Switzerland, Germany & Imperial Europe 19-Day Tour

We arrive in Switzerland, the city known to Protestants as the "Town of Calvin" - Geneva. We begin sightseeing at St. Peter's Cathedral, where John Calvin taught the doctrine that made him famous throughout the Protestant faith. Other Reformation sites of interest include Calvin's Academy, the Reformation Monument and the Reformation Museum. We'll also take a walk by the Flower Clock and Gardens. The remainder of the day you are free to explore at your leisure. We overnight in Geneva.

This morning, we follow beautiful Lake Geneva eastward to the much photographed Chillon Castle, the 12th-century water fortress near Montreaux. Our next stop is in Berne, Switzerland's capital. Here you will find a wonderfully preserved Medieval town and one of the earliest cantons to embrace the Protestant Reformation due mainly to the influence of Zwingli. Sightseeing with a local expert starts at the popular Bear Pit and then focuses on the monumental Federal Palace and the beautifully preserved medieval Old Town. Witness the hourly parade of painted figures at the Clock Tower and take your pictures of ornate, flower-adorned fountains. We continue our tour to the charming mountainside community of Interlaken for dinner and overnight.

This morning we have a visit to the village of Grindelwald, also known as the “Glacier Village.” Weather permitting, you may choose an optional travel up and up via cog railway to the spectacular peak of the Jungfraujoch. The view from 11.000 feet will take your breath away. Please note: The cost of the Mountain Excursion is not included in the price because this tour is based on weather conditions. The cost for the cog railway is $185 per person currently. If the weather does not allow this tour we depart for Lucerne and enjoy a tour of this charming city to see the impressive city walls, the famous covered wooden bridge and Thorwaldsen’s masterful Lion Monument. Our lodging this evening will be in the Zurich area.

This morning we tour Zurich, the most prominent Swiss city. This is Ulrich Zwingli’s city. It was here in the Old City that Felix Manz was martyred in the Limmat River. We’ll visit the Grossmunster Church and its statue of Ulrich Zwingli, one of the most important Reformers. Following free time for lunch, coffee and chocolates, we will travel on to Constance, made famous by reformer John Hus, and then into the picturesque Black Forest region of Germany. Dinner and lodging this evening will be in Strasbourg, France.

Enjoy a tour of 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. From here, we travel northward to the Rhine River and relax on a delightful and picturesque cruise from St. Goarshausen, past magnificent castles and the famous Loreley Rock to charming Rudesheim. Our lodging next two evenings will be in nearby Mannhein, Germany.

Arrive in Frankfurt this morning by and begin sightseeing in nearby Worms. It was here, during the Imperial Diet in 1521, that Martin Luther challenged the entire Roman Catholic establishment by his refusal to recant the great doctrines of Protestantism. It was also here that William Tyndale completed the printing of his English version of the New Testament in 1525 which he had begun in Cologne. After seeing St. Peter's Church and the symbolic Luther Memorial near the town square, we will stop in nearby Mainz for commentary and a picture of the Gutenberg Monument dedicated the German printing of the Bible. Our lodging this evening will be in Manheim.

This morning, we travel on to one of the most charming cities in all of the world - Heidelberg, ancient capital of the Palatinate and home of Germany's oldest university. But most importantly, it was a stronghold of German Reformed Protestants beginning in 1560. One of the great confessional statements of the Reformation, the Heidelberg Catechism was produced here in 1563. Heidelberg Castle, a most impressive historic landmark of Germany, stands majestically overlooking the Neckar River. The structure, now largely in ruins, preserves numerous examples of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque German architecture. The afternoon adventure includes the panoramic "Romantic Road" with a visit to the best preserved medieval town in all of Europe, Rothenburg. We see the quaint Rathaus (town hall) with its tower and have free time for coffee and shopping in the many delightful shops. You may choose to visit on your own the Kriminal-museum, housing all manner of medieval instruments of torture. Our lodging for the next two evenings will be in Augsburg.

This morning we travel into the Alpine region of Bavaria to the Rococo-style chapel in the Meadow and Ludwig II’s most luxurious former residence, the Neuschwanstein Castle. In the afternoon, a walking tour of Augsburg, site of the Augsburg Confession, will bring to light the history behind much of our doctrine today. It was here in 1518 at St. Anne's Church that Luther met the papal legate, Cardinal Cajetan, who demanded that Luther submit to the pope. Augsburg was also the site of another Imperial Diet (1530) and in the town hall the Peace of Augsburg was signed in 1555 ending for a time the religious wars in Germany between the Catholics and the Protestants.

