Join this 13 Day Luther Anniversary Tour! Tour originates from San Antonio but alternate departure cities may be available at an additional cost. Please contact us (Reference the 500th Anniversary of Luther Trip in June 2017) for more information- questgroup@questtravelgroup.com or 800-769-9466.
Tour Cost- $4,428.00 (All inclusive, except lunches)
Itinerary:
DAY 01, THU JUN 08: NORTH AMERICA / BERLIN. Tour members will gather at the ticket counter three hours prior to the departure to Europe. Dinner and breakfast will be served in flight.
DAY 02, FRI JUN 09: BERLIN. Morning arrival at the Berlin Airport where we are met by our tour escort and motorcoach. Our tour will show us the site of the famous Wall that became such an unfortunate symbol of repression; we will also see the Brandenburg Gate crowned by the statue of Victoria in the victory chariot, the Reichstag, Kaiser-Wilhem Memorial Church, the famous boulevard “Unter den Linden”. We will visit the Pergamon Museum containing the spectacular Pergamon Alter and Ishtar Gate of Ancient Babylon as well as seeing St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, the Soviet War memorial and the restored Opera House. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 03, SAT JUN 10: BERLIN / MAGDEBURG / DESSAU / WITTENBURG. This morning we drive toMagdeburg where twelve-year-old Martin Luther attended school and where he was exposed to the teachings of the Brethren of the Common Life. In 1524, he was called to Magdeburg, where he preached and caused the city's defection from Catholicism. In the following years Magdeburg gained a reputation as a stronghold of Protestantism and became the first major city to publish the writings of Luther. We leave Magdeburg and drive southward to Dessau where, on April 2nd, 1534, the Dessau Princes (Georg, Johann, and Joachim) professed the Reformation and where Martin Luther preached before them and the citizens of Dessau. We will see the main points of interest including St. John’s Church. Continue to Wittenberg, birthplace of the Reformation, city of Frederick the Wise who was patron and protector of Luther. Luther lived here from 1508 until his death. We will visit All Saints Church where Luther nailed in 95 Theses to the door and which contains the graves of Luther and Melanchthon. See the University where Luther taught, and visit Melanchthon’s House as well as the Luther House which is the largest and greatest museum of Reformation in the world. We will also visit the Tadkirche of St. Marien where Luther used to preach. See the Luther Monument and Renaissance Town. Hall. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 04, SUN JUN 11: LEIPZIG / HALLE / EISELBEN. After our morning worship service, we drive to Leipzig, Bach’s city, where our sightseeing will include St. Thomas Church where Bach was organist and choirmaster. We will also view the Renaissance Town Hall. Continue to Halle, where Luther stayed in 1510 for the granting of an appeal to the Pope (Dispute of the Order of St. Augustin). We will see the Market Church of our Dear Lady and also visit the special exhibition, which is hoped to be staged showing Luther’s Bible with his handwritten notes. Then to Eiselben which ranks amongst the most significant of all places having a connection with Luther, although he only spent a little time here – he was born here on November 10th, 1483 and died here on February 18th, 1546; old manuscripts indicate that he felt a special affinity towards Eiselben. We will also visit the house of his birth and see the house where he died; photo stops at St. Andrew’s Church where he preached his last sermon and where his body was laid out, the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul where he was christened, and the Luther Monument. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 05, MON JUN 12: EISELBEN / MANSFELD / ERFURT. This morning we make our way to Mansfeld where we’ll explore the school that Martin Luther attended. Visit the Mansfeld Castle which is now Jugendburg, a youth education meeting place. Then drive to the historic town of Erfurt where Luther studied at the university and where our tour in Luther’s Footsteps will include a visit to the Cathedral and Church of St. Severi’s, a view of the Kramer Bridge lined on each side with timber-framed houses restored to their original condition. Then pay a highlight visit to the important Augustinian Monastery built in 1277 and now beautifully restored. The Monastery contains an exhibition on Martin Luther who was a monk here from 1505 until 1511, including Luther’s cell. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 06, TUE JUN 13: EISENACH / WARTBURG / COBURG. This morning we drive to Eisenach, birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach, whose birthplace we will visit to listen to some of his marvelous music played on historic instruments. We will also visit the Luther House museum before driving the short distance to Wartburg for a photo op to see the formidable Castle where Luther found refuge during the Imperial Ban. The castle was built in the 11th century and is where Luther translated the New Testament in the years 1521-1522. Then we’ll make our way to Coburg where we’ll stop for a photo of Veste Coburg, the Coburg Fortress, one of Germany’s largest castles. Here Martin Luther lived under the protection of Elector John the Steadfast for several months during the Diet of Augsburg in 1530. Dinner and overnight in Coburg.
