Beauty and the Bier SU 2026: Uncovering Myths and Liquid Traditions

Romantic castle ruins, dark historical witch trials, and the world-famous “Gemütlichkeit” of traditional breweries: Four German locals — Aachen, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, and Bamberg — are joining forces to host the Summer University “Beauty and the Bier” from 18 July to 1 August 2026. 25 adventurers will travel an epic route through forests and historic cities.

GT: What is the main idea behind your SU?
SU Team: The main idea is to show the two beautiful, contrasting sides of Germany. On one hand, you have the “Beauty”: the romantic and mysterious land of the Brothers Grimm, breathtaking castles, and deep forests. On the other hand, you have the “Beer”: our grounded, highly social, and traditional brewing culture. They fit together perfectly because both are deeply rooted in our history. After a long day of exploring mystical ruins and learning about dark folklore, there is no better way to bond than sitting together in a traditional brewery, experiencing true German “Gemütlichkeit”.

What is included in the fee of 324 Euros, and what about the optional fee of 30 Euros?
Our standard fee covers all the essentials and core adventures! This includes accommodation, two meals a day, all transportation between our four cities, and entrance to major activities like the Mercedes-Benz Museum, majestic castles and a visit to the thermal baths. The optional fee unlocks exclusive cultural and culinary experiences like a guided Brewery Tour. For those who want to dive deep into the “Beer” part of our theme.

Which cities and landmarks will you visit?
We are traveling an epic route: Aachen, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, and Bamberg. We’ll see iconic landmarks like the Aachen Cathedral, Heidelberg Castle, and the Black Forest. But if you ask what the biggest “hidden gem” of this trip is, it isn’t a single monument or building. Like in so many AEGEE events, the true hidden gem is the local culture itself.

Having four organising locals is very ambitious – why did you choose this concept?
We chose this concept for two main reasons. First, we really wanted to show off the incredible diversity of Germany! You can’t get the full picture by staying in just one place, so moving from the western borders of Aachen all the way down to Franconia lets participants experience completely different landscapes, dialects, and traditions. Second, it’s a perfect example of AEGEE teamwork. Our individual antennae aren’t huge, and honestly, we wouldn’t have had the manpower or capacity to host a full two-week Summer University all on our own. But by joining forces and pooling our resources, we were able to create something big together!

Won’t travelling so much be tiring?
We’ve perfectly balanced the schedule. The train and bus rides actually become the perfect downtime to rest, bond, or catch up on sleep between our adventures.

How do you pack so much value into such a small fee?
Honestly, it was quite a challenge! Germany has a very high cost of living, so accommodating the strict Summer University fee requirements wasn’t easy. But with the help of our amazing members we made it happen. To keep costs down, we are utilizing private hosting and designed a programme packed with incredible activities that are either free or very affordable, like exploring castle ruins our hiking through mystical forests.

You won’t just be travelling, there will be workshops too. What are they about?
Our workshops are a mix of AEGEE culture and our specific theme. We of course start with the “What is AEGEE” Workshop to introduce newbies to our European network and the impact we make. Then things get thematic with our Witch Hunt Workshop, where we dive into the dark, historical reality of the European witch trials that took place right in that region. We also have a Fairy Tale Workshop, where we deconstruct the polished Disney stories to reveal the gritty, original German folklore of the Grimm Brothers. We will announce some more workshops as the starting date moves closer.

SUs give local insights that normal holidays can’t offer. Can you give examples?
Since we travel through different regions, participants will experience several unique local traditions! For example: In Stuttgart, we’ll introduce them to Swabian culinary legends like Maultaschen: delicious dumplings historically invented by monks to hide meat from God during fasting. Then in Bamberg, we dive deep into Franconian culture with a traditional Weißwurst breakfast. We’ll teach them the strict rules, like how you must eat the sausage before the church bells ring at noon.

Imagine it’s the third SU day. Where am I, what am I eating, and what does the air smell like?
Day 3 is out first big travel day. You are sitting comfortably on a train, watching the beautiful German countryside roll by as we leave the historical city of Aachen behind and head south towards romantic Heidelberg. You’re snacking on a leftover Aachener Printe – the famous local gingerbread – and sharing road-trip snacks with your new friends. The air smells like fresh morning coffee, the faint scent of sunscreen, and pure excitement. You’re definitely a little tired from the legendary opening parties in Aachen, but the energy in the group is buzzing as everyone gets ready for the next chapter of our fairy tale!

You start as 20+ strangers. How do you plan to turn them into a family?
The secret really lies in the journey itself! When you are on the move together, sharing snacks and exploring four completely different cities, the bonding happens completely naturally. By the end of the trip, our ultimate goal is that they won’t just be learning about old German myths, but that they will have experienced a magical, modern summer fairy tale of their very own!

AEGEE is famous for its Spirit. How would you describe it to a new member?
The AEGEE Spirit is the sudden realization that you are at home anywhere in Europe. It’s that feeling of stepping totally out of your comfort zone: sleeping on a sofa in a private hosting, exploring a new city, or trying to speak a new language. And feeling completely accepted and energized while doing it. It’s open-mindedness, pure enthusiasm, and knowing that you now have a couch to crash on in twenty different countries.

Who is your ideal participant?
Our ideal participant is open-minded, loves a mix of deep history and epic parties, and is ready for an active adventure! If you get excited about hiking up to mystical castle ruins, uncovering dark fairy tales, and don’t mind the classic AEGEE lifestyle of sleeping in hostels or cozy private hostings, you are perfect for this. Who shouldn’t apply? Someone looking for a five-star luxury hotel, who hates walking, or who expects a completely polished, relaxing spa holiday…

What makes your AEGEE locals famous within the network?
What makes our locals special is that we aren’t the massive, giant branches of the network. We are the cozy, highly motivated, family-style locals! Because we are smaller, we are famous for our warm, authentic hospitality and the deep, personal connections we build with our guests.

If you could send a 10-second voice note to someone hesitating to apply, what would you say?
“Hey! Stop overthinking it and just hit apply! We’ve got majestic castles, legendary pub crawls, four incredible German cities, and a whole new AEGEE family waiting for you. Come write your own summer fairy tale with us. It’s going to be legendary, and you absolutely don’t want to miss it!”

Check out the course description at the official SU application page. The application period ends on 1 May 2026.