Renewable Energy in Germany & Switzerland
🔹 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: Frankfurt • Darmstadt • Heidelberg
Meet your Field Director at the airportTravel via Darmstadt, known as a high-tech center with various industries, on your way to Heidelberg
Stop to take a photo at Hundertwasser's Waldspirale, a colorful U-shaped building that features more than 1,000 windows (no two are alike), rounded corners, and gilded onion domes
Enjoy dinner in Heidelberg
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Day 3: Heidelberg
Tour Heidelberg with your Field Director
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
🔹 Cultural engagement: Enjoy a boat cruise powered by solar energy
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Day 4: Heidelberg • Freiburg
Travel to FreiburgSpend a half day participating in activities at the Innovation Academy, where you can learn firsthand about the area’s many innovations in renewable energy, solar power, and ecological agriculture
Enjoy dinner in Freiburg
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Day 5: Freiburg
Take a solar energy-themed guided tour of Freiburg, which prides itself on being an eco-city and only permits construction of low-energy buildings on municipal land
Industry Engagement: Attend a lecture at the Innovation Academy, a non-profit association that focuses on the issue of climate protection
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Day 6: Freiburg • Lucerne region
Travel via Breitnau to the Lucerne region
Visit Hofgut Sternen or Bioenergy Breitnau where you will learn about green energy practices
🔹 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
Enjoy dinner at your hotel in the Lucerne region
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Day 7: Lucerne region
🔹 Guided learning: Take a tour of the Grimsel Power Plant and get an up-close view of Switzerland’s alternative power source
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
Take an excursion to Entlebuch
🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of the Entlebuch Biosphere, a natural reserve at the foot of the Alps which includes the valley of the Little Emme River between Berne and Lucerne
🔹 Independent exploration: Spend the afternoon exploring Lucerne on your own
Enjoy dinner at your hotel in the Lucerne region
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Day 9: Lucerne region • Zurich
Travel to Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland and one of the world's largest financial centers
Take a walking tour of Zurich with your Field Director and see its quaint Old Town, its waterfront promenades, and take in its eclectic mix of architectural styles
🔹 Independent exploration: Spend a half day exploring Zurich on your own
Enjoy dinner in Zurich
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Day 10: Depart for home
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Day 1: Fly overnight to Germany
-
Day 2: Frankfurt • Darmstadt • Heidelberg
Meet your Field Director at the airportTravel via Darmstadt, known as a high-tech center with various industries, on your way to Heidelberg
Stop to take a photo at Hundertwasser's Waldspirale, a colorful U-shaped building that features more than 1,000 windows (no two are alike), rounded corners, and gilded onion domes
Enjoy dinner in Heidelberg
-
Day 3: Heidelberg
Tour Heidelberg with your Field Director
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
🔹 Cultural engagement: Enjoy a boat cruise powered by solar energy
-
Day 4: Heidelberg • Freiburg
Travel to FreiburgSpend a half day participating in activities at the Innovation Academy, where you can learn firsthand about the area’s many innovations in renewable energy, solar power, and ecological agriculture
Enjoy dinner in Freiburg
-
Day 5: Freiburg
Take a solar energy-themed guided tour of Freiburg, which prides itself on being an eco-city and only permits construction of low-energy buildings on municipal land
Industry Engagement: Attend a lecture at the Innovation Academy, a non-profit association that focuses on the issue of climate protection
-
Day 6: Freiburg • Lucerne region
Travel via Breitnau to the Lucerne region
Visit Hofgut Sternen or Bioenergy Breitnau where you will learn about green energy practices
🔹 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
Enjoy dinner at your hotel in the Lucerne region
-
Day 7: Lucerne region
🔹 Guided learning: Take a tour of the Grimsel Power Plant and get an up-close view of Switzerland’s alternative power source
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
-
Day 8: Lucerne region
Take an excursion to Entlebuch
🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of the Entlebuch Biosphere, a natural reserve at the foot of the Alps which includes the valley of the Little Emme River between Berne and Lucerne
🔹 Independent exploration: Spend the afternoon exploring Lucerne on your own
Enjoy dinner at your hotel in the Lucerne region
-
Day 9: Lucerne region • Zurich
Travel to Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland and one of the world's largest financial centers
Take a walking tour of Zurich with your Field Director and see its quaint Old Town, its waterfront promenades, and take in its eclectic mix of architectural styles
🔹 Independent exploration: Spend a half day exploring Zurich on your own
Enjoy dinner in Zurich
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Day 10: 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.
