Trip Itinerary

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

Day 1: Tuesday, July 26, 2022: Fly
We will meet at the church to transfer to the airport for our overnight journey to Frankfurt. Pre-tour nights are available in Mainz. (IF)

Day 2: Wednesday, July 27, 2022: Frankfurt, Mainz
On arrival in Frankfurt, we will meet our Reformation Tours bus and transfer to nearby Mainz.  Early arrivals will have leisure time to explore Mainz and tour the Gutenberg Museum. Tonight’s evening meal will be in a traditional restaurant. (IF/D)

Day 3: Thursday, July 28, 2022: Rhine Cruise, Worms, Mainz
What better way to start the day than with a Rhine cruise! We’ll board the boat and sail past magnificent castles and the famous Loreley rock to St. Goar. Every bend in the river brings more stunning scenery, ships pass left & right, and numerous trains roar up and down the Rhine River valley. From there we will drive to Worms, where we will tour the Cathedral, followed by 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 in 1521. We’ll have a photo stop at the stunning Reformation Monument, followed by a visit to the Church of the Holy Trinity, and a short celebration service. Tonight’s dinner will be in a winery, with a special meal and wine-tasting event for the church’s anniversary. We will return to our hotel in Mainz. (B/D)

Day 4: Friday, July 29, 2022: Eisenach, Erfurt
This morning we will drive up to Eisenach. 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. After touring the castle, we will continue on to Erfurt and stay in the Augustinian Monastery. After an early dinner, we will have a walking tour to see Erfurt Cathedral by night. (B/D)

Day 5: Saturday, July 30, 2022: Erfurt, Eisleben, Wittenberg
Our local guide will take us on a tour of 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 when he lived there. At the end of the tour we will have a group worship service in the chapel. We will also view St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Severin’s Church and the famous Merchant’s Bridge. In the afternoon we will take 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 continue on to Wittenberg and dine in a local restaurant. (B/D)

Day 6: Sunday, July 31, 2022: Wittenberg
Today, we will have a free morning to attend church or relax. In the afternoon, our local guide will take us on a tour of Lutherstadt Wittenberg. It was here in 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church (Schlosskirche). Although the original doors were destroyed in the Seven Years War, we can see Luther’s texts cast in bronze on the new doors.  We will visit St. Mary’s Church where Luther regularly preached and visit the Old Latin School next door. Luther’s former home, the Lutherhalle, is now a Reformation Museum and we will see where he lived with his family, as well as some of Luther’s very own personal library, rare manuscripts, and early Bibles. We will arrange for a time of fellowship today, either in the Old Lutheran School, or with the Wittenberg English Ministry. The rest of the day will be free to explore independently. (B)

Day 7: Monday, August 1, 2022: Leipzig, Dresden
Today we will explore Leipzig, one of Europe’s flourishing trade and commercial centers during the Middle Ages which became the center of resistance to Communist rule a quarter century ago. Here we have the privilege of visiting the Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas Church), the home of the faithful “Pray for Peace” Christians. In 1989, thousands of East Germans gathered by candlelight in this church to form human rights and pro-democracy demonstrations that led to the destruction of the infamous Berlin Wall and the dissolution of East Germany. Another Leipzig highlight is our visit to Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church), where Luther preached and Johann Sebastian Bach performed and directed the famous St. Thomas Boys choir. We will attend the motet concert in the afternoon, then continue on to Dresden. (B/D)

Day 8: Tuesday, August 2, 2022: Dresden, Nuremberg
This morning we will tour Dresden, ending with the noon service in the Frauenkirche. Germany’s largest Protestant church, the Frauenkirche has now been fully restored after being damaged during WWII. J.S. Bach was the first to play on the Silberman organ when the church was originally built. In the afternoon there will be a visit to Meissen before we depart for Nuremberg. (B/D)

Day 9: Wednesday, August 3, 2022: Nuremberg, Oberammergau
We will have a tour of Nuremberg in the morning, which is well known for its long tradition of toy manufacturing. Nuremberg was also the city where the Nazis held their party rallies in the 1930s, and the Documentation Center presents this history on the rally grounds where it occurred. We will then visit Dachau Concentration Camp to learn more about World War II history. Dinner will be in our Oberammergau area hotel. (B/D)

Day 10: Thursday, August 4, 2022: Oberammergau
The morning is free to stroll around Oberammergau before eating lunch and heading to the Passion Play. The seven-hour performance is truly a moving experience as we witness the passion of Jesus, recalling how He gave His life so that we might be forgiven. Gathered together with Christians from around the globe, this once-a-decade play is an unforgettable experience. (B/L/D)

Day 11: Friday, August 5, 2022: Munich
After a leisurely breakfast, we will drive up to Munich. In the afternoon we will have a guided walking tour of Munich, ending with a fun meal at the Hofbrauhaus. (B/D)

Day 12: Saturday, August 6, 2022: Return
We leave this morning and drive to Munich Airport for our flight home, and transfer to the church. (B)

Please note this itinerary is copyrighted.

