Trip Itinerary

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

Day 1: Friday, July 15, 2022: Fly to Berlin
Our journey to explore the sites and heroes of the Reformation will begin with an overnight flight to Berlin. Pre-tour hotel nights can be arranged in Berlin. (IF)

Day 2: Saturday, July 16, 2022: Berlin, Wittenberg
Welcome to Germany! On arrival in Berlin, travelers will transfer to our hotel in Berlin. After time to explore the nearby Kaiser Wilhelm Church, purchase lunch, and shop, we will gather back at the hotel to begin the tour (time will be confirmed once we know all the flight arrival times.) Our afternoon bus orientation tour will include a stop at the famous Brandenburg Gate for photos. We will then go back to the time of Luther as we visit Lutherstadt-Wittenberg, the birthplace of the Reformation. This evening we will enjoy a welcome dinner and spend our first night in Wittenberg. (IF/D)

Day 3: Sunday, July 17, 2022: Wittenberg
This morning is at leisure to attend a church service (in German)  or explore the town. 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. The rest of the day will be free to explore independently. (B)

Day 4: Monday, July 18, 2022: Eisleben, Erfurt
This morning we will visit Eisleben, one of Luther’s favorite towns. This is where he was born and also where he died, so it is sometimes referred to as his Bethlehem and Jerusalem. We will visit both of 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 continue to Erfurt and dine in our hotel. (B/D)

Day 5: Tuesday, July 19, 2022: Eisenach, Erfurt
Today’s full-day excursion will be 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. Luther spent time in the nearby town of Eisenach as a school boy and sang in the choir of St. George’s Church, where the Bach family also worshiped. The afternoon will be free to explore the town or tour the Bach Museum and Luther House Museum. The bus will then take us back to Erfurt and the rest of the day will be at leisure. (B)

Day 6: Wednesday, July 20, 2022: Erfurt, Rudesheim
Our local guide will take us on a tour including viewing St. Mary’s Cathedral, the Church of St. Severus, and the famous Merchant’s Bridge. We will end our tour 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 when he lived there. At the end of the tour, we will have a group worship service in the chapel. On our way to the Rhine River, we will watch a Reformation DVD. We will stay overnight in Rudesheim and enjoy a meal in a local restaurant this evening. (B/D)

Day 7: Thursday, July 21, 2022: Rhine Cruise, Worms, Heidelberg
What better way to start the day than with a Rhine cruise! We will board the boat and sail past magnificent castles and the famous Loreley rock to St. Goar. Every bend in the river will bring 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 will have a photo stop at the stunning Reformation Monument, followed by a visit to the Church of the Holy Trinity.  Tonight’s dinner will be in a family-owned winery and our meal will include tasting 4 local wines.  We will end the day in Heidelberg. (B/D)

Day 8: Friday, July 22, 2022: Heidelberg, Rothenburg
Today we will have a leisurely morning to relax or visit Heidelberg Castle which boasts the world’s largest wine barrel, a fascinating history and a stunning view. We will then drive to Rothenburg, the most picturesque and well-preserved of the towns along the famous “Romantic Road”. It is one of Germany’s very best walled medieval cities – most of the buildings were built by 1400. We will begin with a walk along the city wall. Inside St. Jacob’s Church we will see the famous carved “Holy Blood Altar” by Tilman Riemenschneider. We will continue through the lower town gate into the area where the castle once stood. We will dine in our hotel this evening. (B/D)

Day 9: Saturday, July 23, 2022: Neuschwanstein Castle, Oberammergau
We will have some time this morning to shop at the famous Käthe Wohlfahrt store. We will travel south today using the fabled “Romantic Road,” Germany’s most famous and popular tourist route which runs for 350 romantic kilometers across a rich and varied cultural landscape along the river Main and through the Franconian wine country to the Alps. One of the best-known sites in Bavaria is Neuschwanstein Castle. We will tour the castle designed by King Ludwig. We will end our day in our 4-star hotel in the Oberammergau area. (B/D)

Day 10: Sunday, July 24, 2022: Oberammergau
We will transfer to Oberammergau this morning and have time to shop or explore locally on our own. We will eat lunch together before Part One of the Play, which begins at 2:30 PM. There is a break for dinner from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM and we will dine together in a restaurant in Oberammergau. Part Two ends at 10:30 PM and then we will board our bus to return to our hotel. (B/L/D)

Day 11: Monday, July 25, 2022: Munich
After a leisurely breakfast, we will travel up to Munich. In the afternoon we will have a walking tour of Munich, including the Cathedral, the Marienplatz, and the Old Town. This evening we will finish our fun tour with a farewell Bavarian meal in a beer garden. We will overnight in Munich. (B/L/D)

Day 12: Tuesday, July 26, 2022: Fly
We will provide transfers for morning flights back to the USA. Post-tour nights in Munich are available on request. (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!

Berlin, Germany (pre-tour hotel)
July 15-16, 2022
Park Inn by Radisson Berlin
Alexanderplatz 7
10178 Berlin

Wittenberg, Germany
July 16-18, 2022
Luther-Hotel Wittenberg
Collegienstraße 62
06886 Lutherstadt Wittenberg

Erfurt, Germany
July 18-20, 2022
Augustinian Monastery
Augustinerstraße 10
99084 Erfurt

Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany
July 20-21, 2022
Hotel Trapp
Kirchstraße 7
65385 Rüdesheim am Rhein

Heidelberg, Germany
July 21-22, 2022
Hotel Holländer Hof
Neckarstaden 66
69117 Heidelberg

Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber, Germany
July 22-23, 2022
Prinzhotel Rothenburg
Hofstatt 3
91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Oberammergau Area
July 23-25, 2022
Hotel Rheinischer Hof, Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Zugspitzstrasse 76
82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Munich, Germany (same hotel for post-tour)
July 25-26, 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

As travelers are coming from so many different places, group flights are not available for this tour.

Option 1: You may request a flight quote from us by filling out this form. Payment is due at the time of booking.

Option 2: You may book your own flights, making sure you land in Berlin on the morning of Saturday, July 16, 2022 no later than 10:00 AM.  If you would prefer to arrive earlier, we can arrange a pre-tour hotel night in Berlin. You are welcome to depart from Munich at any time on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Please send us a copy of your flight itinerary for our records as soon as you have booked it.

We can arrange pre-tour nights in Berlin 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 $3,699?

Based on a minimum of 30 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
•   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
•   Individual arrival and departure transfers
•   Single supplement ($850)
•   Pre-tour night in Berlin ($100 per person double / $180 single)
•   Post-tour night in Munich ($120 per person double / $180 single)
•   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 (see below for options)
•   Gratuities for the tour director and driver

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 6, 2022
•   Reservations will be accepted after May 6, 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 19, 2022: $850 cancellation penalty plus any non-refundable deposits
From January 20 – June 2, 2022: $1,350 cancellation penalty plus any non-refundable deposits
From June 3-16, 2022: Cancellation penalty is 60% of land costs plus any non-refundable deposits
From June 17-30, 2022: Cancellation penalty is 80% of land costs any non-refundable deposits
From July 1, 2022 to departure: No refund

Terms and Conditions

Reformation Tours reserves the rights to alter itineraries without notice should it become necessary. While on tour, if conditions necessitate changes, or if certain features are unavailable or limited, we reserve the right to vary or substitute alternatives. All prices are calculated at the exchange rate in effect at the time of this quotation: 1 Euro = $1.1864. Should currency fluctuations necessitate an adjustment in tour price, the adjusted price will be reflected in the final invoice.