Discover business studies in Europe’s start-up capital
Our school business studies trips to Berlin take learning beyond the textbook and into one of Europe’s most dynamic economies.
Students can explore economics at the DDR Museum, learning about how supply and demand affects innovation. They can also see a genuine cooperatively owned business that offers a contrast to the unicorn model at Holzmarkt 25, and hear first-hand from Silicon Allee on Berlin’s start-up story.
And what makes this trip truly special? Travelbound’s exclusive partnership with City Circle: students tour the city’s landmarks by open-top bus, then get a senior team member’s own account of how the business was founded, is run, and manages daily logistics – sightseeing and a live operations case study, all in one stop.
Every visit links classroom theory with real-world business, giving students examples they can take straight into the exam hall.
Trip Highlights
Hear Berlin’s start-up story at Silicon Allee
Explore an alternative business model at Holzmarkt 25
Compare command and market economies at the DDR Museum
Enjoy sightseeing and a live case study with City Circle
Itinerary suggestion
1 Flight from the UK to Berlin
2 Airport transfer and check in at accommodation
3 Dinner at accommodation
4 Evening visit to the TV Tower
1 Breakfast at accommodation
2 Silicon Allee start-up presentation and Q&A
3 Ritter Sport chocolate workshop
4 DDR Museum
5 Dinner at accommodation
1 Breakfast at accommodation
2 Holzmarkt 25 guided tour on alternative business
3 Travelbound Exclusive: City Circle landmarks tour with business insight and Q&A
4 BMW iFactory Experience
5 Dinner at accommodation
1 Breakfast at accommodation
2 Check out of accommodation and airport transfer
3 Flight to the UK
Recommended excursions
City Circle Bus Tour with Business Insight
An exciting Travelbound Exclusive partnership with City Circle means our business studies groups to Berlin will experience something unique. Not only will you tour the city’s top landmarks by open-top bus, but a senior member of the company will give their own account of how the business was founded, is operated, and manages daily logistics. Sightseeing and a live operations case study, all in one stop! Photo © Caro Hoene Photography.
Silicon Allee Visit
Silicon Allee is a deep-tech venture lab and startup accelerator based in Berlin that turns advanced scientific research into commercial companies. They specialise in cutting-edge technology areas like artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, photonics, video and imaging, wireless communications, and extended reality (XR).
School groups will enjoy an hour-and-a-half session with a senior member of the team, learning about Silicon Allee’s role in the Berlin startup story.
Holzmarkt 25
Holzmarkt 25 is a cooperative urban village located on the banks of the River Spree. After reunification, the empty space was adopted by artists and transformed into a large open-air techno club that closed in 2010. The city planned to sell the land for a corporate high-rise, but the original club operators bought the land, backed by a Swiss foundation on a cooperative purchase. Enjoy a 60–70 minute tour of Holzmarkt 25 covering topics such as the history and development of the project, alternative business ownership, cooperative structure, phased growth, risk management and diversified revenue.
Photo © Eyecandy Berlin.
DDR Museum
Lively, interactive and thrilling – the DDR Museum presents the history of the German Democratic Republic in all of its multiple facets. Visitors are taken on a journey through time into the East German socialist past. As one of the most interactive museums in the world, touching and trying out the exhibits is explicitly allowed. Understand and compare core GCSE and A level economic systems (command vs market economies) using the DDR Museum’s Trabant case study. Photo © DDR Museum Berlin.
Ritter Sport Chocolate Workshop
Ever wondered what goes into making a chocolate bar? A visit to Ritter Sport answers that question step by step, with the Chocopath tracing the whole process – from raw cocoa through to the finished, wrapped product. Along the way, students discover how the brand has stayed true to its roots for decades, never compromising on taste or quality, while still keeping a genuine focus on protecting the environment.
BMW Werk Berlin
Find out how this world-famous brand builds BMW motorcycles at their birthplace in Berlin. Students can experience the highly modern vehicle production, in which man and machine work together to create the vehicles. This excursion will not only suit those interested in the manufacturing of engines but inspire art and technology students to consider the science and design behind the vehicles. Photo © ME-Arbeitgeber.
