Our Year 11s History students had an unforgettable five‑day trip exploring Berlin’s history and culture, during the half term holiday. Miss Nicholls reports…
Day One – Berlin bound!
Our Year 11 Berlin trip began bright and early on Friday as we departed from school in high spirits, bound for Edinburgh Airport. A shout out for our group from the captain was an early highlight – which Miss Nicholls managed to sleep through! After a long day of travelling, students arrived tired but excited for the day ahead, ready for their 7:15am wake-up call.
Day Two – Exploring Berlin
Day 2 marked our first full day in Berlin, and it was packed from start to finish. Students confidently navigated the city using the bus, U-Bahn and tram, as the day’s visits included the Jewish Museum, the historic Checkpoint Charlie and a section of the Berlin Wall. We also stopped by the Mall of Berlin and saw the iconic TV Tower in Alexanderplatz – nicknamed by the locals as the ‘beanpole’.
A highlight of the day was taking part in Mrs Giecco’s Big Berlin Quiz, which challenged students with a mix of general knowledge, GCSE History questions, and questions linked to the key sites we had visited. Competition was fierce, with the overall results too close to call. After an action-packed day, students were ready for an early night, in preparation for day 3.
Day Three – City tour
The day started with a tram ride to Alexanderplatz, where the city was already bustling in the cold, snowy weather. From there, Sonny and Will stepped up as our map-reading guides, confidently leading us along Unter den Linden to Bebelplatz. Here we saw the memorial marking the site of the 1933 Nazi book burning – an underground ‘empty library’.
We then followed the River Spree in the direction of the Brandenburg Gate and headed to the Murdered Jews of Europe Memorial, before our visit to the Bundestag where we climbed to the top of its glass dome. From there, we looked out across snowy Berlin, spotting many of the landmarks we had visited during our time in the city. The contrast between the historic building and the modern dome helped students to reflect on the history of the building and the Germany of today.
Following lunch at the Hauptbahnhof, we then visited the Mitte District and ended the day at the DDR museum, where interactive exhibits helped us understand everyday life in East Germany during the Cold War. After a long and packed day of site seeing, we returned to the hotel for some well-earned downtime.
Day Four – A day of reflection
Day four began with a visit to Sachsenhausen Memorial, which was a sobering and powerful experience. As we walked through the memorial, students took time to quietly reflect at key sites, including the roll-call square, the barracks and the memorial areas. Seeing the scale and layout of the camp helped deepen their understanding of how the Nazi regime systematically imprisoned, dehumanised and persecuted thousands of people. The visit encouraged thoughtful discussion about responsibility, memory and the importance of preserving history so that such atrocities are never repeated.
We returned to the Hauptbahnhof for lunch, where we were treated to an impromptu freestyle performance by a local musician — an unexpected and memorable moment that brought a lighter contrast to the morning’s solemn visit.
In the afternoon, students explored the Topography of Terror Exhibition, deepening their understanding of the Nazi regime and the systems of control and persecution. Once again, students confidently navigated the U-Bahn and S-Bahn, showing just how comfortable they had become using Berlin’s transport network.
Our evening meal of schnitzel was enjoyed at a local restaurant near Alexanderplatz, followed by some final souvenir shopping. We ended the trip with one last M6 tram ride back to the hotel — tired, reflective and ready for our final day.
Day Five – Homeward Bound
After checking out of the hotel, we travelled by coach to the German Resistance Museum. A fantastic team of guides led us through the exhibition, bringing to life the stories of those who opposed the Nazi regime, including members of the July Plot and other resistance groups.
Heavy snow meant a delay to our flight, but the extra shopping time at the airport was not met with too many complaints. Once the runway and plane had been de-iced, we were finally homeward bound!
Arriving at Edinburgh airport we completed the final leg of our journey by coach back to school. Students arrived tired but full of fantastic memories, having truly brought their learning to life over an unforgettable five days in Berlin.
