This program will run during the Summer A semester from May 18 through 31, 2026.

Day 1 (Monday, May 18, 2026): Travel Day

• Meet at P Lot (Stadium - not GTC) for bus to Toronto. Bus will leave at 12:45PM. Please arrive at least 15-20 minutes early. (Remember - you need your passport when you cross the border to Canada so don’t pack it in your suitcase)

• Bus will arrive in Toronto around 3:45-4:45PM (depending on traffic at the Canadian border)

• Condor Air Flight #DE 2403 departs Toronto at 7:55PM. Overnight flight to Frankfurt.

Day 2 (Tuesday, May 19, 2026): Orientation to Berlin

• Flight arrives in Frankfurt at 9:40AM.

• Go through customs and security; take train from airport at 11:30AM 

• Arrival in Berlin in afternoon (4:30-5:30PM depending on schedule) and check into accommodation at The Three Little Pigs Hostel

• Group dinner and free time to rest in the evening

• Overnight in Berlin.

Day 3 (Wednesday, May 20, 2026): 

• Breakfast at hostel in the morning

• Morning walking tour of central Berlin

• Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Memorial to Murdered Jews of Europe, Baudenkmal section of Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Gendarmenmarkt, etc.

• Break for group lunch

• Afternoon walking tour starting at the Deutsche Bahn Headquarters

• Visit to Panoramapunkt Berlin (Panorama Point), a 360 rooftop panorama overlooking Potsdamer Platz. Then walk to Potsdamer Platz to explore how this shopping center and business hub has emerged from the wasteland that it was during the Cold War.

• Walking tour will end at Sony Center

• Individual dinner and free time to explore Berlin in late afternoon and evening

• Overnight in Berlin.

Day 4 (Thursday, May 21, 2026): 

• Breakfast at hostel in the morning

• Morning walking tour of Alexanderplatz, Fernsehturm, Marienkirche, Berliner Dom, Neue Wache, Bebelplatz, etc Tour will end at Hackescher Markt.

• Lunch around Hackescher Markt. 

• Free afternoon to visit Museum Island. Explore the Pergamonmuseum, Neues Museum, Bode Museum, Altes Museum, and the National Gallery on their own. 

• Group dinner.

• Overnight in Berlin.

Day 5 (Friday, May 22, 2026): 

• Breakfast at hostel in the morning

• Morning train from Berlin Sudkreuz Station to Munich Hauptbahnhof (lunch on your own while on the train)

• Check into accommodation at Wombat’s City Hostel Munich (5 minute walk from the train station)

• Half-day walking tour of Munich Old Town - Marienplatz, Labyrinth Rathaus, Frauenkirche, St. Peter’s Bell Tower for view of old town, Odeonsplatz & Felderenhalle.

• Group dinner at restaurant in old town

• Overnight in Munich.

Day 6 (Saturday, May 23, 2026): 

• Breakfast at the hostel in the morning

• Morning guided tour of the BMW Museum.

• Free time in the afternoon for group to explore Munich on their own.

• Group tour of Hofbrauhaus to learn about production of German beer (Tour is about 30 minutes long plus the time for the tasting). 

• Group dinner at  Hofbrauhaus Munchen - the most famous beer hall in Germany. 

• Free time in Munich after dinner.

• Overnight in Munich.

Day 7 (Sunday, May 24, 2026): 

• Breakfast at hostel in the morning

• Day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle and Zugspitze

• Bus will pick up the group at 8AM.

• Morning drive from Munich to Obermoos, Austria

• Take the Tiroler Zugspitzebahn from Obermoos up to the top of Zugspitze - Germany’s highest peak. Once at the top station, walk from Austria back to the German side and take in the views. Then take the cable car back down to Obermoos.

• From Obermoos, continue to the town of Fussen.

• Lunch and free time to walk around the town of Fussen.

• Afternoon visit to Neuschwanstein Castle. Walk around the base of the castle and continue up the trail to Marienbrucke (bridge that offers the most famous view of the castle). Will not have time to go inside the castle as it is under renovation.

• Drive back to Munich from Fussen, arriving early evening to Munich.

• Overnight in Munich.

Day 8 (Monday, May 25, 2026):

• Breakfast at hostel in the morning

• Full day trip to Rothenburg ob der Tauber 

• Bus will depart at 9AM and arrive in Rothenburg around 11:30AM/12PM

• Group lunch and guided walking tour of Rothenburg

• Free time to explore walled city old town on their own after the walking tour. Plenty of places to eat, shop, visit, etc. (make sure to eat lunch and dinner in Rothenburg)

• Meet back at Gallows Gate at 6:00PM - drive back to Munich (arrival to accommodation around 9:30pm)

• Overnight in Munich

Day 9 (Tuesday, May 26, 2026): 

• Breakfast at hostel in the morning

• Depart for Dachau at 10AM. Morning guided day trip to Dachau Concentration Camp at 11:30AM. 

