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15 Day
Germany & Switzerland Reformation Tour
May 8-22, May 15-29, May 29-June 12,
June 12-26, July 3-17, July 31-August 14,
August 28-September 11,
September 11-25, 2010
Projected Dates, will be confirmed
Summer 2008
Itinerary subject to change while touring for the best interest of
the group
Day 1: Depart
USA
Enjoy your overnight flight to Berlin with dinner en route.
Day 2: Arrive
Berlin -Leipzig (2 Nights)
Upon arrival this morning, we will be met and taken on a brief tour of
Berlin. View the remains of the Wall, drive by Brandenburg Gate and
other sights before continuing on to our lodging for the next two nights
in Leipzig.
Day 3: Day Trip
to Wittenberg
We begin today, the Reformation Trail to Wittenberg where
Martin Luther
lived and taught for 36 years. You will see the
Castle Church
door 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. This afternoon we return to the beautiful city of Leipzig,
Bach's city, and a visit to St. Thomas Church where Bach was choir
master and organist.
Day 4: Leipzig -Eiselben
- Erfurt (1 Night)
Leaving Leipzig we visit Eisenben which is noted among the most
significant in Luther's history; he was born here in 1483 and died here
in 1546 and old manuscripts indicate that he felt a special affinity to
Eisenben. 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. Additional places of interest will be found in nearby
Erfurt, where Luther attended the university. A highlight will be the
Augustinian Monastery where he spent his early years as a monk. We will
overnight in Erfurt.
Day 5: Erfurt -
Eisenach - Coburg - Goetz - Wurzburg (2 Nights)
Our day begins in Eisenach, birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach. It was
here at the formidable Wartburg Castle that Luther, under "house
arrest", translated the New Testament into the German language in 1523.
We then tour on through scenic Thuringer Wald to view the fortress of
Coburg know as Veste, the place of Luther's imprisonment in 1530. Time
permitting; you may want to pay a visit to nearby Goetz Factory, where
the world famous Hummel figurines are made. Your day will end at a
restful hotel near Wurzburg, where a well deserved supper and lodging
for the next two nights awaits.
Day 6: Day Trip
to Heidelburg & Worms
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. Our next stop is
in 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 return to our
lodging for the evening in Wurzburg.
Day 7: Wurzburg
- Rothenburg on the Tauber - Augsburg (1 Night)
This morning, one of the highlights of your trip will be a visit to the
best preserved medieval town in all of Europe, Rothenburg. What a
delightful day you will have visiting the quaint Rathaus (town hall)
with its tower, the Kriminal-museum, housing all manner of Medieval
instruments of torture and especially for the ladies, one of the most
fascinating Christmas stores you will ever see - Kathe's (pronounced
Katie's). After lunch you will travel south to the ancient city of
Augsburg. 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) at
which Protestants presented their confession, the foremost doctrinal
statement of the Lutheran church. 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. Overnight in Augsburg for the
evening.
Day 8: Charming
Bavaria (2 Nights)
Continuing further south today, we stop at the Rococo-style Chapel in
the Meadow and Ludwig II's most luxurious former residence, the
Neuschwanstein Castle. This afternoon's adventure takes us to the little
hamlet of Eibsee where we climb into a modern cable car that will take
us to the summit of the tallest mountain in Germany, the Zugspitze. Here
it snows year round, so you will need a sweater, but the panoramic view
will warm your heart. It is absolutely spectacular! We continue to the
charming town of Oberammergau, site of our Passion Play tomorrow.
Day 9: Passion
Play
Today is dedicated to the Oberammergau, site of the famous Passion Play
and magnificently painted houses. This play, hundreds of years old has
lasted throughout time. We enjoy the lengthy program, spending the
evening nearby in one of the lovely housing locations available.
Day 10: Constance, Zurich (2 Nights)
Departing later in the morning we Travel westward bringing us to a
resort town on the border of Germany and Switzerland, Constance. Some
historians suggest that it is here that the Reformation actually got
it's start in 1415, with the execution of Bohemian reformer John Huss.