This morning we travel northward to view the fortress of Coburg known as Veste, the place of Luther's imprisonment in 1530. We visit the apartment where he stayed and continued his translation work, a chapel where he spoke and worshiped, and a gallery of period paintings. This afternoon we spend time in nearby Erfurt, where Luther attended the university. A highlight will be the Augustinian Monastery where he spent his early years as a monk and the famed doors that he closed on his protesting friends after saying "You can see me today, but never again." You will find it interesting and uplifting to hear how the studies here brought him to his understanding of scripture. Our lodging this evening will be in Erfurt.

Leaving Erfurt, we visit Eisleben which is noted among the most significant in Luther's history; he was born here in 1483, died here in 1546 and old manuscripts indicate that he felt a special affinity to Eisleben. We will see the house of his birth and death, St. Andrews Church where he preached his last sermon, the Luther Monument, and St. Anne's Church with the famous Biblical scenes hewn in stone and many other sites. This afternoon we travel to the beautiful city of Leipzig, Bach's city, with free time and a visit to St. Thomas Church where Bach was choir master and organist. Our lodging this evening will be in Leipzig.

We continue on the Reformation Trail today with a visit to Wittenberg where Martin Luther lived and taught for 36 years. You will see the Castle Church door area where Luther posted his 95 Theses, giving birth to the Reformation. This beautiful church is also the burial site of Luther. We see the university where Luther taught and the Luther House which is the greatest museum of Reformation History in the world with a detailed history display of his life and accomplishments, historical documents and an outstanding collection of period paintings of his life and family members. Our lodging for the next two evenings will be in Berlin.

We enjoy an inspirational guided tour of this fascinating city including the “East Side Gallery”, the longest continuous and still standing section of the Berlin Wall, the infamous “Checkpoint Charlie”, the majestic main gate the “Brandenburger Tor” and nearby “Holocaust Memorial,” a memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. We continue on to the German Parliament (Reichstag) with a visit to the roof terrace, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the refurbished city center and Gendarmenmarkt, Alexanderplatz, the famous boulevard “Unter den Linden”. In the afternoon you will have time at leisure or the opportunity to visit the GDR Museum to find out more about life under socialism or visit the world-famous Pergamon Museum with its many treasures including the Ishtar Gate and the Market Gate of Miletus.

Note: During the current stage of renovations in the Pergamon Museum, the hall containing the Pergamon Altar will be closed to the public for five years, due for reopening in 2019. The South Wing featuring the Market Gate of Miletus, the Ishtar Gate and Processional Way from Babylon, as well as the Museum of Islamic Art, remains unaffected and will be open to the public during this time.

This morning we depart Southwest for the border of Germany and the Czech Republic. Before arriving at the border we stop for free time in Dresden. One of Germany’s most beautiful cities, Dresden was virtually destroyed during the night of 13/14 February 1945, when Allied Forces mounted a vast carpet-bombing raid on the city. We have free time in the city center where meticulous restoration work is in progress to return the city centre to its former glory. We have lunch and free time before traveling south to Prague. After hotel check-in and dinner, enjoy an independent evening walking tour of this beautiful city which is even more impressive by night; all of the buildings are illuminated and appear to be out of a movie set. Walk across the St. Charles Bridge for a view of the city from a unique angle. It is not surprising to learn that Prague was the major filming site for the movie, "Amadeus".

This morning we take a nice introductory tour of Prague including the Old Town. This afternoon is at leisure for independent sightseeing and shopping before Dinner on your own. Following our dinner we enjoy an afternoon River Cruise displaying the famous sights along Prague’s river front.

We depart Prague this morning and travel south stopping for free time in beautiful Bratislava on the way. We then arrive in at capital of Hungary; Budapest also named ‘Paris of the East’, where the remainder of the day will be yours at leisure to explore the city or just relax in your hotel.

Situated on the opposite banks of the Danube River, the former cities of Buda and Pest are linked by a series of graceful bridges. Our morning sightseeing tour includes visit to Castle Hill area with outside views of the Royal Palace, then the Fisherman’s Bastion, a Medieval Castle whose walls were guarded by the guild of fishermen with a remarkable view of the Danube and colorful city. In the afternoon we make our way west entering Austria to the Musical Capital of Vienna. Upon our arrival in Vienna we are transported into the heart of the Hofburg Dynasty.

This morning following breakfast we visit one of Europe’s most renowned cathedrals, St Stephens. We then have a panoramic city tour viewing Vienna’s most famous historic sights including the Ringstrabe, with its magnificent buildings, the State Opera House, Parliament, etc. We then visit Hofburg Palace, residence of the Hapsburgs and home of the famous Spanish Riding School. The highlight of touring today will be a visit to Schöenbrunn Palace and the royal apartments. We then have a final farewell dinner in a local Vienna restaurant.

We transfer to the 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.