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Germany

German Icons: Berlin, Dresden and Munich

Program No. 16877RJ
Dive deep into the culture of Germany as you explore three iconic cities, discovering politics in Berlin, architecture in Dresden and weisswurst, beer and a baroque palace in Munich.
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Start
Small GroupCity DiscoveriesMulti-City Discoveries
Length
11 days
Rating (4.7)
Activity Level
Starts at
4,899
Flights start at
1,100

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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
11 days
10 nights
What's Included
19 meals ( 9B, 5L, 5D )
4 expert-led lectures
12 expert-led field trips
1 hands-on experience
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
9 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m. Luggage can be stored at the hotel if you arrive early. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
Afternoon:
Orientation: 4:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures including contact numbers for key staff, and answer any questions you may have. Please note that in Germany it is often expected to pay for using public restrooms with small change; we advise carry 50c pieces with you during field trips. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
At the hotel restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach several times; short walks to and standing at field trip sites; cobblestones. The specific sites seen during our motorcoach field trip will depend on schedules and local conditions at the time of the program.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
Our Group Leader will continue the program introduction, and we’ll be joined by a language teacher who will give an introduction to German language and culture. We’ll then board a motorcoach with our expert for a field trip to see some of the city’s highlights including the Berlin Wall monument, Checkpoint Charlie, Gendarmenmarkt Square with the restored Konzerthaus and the French and German churches, Paris Square and the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, Holocaust Memorial, Potsdamer Square (the new and old), Memorial Church, and new architecture.
Lunch:
Lunch at a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Our expert-led field trip continues aboard the motorcoach with stops at key sites.
Dinner:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Walking up to 1.6 miles at different sites; standing, climbing flights of stairs. Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
In the morning, we will have an opportunity to venture behind the scenes of German politics and discuss current issues with a political expert. We will then take a walking field trip with the Group Leader this morning to one of the city’s most famous landmarks, the former Reichstag building that is now the seat of the Deutscher Bundestag, the German Federal Parliament. As we see and appreciate the magnificent architecture, we will also learn more from a staffer about Germany’s turbulent political past — and that mysterious 1933 fire! — before ascending to the recently rebuilt glass cupola. From here, you can enjoy spectacular views of the parliamentary and government district and Berlin’s sights.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities at the end of the daily schedule. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy local fare.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Walking up to 2 miles; cobblestones, standing in the museum. Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will begin the morning with a lecture by a knowledgeable local expert who will join us in a conference room to provide an overview of Berlin's famous Museumsinsel — Museum Island — at the northern tip of Spree Island, where the settlement that became Berlin began. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Museum Island complex is home to five internationally acclaimed museums. After the lecture, we will go and see one of the exhibitions led by the local expert. The Altes Museum houses treasures from ancient Greece and Rome. The Alte Nationalgalerie, in a magnificent classical temple, has one of the largest collections of 19th century sculpture and paintings in Germany. The Bode Museum features sculptures, paintings, and a numismatic collection. The Neues Museum holds works of art from pre-history through Egyptian, including the world famous bust of Nefertiti. The Pergamon Museum is renowned for its extraordinary Babylonian, Greek and Roman antiquities.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy local fare.
Afternoon:
Free time. Take this opportunity to see and do what interests you most. You are welcome to remain and continue exploring the treasures of Museum Island.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
We will attend an evening performance.
Activity Note
Walking a short distance to the train station. Our luggage will be sent ahead from Berlin to Dresden while we take the train and will be waiting for us at the hotel when we arrive; bring only what you will need on the train. The trip from Berlin to Dresden is approximately 2 hours depending on connections. Walking up to 2 miles and standing, approximately 2.5 hours; cobblestones, climbing stairs. Walking and other activities during independent exploration according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
After checking out of the hotel, we will take a short walk to the train station. Your luggage will be sent directly to the hotel in Dresden so you will only need to bring what you need for the train ride.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Before checking in at our hotel, a local expert will lead our walking field trip in Dresden that provides an overview of the Old Town and sites including the Frauenkirche — Church of Our Lady — the Zwinger, Brühl’s Terrasse, Procession of Princes, Dresden Castle, and the New Synagogue. The Frauenkirche has been one of Dresden’s spiritual landmarks since the 11th century. The splendid Baroque church that replaced the old Gothic edifice in the 18th century was one of the city’s foremost architectural landmarks until 1945. Dresden was virtually destroyed by the massive Allied bombing campaign against Nazi Germany in the final stages of World War II. The Frauenkirche was among the casualties, its ruins standing for decades as a symbol of war’s destruction. Sentiment slowly grew for a restoration of the great church as a memorial to peace. It was restored piece by piece and reconsecrated in 2005 before an audience of 60,000 people with millions watching on television.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Standing in the museum, walking on cobblestones. Walking and other activities during independent exploration according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
This morning as a special highlight, we will head out on foot for an expert-led field trip to see the Semperoper near the Elbe River in the historic center of Dresden, another Dresden institution devastated by the 1945 bombing and later resurrected. It was long one of the finest opera houses in Europe, called “Semper” for its designer, Gottfried Semper, after opening in 1841. It took 40 years after World War II, but the building was completely reconstructed and reopened in 1985. It has continued to present some of the world’s greatest musical artists. Afterwards we will visit the Royal Palace with a local expert. After this, you can visit the "Historic Green Vault" – one of Europe's finest treasure collections, recently reopened after 68 years – on your own. It was amassed by Augustus the Strong, the 18th-century Prince of Saxony.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
The afternoon is free to explore on your own or just relax. We recommend visiting one or more of the city’s 30 museums, many of them world-class institutions.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer to Munich in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach, driving about 290 miles, approximately 5 hours depending on traffic.; walking upt to 2 miles and standing at the memorial site.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
With our Group Leader, we will board the motor coach from Dresden to Munich.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant en route.
Afternoon:
Before arriving in Munich we will visit the Dachau Memorial - a poignant reminder of the atrocities of the Holocaust - with a local expert.As the site of the first Nazi concentration camp, it offers visitors an opportunity to reflect on the immense suffering and resilience of its victims. The memorial includes the preserved camp grounds, barracks, crematorium, and watchtowers, along with a comprehensive museum featuring exhibits that detail the history of the camp and its prisoners. Through powerful displays and personal stories, the Dachau Memorial provides a profound and educational experience, honoring those who endured unimaginable hardships during World War II. It is a place of remembrance, reflection, and education, ensuring that the lessons of history are never forgotten. Afterwards we will continue to Munich and check-in to the hotel.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Walking up to 4 miles, standing, cobblestone streets. Public transport to brewery.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
We will gather in a conference room to hear a lecture about Munich and Bavaria. After this we’ll meet a local expert for a walking field trip of Munich. Highlights include the Marienplatz, English Garden, Cathedral of our Blessed Lady, and Viktualienmarkt.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
This afternoon we will first have some leisure time to explore on your own. Afterwards, we will transfer by public transportation to a local brewery where we will enjoy a short introduction about the art of brewing, plus — of course! — a tasting.
Dinner:
At the brewery.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a tram. Walking up to 2 miles inside the museum.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
This morning we'll board the tram for a field trip to Munich's art district. The Alte Pinakothek and Neue Pinakothek (Old and New Picture Galleries) are two of the important galleries in the world. Led by an expert, we’ll explore the artistic treasures of the “old” Pinakothek, which is indeed one of the world’s oldest galleries and was once the largest. Its magnificent collection consists of Old Masters from the 14th to the 18th centuries.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
Free time.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon. See your program’s “Transportation Information” regarding transfers.
Breakfast:
At the hotel. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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