Trip Itinerary

Please note this itinerary is copyrighted.

Key: IF = In Flight Meals, B= Breakfast, D = Dinner 

Day 1: Sunday, September 17, 2017: Overnight Flight to Berlin, Germany
Our journey to explore the sites and heroes of the Reformation begins with an overnight flight to Berlin. (IF)

Day 2: Monday, September 18, 2017: Overnight Flight to Berlin, Germany
Welcome to Germany! On arrival in Berlin, we will meet our tour director and transfer to our centrally-located hotel. Depending on flight arrival time, we will have dinner at the hotel. (IF)

Day 3: Tuesday, September 19, 2017: Berlin
After a relaxed breakfast, we will have a bus orientation tour including a stop at the famous Brandenburg Gate for photos. We will also see the Cathedral, the Reichstag building and the lively boulevards. After a break for lunch we will tour the Bonhoeffer Museum, the WWII Topography of Terror Museum and Cold War Check Point Charlie Museum. We will dine at our hotel this evening. (B/D)

Day 4: Wednesday, September 20, 2017: Wittenberg
This morning we will travel to Lutherstadt Wittenberg. It was here in 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses and Melanchthon helped forge Reformation Theology. Here the Cranachs painted now famous portraits of Luther. We will spend time in the Lutherhalle (Luther House) Museum, where Luther lived first as a monk, then later with his wife and children. We’ll be able to view some of Luther’s very own personal library, rare manuscripts, and early Bibles. The tour will also include Castle Church, Stadtkirche St. Marien (St. Mary’s church) where Luther preached and where his children were baptized, and the Luther Oak where he burned the edict from Rome, condemning him as a “heretic”. We will join the 4 PM service hosted by the Wittenberg English Ministry, then continue to our hotel in the Wittenberg area for dinner. (B/D)

Day 5: Thursday, September 21, 2017: Eisleben, Erfurt 
We will begin the day with a trip to Eisleben, where Luther was born and also where he died. It is sometimes referred to as his Bethlehem and Jerusalem. We’ll visit both these homes with our guide, as well as St. Anne’s, an old miner’s church famous for the Biblical Scenes hewn in stone. We will also visit St. Peter and St. Paul Church where Luther was baptized. We will then drive to Erfurt, stopping on on the way to visit Buchenwald Concentration Camp. This evening we will dine in the “Luther Cellar” restaurant with a traditional meal from his time. We spend two nights in Erfurt. (B/D)

Day 6: Friday, September 22, 2017: Eisenach, Erfurt
In 1521, while fleeing from the wrath of the Pope, Luther took refuge in the Wartburg Castle after a fake kidnapping staged by his friend and protector, Frederick the Wise. We will tour the Wartburg and see where Luther finished translating the New Testament into German in just eleven weeks. In the afternoon we will return to Erfurt and our guide will take us on a tour including St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Severin’s Church and the famous Merchant’s Bridge. We will end at the Augustinian Monastery where Luther became a monk on July 17, 1505. We will be able to see his monastic quarters, including one cell furnished to look as it would have done when he lived there. At the end of the tour we will have a group worship service in the chapel.The evening is at leisure. (B)

Day 7: Saturday, September 23, 2017: Rhine Cruise, Rudesheim
On our way to the Rhine River, we will watch a Reformation DVD and then enjoy a delightful and picturesque cruise from St. Goarshausen, past magnificent castles and the famous Loreley Rock to charming Rudesheim. We will then take a cable car over vineyards to the Germania Monument with a gorgeous Rhein view, followed by a winery tour and tasting at St. Hildegard Abbey. Here, we’ll enjoy a relaxed group meal and learn about life in the abbey. This evening in Rudesheim we can sing along to German folk songs with live accordion music. We overnight in Rudesheim. (B/D)

