Day
1: Overnight flight.
Depart USA for overnight transatlantic flight to Berlin.
 |
| Brandenburg
Gate in Berlin |
Day
2: Arrival in Berlin (B, D)
Upon
our early morning arrival in Berlin,
our European Tour Director will greet and escort us to our waiting
deluxe, air-conditioned motor coach. We will begin our visit
to Berlin with a city orientation tour. Tonight, we are invited
to a special welcome dinner and orientation. Our first overnight
is in Berlin.
Day
3: Berlin, Wittenberg (B, D)
This morning we have the choice of shopping, resting or exploring.
The Pergamon Museum houses an amazing series of Biblical artifacts,
including the Pergamon Altar from Pergamon in Turkey, one of
the seven churches of Revelation.
 |
| By
the famous "95 Theses" door |
In the afternoon
we’ll head south to Lutherstadt-Wittenberg
where the Reformation officially began on October 31, 1517.
Our local guide will take us to the very place Martin
Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses to the door
of the Schlosskirche (Castle Church). The original door was
destroyed in the Seven Years War, but were replaced with Luther’s
texts of the 95 Theses are cast in bronze on the door. Inside
the church, we can see Martin Luther's and Phillip
Melanchthon’s graves.
Next we'll tour the Lutherhalle (Luther House) Museum. In 1508,
when Martin Luther came to Wittenberg, he lived here with other
Augustinian monks. Later, Luther and his wife, Katharina
von Bora, raised six children here. We'll be able
to view some of Luther's very own personal library, rare manuscripts,
early Bibles, and some of the very pamphlets that Luther had
printed up that stoked the fires of the Reformation. The tour
will also include Stadtkirche St. Marien (St. Mary's church)
where Luther preached and where his children were baptized.
We’ll marvel at the amazing detail in the altar painted by Lucas
Cranach in a Reformation theme.
In the evening we’ll also have the opportunity to meet and pray
with staff of the Wittenberg
English Ministry and share a meal with them after
the service.
 |
The
Merchant Bridge in Erfurt |
Day
4: Erfurt, Buchenwald (B)
When
we arrive in Medieval Erfurt,
we’ll tour St. Mary's Cathedral, the Augustinian Monastery,
the Old University and St. Severin's Church, ending with a special
organ concert performed exclusively for our group. In the afternoon
we'll take a sobering visit to Buchenwald concentration camp
and pause to remember those dark days. In the evening we'll
be free to sample the local cuisine and take a stroll this delightful
Thuringian town. We'll stay overnight in Erfurt.
 |
Wartburg
Castle |
Day
5: Wartburg Castle, Eisenach, Rudesheim (B, D)
This morning
we'll travel to the imposing Wartburg
Castle, where Luther took refuge after a fake kidnapping
staged by his friend and protector, Frederick the Wise. This
is where Luther translated the New Testament into German in
just 11 weeks! In the nearby town of Eisenach,
we'll see the splendid Martin Luther Statue in town and St.
George's Church. Martin Luther was a school boy in Eisenach
and also sang in the choir. In 1521 he preached on his journey
to and from the imperial parliament in Worms (The Diet of Worms).
We'll then make our way to Rudesheim
on the banks of the Rhine, for dinner and the first of two nights
in this attractive location.
 |
| The
lively Drosselgasse |
Day
6: Rhine Cruise, Mainz, Rudesheim (B)
What
better way to start the day than with a Rhine
cruise! We’ll board the boat at St. Goar and sail
past magnificent castles and the famous Loreley rock. We’ll
then have the afternoon to explore Rudesheim, a town dating
back to the pre-Roman era. Attractions include Siegfried's Mechanical
Music Museum, the Drosselgasse, a lively street with live evening
music, a Medieval Torture Museum (not for the faint of heart!),
and the Rheingau Wine Museum. You can also take a cable car
up to the Niederwald Monument for a fabulous view. In the afternoon
we'll take an excursion to nearby Mainz
and visit the Gutenberg Museum, which includes original copies
of the Gutenberg Bible! Tonight we’ll be free to sample local
cuisine as we’ll spend a second night in Rudesheim.
 |
The
Black Forest, Triberg |
Day
7: Worms, Heidelberg, Black Forest, Triberg (B, D)
On our way
south, we'll stop in Worms
for a brief stop to see the site of the Worms Debates
(Diet of Worms), now a park, with a plaque commemorating the
Diet of Worms and the Reformation Monument. Our guide will also
share about another Reformer, William Tyndale, who finished
his printing of the English Bible in Worms, escaping persecution
in England.
