DHS Abroad: Germany

Today I’ll be sharing about our experiences in Germany during our time abroad through EF Tours.

We landed in Munich on June 11 after a (thankfully!) uneventful set of flights, and immediately set off to explore the city.

We arrived in time to hear the bells of the Marienplatz church and to watch the Rathaus-Glockenspiel’s mechanical display.

We then made our way to the nearby Frauenkirche, the largest hall church in the world, where some of us saw the Devil’s Footprint and others lit candles to pay their respects.

Other highlights from our time in Munich included a stroll in the English Garden, where we watched brave swimmers diving into the swift-moving canals, a bus tour in which we quickly saw the highlights of the city;

an excursion to Schloss Nymphenburg with its immense park and fountains;

and of course, excellent German music and food at the various restaurants planned for us.

We traveled out to Linderhof Palace and spent a few hours exploring. The inside of the castle was extraordinary, and the grounds were beautifly organized and well-tended.

As we were leaving Bavaria for Heidelberg, we stopped in the town of Bayersoier for dinner. The kind restaurant owner showed us through the town and led us up to a chapel on a hill, the Kapelle auf dem Kapellenberg, where we had a lovely view of the town.

After Bayersoier, we moved on to Heidelberg! This beautiful city is home to the oldest university in Germany.

As a group, we explored the Heidelberg Castle, where construction began in 1214 and saw a number of setbacks (lightning strikes! twice!) before being described as a ruin by Victor Hugo during his visit in the 19th century.

We were also enchanted by the Heidelberg Bridge and its monkey statue.

This first leg of our journey was not without its ups and downs, but I remember being proud of the students for the inclusiveness, maturity, and respect they showed to each other and to the adults on the trip with them. I know I was lucky to have such a wonderful group of students on this tour!