Day 8: Sunday, September 24, 2017: Frankfurt, Worms, Strasbourg
This morning we will attend the morning service at Trinity Lutheran Church in Frankfurt, followed by coffee and fellowship. After lunch, we will visit Worms and see the site of Luther’s Worms Debates (Diet of Worms), now a park, with a plaque commemorating Luther’s brave stand for faith and truth. We’ll have a photo stop at the stunning Reformation Monument, then board the bus to travel into France to visit Strasbourg. This evening we will dine in our hotel. (B/L/D)

Day 9: Monday, September 25, 2017: Strasbourg
We will have a morning tour of Strasbourg, including the Cathedral. Strasbourg was an important town for John Calvin. He pastored French Huguenot refugees, got married, and wrote a second edition to his famous book, the Institutes. Strasbourg, as a free imperial town, was a beacon for Protestantism right from the 16th century. During his time in Strasbourg, Calvin was not attached to one particular church, but held his office successively in various local churches. The afternoon is at leisure to explore this wonderful French city, take a canal tour boat ride, rest, or try local cuisine favorites. (B)

Day 10: Tuesday, September 26, 2017: Constance, Zurich
Today we will have breakfast in France, lunch in Germany and dinner in Switzerland! In Constance, we will pray on the spot where the pre-Reformer Jan Hus was martyred, and see the Cathedral where some of the trials were held. Crossing over in Switzerland, we’ll check in to our hotel in Zurich. Our local guide will take us on a walking tour to learn about Zwingli and the Anabaptists on a tour of the key Reformation sites in Zurich. We will tour the Grossmünster, the Helferei (where Zwingli lived) and see the Zwingli Statue. After a stroll through the historic Auld Stadt (old city) we will dine in an authentic Swiss restaurant. (B/D)

Day 11: Wednesday, September 27, 2017: Lucerne, Geneva
We will take a day trip to Mount Pilatus. We will drive to Lucerne, then take a boat to Alpnachstad. The world’s steepest rack railway will lead us Mt. Pilatus where we enjoy a unique panoramic view of 73 Alpine peaks and countless lakes. A spectacular ride in the aerial cable car and the gondola ropeway will take us back down into the valley to Kriens. We will continue on to Geneva. (B)

Day 12: Thursday, September 28, 2017: Geneva
Our tour of Geneva will begin at the impressive Reformation Monument. Four statues of four Reformation leaders stand as sentinels to truth and courage inspired by godly faith. We will see Calvin’s church, the Auditoire de Calvin, (Calvin’s Academy, also known as The Protestant Lecture Hall), where the inspired theologian himself taught. Next door is St. Pierre’s Cathedral, where John Calvin preached. We can see his chair and a restored section decorated as it would have been before Calvin. Our final stop is an audio guide tour through the incredible Reformation Museum. Below the museum and the Cathedral, we can see the ruins of a Roman sanctuary, a 4th century basilica, and a 6th century church. We have a free time this afternoon to experience these key sites before we dine at a local restaurant this evening for our farewell meal. (B/D)

Day 13: Friday, September 29, 2017: Return
We transfer from the hotel to the airport for our flights. (B/IF)

What are accommodations like?

Our hotels are chosen for their quality, amenities and proximity to areas of interest. Whenever possible, we choose hotels in town centers, so that you are able to go off and explore in your free time. It may be necessary for us to substitute hotels for others of equal quality. You will be fully informed of any changes that affect you. Enjoy your stay!

Pre-tour nights are available.  Please contact us for details!

