LEAP encompasses the best practices of student-centered learning. Your Tour Director will get to know you and your group, will push you to think deeply, and will prepare thoughtful, hands-on opportunities to display your learning. LEAP is exclusive to WorldStrides and is what makes our Tour Directors unique and our programs transformative.

A grim glimpse into the past, Dachau was the first of Nazi Germany’s camps and a model for the 3,000 work and concentration camps to come. A chilling memorial to the 206,000 prisoners who were interned in the camp from 1933 to 1945, the museum examines pre-1930 anti-Semitism, the rise of the Nazi party, and the documented lives of prisoners.

Join a professional licensed tour guide for a whirlwind look at Munich. Founded in the 12th century by Henry the Lion, Munich now roars with the hustle and bustle of modern German life. As you pass by Marienplatz (named after the square’s gilded Virgin Mary and Child statue), mechanical knights joust and coopers dance to the folk-music chimes of the Neues Rathaus’s Glockenspiel. The twin onion-bulb towers of the Frauenkirche Cathedral frame this whimsical display, while the scents, sounds and colors of the nearby food market attempt to draw your attention elsewhere. Resist temptation and continue on to Olympiapark, a new suburb built for the 1972 Olympic Games. Pass by several museums, such as the BMW Museum, Alte Pinakothek (home to Munich’s most precious art collections), and the Deutsches Museum of science and technology.

Discover the area of Munich around Marienplatz, which is dedicated to the patron of the city. See the Neues Rathaus and observe the Glockenspiel on its facade. This is the fourth largest chiming clock in Europe, and stages an elaborate performance twice a day.

Visiting the BMW Welt showroom is an immersive experience where you can explore the latest BMW models, learn about cutting-edge automotive technology, and enjoy the sleek, modern design of the venue.

See Olympia Park, the site of the 1972 Olympics. Buildings include the Olympic Stadium, Olympic Hall, and the Aquatic Center. Many cultural events are still held at Olympia Park.

Travel to the picturesque Bavarian village of Hohenschwangau which is located between two famous castles: Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. Visit Hohenschwangau Castle, the childhood residence of King Ludwig II, and enjoy a hike up towards Neuschwanstein Castle for breathtaking views of the castle and the surrounding Bavarian Alps.

Learn about the castle’s history and its significance as the childhood home of King Ludwig II. The views from the castle are breathtaking, with the serene Lake Alpsee and the surrounding Bavarian Alps providing a picturesque backdrop.

Enjoy a scenic walk up the hill to Neuschwanstein Castle and over to Queen Mary's Bridge (known locally as Marienbrücke) for unbeatable views of King Ludwig II's fairytale castle and the surrounding Bavarian Alps.

Christmas reigns all year round in Rothenburg, a jewel of a town on Germany’s picturesque Romantic Road. Beyond the year-round Christmas markets, the town boasts one of the most intact medieval city walls in Europe and a fairly unique clock. During the Thirty Years’ War, a former Rothenburg mayor was offered the chance to save the city by chugging close to a gallon of wine; he succeeded (and then slept for three days straight), and his accomplishment is reenacted seven times daily by mechanical figures on the clock in the Marktplatz -- adding a new twist to the concept of “cuckoo clock.” The enormous Gothic St. Jacob’s Church watches over the exploits from across the square.

Nuremberg is perhaps best known for its role in German politics. The city was the site of many Nazi rallies from 1933 to 1938. Unfortunately, 90% of the city was destroyed in 1945. The Allies chose Nuremberg as the site of the war crimes tribunals because of the city's ties to Nazi power.

Unearth the causes, connections and consequences of Nazi Germany amidst the remains of the rally grounds where more than a million people gathered to support the National Socialists between 1933 and 1938. The museum’s sobering Fascination and Terror exhibition takes a deeper look at Nazi dictatorship and the history of party rallies during the Nazi regime.

