A trip to Berlin, with a focus on the Cold War, will give your students a better understanding of how and why the city was divided.
School trips to Berlin remain a hugely popular option for teachers of many subjects, including German, history, art, and design and technology.
Berlin is one of our favourite destinations because you can go there every year and still find something new to see and do each time, which makes it a great choice for a regular, annual school trip.
Plus, because we know the city so well ourselves, we can help you design an itinerary to suit your specific requirements and learning objectives.
Of course, you’ll want to spend some of your time in Berlin sightseeing and visits to the Brandenburg Gate, the Bundestag, and the TV Tower are not to be missed.
It's a perfect year-round destination. And although the warm summers in Berlin are lovely, you may want to consider visiting during December to include a visit to the Christmas markets.
Browse our trips
Cold War School Trip to Berlin
Political History School Trip to Berlin
Explore the politics behind the Weimar Republic, WW1, WW2, the Cold War and the European Union.
£240PP
School German Culture Trip to Berlin
Where better to immerse your students in the German culture than the country's vibrant capital?
£449PP
School German Language Study Trip to Berlin
Berlin offers total immersion in the local language and culture, with German lessons at a specialist language school.
£585PP
The Nazis & the Holocaust School Trip to Berlin
After this trip, your students will better understand how and why the Nazis rose to power.
£501PP
The Nazis & the Holocaust School Trip to Berlin & Krakow
This trip to Berlin & Krakow includes a visit to Auschwitz and is unmissable for groups studying the Nazis & the Holocaust.
£749PP
School Art Trip to Berlin
Discover how art can be influenced by the social, economic and political environment of the artist.
£519PP
School Christmas Markets Trip to Berlin
Berlin is an exciting city for a school trip at any time of year but at Christmas, it becomes truly magical!
£449PP
School Design and Technology Trip to Berlin
On your design and technology school trip to Berlin, your students will discover why German engineering is so highly regarded!
£699PP
Why choose Halsbury?
We build your trip around you
Tell us your learning objectives, curriculum and budget and we’ll do the rest.
Contact usWe’re trusted for a reason
We’re members of ABTA, ABTOT and the School Travel Forum. We also hold an ATOL and the LOtC Quality Badge.
Read moreOur Education specialists
Laura Lucas
Tour Consultant
Paul Hudson
Tour Consultant
Laura Martin
Language Sales & Product Manager
Emma Gray da Silva
Tour Consultant
Meet our education specialists and get to know more about the people committed to making your school trip the best it can be.
Why visit Berlin?
A city full of history
The vibrant capital of Germany always proves to be a massive hit with students.
It’s a city that wears its recent history on its sleeve. It’s particularly brilliant for bringing to life some of the darker events of the 20th century, with many visits and activities suitable for history groups.
In fact, we’d argue that there’s nowhere better to learn about the Nazis and the Holocaust and the Cold War than Berlin, thanks to the many fantastic museums and historical sites that bring 20th-century history to life for your 21st-century students.
And, even if you’re not in Berlin for the history, you may want to take some time to visit one of the many excellent museums, such as the Checkpoint Charlie Museum, the Jewish Museum and the Story of Berlin.
Get your students talking!
But it’s not just about history. Berlin is a great choice for a trip to discover German culture through practising the language.
We can even arrange for your students to have German lessons at a specialist language school in the city, which is a great option for groups preparing for their GCSE or A-level exams.
Regardless, while you’re exploring the city, students will have plenty of opportunities to discover the culture and practice their German skills.
A creative city
Berlin is a forward-thinking city and its youthful, creative atmosphere always goes down well with students.
The city has long been at the forefront of art, fashion and design, and is part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network.
This makes it a great destination for art and D&T groups too!
Learn more
16 May 2019
Getting to Know Berlin by Asha Loizou
Asha recently visited Berlin - find out what she thought of her first visit to the German capital.
25 Aug 2022
Keep costs down on your school trip to Berlin - check out our top tips for free things to do in the German capital!
Activities in Berlin that your school group will love
Checkpoint Charlie Museum
During the lifetime of the Berlin Wall, this was the only way for non-Germans to cross from one half of the city to the other.
DDR Museum
Welcome to one of Europe's most interactive museums.
Berlin Wall Memorial
This open-air exhibition on the infamous Bernauer Strasse illustrates how the Wall divided the city from 1961 until 1989.
Cold War Berlin Walking tour
Retrace the often ghost-like trail of the Berlin Wall taking in guard towers and tank traps.
Bundestag
Take your students to visit the Bundestag, formerly the Reichstag, which is once again the focus of German political life.
Berliner Fernsehturm (TV Tower)
Visible from almost any point in the city, the television tower was a flagship of East German architecture.
Subterranean Berlin
This tour of underground Berlin takes you through World War Two air raid shelters and tunnels used to smuggle people out of East Germany.
Jewish Museum Berlin
The most visited museum in Germany, it's guaranteed to be a thought-provoking experience.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Opened in May 2005, this controversial and long-awaited monument includes an underground exhibition on the Holocaust.
Topographie of Terror
Built on the site of the former headquarters of the Reich Security Head Office, this exhibition tries to shed some light on the darkest chapter of German history.
East Side Gallery
The longest surviving section of the Wall that once divided the city, this half-mile stretch along the bank of the River Spree was decorated by artists from across the world in 1990.
FAQs
What's the best way to get around Berlin?
Public transport – the u-bahn, s-bahn and trams will get you anywhere in Berlin. Also a lot of the main sights are within walking distance of each other.
How long should we stay in Berlin?
Four days is good if you want to do a visit that’s a bit further outside of Berlin, such as the House of the Wannsee Conference (Potsdam) or Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp (Oranienburg).Also, there are so many options for guided tours and museums that 3 days just isn’t really enough.
Can we combine Berlin with another destination?
You can combine Berlin and [Krakow](https://www.halsbury.com/school-trips/poland/krakow) with an overnight coach transfer as a 5-6 day tour. [Munich](https://www.halsbury.com/school-trips/germany/munich) may also be another possibility.
Can I run a cross-curricular school trip to Berlin?
Yes, you can! Berlin is a fantastic destination for a number of subjects, including [German](https://www.halsbury.com/school-trips/subjects/german), [art](https://www.halsbury.com/school-trips/subjects/art) and [history](https://www.halsbury.com/school-trips/subjects/history). You can choose to go to visits together or we can split the group up at certain points so that the historians can visit a history attraction while the others visit an art museum, for example. Berlin is also a great choice for history groups studying the [Nazis and the Holocaust](https://www.halsbury.com/school-trips/subjects/the-nazis-and-the-holocaust) or the [Cold War](https://www.halsbury.com/school-trips/subjects/the-cold-war). Please don't hesitate to [contact us](https://www.halsbury.com/contact-halsbury-travel) for further information on how your cross-curricular school trip to Berlin might work.
Which visits are a must on a school trip to Berlin?
The TV tower offers the best views over Berlin and is especially great in the evening. And the Brandenburg Gate is another iconic monument in the city centre. You'll also want to visit Checkpoint Charlie, the former border crossing between East and West Berlin.
Are there any free things to do in Berlin?
The East Side Gallery is a 1.3km open-air gallery which is a great, free visit for both art and history groups. And you can visit the Reichstag dome and rooftop terrace for free too. The Berlin Wall Memorial, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the Topography of Terror are all free too.
Let's chat!