Day 1: U.S.
Depart on your overnight flight to Germany.
Day 2: Berlin
Arrive at Berlin’s Tegel Airport where you will be greeted by your tour representative. After a brief introduction to the city, check into your hotel and enjoy the afternoon at your leisure. Take in some of Berlin’s beautiful scenery & architecture, like Charottenburg Palace or Oberbaum Bridge. You may also want to stroll down Kurfürstendamm, one of Berlin’s infamous retail boulevards with charming outdoor cafes. This evening, you will have dinner & your overnight in Berlin.
Day 3: Berlin
After breakfast, you will have the full day to experience Berlin. Learn about the formerly divided city as you view the Brandenburg Gate, where citizens literally tore down the Berlin wall in 1989. Visit the Soviet Victory Monument & Checkpoint Charlie, the crossing point from West to East Berlin. You will also see some cultural gems, like the Pergamom Museum & Alexanderplatz, one of Berlin’s city centers. Today’s other stops include the Berlin Cathedral, the Reichstag, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church & the Bonhoeffer House. The Bonhoeffer House was the residence of Dietrich Bonhoeffer & family, a German Lutheran pastor known for his outspoken position against the Nazi regime. Your dinner & overnight will be in Berlin.
Day 4: Wittenberg - Dresden
Today you will head east to the Germany city of Wittenberg, where Martin Luther lived much of his academic & monastic life. Visit the Luther House where Luther converted from monk to preacher. The building, now a museum, was also Luthers' family home. Stop by the home of Philipp Melanchthon, one of Luther’s collaborators & a spiritual leader of the reformation. Afterward, visit where these religious pioneers were laid to rest, the Castle Church. Next, visit the town church where you will see an altar designed by Lucas Cranach, a Renaissance artist & friend to Luther. Continue to Dresden for a tour of Zwinger, the beautiful Rococo castle. Finally, stop by Dresden’s Frauenkirche, an iconic Lutheran church, recognizable for its Protestant religious architecture. You will enjoy dinner & your overnight in Dresden.
Day 5: Dresden - Leipzig - Eisleben - Erfurt
After breakfast, you depart for Leipzig to visit St. Nicholas Church. The church rose to national significance for its role in the Monday Demonstrations in 1989, a series of nonviolent protests against the communist regime. En route to Eisleben, you'll stop by neighboring, Lutzen where Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus defeated Albrecht von Wallenstein in the Battle of Lutzen in 1632, a part of the 30-years war. Continue on to Eisleben, the birthplace of Martin Luther. In Eiselben, you will be able to visit St. Peters Church, where Luther was baptized. You will then head to Erfurt for your dinner & overnight.
Day 6: Erfurt - Eisenach
After breakfast, take a tour of Erfurt. You will first visit St. Sens Church, also known as Erfurt Cathedral and where Luther participated in his first Mass & was later ordained. Then, tour the University of Erfurt where he earned both a bachelor’s & Master’s degree & discovered his passion for Bible study & religion. Next, visit the Augustinian Monastery where Luther entered as a member of the Augustinian Order of Hermit. While in Erfurt, take the time to stop by the Tradesman’s Bridge, built over houses which are still inhabited today. Travel to Eisenach to visit the houses of both Luther & the famous composer, Johann Sebastian Bach. See St. George’s Church where Bach was baptized as well as St. George’s Latin School, Luther’s preparatory school. Stop by the Wartburg Castle which is a UNESCO World Heritage site & where Luther translated the New Testament from Greek to German. Enjoy dinner & your overnight in Eisenach.
Day 7: Coburg - Nuremberg - Rothenburg
Today you will travel to Coburg, a Bavarian town settled on the Itz Rivera. Luther lived here during a session of the Augsburg Imperial Diet, the administrative assembly of the Imperial States in the Holy Roman Empire. During the Diet of Augsburg in 1953, the Augsburg Confession was presented by German rulers, setting forth the principle beliefs of Lutherans. On your way to Rothenburg, stop in Nuremburg for a visit to the home of Albert Dürer who was known for woodcuts which depicted Protestant religious scenes. Rothernburg will be your next stop for tonight’s dinner & overnight.
Day 8: Rothenburg - Augsburg - Munich
After breakfast, take a tour the Bavarian town of Rothenburg. Visit St. Jacob’s Church, known for its Twelve Apostles Altar woodcarving depiction of the Last Supper. Stop by the Town Hall & the Christmas Store before continuing to Augsburg, a city famous for the The Augsburg Confession. St. Anne’s Church is the first stop and where Luther stayed to meet with Cardinal Cajetan, the papal legate, who advocated for Luther’s submission to the Catholic Church. Shortly after, St. Anne’s Church converted to Lutheranism. That afternoon, continue to Munich for dinner at Hofbrauhaus, a historic brewery. Here you will enjoy traditional German fare, refreshments & entertainment. Your overnight is in Munich.
Day 9: Munich - Oberammergau
Enjoy breakfast before your tour of Bavaria. Start with a visit to Neuschwanstein Castle, formerly the refuge for “Mad” King Ludwig. The castle has since become the inspiration for fairytale castles as well as featured in several movies. Stop in the town of Oberammergau, perhaps best known for its passion plays. During the 17th century, the townspeople made a vow with God that if He could spare them from the Bubonic Plague, they people would perform a passion play, a depiction of Christ’s crucifixion, every 10 years. To this day, the people of Oberammergau perform the passion play just as they promised those centuries ago. Upon your return to Munich, explore this world renowned German town, seeing the old Gothic town hall, & Marienplatz, Munich’s city square. Walk under Karlstor, one of the four remaining city gates left from the period of medieval fortification. Then, visit Frauenkirche, or Our Lady’s Cathedral, one of the city’s most recognizable symbols & the seat of the Archbishop of Munich & Freising.
Day 10: Heidelberg - Worms - Mainz
After breakfast, depart for Heidelberg. You'll get to see the Heidelberg Castle, which boasts a blend of architectural styles from Gothic to Renaissance & the famous stone bridge. You'll also visit The Church of the Holy Spirit with its beautiful steeple which overlooks the town. Its unique Gothic architecture took over one hundred & fifty years to build. From Heidelberg, head to Worms where Luther took his last stand before the Diet of Worms in 1521, a hearing that declared Luther as a heretic. While in Worms, visit the Luther Monument & Lutheran Church, both of which commemorate the life & work of Luther as well as Worms’s role in the Reformation. That evening, travel on to Mainz-Rudesheim for your dinner & overnight.
Day 11: Mainz - Rudesheim
Enjoy breakfast before exploring Mainz with a tour dedicated to Johannes Gutenberg who was the publisher who brought printing to Europe. At the Gutenberg museum, you will see one of only 47 existing copies of the Gutenberg Bible, the first printed version of the bible and aesthetic inspiration for future prints. While in Mainz, enjoy views of the Rhine River & marvel at some of the region’s terrific Romanesque Cathedrals, like the Mainz Cathedral. That afternoon, board your cruise of the Rhine River, sailing past the Lorelei, a rock towering over the waterline & one of the Rhine gorge’s most famous features. On your journey you’ll also see castles, barges & lots of the river’s beautiful shoreline. Upon return from the cruise, you will be treated to a special farewell dinner in Mainz.
Day 12: U.S.
Departure flight home.