2027 Fordham Preparatory Germany Explorers Program
| Travel Dates: |
March 24, 2027 -
April 3, 2027
Dates are tentative until airfare confirmed
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| Group Organizer(s): |
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| WTT Contact: |
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| Estimated Airfare: | $1,500 |
| Deadline(s): | Enrollment deadline forthcoming |
Germany Cultural Journey
Willkommen!
Germany has long been called the land of Dichter und Denker – poets and thinkers. However, contemporary Germany is also the land for travelers and explorers seeking multicultural and dynamic cities, bucolic villages, and pristine nature. Ride a bike along an old airport tarmac in Berlin, travel by solar-powered ferry across an Alpine lake, watch the wind turbines and half-timbered houses whiz by through the window of a high-speed train as part of your German adventure. Get an up-close view of Germany that goes beyond Sauerkraut and Bratwurst.
Custom programs in Germany are ideal not just for German language teachers but also educators in history, STEM, government/civics, and the fine arts.
Program Highlights
Check out some of the featured experiences of your program!
Visit a German school
Stay in a medieval castle once home to emperors and knights in Nuremberg
Stroll through the palace grounds and gardens of Potsdam
See for yourself why Dresden is called "the Florence of the North"
Learn about art, science, history, and local food in the dynamic city of Munich
Get to know multicultural Berlin with a mosque visit and meal in a Turkish restaurant
Enter the Berlin underground through its tunnels, bunkers, and secret passageways
Explore a medieval cathedral
Bike through the medieval streets of historic Nuremberg
Conquer a ropes course and hike with a ranger at a clean energy hostel in the Black Forest.
The Itinerary
We do everything possible to abide by itineraries as originally planned, but decades of experience teaches that we must be flexible in our planning. Changes to a trip’s schedule are uncommon, but Walking Tree reserves the right to make adjustments to programming in the best interest of the group.
| Day | Location | Description | Lodging | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, March 19, 2027 | USA - Berlin | Today we board our overnight flight for Germany. | Airplane | |
| Sunday, March 21, 2027 | Berlin | Guten Morgen Berlin! We arrive in the Capitalto kick off our German journey and check into our central hotel. To shake off our jet lag and get moving, we will head out for an afternoon walk along the East Side Gallery. This vibrant, outdoor stretch of the Berlin Wall is completely covered in massive, colorful murals that perfectly bridge Cold War history with art. We will walk down the most famous street in Germany, Unter den Linden, and view the most famous monument of Berlin, Brandenburger Tor. We will then head to a restaurant for dinner and have some well needed rest. | Berlin Hotel | |
| Monday, March 22, 2027 | Berlin | Today we will dive straight into our exploration of modern Jesuit architecture and German politics. We will head to the Charlottenburg district to visit St. Canisius Church, a spectacular modern Jesuit architectural masterpiece. We will explore its award-winning, minimalist cube design made of light-colored exposed concrete, which offers a powerful contrast to traditional old-world churches. In the afternoon, we will walk over to the nearby government district for our pre-booked tour of the Reichstag Building. We will pass through security and walk up the iconic, spiral glass dome of the German Parliament to get panoramic views of the city skyline. We will then continue exploring the city. We will have a city metro pass so we can use the extensive city metro and travel quickly around and see many different locations like the locals. | Berlin Hotel | (School visit option: If a half-day visit to Canisius-Kolleg is possible, we will head there first. Otherwise, we will proceed with the following itinerary). |
| Tuesday, March 23, 2027 | Berlin | Today we will dive into the famous Museum Island complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site where the magnificent buildings stay open. We will head to the Neues Museum to see its legendary ancient collections and view the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti. Afterwards, we will cross the open courtyard to explore the brand-new Humboldt Forum, an interactive world-culture museum where we can view global art collections and hands-on exhibits. Or, if we prefer, we can continue exploring the diverse architecture of Alexanderplatz, Potsdamer Platz, and Checkpoint Charlie, then head to a more multiethnic district to have a Turkish dinner before heading back to the hostel. | Berlin Hotel | |
| Wednesday, March 24, 2027 | Nuremberg | We will pack our bags and board an ultra-fast high-speed train, cutting south across the country from Berlin to Nuremberg in under three hours. We will check into our hotel and meet up with a local guide for an insightful walking tour to discover the hidden stories, medieval history, and beautiful architecture of the old town. We will then spend our afternoon exploring the historic walled old town at our own pace, crossing old stone bridges, walking up the steep ramparts to the Imperial Castle, if time permits we will visit the historic Albrecht Dürer House. We will then head to a historic tavern to dine on authentic, flame-grilled Nürnberger sausages before heading to bed. | Nuremburg Hotel | |
| Thursday, March 25, 2027 | Nuremberg - Munich | We will wake up and spend our morning exploring Nuremberg's massive historical significance before moving on. We will take a short tram ride out to the Nazi Party Rally Grounds to stand on the Zeppelin Field where the pre-war rallies were filmed, providing a powerful, real-world history lesson. In the afternoon, we will head back to the station and board a quick, one-hour high-speed train down to Munich, arriving in time to check into our central base. We will spend our evening taking a relaxed stroll through the historic heart of Munich's old town, catching a glimpse of the majestic towers of the Frauenkirche cathedral and watching the evening lights switch on across the grand Marienplatz square. | Munich Hotel | |