DAY 07, WED JUN 14: COBURG / FULDA / MARBURG / MAINZ. This morning we drive to the historic town of Fulda, a center of religion and scholarship in the Franconian Empire and which was designated as a town in 1114. In the 18th century during the Baroque Age it reached its most important period; it was the residence of the Prince Abbotts and Prince Bishops and a university was founded. We will stop for pictures at the Town Castle, St. Michael’s Church and of course the Dom (Cathedral). Continue to Marburg and the Marburg Castle, famous for the Marburg Colloquy which was a meeting at Marburg, Hesse, Germany which attempted to solve a dispute between Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli over the Real Presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper. It took place between 1 October and 4 October 1529. The leading Protestant reformers of the time attended at the behest of Philipp I of Hessen. Continue to Mainz for dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 08, THU JUN 15: WORMS / HEIDELBERG / ROTHENBURG. This morning we visit Worms, city of the 1521 Edict, and an important center of the Reformation where we will see the impressive Monument to the Reformation and visit the Cathedral. Worms was the site of Luther’s trail for heresy and it was in the Cathedral that, standing before the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Luther uttered his faith affirming, death defying proclamation…”Here I stand, I can do no other. God help me”. Continue through the beautiful Black Forest region of Germany past tiny villages with their Hansel and Gretel style cottages, on our way to the romantic medieval city of Heidelberg, delightfully situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar Rivers. We will visit the castle ruins and gardens and also the famous Stone Bridge, said by many to be Germany’s most beautiful bridge. We will also see the Red Ox Inn of “Student Prince” fame. Then to Rothenburg for dinner and overnight.
DAY 09, FRI JUN 16: ROTHENBURG / ROMANTIC ROAD / AUGSBURG / SCHWANGAU. This morning we visit Rothenburg ob der Tauber, one of Europe’s finest preserved medieval towns. We will see the main points of interest including the beautiful gateways and towers, imposing town walls and cobblestone streets as well as the Renaissance style Town Hall and the Ratstrinkstube featuring the Meistertrunk clock. Continue along the scenic Romantic Road through the medieval villages of Dinkelsbuhl and Donauworth to Augsburg, where Luther stayed on his way from Rome and where he defended his 95 Theses in the debate with the representative of the Church of Rome in 1518. During his stay in Augsburg from October 7-10 the foundations were laid for the development of the Reformation and thus of the Christian Church. We will see the Renaissance style Town Hall, visit St. Anne’s Church of the Fugger, see the Church of the Holy Cross (Luther’s lodgings after his journey to Rome in 1511) and the impressive Augustus Fountain. Head to Schwangau for dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 10, SAT JUN 17: SCHWANGAU / NEUSCHWANSTEIN / OBERAMMERGAU / SALZBURG. Our full day tour of Bavaria commences with a drive through spectacular mountain scenery, past snow-capped alps, crystalline lakes and rustic villages. On the approach to Neuschwanstein, it will quickly become clear as to why this magnificent neo-Romanesque style castle is the most well known castle in the world. It appears through the mist like something out of a fairytale, and you will not be surprised to hear that the man who conceived its design - King Ludwig II, was considered quite eccentric. If it all seems very familiar, it may be because the castle was the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle. A short drive then brings us to the tiny village of Oberammergau, site of the world famous Passion Play which is performed once every ten years. We will visit the Passion Play Theater and see the many beautifully painted houses which make this such an attractive village before driving to Salzburg for dinner and overnight.
DAY 11, SUN JUN 18: SALZBURG / MUNICH. After our morning worship service, we visit Mozart's city, where our sightseeing will include the Sound of Music tour. Visit the following original film locations: Mirabell Gardens and Pegasus Fountain (dancing scene with Maria and the children), Leopoldskron Palace (where the family lived in the film), Hellbrunn Palace (the song scenes), Nonnberg Convent (where Maria lived as a young novice), St. Gilgen / Wolfgangsee (opening scene in the movie) and the Mondsee Church (wedding scene). The afternoon is at leisure, perhaps to visit the Getreidegasse Pedestrian shopping precinct. Drive to Munich for dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 12, MON JUN 19: MUNICH / DACHAU. This morning we visit Bavaria’s lively capital. Our sightseeing tour here will include the Gothic Town Hall, the Marienplatz, Karlstor Gate and Our Lady’s Cathedral. This afternoon we drive to the Dachau Concentration Camp and memorial site. An authorized guide will share important information concerning the desperate survivors who'd been tortured and exploited throughout the course of World War II. Today, Dachau Memorial Site is a place of memory, of pilgrimage and of education and makes for an illuminating day trip from Munich. Just outside the medieval town center of Dachau, a Memorial Site stands on the grounds of the former concentration camp. This was the 'parent' camp. Dachau was the 'Academy of Terror', the originator, role-model and training ground for the vast order of brutality that spread over half of Europe in the wake of the armies of the Third Reich, and which ultimately culminated in history's greatest crime, the Final Solution. Return to Munich for dinner and overnight.
DAY 13, TUE JUN 20: MUNICH / NORTH AMERICA. This morning we transfer to the Munich Airport for our return flight to the United States - the end of our memorable journey.