You will see the house in which he faced his accusers and the place just
outside the main town where he was burned at the stake. On the way to a
new country on the tour, Switzerland, you will stop near Schaffhausen to
view the Rhine Falls, the most powerful waterfalls in Germany. This is
definitely a "Kodak moment". Overnight in Zurich.
Day 11:
Zwingli's Zurich, Lake Lucerne
Zurich is definitely a combination of the old and the new. It is divided
(as are many European cities) into the modern cosmopolitan district and
the Auld Stadt (old city). Most of the time during your stay will be
spent seeing the sights connected with Ulrich Zwingli. It was in Zurich
where the Reformed branch of the Reformation got its start under his
leadership beginning in 1520. Today you will see his monument, the
church where he was pastor (the Grossmunster), and the Guild Hall and
Museum in which you will find artifacts and works of art associated with
the Reformation. Zurich is also the origin of the Swiss Brethren
Anabaptist Movement. It had its start in the home of Felix Manz in 1525.
Its location is a few blocks from Zwingli's church. This afternoon we
travel on to lovely Lucerne for a fjord-like lake cruise and free time
in the historic cobblestone shopping district to shop for watches.
Day 12: Lucerne,
Interlaken, Grindenwald, Berne (1 Night)
Enjoy a brief walking tour of historic Lucerne displaying Medieval
heritage every step of the way. See the impressive city walls, the
famous covered wooden bridge, ornate patrician houses lining cobbled
streets, and Thorwaldsen's masterful Lion Monument. Next we travel on to
Interlaken, a Bernese Oberland resort beautifully situated between two
lakes and beneath the towering Jungfrau. If the weather is right our
motorcoach will wind it's way to the mountain village of Grindenwald
where we have free time to walk the trails with spectacular mountain and
glacier vistas. Free time will be allowed to explore through the
woodcarving shops of Brienz before we continue on to our lodging for the
evening in Berne.
Day 13: Berne,
Chillon Castle, Geneva (2 Nights)
Berne, Switzerland's capital, is 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. The next highlight today
will be a visit to the much photographed Chillon Castle, the
12th-century water fortress near Montreaux. We continue our tour along
the upper ridge of placid Lake Leman (Lake Geneva). There will be stops
along the way to freshen up and take in this extraordinarily beautiful
site. Finally you will come to the south end of this magnificent lake
and encounter the city known to Protestants as the "Town of Calvin" -
Geneva. Overnight two nights in Geneva.
Day 14: Geneva
The grand finale of our tour will be the historic city of 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 before returning to our hotel for dinner and
overnight.
Day 15: Depart
Geneva for USA
Arrival back in our home town is scheduled for mid-afternoon.
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Approximate Price Per Person
(double occupancy):
Pricing confirmed Summer 2008
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Dates |
Approximate Land &
Air |
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East Coast |
Central |
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West Coast |
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May, September,
October |
$5292.00 |
$5396.00 |
$5467.00 |
$5536.00 |
$5597.00 |
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June, July,
August |
$5778.00 |
$5883.00 |
$5953.00 |
$6023.00 |
$6092.00 |
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Limited Space - Reserve Today:
Pilgrim Tours 800.322.0788
Reservation Form
Pilgrim Policies
Insurance Info
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Price Includes:
Roundtrip airfare
from JFK (discount airfare available nationwide), air taxes
(subject to change until ticketed), Superior Tourist Class
accommodations, breakfast daily, 13 dinners, Passion Play tickets (Including housing,
breakfast, lunch & dinner, admission ticket to the Oberammergau Museum, playbook), Luggage handling in hotels
(1 piece per person), Expert Guide throughout, All guides,
entrances and transportation as appear on itinerary, modern
transportation.
Not Included:
Gratuities, lunches, optional travel
insurance
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