• Tour will last until 1PM. Arrive back in Munich around 2PM.

• Group reflection after arriving back to accommodation in Munich.

• Free time in the afternoon to explore Munich.

• Group dinner and overnight in Munich.

Day 10 (Wednesday, May 27, 2026): 

• Breakfast at hostel in the morning

• Morning train from Munich to Strasbourg, France (lunch on your own in train station during travel)

• Check into Hotel Kaijoo by HappyCulture in Strasbourg

• Afternoon guided walking tour of UNESCO Heritage Old Town - Place Kleber, Notre Dame Cathedral of Strasbourg, Grande-Ile, Barrage Vauban, Ponts Couverts. 

• Group dinner at a traditional Alsatian restaurant

• Free time in the evening.

• Overnight in Strasbourg.

Day 11 (Thursday, May 28, 2026): 

• Breakfast at hotel in the morning

• Morning visit to the European Parliament

• Group lunch in the old town square around the cathedral at a traditional Alsatian restaurant.

• Free time to walk around Strasbourg after lunch.

• Overnight in Strasbourg.

Day 12 (Friday, May 29, 2026):  

• Breakfast at the hotel in the morning

• Departure from hotel at 10:00AM by bus to Worth am Rhein for a guided tour of the Mercedes-Benz Daimler Truck Factory. 

• Tour starts at 12PM and will end around 1:30PM. The bus will pick up the group at 1:45PM and drop the group off at Karlsruhe Hbf (about 15 minutes away). Eat lunch at the train station or on the train.

• Train from Karlsruhe in the afternoon and to Frankfurt Hbf. 

• Check into Adina Apartment Hotel Frankfurt Neue Oper.

• Group dinner in the Romerberg area of Frankfurt.

• Overnight in Frankfurt.

Day 13 (Saturday, May 30, 2026): 

• Breakfast at hotel in the morning

• Walk to Bankenviertel, the financial center of Frankfurt - many headquarters are here including the Deutsche Bank Twin Towers - for a tour and short lecture. 

• Lunch on your own near Bankenviertel.

• Afternoon walking tour of Frankfurt - Romerberg (Old Town Center), Maintower (rooftop visit), Frankfurt Cathedral, The Hauptwache, Opernplatz, etc.

• Free time to explore Frankfurt in the afternoon and final group dinner. 

• Overnight in Frankfurt.

Day 14 (Sunday, May 31, 2026): 

• Public transportation from the hotel to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) - takes about 45 minutes.

• Condor flight #DE2402 departs from Frankfurt (FRA) at 2:15PM and arrives in Toronto at 5:55PM the same day. Bus from Toronto back to Nazareth. Should arrive on campus between 9:30-10:30PM.

This program will include stays at both hotels and hostels. Specific details regarding accommodations will be provided in the final itinerary before departure.

ECO.348 - German Economics & Business Culture

Students will study the German cultural norms, understand Germany's economy, visit historical sites, and discover a growing sustainable country. This class broadens the academics beyond business to include Germany’s cultural norms and how their culture drives the economy and their European leadership in sustainability. The trip explores some of the dark 20th Century German history and explains how it both haunts and motivates its society.

Student Learning Outcomes:

- Understand how the German culture drives innovation in its society.

- Evaluate how Germany is constantly growing as an exporter and financial power.

- Evaluate how Germany is leading Europe and North America in moving away from fossil fuels.

- Assess how the 20th century history still impacts German society today.

The program costs for 2026 are to be determined.

Funding Sources: 

SPARK-eligible students will have tuition for 3 credits covered in addition to receiving $1,500 from The Center for Life's Work.

Non-SPARK eligible students will receive a 2 credit-offset scholarship and will be responsible for the remaining tuition for 1 credit (per Summer 2026 credit cost). Each student will be eligible to receive some funding from the Center for International Education. All students will still need to pay the mandatory $30 course registration fee.

Program Fee Includes:

• Round trip airfare
• All hotels and accommodation
• All meals part of the itinerary
• All in-country transportation
• All museum entry fees, day trips, tours, etc.
• Bus to and from the Toronto (YYZ) airport
• International travel and medical insurance

Not Included:

• Passport (must be valid at least 6 months past the return date of the program). 
• Additional meals (meals not in the itinerary)
• Miscellaneous expenses (such as souvenirs, personal care items, etc.)

APPLY NOW!

All application for this program are due on October 17th. Interviews for this program will be held in the following weeks and acceptance emails will be sent out shortly after all interviews are held. The payment timeline will be shared at the time of acceptance into the program.