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Price Includes: Very nice 3 and moderate 4 star hotels, breakfast daily, 6 dinners, modern transportation, sightseeing as listed.
Not Included: Airfare, fuel charges, air taxes, travel/cancellation insurance, lunches, 4 dinners, gratuities to driver and guide.
A large portion of our understanding of scripture was formed in this picturesque setting. Be challenged by the faith and courage of our church fathers on this wonderful tour vacation.
Day 1: Depart USA
Overnight flight to Berlin, Germany.
Day 2: Arrive Berlin, Wittenberg
Willkommen to Deutschland! On arrival in Berlin we tour the Kaiser Wilhelm Church, the famous Brandenburg Gate, the Cathedral, the Reichstag building, and Cold War Check Point Charlie Museum (if time allows). We will then travel to Wittenberg and our hotel for the next two nights.
Day 3: Wittenberg
This morning our local guide will take us on a tour of Lutherstadt Wittenberg. It was here in 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses and Melanchthon helped forge Reformation Theology. Here the Cranachs painted now famous portraits of Luther. We will spend time in the Lutherhalle (Luther House) Museum, where Luther lived first as a monk, then later with his wife and children. We'll be able to view some of Luther's very own personal library, rare manuscripts, and early Bibles. The tour will also include Castle Church, Stadtkirche St. Marien (St. Mary's church) where Luther preached and where his children were baptized and the Luther Oak where he burned the edict from Rome, condemning him as a heretic.
Day 4: Erfurt, Augustinian Monastery
After breakfast, we will travel to Erfurt, then have free time for lunch and a stroll around this delightful medieval town. Our local guide will then take us on a tour including St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Severin’s Church and the famous Merchant’s Bridge. We will end at the Augustinian Monastery where Luther became a monk on July 17, 1505. We will be able to see his monastic quarters, including one cell furnished to look as it would have done when he lived there. At the end of the tour we can choose to have a group worship service in the chapel. We overnight in Erfurt for two nights.
Day 5: Eisenach
In 1521, while fleeing from the wrath of the Pope, Luther took refuge in the Wartburg Castle after a fake kidnapping staged by his friend and protector, Frederick the Wise. We will tour the Wartburg and see where Luther finished translating the New Testament into German in just 11 weeks. Luther spent time in the nearby town of Eisenach at as school boy and sang in the choir of St. George's Church, where the Bach family also worshiped. The afternoon we tour the Bach Museum and Luther House Museum.
Day 6: Rhine Cruise, Rudesheim
We enjoy picturesque cruise on the Rhine River from St. Goarshausen, past magnificent castles and the famous Loreley Rock to charming Rudesheim. We will then take a cable car over vineyards to the Germania Monument with a gorgeous Rhine view, followed by a tour at St. Hildegard Abbey. We overnight in Rudesheim.
Day 7: Worms, Strasbourg
Our guide in Worms will take us to see the amazing Cathedral, followed by the site of Luther’s Worms Debates (Diet of Worms), now a park, with a plaque commemorating Luther’s brave stand of faith and truth. We’ll have a photo stop at the stunning Reformation Monument and follow this with a visit to the Church of the Holy Trinity. We will then travel into France to visit Strasbourg, referred to as the “City of Hope” and “Refuge of the Righteous” by the Anabaptists. This is where John Calvin wrote his famous books on systematic theology and where Martin Bucer, another Reformation leader, helped bring in the Reformation. We will have a stroll around the city centre to view the Cathedral of Strasbourg, St. Thomas's Church, and charming “La Petite France” quarter. Overnight for two nights in Strasbourg.
Day 8: Strasbourg
This morning we'll take a canal tour boat ride. Next we explore charming Colmar, just an hour south by train. Colmar escaped damage during the war, and has numerous picturesque half-timbered houses. This was the hometown of Frederic Bartholdi (creator of the Statue of Liberty) and the town includes a small museum, as well as several statues around town. We will spend a second overnight in Strasbourg.
Day 9: Constance, Zurich
Today we’ll have breakfast in France, lunch in Germany and dinner in Switzerland! In Constance, we will pray on the spot where the pre-Reformer Jan Hus was martyred, see the Cathedral where the trial was held, and the prison site, which is now a deluxe hotel. Crossing over in Switzerland, we’ll meet up with our guide in Zurich, to learn about Zwingli and the Anabaptists on a tour of the key Reformation sites in Zurich. We’ll tour the Grossmünster, the Helferei (where Zwingli lived) and see the Zwingli Statue. After a stroll through the historic Auld Stadt (old city) we will check into our hotel and then enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 10: Grindelwald
We will leave Zurich early and head high up to Grindelwald, nestled in the Swiss Alps. This is our fun Alps play day! All activities are optional today and include trip to the top of Jungfraujoch, cruise on the lake, visit the mountain adventure hub, or just stroll around the village. Return to the hotel in Zurich.
Day 11: Geneva
We will stop for coffee in medieval Murten, where we can walk atop the original city walls and explore another chapter of Swiss history. We then continue to Geneva, where Calvin, Knox, Farel and others brought Christ's teachings to eager listeners. Our tour will begin at the impressive Reformation Monument. Four statues of four Reformation leaders stand as sentinels to truth and courage inspired by godly faith. We will see Calvin’s church, the Auditoire de Calvin, (Calvin's Academy, also known as The Protestant Lecture Hall), where the inspired theologian himself taught. Next door is St. Pierre’s Cathedral, where John Calvin preached. We can see his chair and a restored section decorated as it would have been before Calvin. For the hardy, it's only 157 steps up to the top of the North Tower, where the view is worth the effort. Our final stop is an audio guide tour through the incredible Reformation Museum. Below the museum and the Cathedral, we can see the ruins of a Roman sanctuary, a 4th century basilica, and a 6th century church. We dine at a local restaurant this evening for our farewell meal.
Day 12: Return
We transfer to the Geneva airport early this morning for our flight home.
*The tour itinerary is subject to change or be slightly modified in order to best meet the interests of the group.