A wide variety of excursions, such as cultural field trips and company visits are included and an integral part of your semester abroad program. We have made sure that no one goes home feeling like you weren’t able to see enough of Heidelberg and the rest of Europe. Besides, we will organize many optional evening and weekend activities.
The excursion itinerary is finalized at the start of each semester program.
Semester Excursions
In and around Heidelberg
- Guided walking tour of Heidelberg's historic city center
- Visit the famous Heidelberg Schloss (castle)
- Guided tour at the Kurpfälzisches Museum in Heidelberg
- Guided tour of the Hambach Castle
- Guided tour of the Schwetzingen Palace
- Guided walking tour of Speyer
- Guided walking tour of Worms
- Visit to a brewery
3-day excursion to Berlin
Germany's Capital City
- Guided walking tour of the city
- Guided tours of significant museums such as the Mauermuseum Haus (Berlin Wall Museum) at Checkpoint Charlie and the Berlin Wall Memorial, the Jewish Museum and the Deutscher Dom
- Guided tour of the Reichstag, home of the German parliament
2-day excursion to Strasbourg
Strasbourg, France - Headquarters of the European Union
During this excursion, you will have the opportunity to become familiar with both the modern and historical roles of Strasbourg. Both the Council of Europe and the European Union have their headquarters here and you will be able to visit either the European Parliament or the Council of Europe during your time in Strasbourg.
For a look into the culture and history of Strasbourg, you will enjoy a boat tour through the city. You will find out more about the unique fusion of French and German cultures and why the city has been significant in European history for several centuries.
Addionally, this excursion will be combined with the international symposium.
International Symposium
"Castle Talks"
International Symposium in Strasbourg
As an integral part of your semester abroad, you will participate in an international symposium. The symposium is presented at G.I.V.E. - The Global Institute for Values and Education - located at the Château de Pourtalès in Strasbourg, France. Over the course of two days, you will interact with other students, take part in panel discussions, and listen to different presentations on interesting topics from European professors, business leaders, politicians, and academics.
Read more about the International Symposium »
Day excursion to Frankfurt
Frankfurt - Germany's Financial Center
Frankfurt am Main is another one of Germany's largest cities. You will travel by train to Frankfurt to spend a day finding out about the importance of this city in the global economy. A visit to the European Central Bank or the German Bundesbank will give you a firsthand look at how the banking industry works in Europe. A visit to the Money Museum of the Deutsche Bundesbank will deepen your understanding of the role of money in local and international economies and provide you with an overview of the production of money. Finally, a visit to the German Stock Exchange will allow you to see in person how Xetra trading works and how German efficiency contributes to the overall atmosphere at one of the world's largest stock exchanges.
John Deere Plant in Mannheim
John Deere started out with a small workshop and the desire to help farmers. The ideas and products that came out of that small workshop have transformed agricultural processes throughout the world. Since its founding in 1837, John Deere has managed to stay abrest of changes in the world market and continues to produce only the highest quality agricultural equiment.
Take some time and read a short report by Brian Sutera »
Capri Sonne Production Plant in Eppelheim/Heidelberg
BASF in Ludwigshafen
Read through Joe Russomanno's feedback (ESC semester student from The College of New Jersey) about their visit in Fall 2016.