Language Immersion in Berlin

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2: Munich

Arrive in Munich, known for its bustling plazas, world-class museums and impressive architecture, and meet your ACIS Tour Manager. As you begin to discover this culturally rich city, sharpen your German-speaking skills by ordering a tasty tandem of kaffee und kuchen or a freshly baked pretzel. Köstlich!

Day 3: Munich

Explore Bavaria's capital city with an expertly guided sightseeing tour to sites like Marienplatz with its famed Glockenspiel, the Viktualienmarkt food and flower market and the surfers on the Isar River in the Englischer Garten. In the afternoon travel out to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial, a somber but compelling reminder of Nazi atrocities during World War II. Participate in a discussion about the rise of the Nazi Party and learn why every Munich school child must also visit this poignant site. Later, return to Munich to visit BMW World, a showcase devoted to the history and innovative technology of these world-renowned cars.

Day 4: Munich

Today enjoy a full-day excursion into German-speaking Austria with a visit to enchanting Salzburg. A guided sightseeing tour highlights many of the city's Sound of Music sites, including the lovely, manicured gardens in front of the Mirabell Palace, the Sound of Music Churchyard and the stunning Baroque Dom Cathedral. Next, you'll visit Mozart's Birthplace Museum on the crowded shopping street, the Getreidegasse. In the afternoon, we take you out to the Hallein Salt Mine, where you journey deep beneath the ground to learn more about how this precious mineral deeply influenced Salzburg's (literally, Salt Town) history. Slide down the long wooden slides the miners used and traverse a dark lake deep inside the mountain mine. Then return to Munich for a final evening in Bavaria.

Day 5: Berlin

This morning board a high-speed train to Berlin, one of Europe's great cultural centers and the capital of Germany. Upon your afternoon arrival, a local expert takes you on a guided sightseeing tour of the city, showing you some of Berlin's most important historical and cultural touchstones, including a portion of the Berlin Wall, the Holocaust Memorial, Potsdamer Platz, and the infamous Checkpoint Charlie. Later, break up into smaller groups to meet and begin to get to know your homestay family over dinner.

Day 6: Berlin

Drive to a local high school this morning to visit with local students. This valuable cultural exchange opportunity will provide numerous opportunities to further hone your German-speaking skills as you mingle with the students, learn about their lifestyles and participate in joint activities. In the evening spend time sharing stories and laughs with your homestay family.

Day 7: Berlin

Today's activities mix politics and pedals. Begin with a visit to the dome and rooftop terrace of the Reichstag Building, home of the German government and an iconic city landmark—the glass dome is a symbol of Germany's reunification in 1990. Then enjoy a Berlin Wall bike tour, which shows you portions of the infamous “death strip” that divided Germany in two for almost three decades. Your guide will provide fascinating insights into the politics, history and human drama surrounding this notorious fallen icon. Spend your final evening abroad practicing your German with locals as you explore more of this thriving city through the eyes and experiences of your homestay family.

Day 8: Departure

Depart for the USA.