|
|
 |
16 Day
Italy & Germany Tour
May 7-22, May 14-29, May 28-June 12,
June 11-26, July 2-17, July 30-August 14,
August 27-September 11,
September 10-25, 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
Overnight flight to Rome.
Day 2: Arrive Rome & Walking Tour (3 Nights)
We arrive at the Rome airport where meet our tour manager and motorcoach.
En route to the hotel, stop at the ruins of Ostia Antica, which provides
an idea of life in classical times. You will also see the Ostian Gate,
today called the Gate of St. Paul, before arriving at the hotel for
check in and some relaxation time before dinner. Have dinner at a local
restaurant, followed by a guided walking tour to discover Rome by night.
Day 3: Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel & St.
Peter Basilica
After breakfast you will begin a full day of site seeing. First visit
Vatican City where you will see the Basilica at St. Peter, the Sistine
Chapel and the Vatican Museums with stunning works of art at every turn.
After some free time for lunch, you will visit the 4th
century Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, the traditional site of
Paul’s tomb, and the Scala Santa, Luther’s Holy Steps. The spiritual and
historical insight gained from this tour will be invaluable to you, not
only in your understanding and application of truths, but also in your
daily walk with the Lord. You are free this evening for dinner on your
own.
Day 4: Catacombs & Coliseum
Today we begin by passing the Victor Emmanuel II Monument before
continuing on to the Piazza di Campidoglio, another masterpiece of
Michelangelo’s Design. Pass over the hill and down on into the ancient
Roman Forum, where your guide will divulge all of its secrets. You also
will step inside the Mamertine Prison. End your sightseeing at the
Coliseum, where thousands of people and animals perished during
gladiatorial games. The Coliseum could hold between 40,000 and 80,000
people, depending on how close the seating was. The floor has recently
had a plank placed over the middle, making it accessible for people to
walk over the labyrinth of brick cells, ramps, and elevators used to
transport animals and gladiators into the arena. Hear the stories of
the games that have fascinated people for years. If time allows we
visit the Catacombs where thousands of Christians were buried in a
remarkable tiered series of galleries, and the Caracalla Baths dating
back to the early AD 220s. We return to the hotel for dinner and
overnight.
Day 5: Rome - Pisa - Florence (2 Nights)
After breakfast you will say “Arrivederci Roma” and board your coach and
travel to Florence. We follow the Aurelian Way along the Tyrrhenian
coast to Pisa. Here take your pictures of the amazing Leaning Tower, 180
feet high and no less than 16 feet out of the perpendicular. We then
continue on to Florence, the splendid capital of Tuscany. Florence has
been the center of Religion, Music, and Art throughout its history and
is the city where the Renaissance began. Upon arrival we travel to the
top of a hill overlooking the city which gives a wonderful panoramic
picture of the city and its architecture. We check-in to our hotel for
dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Florence
Our guided sightseeing today includes magnificent Santa Maria Del Fiore,
Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze "Gate of Paradise,"
and sculpture-studded Signoria Square. To top it off, admire
Michelangelo’s celebrated David in the Academy Museum. The afternoon is
free for independent sightseeing and browsing through the shops in
Piazza Santa Croce. Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry sold by
the ounce are attractive buys. Don’t forget to stroll across the Ponte
Vecchio, one of the most famous bridges in the world. You are free this
evening for dinner on your own.
Day 7: Florence & Verona (2 Nights)
North through the fertile Lombardian plains to Verona, medieval setting
of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. See Juliet’s Balcony and stroll
around the picturesque market square. En route to Verona we stop at one
of Italy’s famous towns for Lunch and free time. We arrive in Verona
for dinner and overnight this afternoon.
Day 8: Day trip to Venice
Start morning sightseeing in style as your guide takes you by private
boat along the Giudecca canal to meet your resident expert. Highlights
of your walking tour are St. Mark’s Square and the Byzantine splendor of
St. Mark’s Basilica, lavish Doges’ Palace and the Bridge of Sighs.
Afterwards enjoy Venice at your own pace, or join an optional gondola
ride. Tonight is your chance to sample the city’s fine restaurants with
dinner on your own, before returning to Verona.
Day 9: Verona -
Garmisch - Oberammergau (2 Night)
This morning we depart and head north, towards the towering alps. Take a
picture of the ski-jump at Cortina, Italy’s skiing and mountaineering
center beneath the jagged limestone towers of the Dolomites, enroute to
Brenner Pass, the spectacular road across the mighty barrier of the
Tyrolean Alps. We arrive in Innsbruck, capital of Austiran Tyrol. We are
free this afternoon for lunch and shopping through the quaint medieval
lanes. We continue to the charming town of Oberammergau, site of our
Passion Play tomorrow.
Day 10: 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 near by in one of the lovely housing locations available.
Day 11: Neuschwanstein - Rothensburg - Wurzsburg
(2 Night)
Continuing our touring today, we stop at the Rococo-style chapel in
the Meadow and Ludwig II’s most luxurious former residence, the
Neuschwanstein Castle. We continue our travels with a stop at medieval
Rothensburg. The best preserved medieval town in all of Europe,
Rothensburg is a delightful day as we visit 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 we continue our trek north through the
fertile countryside of Southern Germany to Wurzburg. We check into our
hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: 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 dinner and the evening in Wurzburg.
Day 13: Wurzburg - Coburg -Eisenach - Erfurt (1
Night)
Wasting no time today we immediately set out through scenic Thuringer
Wald to view the fortress of Coburg know as Veste, the place of Luther's
imprisonment in 1530. Next we visit 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 end out day in Erfurt for dinner and
overnight
Day 14: Erfurt -Eiselben
- Berlin (2 Nights)
This morning we spend time in Erfurt, where Luther attended the
university. A highlight will be the Augustinian Monastery where he spent
his early years as a monk. Leaving Erfurt 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. We continue to Berlin for dinner and
overnight.
Day 15: Day Trip
to Wittenberg
We continue 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 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. We return to Berlin for dinner and overnight.
Day 16: Depart for home
We have an early morning departure from Berlin arriving home the
same day.
|
Approximate Price Per Person
(double occupancy):
Pricing confirmed Summer 2008
|
Dates |
Approximate Land &
Air |
| |
|
East Coast |
Central |
|
West Coast |
|
May, September,
October |
$5629.00 |
$5733.00 |
$5802.00 |
$5872.00 |
$5943.00 |
|
June, July,
August |
$6117.00 |
$6220.00 |
$6289.00 |
$6360.00 |
$6429.00 |
| |
|
|
Limited Space - Reserve Today:
Pilgrim Tours 800.322.0788
Reservation Form
Pilgrim Policies
Insurance Info
|
|
Price Includes:
Roundtrip airfare
from JFK (discount airfare available nationwide), air taxes
(subject to change until ticketed), tourist class
accommodations, breakfast daily, 11 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, entrances and transportation as appear on itinerary, modern
transportation.
Not Included:
Gratuities, lunches, 3 dinners,
optional travel
insurance
|
|
