Event Information
History Society are off to Berlin!
Sunday 3rd March 2019 – Wednesday 6th March 2019
Join us in Berlin this March with Give it a Go and History Society
Check out the details below – We can’t wait to take you!
The capital of Germany is a combination of glamour and grit, bound to mesmerise all those keen to explore it’s vibrant culture, cutting edge architecture, fabulous food, intense parties and tangible history. Give it a Go has worked closely with the History society to bring you this exciting trip exploring the centre of turbulent 20th-century history. Trust us, this is an experience not to miss – And it comes to you at the brilliant price of £239! Included in the price is 3 nights in this stunning city, travel to and from Berlin, a flexible itinerary organised by the History Society to help enhance your trip and the assurance that you’re travelling with an official department of Cardiff University Students’ Union – so you can sleep easy at night knowing you’re going to have a fabulous time.
When are we going?
Sunday 3th March 2019 – Wednesday 6th March 2019
We will be departing from the Students' Union by coach to London Gatwick in the morning where we then fly over to Berlin, arriving at approximately 3pm to enjoy the afternoon.
Where are we staying?
We will be staying for 3 nights in Metropol Hostel, located in the unique, vibrant and alternative district of Kreuzberg known for its diverse culture life, which is right in the center of Berlin. A location with a multicultural flair, will find the Postdamer Platz, Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburger Gate for your sightseeing and shopping tours. In addition to this the most famous dining possibility nearby with the delicious Mustafas vegetable Kebab and the Curry Wurst @ Curry 36, Bergmannkiez with its international cafes, restaurants and bars.
What is included:
- Reception 24/7
- Free Wifi and PC Terminals
- Multilingual Team
- Lobby – with bar and television
- Discounts
- Multicultural breakfast
- Free Self-Service store
- An incredible experience all round
What is there to do in Berlin?
No matter the season, the best things to do in Berlin cater to all. Explore the attractions, historic buildings and cites.
Reichstag
This neo-Baroque edifice housing the German Bundestag (Parliament) survived wars, Nazis, fire, bombing and the country’s division, only to return as a symbol of a new era in German politics. A trip to the top of this open, playful and defiantly democratic space, designed by Sir Norman Foster, is a must, but note that you can’t just rock up any more: following a series of terrorist threats in 2010, you must now book in advance by filling in an online form at visite.bundestag.de, including three possible time-slots you can make, at least three working days in advance.
Visit Galleries
For the true culture vultures among you, make like a local and hit up Berlin’s many galleries. Peruse the work of some of the contemporary art scene’s brightest stars, all for free. Grab some friends and head to Mitte, where Berlin’s gallery district awaits. There’s something for all tastes, and if planned correctly there could even be free drinks involved. If you can catch an opening, gallery visits can quickly burgeon into a night of socializing with some of the city’s most intriguing creative minds.
East Side Gallery
Speaking of galleries, no trip to Berlin would be complete without making your way down the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall at the East Side Gallery. Demystify the notion of a city once divided by feasting your eyes on the Wall itself. Decorated in striking political displays of graffiti and street art, this is a highlight of most people’s visits to Berlin. Of course, this open-air gallery is completely free, and it is located at the juncture between Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, and Mitte, making it an easy stop on the way to any of these famed districts. Be sure to bring a camera, or at least get ready for some utterly Instagrammable surrounds.
Holocaust Memorial
Situated within walking distance from the Topography of Terror is the city’s famed Holocaust monument, named the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Comprised of 2,711 slabs of concrete, architect Peter Eisenmann intended to make a memorial that was more evocative and interactive than most others like it, with the belief that memorials ought to capture the feelings we are intended to remember in viewing it. People can walk amid the slabs, and just about everyone who does so is overcome with feelings of disorientation and oppression, offering people the chance to truly contemplate the harrowing nature of living under Nazi rule.
Berlin’s many parks
Berlin is often lauded for its many parks and green spaces, so we absolutely recommend paying them a visit! Grab a blanket, a book, and some friends and enjoy these serene escapes from the bustle of city life for free! Tiergarten, located at the city center, is the largest and most popular. It is filled with a multitude of picturesque spots and other hidden attractions. Alternatively, make like a local and head to Treptower Park just south of the city center. Behold the enormously grant Soviet War Memorial and walk along the parks riverside promenade to absorb some precious vitamin D in a city that is often dreary and overcast.
Sounds amazing! Where do I sign up?
To secure your place on the trip, simply purchase a ticket from this page. The price of the trip is £239 for members of History society and covers the 3 night stay in central Berlin, transport to and from Berlin including transfers to and from the airport on both sides and includes an itinerary made by us and led by our amazing team.