Berlin, Germany
September 18-20, 2017
Hotel Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Ziegelstrasse 30
10117 Berlin

Wittenberg, Germany
September 20-21, 2017
Radisson Blu Furst Leopold
Friedenspl. 1
06844 Dessau-Roßlau

Erfurt, Germany
September 21-23, 2017
Hotel Am Kaisersaal
Futterstraße 8
99084

Rudesheim, Germany
September 23-24, 2017
Hotel Lindenwirt
Amselstraße 4
65385 Rüdesheim am Rhein

Durbach, Germany
September 24-26, 2017
Best Western Plus Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten
Almstrasse
77770 Dubach

Winterthur, Switzerland
September 26-27, 2017
Swiss Park Hotel
Stadthausstrasse 4
8402 Winterthur

Geneva, Switzerland (Gaillard, France)
September 27-29, 2017
Mercure Hotel Porte de Geneva
9 Rue des Jardins
74240 Gaillard

Flight Information

Group flights have been arranged for this tour on British Airways ($950 per person round-trip, included taxes and fees):

If you would like to make your own arrangements, please wait until the tour is a definite departure, before booking non-refundable tickets. We can either assist you with flights or you are welcome to book your own. Please ensure we have a copy of your flight itinerary for our records as soon as you have booked it.

September 19, 2017: Please arrive in Berlin before 4 PM.

September 29, 2017: You are welcome to depart Geneva at any time.

What’s included in the land price of $3,299?

Price based on a minimum of 25 participants

Your Tour Includes

•   Transportation: via deluxe air-conditioned coaches
•   Accommodations (double-occupancy) in superior 3-star and moderate 4-star hotels with good bus access
•   Meals as indicated in the itinerary
•   Professional Tour Director throughout the tour
•   Local step-on guides for city tours and major attractions
•   Guides will use Whisper Headsets throughout the tour
•   Admission to all activities indicated in the itinerary
•   All transfers, as a group
•   Baggage handling (1 piece of baggage per guest)
•   All taxes and tips except as indicated below

Your Tour Does Not Include

•   Air transportation ($950 round-trip from LAX)
•   Single supplement ($480)
•   Meals and beverages not identified in itinerary
•   Items of a personal nature, such as passports and visas. Passports must be valid for 6 months beyond return date.
•   Passenger trip cancellation insurance (details sent with reservation form)
•   Gratuities for Tour Director, and driver

Payment Schedule

•   Deposit of $350 will secure your place on the tour. Please send all payments to Reformation Tours, LLC. P.O Box 854, Belleville, IL 62222.
•   Final invoices will be sent in June 2017
•   Final payment is due by July 4, 2017
•   Reservations will be accepted after July 2017, subject to availability

Insurance

We now offer all of our travelers FREE travel insurance on group tours, which is valid throughout the tour. This insurance is through RoamRight, a division of Arch Insurance Company. You have the option to upgrade to the Total Travel Protection Plan to receive full coverage. The price depends on the total land and air cost of the tour.

Included Insurance
The Travel Protection Plan covers you while you are on tour (not before). It includes medical and evacuation coverage, missed travel connections, trip delay, baggage delays, and lost luggage.

Included Travel Protection Description of Coverage

Upgraded Insurance from $161 (land)
You can upgrade to the Total Travel Protection plan, by adding Trip Cancellation coverage. This is valid from the time of purchase until the tour begins. E-mail us to add the upgraded insurance, or request the upgrade when you sign-up for the tour.

Click for pre-tour cancellation insurance quote (additional cost) Total Travel Protection Description of Coverage

Cancellations

Regardless of reason, cancellations are costly. To offset these costs the following fees will apply, plus any non-recoverable expenses to our suppliers:
From time of deposit to until 100 days before departure: $100
From 99-15 days prior to departure: $350 plus any non refundable deposits
14 days or less prior to departure: No refund– Cancellation charges also apply to additional accommodation reserved prior to and after the tour.
– Cancellations must be received in writing by 5:00 p.m. central time on the last business day of the applicable time period.
– For flight changes or cancellations, revision fees and/or airline cancellation charges will apply.
– Roommates canceling can result in a single supplement charge for the roommate. The Participant who cancels will be responsible for that charge if a substitute roommate cannot be found.
– Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is strongly recommended.
Reformation Tours cannot assume responsibility for any additional costs or fees relating to the issuance and/or cancellation of air tickets or other arrangements not made through Reformation Tours.

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