Tour description
Join us on this 14-day adventure to explore Berlin’s vibrant culture, history, art, architecture, music, film and fashion scenes. The tour is designed for anyone interested in Berlin and its cultural and historical heritage. Discover the city through literary and musical references and by visits to various museums, collections, monuments, memorials and historical buildings.
As you experience the marvels of this city you will gain an appreciation of the diversity that historical and contemporary Berlin has to offer. As the capital of the former Prussian Empire, Berlin was divided by the Allies into four zones after WWII and served as the backdrop of many Cold War films. Check Point Charlie is only one of the memorable locations where history is on display in a museum and on the street.
Along with the city’s rich repertoire of theatre, opera, ballet, symphony and other concerts and performances, there are also many free public events to explore. The multi-ethnic culinary heritage makes Berlin a top destination for foodies as well. This tour provides a balance of guided and organized visits and time for individual explorations of places and areas of interest. Day excursions outside of Berlin, to Leipzig and Dresden, are also included.
Academic resource
Kat Sark, PhD, teaches in the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies and the Department of History at UVic and she is the founder of the Canadian Fashion Scholars Network and the co-founder of the Urban Chic book series published by Intellect.
Pre-tour sessions
Your four pre-tour classroom sessions will be held on Wednesdays, April 10 to May 1 from 7 to 9 pm. Please note: should you be unable to attend any or all of the pre-tour sessions, we will do our best to send you information discussed and distributed at these classes in a timely manner. It is not possible to offer a reduction of the tour cost for missed classes.
Travel itinerary
(subject to change and rearrangement)
Meals included: B = breakfast L = lunch D = dinner
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Victoria – Vancouver – Frankfurt
Depart Victoria this afternoon for Vancouver, where we transfer to our overnight flight to Frankfurt.
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Frankfurt – Berlin
We arrive in Berlin this afternoon and are met and transferred by coach to our hotel, where we’ll spend the next 12 nights. Welcome dinner this evening. (D)
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Berlin
We start our Berlin adventure with a guided walking tour this morning, including such sites as the Brandenburg Gate, the Memorial of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Hitler’s bunker, The Reichstag and more. Lunch included. Remainder of the day at leisure. (B/L)
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Berlin
This morning we have a guided walking tour of the former East Berlin, visiting such sites as Alexanderplatz, Karl-Marx-Allee, Oberbaum Bridge and the East-Side-Gallery. This afternoon we have a 90-minute guided overview tour through the fascinating Deutsche Kinemathek film museum, which traces the evolution of the German film and television industries, including an exhibition dedicated to Marlene Dietrich. Evening free. (B)
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Berlin
This morning we have a 90-minute guided tour of The German Historical Museum, taking us chronologically through 1,500 years of Germany’s past. Afternoon free. This evening we attend a performance of the Berlin Philharmonic, with works by Mozart and Bruckner. (B)
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Berlin
After breakfast, we escape the city and transfer by coach to the Berlin Botanical Gardens, where there will be ample time to wander through the beautiful gardens and greenhouses. We will have a group lunch, followed by a one-hour guided tour of the small, but lovely, Brücke-Museum of German Expressionist art. Evening free. (B/L)
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Berlin – Dresden – Berlin
Today we have a guided tour by coach to Dresden, a city famous for its culture and architecture. Upon arrival we will have a walking tour of the city centre, including entrance to the Semperoper. Afterward, enjoy lunch with time to wander on your own, perhaps along the shore of the Elbe River. We depart Dresden later in the afternoon. Group dinner upon our return to Berlin. (B/D)
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Berlin
A free day for you to take in some sites that are of interest to you. You might wish to go shopping, visit one of the many museums in the city or use your seven-day transit pass to visit Waansee or Potsdam. (B)
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Berlin
Guided tour of Jewish Berlin, including lunch. Remainder of the day at leisure. (B/L)
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Berlin – Leipzig – Berlin
Today we’ll take a day excursion by coach to Leipzig, where we’ll enjoy a historic walking tour, including St. Thomas Church, where JS Bach was Cantor from 1723 until his death in 1750. We’ll have lunch together and then visit Mendelssohn-Haus, a fascinating interactive museum dedicated to Felix and his sister, Fanny. Afterward, you’ll have time to wander through Leipzig on your own before we board our coach and head back to Berlin. (B/L)
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Berlin
This morning we make our way to the Berggruen Museum to view this private collection of works by Picasso, Matisse, Klee, Chagall and Braque. From there, we walk a short distance to catch a guided boat tour on the Spree River (with lunch), giving us a different perspective on some of the sites we saw on our walking tours. (B/L)
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Berlin
This morning we have a one-hour guided tour of highlights of the Pergamon Museum, followed by time on your own. This evening we see a production of Puccini’s Turandot by the Deutsche Opera Berlin. (B)
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Berlin
Free day on your own to wander through the Tiergarten or people-watch as you enjoy a coffee or glass of beer at the Café am Neuen See, visit the Holocaust Memorial or another of the many museums in Berlin. We have our farewell dinner tonight. (B/D)
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Berlin – Frankfurt – Vancouver – Victoria
We depart Berlin this morning and arrive home in late afternoon. (B)
Fees and registration
| Tour dates | May 7 – 20, 2019 |
| Total tour cost | $6,625.00 |
| Early bird cost* | $6,425.00 |
| Single supplement | $1,430.00 |
To ensure a place on this tour, a non-refundable deposit of $500 is required with the registration form by Jan. 29, 2019 (provided space is still available). The balance of payment is due on Feb. 5, 2019.
*Early bird: Pay your deposit by Dec. 14, 2018 and receive a $200 reduction on your balance.
Cancellation
A cancellation fee of $500 per person will apply up to final payment date.
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