Join author, lecturer and historian Gary Powers Jr. from April 16 to 26, 2026 on this exciting 11-day educational tour of Cold War and espionage related sites in Berlin, Northern Germany and Denmark
Day 1: Departure from the USA
Day 2: Arrival Berlin
Welcome to Germany! Upon arrival at Brandenburg Airport, your tour begins as you meet your CHA Tour Director and board your private touring motorcoach for your drive to Berlin. Your first stop today is Tempelhofer Airfield to see the Berlin Airlift Memorial commemorating the airlift operations by U.S. and British forces that brought vital supplies into West Berlin during the Soviet blockade in 1948 and 1949. Later, continue to Checkpoint Charlie, the famous border crossing point along the Berlin Wall, where you visit its museum documenting the history of the wall that once divided the city. Afterwards, check into your hotel. Tonight, get to know your fellow travelers at our Introductory Dinner.
Day 3: Berlin-Potsdam-Berlin
A full day of sightseeing in and around Germany’s unified capital awaits today. Begin with a drive to Glienicke Bridge (the “Bridge of Spies”) near Potsdam where Gary Powers will provide commentary about the groundbreaking prisoner exchange of his father Francis Gary Powers, Sr. and Soviet KGB Colonel William Fisher that took place there in 1962. Afterwards, visit Teufelsberg or “Devil’s Mountain,” formed from the rubble of bombed-out Berlin, which once served as an NSA listening station during the Cold War. Later, admire Brandenburg Gate, once a symbol of German division during the Cold War that now serves as a national symbol of peace and unity; and the imposing Soviet War Memorial in the Tiergarten. Also included today are visits to the DDR Museum where you will get a glimpse of what life was like in the former East Germany, and the German Spy Museum to learn more about the intriguing world of Cold War espionage. Return to your Berlin hotel. You are on your own for dinner this evening.
Day 4: Berlin-Lübeck-Laboe-Kiel
Depart Berlin and head to Lübeck where you will visit the Willy Brandt Museum to learn more about the legacy of former West Berlin mayor and West German Chancellor. Afterwards, drive along Germany's northern coast to Kiel, an important city in Germany’s naval military history. In Laboe, located on the Bay of Kiel, visit the massive Laboe Naval Memorial constructed in dedication to Germany’s fallen sailors of World War I, which was inaugurated by Adolf Hitler in 1936. Later, tour the nearby Submarine U-995, the only surviving example of a German Class VII submarine, before proceeding to your hotel in Kiel. Dinner is included this evening.
Day 5: Kiel-Aalborg
Depart early this morning for your journey northward crossing the German border into Denmark. Proceed to Aalborg located in the country’s Jutland region. This afternoon, visit the Aalborg Defense and Garrison Museum, located in a World War II hangar, for a first-hand look at the aircraft, weapons and equipment used by the armed forces in defending Denmark since World War II. Later, proceed to your Aalborg hotel. Dinner in Aalborg is included this evening.
Day 6: Aalborg-Regan Vest-Rebild Center-Aalborg
A memorable full-day excursion from Aalborg includes a visit to Regan Vest Bunker, secretly constructed in the 1960s to accommodate the Danish government, officials, and the reigning monarch in case of a nuclear war. Later, proceed along the Regan Vest Trail to visit the nearby Rebild Center which offers a unique perspective of the natural wonders of the Rebild area and the Rold forest as well as an exhibition about the Cold War. Also included is a visit to the Thingbaek Limestone Mines, an historic limestone mine dating back 100 years which has been transformed into an unusual sculpture museum featuring works from Danish artists Anders Bundgaard and Cal Johan Bonnesen carved into the walls. Later, return to Aalborg where you are on your own for dinner this evening.
Day 7: Aalborg-Odense-Copenhagen
Drive to Odense, Denmark’s third largest city, to visit the Odense Bunker Museum, a remarkably well-preserved example of a 1950's Danish nuclear fallout shelter, which houses an excellent collection of Cold War era artifacts. Proceed to Copenhagen, Denmark’s picturesque capital and most populous city, located on the coastal islands of Zealand and Amager. Dinner is included this evening.
Day 8: Copenhagen-Rødovre-Copenhagen
Enjoy an orientation drive of the Danish capital followed by a visit to the Danish Resistance Museum where you learn more about the experiences of people living under the German occupation during World War II and the methods of sabotage they used such as decoding messages, intercepting phone calls and more. This afternoon, drive to Rødovre, a suburb of Copenhagen, to visit the Ejby Bunker located near one of Copenhagen’s oldest fortification systems. It was the central command unit of Copenhagen’s air defense from 1954 to 2005; the bunker now houses a museum with exhibits about the Cold War including interactive spy games. Return to Copenhagen where you are on your own for dinner this evening.
Day 9: Copenhagen-Rødvig-Gedser-Ferry to Rostock
Journey southward to Rødvig to visit the Cold War Museum Stevnsfort, one of Denmark’s most important Cold War sites, built along the peninsula of Stevns which would have been on the frontline if the Cold War has turned hot. Explore the remarkable subterranean fortress carved into limestone cliffs and the outdoor area with its impressive collection of cannons and military equipment. Later, proceed to Gedser, an important port town and the country’s southernmost point, to board your ferry crossing the Baltic Sea to Rostock in Northern Germany. Upon arrival, proceed to your Rostock hotel. Dinner is included this evening.
Day 10: Rostock-Rechlin-Berlin
The day begins with a visit to the Rostock Documentation and Memorial Site, housed in a former Stasi prison. Later, stop in Rechlin, the site of Germany’s first aviation research and testing center, used extensively during the Nazi era, to visit its Aviation Museum showcasing the region’s significant aviation history. Proceed to Berlin where you check into your hotel. Tonight, celebrate the final evening of your tour at our Farewell Dinner.
Day 11: Departure for the USA
Transfer to Berlin Brandenburg Airport to board your return flight arrangements.