After Class Activities

Our program allows you plenty of time to discover your new country, culture, traditions, and everyday life after your class is over. There are many ways to explore Berlin whether it’s taking a stroll through the Brandenburg Gate and down Unter den Linden Boulevard, exploring the old sections of the Berlin Wall or visiting the Pergamon Museum. Get yourself started for a trip to Berlin with the links below:

Top Highlights: See What Berlin is Famous For

Brandenburg Gate:

One of Europe’s most famous landmarks, the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) stands in the middle of Berlin where it used to separate West and East Berlin. For the duration of Communist rule it was closed and surrounded by the Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer). Since then, it has become an important symbol of reunification, joining the two cities instead of separating them as well as a ‘must see’ sight.

Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie Museum:

The Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer) ran 27 miles separating the Eastern and Western sections of the city for 28 years. Though most of the wall no longer remains, some sections have been preserved in memorial with the longest section on Niederkirchnerstrasse as part of the outdoor museum The Topography of Terror (die Topographie des Terrors). The Checkpoint Charlie Museum uses film and photographs to show the history of the Berlin Wall and the stories of those who attempted to escape from East Germany.

Main Sights: Get to Know Berlin

 

Brandenburg Gate:

One of Europe’s most famous landmarks, the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) stands in the middle of Berlin where it used to separate West and East Berlin. For the duration of Communist rule it was closed and surrounded by the Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer). Since then, it has become an important symbol of reunification, joining the two cities instead of separating them as well as a must see sight.

 

Charlottenburg Palace:

The largest palace in Berlin, Charlottenburg Palace (Schloss Charlottenburg) was built in the 17th and 18th century for Queen Sophie Charlotte, wife of Fredrich I. Here you can explore the interior of the palace and its beautiful decoration done in the Baroque and Rococo styles. The expansive gardens are perfect for a relaxing stroll to see the geometric design along with avenues and moats in a style also used in Versailles.

 

Victory Column:

The Victory Column (Siegessäule) was built in 1873 in celebration of the military successes of Prussia. It now stands in the center of the Tiergarten Park, where you can climb the 285 stairs to the top for some of the best views of Berlin.

 

Zoological Garden:

This is the largest and most famous zoo in Germany with one of the largest collections of animals in the world. Nearly 16,000 animals of 1,500 species are housed in enclosures simulating their natural habitat.

Excursions: Explore More of The Region

 

Spree Forest:

A great way to get out of the busy city is to take a day trip to Spree Forest (Spreewald), a biosphere reserve 60 miles outside of Berlin. Containing over 200 small channels, Spree Forest is best explored by boat. Guides can tell you about the history and development as you cruise through the beautiful forest and meadows.

 

Potsdam:

Only 15 miles outside of Berlin’s downtown, Potsdam is a beautiful town complete with numerous palaces including Sanssouci, a rival of the palace at Versailles; expansive parks and gardens; intimate cafés; and beautiful views of the river and lakes. Potsdam also has one of the world’s oldest film studios, Studio Babelsberg. Hundreds of popular films have been shot at the studio including: The Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum, V for Vendetta, Inglourious Basterds, The Constant Gardener, and The Pianist to name a few.

 

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp:

Just outside Berlin, over 200,000 political prisoners were taken to Sachsenhausen from 1936 to 1945. Because of its location, the camp also became the administrative and training headquarters for all Nazi concentration camps across Germany. Now a memorial and museum open to the public to ensure the remembrance of the tragedy, the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp (Sachsenhausen Konzentrationslager) is a somber, but essential sight during a trip to Berlin.

Museums: Experience The History of Past Generations & Cultures

 

Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie Museum:

The Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer) ran 27 miles separating the Eastern and Western sections of the city for 28 years. Though most of the wall no longer remains, some sections have been preserved in memorial with the longest section on Niederkirchnerstrasse as part of the outdoor museum The Topography of Terror (Die Topographie des Terrors). The Checkpoint Charlie Museum uses film and photographs to show the history of the Berlin Wall and the stories of those who attempted to escape from East Germany.

 

Museum Island:

Museum Island (Museumsinsel) in Berlin holds five great museums: the Old Museum (Altes Museum) with a vast collection of Classical Antiquities; the New Museum (Neues Museum) holding collections mainly from Ancient Egypt; the Old National Gallery (Alte Nationalgalerie) with Classical, Romantic, Biedermeier, Impressionist, and Modernist artwork; the Bode Museum presenting a wide range of sculptures from the Middle Ages and Renaissance; and the Pergamon Museum which holds one of the most significant collections of ancient history including the Pergamon Alter. The baroque-style Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom), which served as both the church and burial place of the Hohenzollern family, also stands on the island.

 

New National Gallery:

A popular museum for modern art, the New National Gallery (Neue Nationalgalerie) displays artwork from the 20th century from Expressionism, Cubism, and Bauhaus to Surrealism.

 

Jewish Museum Berlin:

Spread over two buildings, the Jewish Museum (Jüdisches Museum) covers the history of German Jews for over 2 millennia. The second building is architecturally one of the most unique museums in the world; built out of sharp angles in a zig-zag shape it symbolizes the horrors of the Holocaust, while displaying artifacts documenting the tragedy on the inside.