We have two payment plans for this:
Pay the full amount of £239 straight up - bish. bash. bosh.
Pay a deposit of £99 by the 30th January followed by a second payment of £140 by 15th February, for all of you who like to space out your payments.
All deposits paid are strictly non-refundable. Please be absolutely sure you can commit to this trip before you pay.
Additional Extras
On top of all this, we have a good old fashioned crawl organised for you. You're in for an incredible night filled with free drinks, friendly faces and a party spirit. You'll also get a special "History Society in Berlin" T-shirt made just for you, for you to treasure alongside the memories of one of the best weekends of your student experience!
Tickets for the bar crawl will be on sale in the new year!
What are you waiting for?!
Frequently Asked Questions
This trip is organised by the Students' Union on behalf of History Society, equating to very low prices, great value and organisation you can trust!
1. Can people who are not CU students come on this trip?
Yes, but priority will be given to History Society members. If tickets remain unsold and with the permission of History Society non-CU students can come on this trip if accompanied by a Cardiff University Student. They will have to create a guest account on this website to book.
2. Is this trip suitable for children/families? Is there a reduced rate for children?
No - children are not permitted on this trip. Although the Students' Union are planning future trips with a set number of family rooms and exploring other options that would make our trips more inclusive for families and young children, this trip isn't suitable for them. Large numbers of mature students frequently sign up to Society trips, but the majority make-up of the trip are students aged 18 - 25.
3. I'm having trouble signing up online. What do I do?
One possible reason for this is that the Students' Union finance system becomes much stricter for products exceeding £100. If your address, or any given details, don't exactly match the ones originally given when you signed up for the card/account... the system will become very sassy with you. If you're having difficulties making payment through cardiffstudents.com please email SUFinance@cardiff.ac.uk and CC Giveitago@cardiff.ac.uk into the email. Ultimately it is possible to pay in person at the finance office of the Students' Union and there are no such difficulties with that payment method!
4. I don't know if I need a visa. Help!
If you are a UK/EU citizen, you do not require a visa to travel to Berlin, but you do need a passport to prove that you are, in fact, a UK/EU citizen. If you are not a UK/EU citizen it is likely that you will require a visa and we advise you to read the advice in the next few titles down and engage with thorough independent research to make yourself aware of the process of applying.
5. What is the deadline for this trip?
For students who do not require a visa, there is no deadline for this trip. There are 40 places and when the tickets are gone, they're gone. Email giveitago@cardiff.ac.uk for an up-to-date figure of how many tickets are left. For international students who require a visa, the safe deadline to sign up to the trips allowing time to apply to the visa is ASAP. Any sign ups made closer to the time, we will happily provide visa evidence for, but the risk of your visa not arriving in time becomes ever more real (it has happened in the past and students have lost money).
If you have any other enquiries please email Giveitago@cardiff.ac.uk and we'll get back to you within 1-2 working days!
Important Terms and Conditions
N.B. YOU MUST BE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THE DATA YOU ARE ENTERING AT THE TRIP CHECK-OUT IS ACCURATE DOWN TO THE LAST LETTER AND NUMBER. ANY DISCREPENCY BETWEEN YOUR PASSPORT AND BOARDING CARD WILL MEAN YOU INCUR HEAVY CHARGES OR WILL BE DENIED BOARDING ACCESS.
You should be aware of the following details:
Passports
- This trip requires you to undertake an international trip. You are required to have a valid and in-date passport for this trip. British citizens do not require a visa, but require a passport to prove that they are in fact a British citizen. Please ensure your passport is valid and in-date before you book onto this trip.
- It is certain that your passport will be checked on both departure and return from the UK.
Baggage Restrictions
- All passengers are restricted to one cabin bag per person. This bag must not exceed the maximum size of 56 x 45 x 25cm including handles and wheels. There is no weight restriction on the bag but you must be able to lift it into the overhead compartment. There are very strict restrictions on what can be taken onboard the aircraft.
Please look at the Easyjet guidelines for more information: http://www.easyjet.com/en/help/preparing-to-fly/baggage
Refunds
- This general trip ticket and all added extras are strictly non-refundable, so please be absolutely certain that you're free for the dates of the trip.
Transfers
- It is not possible to transfer tickets once purchased because we will have passed your details onto the airline.
Travel insurance and European Health Insurance Cards
- We would strongly advise you to take out personal travel insurance for this trip to cover your personal property, money, passports, medical expenses and repatriation if necessary. The Students' Union itself has public liability insurance, but that won't help you in the least unless your loss is directly attributable to our negligence. Applying for an EHIC if you don't already have one will be a good idea as well, but this will only cover the most basic of medical treatment.
