Berlin to ensure you get the most out of your trip. For German language students, we provide a bespoke language workbook to maximise the language learning and we can even arrange sessions in local language schools.
This is just a sample of what we offer in Berlin. Talk to one of our Berlin specialists to organise your bespoke tour.
Berlin’s superb public transport infrastructure makes the city straightforward to navigate for groups and the abundance of sites and visits will engage and bring history, language or art to life for your students.
Accommodation and flights tend to be cheapest in the off-peak November to February season but with a vast choice of flights available, you can save a lot by being flexible on your dates. If you travel in December you're sure to feel festive as the Christmas markets begin to pop up in the city but you'll want to pack your hats and scarves! The weather in Berlin varies from a height of 24 degrees in July - August to the lowest -1 in January.
The former STASI prison will give you a real insight into life in former East Germany so it is highly recommended. Much of the building is just as it was when it functioned as a prison with gun towers and barbed wire around the perimeter. Inside there are interrogation rooms, some of which have the same wallpaper and furniture, and cells. Many of the guides are former inmates so there is a real feeling of history coming alive. All in all, a grim but essential experience for students of the Cold War.
This is the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall, built-in 1961 by the Soviet Government to prevent residents of East Berlin migrating to the more prosperous West Berlin. Today you can still see the remnants of the wall, which was finally torn down in 1989, a watchtower and “Death strip”, where many attempted escapes ended fatally.
One of the most recognisable German landmarks, Brandenburg Gate was a symbol of Berlin and German division during the Cold War, it is now a national symbol of peace and unity.
The Checkpoint Charlie Museum is named after the famous crossing point on the Berlin Wall, which was supposedly the "best border security system in the world". Students can learn about the ingenious ways people snuck across the border and some interesting stories about spies in the war.
Ascend the TV Tower, built in the sixties by the East German government to demonstrate the power and strength of the socialist system. The tower is still Berlin's highest structure and offers fantastic views of the city. Take a moment out in the revolving café at the top!
This museum is regarded as a world leader in photography and is an unmissable stop for students of art, design or photography.
Tour the historic Olympiapark Berlin, the stadium built for the 1936 Summer Olympics. Students will learn about the stadium's place in German and sporting history.
Explore the Old and New Reichstag to get a sense of political Germany. The restored older structure contrasts beautifully with the new Reichstag. The striking glass dome symbolises the transparency of the democratic process in Germany and how far it has come since its darker days throughout the 20th century.
Students of the Cold War will get a real insight into life in the former East Berlin at the Stasi Museum. This is the centre of the archives from the former East German Security Services. The centrepiece of the exhibition is the office and working quarters of the former Minister of State Security.
Berlin is plastered with street art but here on a former section of the Berlin Wall, it takes pride of place. Examine over 100 political and sometimes provocative paintings stretching over 1.3km in the largest open-air gallery in the world!
For anyone with an interest in architecture, design or art, the Bauhaus archive will tell you a story that will fascinate and inspire. The Bauhaus movement was possibly the most important in the school of architecture over the whole of the 20th Century and so is unmissable for art and design students.
Located in the centre of Berlin, the memorial honours and remembers the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The striking display features 2,711 concrete blocks, arranged to appear like graves, and is called the Field of Stelae.
Hundreds of people walk past a green door in the Gesundbrunnen underground railway station, unaware that, behind it, lies a subterranean labyrinth full of history just waiting to be experienced. Don your hard hat and head down beneath the city on this intriguing tour.
Catch a film in German at Cinestar Berlin IMAX, the largest multi-screen cinema in Berlin in the bustling Sony centre.
A visit to this former Nazi concentration camp is sure to be a sobering experience for any student. There were around 200,000 people imprisoned here from 1936 - 1945, making it an important location for groups studying WWII and Nazi Germany.
Discover 800 years of history of the German capital in this interactive museum. Through 20 themed rooms, students will learn about everything from WWI and WII to the Cold War, the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Berlin.
As well as focusing on the Holocaust, the Jewish Museum gives students a frank and comprehensive understanding of the anti-semitism Jews have historically faced. Best suited for older students, there is an extensive collection of WWII artefacts as well as videos and a learning centre.
Based on the former SS central command site, Topography of Terror is a place of remembrance of the persecution faced by the Jews of Europe. There is a mix of indoor and outdoor exhibitions which illustrate the period of Nazi rule during WWII.
This house is historically significant as the place where the Nazis discussed the "final solution" and plotted the unthinkable genocide of Europe's Jews. The house is now a museum and memorial and is an important destination for groups studying the Holocaust.
Fascinating exhibitions on aviation, shipping, railways, the automobile, film technology, computer history, the role of the chemical and pharmaceutical industries in our lives, and much more.
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