Berlin Television Tower
This 368-metre tower dominates the city skyline and is the tallest building in Germany. The Tower was built in the 1960s by the East German government and naturally lends itself to discussions around tourism, destination marketing, visitor management, engineering and the role of iconic landmarks in city regeneration.
Olympic Stadium, Berlin
A guide will tell your group all about the German architectural and sports history of the Olympiastadion, built for the 1936 Summer Olympics, and Olympiapark. Enjoy the view from the top of the Glockenturn bell tower and browse the exhibition at the Langemarckhall. Fact: The Olympiastadion has been the ground of club Hertha BSC since 1963.
Checkpoint Charlie Museum
Checkpoint Charlie, the most well-known of the border crossings between East and West, is now one of Berlin’s most popular tourist attractions. At the Checkpoint Charlie Museum unique artefacts including many of the contraptions used by those who tried to cross illegally, and works inspired by the division, will vividly bring the past to life for your students.
East Side Gallery
East Berliners breached the Wall on 9 November 1989, and between February and June of 1990, 118 artists created unique works of art on its longest-remaining section. This open-air gallery serves as a memorial for freedom. One of the best-known works, by Russian artist Dmitri Vrubel, depicts Brezhnev and Honnecker (the former East German leader) kissing.
The Stasi Museum
The museum occupies House 1 of the former HQ of the GDR Ministry for State Security, part of a huge complex in Berlin-Lichtenberg which had 7,000 full time employees. Now a research and memorial centre, the permanent exhibition State Security in the SED Dictatorship looks at the impact of the STASI on the lives of individuals in the GDR. Guided tours for groups are available.
Tempelhof Airport (historic building)
This monumental building, constructed under the National Socialist regime between 1936 and 1941, ceased being a functioning airport in 2008 but has become an iconic historic attraction. Representative of National Socialist architecture in its scale and grandeur, Tempelhof also became a symbol of freedom by playing an important role in the Berlin airlift in 1948/49.
Guided tours are available and follow different themes, including tracing the airport’s National Socialist history.
Learning outcomes
GCSE curriculum links (Business Studies)
- Business ownership: compare a cooperatively owned urban village at Holzmarkt 25 with start-ups and limited companies.
- Enterprise and start-ups: hear from Silicon Allee about Berlin’s start-up story and how start-ups raise finance such as venture capital.
- Operations and logistics: a senior City Circle team member explains how the business was founded, is run and manages daily logistics.
- Production processes and quality: learn about modern vehicle production at BMW, and understand Ritter Sport’s process from raw cocoa to wrapped bar.
- Ethical and environmental considerations: discover how Ritter Sport protects the environment while keeping its quality.
- Marketing: explore destination marketing and visitor management at the TV Tower.
A-Level curriculum links (Business Studies and Economics)
- Economic systems: use the DDR Museum’s Trabant case study to understand the free market and mixed and command economies.
- Risk and strategy: understand phased growth, risk management and diversified revenue at Holzmarkt 25.
- Innovation and entrepreneurs: see how Silicon Allee turns AI, quantum computing and other deep-tech research into businesses.
- Operations: discover how technology improves efficiency at BMW, where people and machines work together.
- Enterprise and start-ups: hear directly from a venture lab and accelerator that turns scientific research into companies about raising finance as a start-up.
Typical accommodation
A&O Mitte
Why groups like it:
- Enviable location, in the middle of Berlin
- Clean, comfortable hostel
- Specialises in providing accommodation for student groups
Facilities
- 2-6 bedded rooms, all with full private facilities
- TV lounge/games room with pool table and table football, plus Wii and karaoke
- Small shop in reception
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We enjoyed a well-planned, educational and fun trip to Berlin! The communication and planning from Travelbound was second to none and the students came away with experiences and memories they will cherish forever!
The Henry Beaufort School
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Would recommend Travelbound without hesitation to my colleagues and other schools, and I would definitely use them again. Thank you.
Surbiton High School
Ready to arrange your next adventure?
If you have any questions or would like to book your school business studies trip to Berlin, please contact our educational specialists on 01273 244572 or request a quote below, tailored to your group and learning objectives.