Travel Insurance Policy +£5 - £20 (depending on circumstances)
We advise you to take out our in house recommended low cost travel insurance policy. This will protect you against the possibility that something goes wrong and you miss the coach home or lose or damage something valuable. You can look at and apply for that travel insurance here. It is your responsibilty to sort this out , and it is not provided in the price of the trip.
EasyJet Terms and Conditions
- Both we and you are bound by the terms and conditions of our flights carrier Easyjet. You can find those terms and conditions here.
Students' Union and Hotel Terms and Conditions
- This is a Students' Union trip, organised directly by the Give it a Go Team. In terms of rules and expected conduct, whilst on this trip you are in effect inside the Students' Union Building and subject to University Regulations. By signing up to this trip you are agreeing to both the Students' Union code of conduct and the house rules for the Hotel. Any infringement of which may provoke academic consequences for you.
.Students' Union Code of Conduct
Deposit Option
There are only a certain number of tickets available for this trip. You have the option of paying a £99 deposit to secure your place. The remaining £140 being due no later than 15th February 2019
All deposits paid are strictly non-refundable. Please be absolutely sure you can commit to this trip before you pay.
International Students and Visas
Students should be advised that this trip obviously requires them to be able to travel outside the UK. It is the responsibility of individual students to seek appropriate advice, visas and passport documentation for this purpose.
The Students’ Union and its staff are not insured to advise students with regard to visas or the visa process. The Students’ Union will not check that you have the appropriate documentation and assumes no responsibility for the consequences of failing to make arrangements.
It is the student’s responsibility to ascertain whether they require a visa or passport documentation. In the event that they do, they should be advised that visas can take extended periods of time to process and usually require a not-insignificant charge (a Schengen visa for example is priced at £40 - £60).
In addition, individuals should be made aware that once booked, this trip is strictly non-refundable.
Final Year International Students who are in the UK on a study visa and who have less than 6 months on their study visa at the time of this trip, should be advised that some embassies, e.g. TLS, the French Consulate, will refuse to process a visa application for them.
We have been instructed by the International Student Support Office of Cardiff University to direct students who require visa advice to their online information. The International Student Support Office of Cardiff University may be contacted themselves for general information, but have said that they cannot assist students with the process and like the Students' Union, will not provide specific advice.
Students' Union Visa Guidance
The general approach when applying for a Schengen visa is to to apply to the embassy of the 'main country of destination' which for this trip in isolation will be the Czech Republic Embassy.
As of 1 March 2015 all visa applications can only be made by an 'in-person' appointment at the VF Services in London and Edinburgh. I.e. you will not be able to make a visa application to the consulate in Cardiff, you will have to go to the nearest office (London) in person after making an appointment with the VFS office.
More information is available following this link.
You can make an appointment with VFS following this link.
You can apply for a Schengen visa within three months of the intended date of travel. Assuming there are no problems, the application itself can take up to 15 working days to process - but longer if you supply incomplete documents or the embassy has a query with your application.
The application itself generally has a fee attached to it of between £40 - £60 but this does not include the costs you will incur travelling to London.
Visa Documents the Students' Union can provide
The application will require you to supply a number of documents, some of which the Students' Union can supply for you. You should research this thoroughly yourself before you travel to London to make the application to avoid wasted time and money. Click here for more information on short-stay document requirements.
Documents you will need to supply for VFS:
- Valid signed passport, valid for 3 months after intended return from Schengen.
- Completed and signed visa application form (two signatures and signature same as in passport)
- One photograph (meeting all photo requirements)
- Original and copy of valid UK residence permit (valid for 3 months after intended return)
- Copy of applicant’s passport (holder page, signature page and copies of all used visas in the last 2 years)
- If employed: original and recent (less than 3 months old) employment letter on company letter head/covering letter from company house or accountant on letter head (if self-employed)
- If student: original and recent (less than 3 months old) student letter stating attendance and start and finish date of studies
- Salary slips (last 3 months)
- UK current account bank statements (last 3 months), including name and address of account holder
- Valid travel insurance, policy minimum EUR 30,000, with full details of applicant and cover dates.
N.B. You will have to contact your University registry for proof of student status - the Students' Union cannot provide this for you.
Documents we can provide to you if requested:
- Confirmed travel ticket, showing names of persons travelling.
- Confirmed hostel reservation.
- Travel itinerary with all transport and accommodation details, signed by the Trip Leader and the Students' Union President.
If you require the above set of documents please email Connor on Giveitago@Cardiff.ac.uk and allow at least 5 working days for the Students' Union to draft them for you. The documents will have to be picked up in person from the Give it a Go desk on the third floor of the Students' Union.