Post-World War II, Nazi leaders were forced to answer for their crimes before the International Military Tribunal in Courthouse 600. Sit in the courtroom where history was rewritten at the Palace of Justice, then learn more about the Nuremburg Trials and how they influenced international criminal law. *Courtroom 600 is still an active courtroom and can only be viewed on days when court is not in session.

Dresden is a world-class city of art and culture, and has a long history as the capital and royal residence for the Electors and Kings of Saxony. It is located in a valley on the River Elbe and offers award-winning modern buildings and the “Blue Wonder” bridge. Dresden was almost completely destroyed by the Allied bombings towards the end of World War II, but has undergone significant restoration work to reconstruct parts of the historic inner city.

Take a guided sightseeing tour of Dresden, a town that was mostly levelled during Allied air raids in 1945. See Frauenkirche, the Lutheran church that was destroyed during the air raids but now stands as a symbol of unity. Then, walk along Brühlsche Terrasse, or “The Balcony of Europe,” to admire the architecture and do some people-watching, and see the incredible Fürstenzug, a 19th-century mural made up entirely of porcelain tiles.

The Fürstenzug in Dresden, Germany, is a large mural of a mounted procession of the rulers of Saxony. It was originally painted between 1871 and 1876 to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Wettin Dynasty, Saxony's ruling family.

Explore Alexanderplatz, known to locals as simply "Alex", once a cattle market and now Berlin’s bustling central square. Gaze up at the iconic TV Tower, built by East Germany to showcase socialist strength. Nearby, admire the ornate Neptune Fountain and the striking red-brick Rotes Rathaus, Berlin’s historic town hall.

Take interactive learning to another level with a Tour Director-led scavenger hunt of Alexanderplatz, Berlin's most famous public square! Enjoy an after-dinner adventure, complete exciting activities and solve fun clues. Each clue and every activity is built to maximize on-tour experiential learning.

Join a professional, licensed tour guide as you discover one of the most historical cities in Germany. Although nothing remains of the mortar and cement-block barrier between East and West Berlin, the Berlin Wall (built in 1961; destroyed in 1989) is still a main “site” in Berlin. View the well-known Brandenburg Gate, once a main gate hidden behind a 10-foot barrier and now known for celebratory dancing on its flat top during the reunification. Travel to the Checkpoint Charlie Museum, the most famous border crossing point. Checkpoint Charlie, once a wooden guard hut, was the most (in)famous border-crossing point between East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989. All that remains of the checkpoint itself is a skeletal watchtower and a memorial of attempted escapees. Follow your guide as they lead you through the museum’s accounts of the most ingenious of these escape attempts— even a few by hot air balloon.

Step into the shoes of the people whose lives were impacted by the Berlin Wall. Participate in a group activity that involves reciting personal accounts of the event and discussing its repercussions. Live through their experiences and gain a personal insight into Germany’s history.

The Topography of Terror in Berlin is a museum and historical site that chronicles the crimes of the Nazi regime, particularly those committed by the Gestapo, SS, and Reich Security Main Office. It offers exhibitions, educational programs, and includes historical remnants like a section of the Berlin Wall to provide a thorough understanding of this period.

The interactive DDR Museum gives you a chance to experience what life was like in Communist-controlled East Berlin. Focusing on the material history of how objects inflected an East Berliner’s daily life, the museum houses many of the most commonly-used objects. Explore a typical residential apartment, a standard-issue East Berlin automobile, and a hidden ‘bugging’ station that gives visitors a sense of what it must have been like for so many common citizens ‘under surveillance’.

Seen as Germany’s “Little Hollywood” from 1921 through WWII, Potsdam was the dazzling city of Frederick the Great, with countless marble fountains, exotic pavilions and Baroque castles (mostly built in the name of Frederick and Prussia’s power). Among the parks are testaments of Frederick’s eclectic and sometimes odd tastes such as the parasol-toting Buddha on the roof of the Chinesisches Teehaus pavilion, Frederick’s “guest house.”

Visit the Neues Palais, ordered by Frederick the Great, including the Palace, the Grotto, and the Theater.