When I first heard there was going to be a history trip to Berlin, I jumped at the chance to visit the historical city. I’d always wanted to see the sights and sounds of the German capital, so I was very excited when 24^th October came around.

On our arrival, we visited the famous TV Tower which gave us an amazing view of the city. It proved that Berlin didn’t just hold a lot of history, but also a lot of beauty.

During our stay we visited Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. This was not only an extremely moving experience, but also informative, as we got an excellent insight into the terrible living conditions the minorities in Berlin had to withstand. We also visited the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate and the Checkpoint Charlie Museum.

The highlight of the trip for me was visiting the Cecilienhof and Sanssouci Palaces in Potsdam. To see the room in which the Potsdam Conference took place was unbelievable and something I’ll never forget.

Students and teachers on the steps of Sanssouci, the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, at Potsdam

Of course, aside from all the historical sightseeing, there was always time for shopping, crêpes (at Alexanderplatz train station) and the unforgettable Berlin’s Got the X Factor!

Nicole Wilkinson, Junior Sixth Form