EUROPE
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Your 24-hour Tour Director will meet you at the airport and remain with your group throughout your STEM trip in Europe. For tonight, you will enjoy the convenience of a centrally located Geneva hotel, where breakfast will be included.
GenevaGeneva is situated in a prime Rhône Valley position at the southwestern corner of Lake Geneva, within view of Mont Blanc’s pinnacle. The city's strong French influence is everywhere, but most notably in its mansard roofs, iron balconies, sidewalk cafes, and French signs. Geneva is a cosmopolitan destination and home to more than 200 international organizations, including the European headquarters of the United Nations.
City strollTake a walking tour along the Left Bank of the old quarter.
Patek Philippe MuseumEnjoy a visit to the Patek Philippe Museum, a museum operated by one of Switzerland's famed watchmakers. The museum covers the history of the timepiece from as early as the 16th century to the modern era. You’ll get the chance to see how much watches have changed as well what features have stood the test of time.
Dinner in a local restaurantEnjoy an evening meal with your group.
Daily Reflection and Group Discussion:We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience." - John Dewey On every evening of the program, we’ll set time aside to update your Reflection Journal and share thoughts and impressions that have come up during the day.
Visit CERN, a research organization whose purpose is operating the world's largest particle physics laboratory. Many international collaborations and studies take place in high-energy physics research with the use of their particle accelerators and other infrastructure. You’ll have the chance to visit the two permanent exhibitions at CERN. The Universe of Particles installed in the Globe of Science and Innovation is dedicated to CERN’s main missions and allows exploration of the world of particles by immersing visitors in a unique and spectacular ambiance. The Microcosm is located next to CERN's reception and the exhibition offers a CERN discovery adventure.
LucerneLucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland and a focal point of the region. Due to its location on the shore of Lake Lucerne within sight of Mount Pilatus and Rigi in the Swiss Alps, it has traditionally been a tourist destination and was once voted the fifth most popular in the world. One of the city's famous landmarks is Chapel Bridge, a wooden bridge first built in the 14th century. For the next two nights, your base will be in Lucerne. Breakfast will be included at the hotel.
VerkehrshausSwitzerland's most popular museum, the Swiss Transport Museum or Verkehrshaus der Schweiz in Lucerne opened in July 1959 and exhibits all forms of transport, including locomotives, automobiles, ships, and aircraft as well as communication technology.
Dinner in a local restaurantEnjoy an evening meal with your group.
Enjoy a walking tour of Lucerne. Begin by viewing the Lion Monument, which was created in 1820 in honor of the Swiss Guards who perished in 1792 during the French Revolution. Next, you’ll view the impressive Jesuitenkirche, which was the first large baroque church built in Switzerland. The architecture is quite ostentatious but is supposed to represent the power and glory of the Catholic tradition. Then, you’ll bask in the historical heart of Lucerne’s beauty as you stroll through the picturesque medieval Weinmarkt square and the Kornmarkt square, which contains the Town Hall and beautifully painted Pfistern guildhall.
Town of EntlebuchTake a walking tour around Entlebuch that focuses on how the town uses multiple forms of energy—the area surrounding the town has many characteristics related to the past, present, and future of the topic. Visitors receive hands-on exposure to six forms of energy—peat, wind, water, wood, solar, and gas—by participating in experiments. Experience Energy at Entlebuch is intended for visitors who want to be informed about all the exciting aspects of energy.
Mount PilatusVisit beautiful Mount Pilatus, which is easily accessible from the Pilatus Railway, the steepest cogwheel railway in the world. Enjoy stunning panoramic views of the pristine surrounding area.
Boat ride on Lake LucerneEnjoy a cruise on Lake Lucerne, Switzerland's most famous lake.
Dinner in a local restaurantEnjoy an evening meal with your group.
Take the Witness Hydroelectricity Tour at Grimselwelt. The underground Innertkirchen 1 Power Plant is the lowest in elevation but not the lowest in importance. All of the water from the Grimsel catchment area runs through this power plant and is converted into electricity. This power plant, with its state-of-the-art operating system, reliably regulates the Swiss electricity grid. The tour is an electrifying experience!
FreiburgFreiburg im Breisgau is a town dating back to 1120 and a natural gateway to the southern Black Forest. Your base for the next night will be Freiburg, where breakfast and dinner will be provided at the hotel.
During your tour, you’ll gain the knowledge and insights of three half-day local guides in Germany.
VaubanTake a walking tour around Vauban, just outside of Freiburg, considered the most sustainable city in the world. This is an introductory tour and will include stops at some of the town’s ongoing projects to show how citizens are working to keep town green.
City strollTake a walking tour of Freiburg im Breisgau, including Martinstor, a gate from the 13th-century fortifications; the Fischerau, with picturesque streets along the Gewerbebach Stream; Freiburg University; the Haus zum Walfisch; the Bächle, a unique draining canal; and Münsterplatz, featuring the Münster as well as Gothic and Rococo houses.
MunichMunich is the capital city of Bavaria. It was founded in the 12th century and named for a settlement of Benedictine monks. Munich is now a cosmopolitan city, at the forefront of the financial and publishing industries, and notable for its role in the development of music and the arts.
HofbrauhausEnjoy dinner accompanied by folklore music and dancers at the world-famous Hofbräuhaus.
A guided tour of the BMW Group's main plant in Munich will give you access to all areas of automotive production: the press plant, the body shop, the paint shop, and assembly.
Bike tourExplore the city on a bike tour. On your tour of Munich, you’ll learn why Napoleon Bonaparte made Maximilian Joseph the first King of Bavaria, when Oktoberfest started, how beer saved the city of Munich from the Swedes, why everyone rubs a lion's head sculpture near Odeonsplatz, who or what the coopers are and why they are so funky, and, perhaps most important, what makes Munich such a distinctive city that it's known worldwide.
Dinner in a local restaurantEnjoy an evening meal with your group.
Visit the Deutsches Museum, the largest and one of the most important science and technology museums in the world. Enjoy a series of working models and demonstrations, tracing the history of science and technology from the beginning of time to the present day.
OlympiaparkEnjoy a guided tour of the Olympiapark, built for the 20th Olympic Games held in Munich in 1972. Explore the Olympiahalle, built as a multi-purpose arena, and view the Olympic Tower.
Farewell dinnerEnjoy an evening meal with your group on the final day of your STEM trip in Germany.
Final Reflection and Discussion SessionThis evening, you’ll make the final entries in your Reflection Journal and share some of the most significant observations and perspectives that have taken shape throughout your STEM trip in Europe. We’ll also discuss how these experiences may be most relevant for us all as we return home.
Your rewarding and enjoyable STEM tour in Switzerland and Germany comes to an end as your Tour Director accompanies your group to the airport on your final day.
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