| Friday, March 26, 2027 | Munich | On Good Friday, we will experience a traditional holiday morning by heading to a solemn church service at St. Michael’s Jesuit Church, allowing us to hear sacred music echo under its massive Renaissance barrel vault. Afterwards, we will dedicate the rest of our day to world-class science education at the Deutsches Museum, the largest science and technology center in the world, located on an island in the river. Rather than listening to standard lectures, we will explore multiple floors of aerospace, marine, and physics exhibits at our own pace. We will watch live lightning demonstrations and walk through a replica coal mine deep beneath the building before heading out to a local restaurant for dinner. | Munich Hotel | |
| Saturday, March 27 | Munich - Salzburg | Today we will cross an international border for an unforgettable day trip to Salzburg, Austria. Using a regional train and a group ticket, we will see some amazing views of the Alps. We will ride a cable car up to a medieval fortress, walk through the manicured Mirabell Gardens, and admire the historic center's beautiful architecture. Even though we won't notice crossing the border, we are crossing into a different country, so we will make sure everyone has their physical passports on hand! | Munich Hotel | |
| Sunday, March 28, 2027 | Munich - Dachau | We will board a short suburban train ride from Munich out to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site to spend our morning taking a profound and educational walk through history. We will tour the camp gatehouse, the roll-call square, the reconstructed barracks, and the permanent exhibitions to gain a powerful, real-world lesson on the past. In the afternoon, we will transition to something much lighter by heading over to the futuristic BMW Welt building to explore the massive exhibition of cutting-edge cars, interactive technology displays, and modern architecture. We will then head back to central Munich to gather together at a traditional Bavarian beer hall to enjoy our final evening farewell dinner. | Munich Hotel | |
| Monday, March 29, 2027 | Munich - USA | This morning we head to airport and say aufwiedersehen Deutschland! | Airplane | |
| We have an extra day: | ||||
| option | bamberg day trip from nuremberg | A quick 30-minute high-speed train ride brings us straight to Bamberg from Nuremberg, for a focused Jesuit-themed day trip. We will walk into the historic Island District to explore the former Counter-Reformation headquarters of the Society of Jesus. At the Grüner Markt, we will view the 1613 Renaissance doorway of the Altes Gymnasium before entering St. Martin’s Church to see its world-famous, 3D-illusion dome ceiling painting. We will also wander the courtyards of the former Jesuit College.Since these landmarks sit tightly clustered together, we will have plenty of afternoon flexibility to explore the rest of Bamberg's UNESCO-listed Old Town. We will visit the unique Old Town Hall perched on a bridge, view the four-towered cathedral, and enjoy the New Residence rose garden views. Before our train ride back to Nuremberg for dinner Before catching our train back to Nuremberg, we will head to the rose garden at the New Residence palace to look down at the red-tiled roofs of the town, and be back in Nuremberg for dinner. |
Accommodations
In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing group accommodations. Walking Tree partners with hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, locally operated, clean and safe. We inspect each partner hotel to ensure they meet these standards.
Haus International München
Haus International is a hostel located in the Schwabing district of the city. This hostel includes free Wi-Fi and complimentary breakfast buffet. Haus International comfortably sleeps up to 8 students per room. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.
Jugendherberge Konstanz
Jugendherberge Konstanz is a hostel located in a former lighthouse directly on the banks of Lake Constance. Most rooms offer 4 beds, with ensuite bathrooms. Free Wi-Fi access throughout the building keeps everyone feeling connected. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.
DJH Jugendherberge Nürnberg
Hostel located inside a medieval castle, located on a hill overlooking the town center. Each room can comfortably sleep up to 6 people and has its own ensuite bathroom. Breakfast is included and free Wi-Fi is available in public areas. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.
Safety and Support
EASY FUNDING & PAYMENT
24/7 GLOBAL EMERGENCY LINE
HIGHLY VETTED PARTNERS
EXPERT LEADERSHIP
PRIVATE GROUP GUARANTEE
COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM SUPPORT
DEDICATION TO CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING
We wanted our 16 year old son’s first experience traveling without the family to be a positive one. We wanted a true quality program and are so glad his school chose Walking Tree. Everything went absolutely smoothly on the trip. Our son has told us again and again how wonderful, informed, friendly, and absolutely critical to the success of the trip the Walking Tree staff was.
Tina
Parent of Leo Narbonne, traveler on Peru Service Adventure
Your Adventure Includes
Estimated Airfare
In order to give our travelers the best possible price, we break out airfare from the Program Tuition. We will still handle all booking and ticketing via our flight partner who has access to special fares not available to the general public. Once confirmed, you will be invoiced for the flight roughly 75 days prior to travel.
Program Tuition Excludes: Travel insurance, baggage fees, passport/visa fees, laundry, souvenirs, and activities not listed on itinerary.
Resource Center
Why should high school students travel abroad? What happens if a participant gets sick? How quickly do we need to enroll? We’re sure you have plenty of questions and we’ve got you covered! Visit our Resource Center to discover the answers to your most pressing questions and contact us anytime with additional questions.