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!

Mainz, Germany
July 27-29, 2022
Novotel Mainz
Augustusstraße 6
Mainz 55131

Erfurt, Germany
July 29-30, 2022
Augustinian Monastery
Augustinerstraße 10
Erfurt 99084

Wittenberg, Germany
July 30-August 1, 2022
Luther Hotel
Neustraße 7-10
06886 Lutherstadt Wittenberg

Dresden, Germany
August 1-2, 2022
Park Inn by Radisson
Melanchthonstraße 2
01099 Dresden

Nuremberg, Germany
August 2-3, 2022
Park Inn by Radisson
Sandstraße 2-8
90443 Nürnberg

Oberammergau, Germany
August 3-5, 2022
Hotel Schillingshof
Fallerstraße 11
D-82433, Bad Kohlgrub

Munich, Germany
August 5-6, 2022
Flemings Hotel München-Schwabing
Leopoldstraße 130-132
80804 München

Arrival and Departure Transfers

Transfers are automatically included if we have booked your flights.

If you have booked your own flights, we can still provide transfers, as long as we have your flight details on file and a phone number to give to the driver. We will include your transfer information in your final packet. Transfers will be arranged for each arrival, so that you won’t have to wait for other tour members if their flight is delayed. Transfers can be arranged for the day of your choosing, but we can’t arrange transfers if you arrive or depart by train.

Please note that individual transfers are booked through a third-party and you will be responsible to communicate with the company in case of delays.

Flight Information

Group Air: We have reserved the following flights on American Airlines for $1,550 per person. Payment is due with the final payment.

Individual Air: If you would like assistance with alternative flights, please visit our Book a Flight page.  Please send a copy of your flight itinerary for our records as soon as you have booked it.

Arrival: Please arrange to arrive in Frankfurt no later than 10:00 am on Wednesday, July 27, 2022.

Departure: You are welcome to depart from Munich at any time on Saturday, August 6, 2022.

We can arrange pre-tour nights in Frankfurt and post-tour nights in Munich, but due to the volume of tours in 2022, we are not able to arrange additional travel within Europe.

What’s included in the land price of *$3,599?

*Price based on a minimum of 35 participants.

Your Tour Includes

•   Transportation: via deluxe air-conditioned coaches
•   Accommodations (double-occupancy) in superior 3-star and moderate 4-star hotels
•   Category 1 seats for the Oberammergau Passion Play (the best seats)
•   Meals as indicated in the itinerary
•   Professional Tour Director throughout the tour
•   Local step-on guides for city tours and major attractions
•   Admission to all activities indicated in the itinerary
•   Group arrival and departure transfers
•   Baggage handling (1 piece of baggage per guest)
•   All taxes and tips, except as indicated below

Your Tour Does Not Include

•   Round-trip air transportation (group air from St. Louis is $1,550)
•   Individual arrival and departure transfers
•   Single supplement ($700)
•   Meals and beverages not identified in itinerary
•   Tips to the driver and tour director
•   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)

Payment Schedule

The deposits can be paid online or by check sent to Reformation Tours, 64 Fiesta Cir, St. Louis, MO 63146.

•   Initial deposit of $1,000 will secure your place on the tour
•   Final invoices will be sent in April 2022
•   Final payment is due by May 25, 2022
•   Reservations will be accepted after May 25, 2022, subject to availability

Insurance

We will continue to assist clients who have a current policy with Roam Right Insurance, a division of Arch Insurance Company. Travelers who had a policy in 2020 or 2021 have credit towards a new policy.

If you don’t have insurance yet, Squaremouth is an award-winning company which helps travelers search, compare, and buy the best travel insurance for the lowest price. We recommend using the following filters: trip interruption, coronavirus pandemic, travel delay ($500), emergency medical ($100,000), medical evacuation ($100,000), baggage delay and baggage loss.  Please read these instructions and if you still need assistance you can e-mail us and request a quote.

For other questions relating to Covid and travel insurance, please click here.

Cancellation

Regardless of reason, cancellations are costly. All cancellations must be in writing and the date of postmark will determine the amount of refund due. 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. Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is strongly recommended.

Oberammergau ticket deposits ($750) are non-refundable, but we will endeavor to find replacement travelers.

The following cancellation penalties apply, unless otherwise noted on the tour documentation:

From time of deposit to until January 30, 2022: $850 cancellation penalty plus any non-refundable deposits
From January 31, 2022, to June 13, 2022: $1,350 cancellation penalty plus any non-refundable deposits
From June 14 – 27, 2022: Cancellation penalty is 60% of land costs plus any non-refundable deposits
From June 28 – July 11, 2022: Cancellation penalty is 80% of land costs any non-refundable deposits
From July 12 to departure: No refund

Terms and Conditions]

Please note that this is a private tour, and we can only accept reservations from St. John’s Lutheran at the current time.