Our lunch stop will be in Heidelberg,
a gorgeous town on the Neckar River. The stone bridge and Castle
are magnificent.
Driving through the Black Forest, we’ll end our day with a group
dinner and overnight in the resort of Triberg.
 |
Zurich
harbor |
Day
8: Schaffhausen Falls, Zurich, Interlaken (B, D)
This
morning we’ll stop for a photo opportunity at the Schaffhausen
Waterfalls, where the mighty Rhine River roars at Europe's highest
waterfall. Crossing over into Switzerland, we'll explore Ulrich
Zwingli’s city - Zurich. We’ll tour Zwingli’s church,
the Grossmünster, where we'll hear excerpts from his old sermons
and admire the world famous Chagall stained glass windows. We'll
also see the Helferei where Zwingli lived. Other notable sites
are the Fraumunster (the famous Catholic Cathedral) and the
historic Auld Stadt (old city). We'll enjoy a group dinner and
then pass through Luzern on our way to the Interlaken area for
a two-night stay.
 |
Magnificent
Murren |
Day
9: Swiss Alps, Lauterbrunnen Valley, Murren (B, D)
Today
we will have a full day to explore the Lauterbrunnen Valley,
regarded as one of the most spectacular glacial valleys in Europe,
lies surrounded by the unspoiled natural beauty of the magnificent
Swiss Alps. In the afternoon we’ll ride the funicular railway
to the picturesque resort of Murren. This is a car-free village
perched atop a cliff, surrounded by the unbelievable panorama
of the Eiger, Jungfrau and Breithorn mountains. Dinner and overnight
in Interlaken area.
 |
| Chillon
Castle on Lake Geneva |
Day
10: Chillon Castle, Montreux, Geneva (B, D)
On
the way to Geneva, we'll stop at Chillon Castle, standing on
the banks of Lake Geneva and the inspiration for Lord Byron's
poem, "The prisoner of Chillon." We'll take a tour of this impressive
fortress, before making our way along the bank of Lake Geneva,
also known as Lac Leman, to Geneva. Dinner and overnight in
Geneva. After dinner we’ll take an evening cruise and see the
city lights reflecting on Lake Geneva.
 |
Geneva's
lake front |
Day
11: Geneva (B)
Today
we will have a full day to tour Geneva and learn more about
John
Calvin, the French Protestant theologian and John
Knox, the Scottish Reformer, who both spent several
years here as pastors. Our full-day tour will start at the waterfront,
famous for its Flower Clock and English Gardens, and continue
to the old town area, where we'll tour Cathedrale St. Pierre
(St. Peter’s Cathedral). This is where John Calvin preached
and stoked the fires of the Reformation in Geneva, winning thousands
to the Lord. Close by is the Auditoire de Calvin (Calvin's Academy,
also known as The Protestant Lecture Hall), where the inspired
theologian himself taught. John Knox also taught here for three
years. Next we go to the impressive Reformation Monument. Our
tour will include Rainpalais Cemetery, The University Library,
the Historical Museum of the Reformation and Calvin College.
Geneva is also well-known as a headquarters for many international
organizations and we’ll view the headquarters of the World Council
of Churches, the Red Cross, the Town Hall as well as Ariana
Park and the colorful Old Town. Opportunity to sample local
Swiss cuisine this evening. Overnight in Geneva.
Day
12: Flight home
All good things must come to an end. As we fly out of Geneva
this morning, we'll treasure the memories of the last 12 days.