The Alps: Germany, Austria & Switzerland
Highlight: Develop an ear for how the sound of common words and phrases changes by region—from the standard German spoken in Munich to the Swiss German spoken in Lucerne.
🔹 Curated experiences: Every program is intentionally designed to feature guided learning, cultural engagement, and independent exploration experiences to drive global competency development, denoted on each itinerary with a blue diamond. Learn more about these experiences.
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Day 1: Fly overnight to Germany
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Day 2: Munich
Meet your Field Director at the airportTake a walking tour of Munich
With your Field Director you will see:
- Munich Cathedral, the representative landmark of Munich
- New Town Hall, a towering building home to the city government
- Hofbräuhaus, a famous beer hall dating back to the 16th century and a symbol of Bavarian hospitality
Enjoy a traditional Bavarian dinner in Munich
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Day 3: Munich
Take a guided tour of Munich
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Olympic Stadium, built for the 1972 Olympic Games
- Residenz, the former royal palace of the Wittelsbach monarchs
- Marienplatz, Munich's main city square
🔹 Guided learning: With an expert local guide, visit and reflect at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, which today serves as a memorial museum and a stark reminder of the darkest chapter in this country’s long story
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Day 4: Munich • Salzburg • Innsbruck
Travel via Salzburg, the city of Mozart and the Sound of Music, on your way to Innsbruck
🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Salzburg
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Old Town, known for it's baroque architecture and churches
- Residenz, the former royal power center of Salzburg
- Mozart’s birthplace, now a museum that will transport you back in time
Take an exciting underground tour via train, boat and wooden slides through the 450-year-old salt mines
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Day 5: Innsbruck
🔹 Cultural engagement: Tour Innsbruck, the beautiful capital of the Austrian province of Tyrol, with an expert local guide
Take the Nordkette Cable Car to the top station of the Karwendel Mountain Chain for a beautiful view
Enjoy dinner in Innsbruck
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Day 6: Innsbruck • Liechtenstein • Lucerne region
Travel via Liechtenstein and Neuschwanstein to the Lucerne region
Visit a Bavarian Castle
Stop to take a photo at Neuschwanstein Castle
Enjoy dinner at your hotel in the Lucerne region
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Day 7: Lucerne region
🔹 Cultural engagement: Take a walking tour of Lucerne
With your Field Director you will see:
- Lion Monument, a sandstone statue commemorating the Swiss Guards slain in the 1792 Paris storming of the Tuileries
- Kapellbrücke, a covered bridge dating back to medieval days adorned with colorful murals overhead
Add this in-depth excursion:
Swiss Alps experience
This exciting half-day adventure takes you to the top of one of the Swiss Alps, the majestic mountainous backdrop of Lucerne. Journey to the base of the mountain by boat and ride a cog railway to the top. You’ll reach the summit and be rewarded with a splendid panorama of Lucerne, its lake, and the glorious snow-capped Alps. On a clear day, you can see for more than 200 miles! You’ll get back to the foot of the mountain by way of a gondola ride. (Please note: Mountains can be cold, even in summer; warm clothes and appropriate shoes are recommended.)
Enjoy dinner at your hotel in the Lucerne region
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Day 8: Lucerne region • Freiburg • Heidelberg
Travel via Freiburg to Heidelberg
🔹 Independent exploration: Spend time exploring Freiburg on your own and see its many Baroque, Renaissance and Gothic buildings
Take a tour of Heidelberg, a renowned university city lined with medieval streets and peaked red roofs
Ride a funicular up to Heidelberg Castle, and stand beside the enormous wine barrel—it’s so large that a dance floor was once built on top of it for visitors’ amusement
Enjoy dinner in Heidelberg
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Day 9: Depart for home
Add more days
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Day 9: Heidelberg • Rhineland
Travel to the Rhineland, a hub for agriculture and wineries that was once a demilitarized zone during WWII
Enjoy a Rhine cruise from Ruedesheim and continue past the terraced vineyards and age-old castles of the St. Goarshausen (March through October)
Enjoy dinner in Rhineland
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Day 10: Rhineland • Cologne
Take an excursion to Cologne, the historic, cultural, and economic capital of the Rhineland
Visit the Cologne Cathedral, a sublime, war-scarred Gothic cathedral that took more than 600 years to complete; its impressive twin spires are among the tallest in the world
Tour Cologne with an expert local guide, including its cathedral, the largest Gothic church in northern Europe, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996
Enjoy dinner in Rhineland
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Day 11: Depart for home
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Day 1: Fly overnight to Germany
-
Day 2: Munich
Meet your Field Director at the airportTake a walking tour of Munich
With your Field Director you will see:
- Munich Cathedral, the representative landmark of Munich
- New Town Hall, a towering building home to the city government
