Category: Spring Break 2025

Topping off our cultural sites of Berlin.

The Pergamon Museum. Das Panorama in Berlin is a temporary exhibition showcasing a 360-degree panorama by artist Yadegar Asisi, depicting ancient Pergamon in vivid detail. The immersive experience combines large-scale digital projections with original artifacts from the Pergamon Museum, bringing the ancient city to life. It’s an alternative to the main Pergamon Museum, which is…

Sobering images and stories coming from Berlin’s sites as a result of their dedication to keeping history alive to ensure we do not repeat it. It was chilling how much the rhetoric and sentiments are present today.

Visiting the DDR Museum and the Berlin Wall Memorial offers a powerful look at Germany’s Cold War history and its lasting relevance today. The DDR Museum provides an immersive experience of life in East Germany, from surveillance and propaganda to everyday struggles and state-controlled living. Interactive exhibits allow visitors to sit in a Trabant car,…

Followed Rick Steves audio tour around Berlin today. More to follow tomorrow. During a visit around Berlin, highlights included the Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom), an architectural masterpiece with stunning interiors and panoramic city views from its dome.

Weesenstein Castle, a well-preserved fortress-turned-palace in Saxony, played a role in Nazi art history as one of the many sites used to store looted artwork during World War II. As part of Hitler’s systematic plundering of cultural treasures, the castle housed valuable paintings and artifacts, some of which had been stolen from occupied territories. Visiting…

Königstein Fortress, one of Europe’s largest hilltop fortresses, offers stunning views over the Elbe Valley. Notable highlights include the Giant Cask, once the largest wine barrel in Europe, capable of holding 55,000 gallons, though it was never fully used. The fortress also played a role in history as a prison, famously holding American officers captured…

Nestled in the stunning landscape of Saxon Switzerland, Bastei Bridge is one of Germany’s most breathtaking viewpoints. The iconic stone bridge, built in the 19th century, connects towering sandstone formations, offering panoramic views of the Elbe River and the surrounding national park. The short hike to the bridge is accessible and rewards visitors with dramatic…

Lilienstein is one of the most iconic table mountains in Saxon Switzerland, offering breathtaking views over the Elbe Valley and the surrounding national park. The hike up is moderately challenging, with well-marked trails leading through forests, rocky paths, and occasional staircases carved into the sandstone. At the summit, panoramic vistas stretch across the dramatic rock…

Started off Spring Break in a warm tropical environment. Tropical Islands Resort, located about 60 km south of Berlin 🇩🇪 , opened in 2004 as one of Europe’s largest indoor waterparks. The resort is housed in the massive Tropical Dome, originally built as an airship hangar by Cargolifter AG. After the company went bankrupt, the…