NOTE: This was the itinerary in 2024 and it is subject to change in 2026. 

Day 1: Departure from either Toronto (YYZ) or New York City (JFK). Overnight flight.

Day 2: Arrival in Berlin in the morning/early afternoon. Lunch at a biergarten. Hald-day walking tour of central Berlin - Reichstag, Brandenberg Gate, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Berlin Wall, Gendarmenmarkt, Baudenkmal, etc. Group dinner. Overnight in Berlin.

Day 3: Visit Deutsche Bahn Headquarters in the morning. Across the street is Panoramapunkt Berlin (Panorama Point), a 360 rooftop panorama overlooking Potsdamer Platz. Then go to Potsdamer Platz to see how this shopping center and business hub has emerged from the wasteland that it was in 1987. Visit to the Institute for Ecological Economy Research for a guest lecture/overview of their projects. Overnight in Berlin.

Day 4: Walking tour of Alexanderplatz, Berliner Dom, etc. Group lunch around Hackescher Markt. Afternoon visit to Museum Island and free time to explore Pergamonmuseum, Neues Museum, Bode Museum, Altes Museum, James Simon Gallery, and/or the National Gallery at your own pace. Overnight in Berlin.

Day 5: Morning train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Munich Hauptbahnhof. Arrival to Munich around 12-1pm. 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 Hofbrauhaus. Overnight in Munich.

Day 6: Early morning visit to the BMW Production Plant. Group lunch. Afternoon visit to the Siemens Corporate Headquarters, the world’s largest supplier of sustainable technology. Students can walk back to the hotel or old town from Siemens. Free time in Munich in late afternoon and evening. Overnight in Munich.

Day 7:  Morning guided day trip to Dachau Concentration Camp. Private bus transfer from hotel and guide with 3-4 hours on site (5-6 hour day total). Free time in Munich in the afternoon. Set aside time to reflect about visiting a concentration camp at group dinner. Overnight in Munich.

Day 8: Guided day trip to Rothenberg ob der Tauber. Visit the Harburg Castle, Dinkelsbuhl, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber in this full day tour via bus. Return to Munich via Bavarian countryside where the largest hops fields are in Germany. Lunch and dinner on your own today. Overnight in Munich.

Day 9: Guided day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle in the morning. Then take the cog train and cable car up to Zugspitze viewpoint (Zugspitze is Germany’s highest peak). Spend an hour or so at the top where you can walk across the mountaintop border to Austria, then come down to explore the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the late afternoon. Group dinner in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, then back to Munich by bus. Overnight in Munich.

Day 10: Morning train from Munich to Stuttgart. Explore the city center - Schillerplatz, Stiftskirche, Plaza del Castillo, etc. Group lunch, then afternoon at the Mercedes-Benz Museum. This museum serves as a great bridge between history, business, innovation, and museum studies. Free time in the late afternoon and evening. Overnight in Stuttgart.

Day 11: Day trip to Strasbourg, France via train, a city that has been passed back and forth between Germany and France for centuries. Group visit to the European Parliament and an opportunity for students to learn about and experience how EU/Schengen area borders operate. Group lunch in old town. Afternoon walking tour of UNESCO island - Place Kleber, Notre Dame Cathedral of Strasbourg, Grande-Ile, Barrage Vauban, Ponts Couverts. Train back to Stuttgart in late afternoon/early evening. Overnight in Stuttgart.

Day 12: Morning train from Stuttgart to Frankfurt. Walking tour of Frankfurt - Romerberg (Old Town Center), Maintower (rooftop visit), Frankfurt Cathedral, The Hauptwache, Opernplatz, and theFrankfurt Stock Exchange. Overnight in Frankfurt.

Day 13: Visit the Frankfurt Museum to discover how the city has been a trade center since 749. Lunch and the visit Bankenviertel, the financial center of Frankfurt - many headquarters are here including the Deutsche Bank Twin Towers - nicknamed the “Greentowers.” Free afternoon for students to explore Frankfurt. Final group dinner. Overnight in Frankfurt.

Day 14: Full day of travel. Departure for direct flight from Frankfurt to Toronto. Bus back from Toronto to Nazareth.

ECO.348 - German Economics & Business Culture

Students will learn the German cultural norms, understand Germany's economy, visit historical sites, discover a growing sustainable country, and enjoy a unique environment. 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 tours the dark German 20th Century 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.

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

This program will run during Summer A, in May/June 2026.

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 either New York (JFK) or Toronto (YYZ) airports
• Travel Insurance

Not Included:

• Passport (must be valid at least 6 months past the return date of the program). Contact Josh Fess as soon as possible for assistance with applying for or renewing your passport.
• Additional meals (meals not in the itinerary)
• Miscellaneous expenses (such as souvenirs, personal care items, etc.)

Payment timeline is to be determined.