- Hofbräuhaus, a famous beer hall dating back to the 16th century and a symbol of Bavarian hospitality
Enjoy a traditional Bavarian dinner in Munich
-
Day 3: Munich
Take a guided tour of Munich
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Olympic Stadium, built for the 1972 Olympic Games
- Residenz, the former royal palace of the Wittelsbach monarchs
- Marienplatz, Munich's main city square
🔹 Guided learning: With an expert local guide, visit and reflect at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, which today serves as a memorial museum and a stark reminder of the darkest chapter in this country’s long story
-
Day 4: Munich • Salzburg • Innsbruck
Travel via Salzburg, the city of Mozart and the Sound of Music, on your way to Innsbruck
🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Salzburg
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Old Town, known for it's baroque architecture and churches
- Residenz, the former royal power center of Salzburg
- Mozart’s birthplace, now a museum that will transport you back in time
Take an exciting underground tour via train, boat and wooden slides through the 450-year-old salt mines
-
Day 5: Innsbruck
🔹 Cultural engagement: Tour Innsbruck, the beautiful capital of the Austrian province of Tyrol, with an expert local guide
Take the Nordkette Cable Car to the top station of the Karwendel Mountain Chain for a beautiful view
Enjoy dinner in Innsbruck
-
Day 6: Innsbruck • Liechtenstein • Lucerne region
Travel via Liechtenstein and Neuschwanstein to the Lucerne region
Visit a Bavarian Castle
Stop to take a photo at Neuschwanstein Castle
Enjoy dinner at your hotel in the Lucerne region
-
Day 7: Lucerne region
🔹 Cultural engagement: Take a walking tour of Lucerne
With your Field Director you will see:
- Lion Monument, a sandstone statue commemorating the Swiss Guards slain in the 1792 Paris storming of the Tuileries
- Kapellbrücke, a covered bridge dating back to medieval days adorned with colorful murals overhead
Add this in-depth excursion:
Swiss Alps experience
This exciting half-day adventure takes you to the top of one of the Swiss Alps, the majestic mountainous backdrop of Lucerne. Journey to the base of the mountain by boat and ride a cog railway to the top. You’ll reach the summit and be rewarded with a splendid panorama of Lucerne, its lake, and the glorious snow-capped Alps. On a clear day, you can see for more than 200 miles! You’ll get back to the foot of the mountain by way of a gondola ride. (Please note: Mountains can be cold, even in summer; warm clothes and appropriate shoes are recommended.)
Enjoy dinner at your hotel in the Lucerne region
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Day 8: Lucerne region • Freiburg • Heidelberg
Travel via Freiburg to Heidelberg
🔹 Independent exploration: Spend time exploring Freiburg on your own and see its many Baroque, Renaissance and Gothic buildings
Take a tour of Heidelberg, a renowned university city lined with medieval streets and peaked red roofs
Ride a funicular up to Heidelberg Castle, and stand beside the enormous wine barrel—it’s so large that a dance floor was once built on top of it for visitors’ amusement
Enjoy dinner in Heidelberg
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Day 9: Depart for home
Add more days
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Day 9: Heidelberg • Rhineland
Travel to the Rhineland, a hub for agriculture and wineries that was once a demilitarized zone during WWII
Enjoy a Rhine cruise from Ruedesheim and continue past the terraced vineyards and age-old castles of the St. Goarshausen (March through October)
Enjoy dinner in Rhineland
-
Day 10: Rhineland • Cologne
Take an excursion to Cologne, the historic, cultural, and economic capital of the Rhineland
Visit the Cologne Cathedral, a sublime, war-scarred Gothic cathedral that took more than 600 years to complete; its impressive twin spires are among the tallest in the world
Tour Cologne with an expert local guide, including its cathedral, the largest Gothic church in northern Europe, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996
Enjoy dinner in Rhineland
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Day 11: Depart for home
Confidence • Curiosity • Global perspective • Empathy • Adaptability • Relatability • Self-Awareness
What's Included
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Transportation
Various modes of transport are tailored to your program. While some transfers are included, others may come at additional cost.
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Accommodations
Safe, comfortable lodging will be waiting for you at your destination.
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Select meals
Enjoy a combination of included meals and the freedom to explore local cuisine on your own.
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End-to-end support
Your dedicated EF team helps secure administrative approval and academic credit, provides enrollment tools, and helps establish your program’s ongoing presence on campus.
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EF Global Learning Toolkit
We offer various tools to help educators facilitate student growth abroad and on campus, including academically enriched travel programs, industry engagement opportunities, global learning resources, and a Global Competencies Assessment tool.
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Guided exploration
Gain insider knowledge and cultural perspective from licensed local guides: natural historians who provide cultural insights to enhance learning moments throughout the program.
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Field Visits
Experience academics in action during engaging visits with relevant organizations, thought leaders, and partners.
