Day 1: Tuesday, April 6, 2027: Depart
We will depart from the USA. Group flights is available from Detroit. Reformation Tours can also arrange pre-tour nights in Berlin for anyone who wishes to travel before the tour begins. (IF)

Day 2: Wednesday, April 7, 2027: Berlin
Welcome to Germany! On arrival in Berlin, travelers will transfer to the centrally located hotel. After time to explore, 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.) We will start with a panoramic sightseeing tour of the reunified German capital, highlighting the Reichstag (parliament building), the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the Reconciliation Chapel, the refurbished city center, and Gendarmenmarkt. We will also see Alexanderplatz, the famous boulevard “Unter den Linden,” and the Berlin Cathedral. We will dine in our hotel this evening. (IF/D)

Day 3: Thursday, April 8, 2027: Berlin, Wittenberg
Before departing Berlin this morning, we will visit the Bonhoeffer Museum, a place of memorial and encounter. The Bonhoeffer house was built as a retirement home for his parents, and it also become a center for the resistance movement against the National Socialists. We will then travel to Wittenberg, where the Reformation officially began in 1517. We will have free time to explore the town, before a group devotional service. We will dine together this evening. (B/D)

Day 4: Friday, April 9, 2027: Wittenberg
After breakfast, we will take 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 (if it’s reopened), 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 5: Saturday, April 10, 2027: Eisleben, Erfurt
This morning, we will drive to Eisleben, where Luther was born and also where he died. It is sometimes referred to as his “Bethlehem and Jerusalem”. We will visit both of these homes, as well as St. Anne’s, an old miner’s church famous for the Biblical Scenes hewn in stone. St. Peter and St. Paul Church is where Luther was baptized, and St. Andrews is where he preached his last sermon. In the afternoon, we will continue on to Erfurt and dine at a traditional restaurant with medieval-style food. (B/D)

Day 6: Sunday, April 11, 2027: Erfurt
We will have the opportunity to worship in the Predigerkirche (Preacher’s Church) in Erfurt (in German). The first protestant service was held in 1521, This was originally a Dominican church. Of special note is the Window of Fractures, by Helga Vorma. This window, created from glass fragments after World War II damage, symbolizes renewal and resiliency. Our afternoon walking tour will include St. Mary’s Cathedral, Church of St. Severus, and the famous Merchant’s Bridge. We will also tour 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. After a devotional time in the chapel, the evening is at leisure. (B)

Day 7: Monday, April 12, 2027: Eisenach, Mainz
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. We will have free time in Eisenach to visit the Bach House, Luther House and St. George’s Church, before our drive down to the Rhine region. We will dine in our hotel in Mainz. (B/D)

Day 8: Tuesday, April 13, 2027: Mainz, Worms, Heidelberg
In Mainz, we will tour the exhibits at the Gutenberg Museum in the Natural History Museum, which celebrates the work of Johannes Gutenberg, who invented movable-type printing. This led to the media revolution and the spread of Reformation teaching. In nearby Worms, 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 and visit the Church of the Holy Trinity. We will continue to Heidelberg and have dinner with wine-tasting. (B/D)

Day 9: Wednesday, April 14, 2027: Heidelberg, Augsburg, Ettal
Heidelberg is a city with a fascinating history. The Heidelberg Confession was drafted by Zacharius Ursinus (age 28) and Caspar Olevianus (age 26). We will visit Heidelberg Castle, which boasts the world’s largest wine barrel and a stunning view. After lunch we will visit Augsburg, including St. Anne’s Church, where Luther and Cajetan met in 1518. We will also see the Fuggerei, which was built for needy citizens. We will stay in the Bavarian village of Ettal and dine in Ettal Monastery, which has been brewing its own beer for over 400 years. Bonhoeffer loved this monastery and did much of his writing whilst staying here. (B/D)

Day 10: Thursday, April 15, 2027: Castles, Oberammergau, Ettal
After a leisurely breakfast, we will tour the magnificent fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle, the inspiration for the Disney Palace. This castle was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 19th century and is now one of the most visited tourist destinations in Europe. We will also visit the charming village of Oberammergau, which has hosted a Passion Play since the Middle Ages. We will dine in our hotel in Ettal. (B/D)

Day 11: Friday, April 16, 2027: Munich
We will take an orientation tour of Munich’s main sights. We’ll drive by the Olympic Stadium, Nymphenburg Castle, the New and Old Pinakothek, Deutsches Museum, and we’ll take a walk to Frauenkirche, the New City Hall, Marienplatz, and the famous “Glockenspiel.” We’ll have an optional lunch at the Hofbräuhaus, ordering off the menu. The afternoon is at leisure, before our farewell meal is at the historic Augustiner Stammhaus, Munich’s oldest brewery, dating back to before 1328. (B/D)

Day 12: Saturday, April 17, 2027: Return
We will transfer to Munich Airport for our flight home. (B)