Trip Itinerary

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

Pre-tour for those on group flights: Tuesday, April 22, 2025: Depart
We will depart from the USA on our transatlantic overnight flights to Berlin.  (IF)

Day 1: Wednesday, April 23, 2025: Depart/Berlin
Those on the group flights will arrive in Berlin late afternoon and transfer to the hotel. Other travelers can depart today from the USA. (IF)(2 nights in Berlin)

Day 2: Thursday, April 24, 2025: Arrival in Berlin
The morning is at leisure, to allow time for flight arrivals. Later in the day, we will begin our Pilgrimage with a visit to World War II sites in Berlin including the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, & the Topography of Terror.  We will end the day with our welcome meal at the hotel. (IF/D)

Day 3: Friday, April 25, 2025: Wittenberg, Leipzig
After a relaxing breakfast, we will travel to 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 see St. Mary’s Church where Luther regularly preached and the Old Latin School next door. Luther’s former home, is now a Reformation Museum. We will continue on to Leipzig and dine in the famous Auerbachs Keller, a restaurant familiar to Luther and Goethe. (B/D)  ( 3 nights in Leipzig)

Day 4: Saturday, April 26, 2025: Leipzig
We will begin our day at the Mendelsohn House. Our guided tour will include a chamber concert in the music salon. After some free time for lunch, we will visit the Bach House, with the option of attending the 3PM motet concert in St. Thomas, where Bach was cantor for 27 years. The afternoon will end at St. Nicholas Church, which was home to the “Prayers for Peace” in 1989, with thousands joining in candlelight prayers, leading to the fall of the infamous Berlin Wall. The evening is at leisure but concert tickets can be arranged. (B)

Day 5: Sunday, April 27, 2025: Dresden, Leipzig
On the way to Dresden, we will stop at Wackerbarth Castle for lunch and wine tasting. This Baroque palace and garden dates back to the early 1700s and serves one of the oldest sparkling wines in Europe. We will have an afternoon walking tour of Dresden, including magnificent palatial buildings around the Theaterplatz, the Zwinger Palace, Dresden Castle, Kreuzkirche, and the Brühl Terraces. At Evensong 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. During the service we will hear the Kern organ, which was constructed in 2005 in Strasbourg, to replace the destroyed original organ. We will return to Leipzig late afternoon. (B/L).

Day 6: Monday, April 28, 2025: Erfurt, Eisenach
We’ll drive to Erfurt and have free time for lunch. Our pilgrimage today will be on foot to view St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Severin’s Church, and the famous Merchant’s Bridge. During our visit to the Augustinian Monastery where Luther became a monk on July 17, 1505, we will see his monastic quarters, including one cell furnished to look as it would have when he lived there. At the end of the day, we will have a group time in the chapel. We will check-in to our hotel in Eisenach and dine in our hotel. (B/D) (2 nights in Eisenach)

Day 7: Tuesday, April 29, 2025: Eisenach
While tensions flared between Luther and the Pope, Luther took refuge in the Wartburg Castle after a fake kidnapping staged by his friend and protector, Frederick the Wise. We will visit the Wartburg and see where Luther finished translating the New Testament into German in just eleven weeks. In the afternoon we will explore Eisenach, including the Luther House, where Luther lodged when he was a schoolboy in Eisenach as a schoolboy and chorister. We will also visit the Bach House, where we will hear a demonstration on period instruments, as well as St. George’s Church. In the evening we will have medieval-themed meal. (B/D)

Day 8: Wednesday, April 30, 2025: Nuremberg
Nuremberg 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 see the court room where the trials took place. In the evening we will dine in a Bavarian-style restaurant. (B/D) (1 night in Nuremberg)

Day 9: Thursday, May 1, 2025: Dachau, Ettal
Our first stop this morning is a sobering visit to Dachau Concentration Camp. We will continue onto Ettal and settle into our hotel in this charming Bavarian village. Dinner tonight will be in the Ettal Monastery brewery restaurant. Ettal also has cheese tasting available and brewery tours. Vespers at 6 PM is open to visitors. (B/D) (1 night in Ettal)

Day 10: Friday, May 2, 2025: Zurich, Lucerne
Today’s drive will be through the scenic Alps, with stunning scenery. We will have a lunch break in Bregenz, a scenic Austrian town on the shore of Lake Constance. We will continue on to Zurich and have a tour of Reformation sites, such as the Grossmünster Cathedral, where Zwingli preached. We will end the day in Lucerne and dine in our hotel. This evening, we may enjoy a stroll in town to see the famous chapel bridge. (B/D) (1 night in Lucerne)

Day 11: Saturday, May 3, 2025: The Golden Pass Express, Geneva
There’s no better way to explore Switzerland than by train, so today will be spectacular. Our luggage will be taken to our hotel by bus, so we will be free to enjoy our train journey. We’ll first drive to Interlaken, passing the Sarnersee and Lungernsee lakes. We’ll board the train at 11:08 AM and arrive in Montreux at 2:45 PM. The scenery through the mountains is exceptional and we’ll have panoramic windows to enjoy the view. When we arrive in Montreux, we will have a tour of Chillon Castle, then check-in to our hotel in Geneva. (B/D) (2 nights in Geneva)

Day 12: Sunday, May 4, 2025: Geneva
Our day will begin at the impressive Reformation Monument. This wall was built to commemorate the 400^th anniversary of Calvin’s birth. We then have the option to attend the morning service with the Church of Scotland in the Auditoire de Calvin. After free time for lunch, we will visit St. Pierre’s Cathedral, the archaeological site beneath the cathedral, and the Reformation Museum. We will enjoy a Farewell Meal in a Swiss restaurant this evening. (B/D)

Day 13: Monday, May 5, 2025: Geneva
We will transfer to Geneva Airport for our flights back to the USA.. (B/D)

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
April 24-25, 2025
Hotel Leonardo Royal Alexanderplatz
Otto-Braun-Straße 90
10249 Berlin

Leipzig, Germany
April 25-28, 2025
Seaside Hotel Park
Richard-Wagner-Straße 7
04109 Leipzig

Eisenach, Germany
April 28-30, 2025
Vienna House Hotel
Karlspl. 11
99817 Eisenach

Nuremberg, Germany
April 30-May 1
Hotel N H Collection Nürnberg City
Bahnhofstraße 17-19
90402 Nürnberg

Ettal, Germany
May 1-2, 2025
Hotel Ludwig der Bayer
Kaiser-Ludwig-Platz 10-12
82488 Ettal

Lucerne, Switzerland
May 2-3, 2025
Hotel Astoria
Pilatusstrasse 2
6002 Lucerne

Lausanne, Switzerland
May 3-5, 2025
Hotel Mövenpick
Ave. de Rhodanie 4
1007 Lausanne

Arrival and Departure Transfers

Once the pilgrimage is a guaranteed departure our air team can assist you with booking flights and transfers. 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

Our air team will be happy to assist you with flights. Due to arrival time in Berlin, we have added a pre-tour night ($100 per person). The group itinerary is $1,247 in Economy, $5,497 in Business. The approximate cost in Premium Economy (over water) is $2,397.

Arrival: Please arrange to arrive in Berlin no later than 10:00 AM on Thursday, April 24, 2025. (Pre-tour night is available for $100 per person)

Departure: You are welcome to depart from Geneva at any time on Monday, May 5, 2025.

Pre- and post-tour nights can be booked through us.

What’s included in the land price of $4,499?

Price based on a minimum of 25 tour participants.

Your Tour Includes

•   Transportation: via deluxe air-conditioned coaches
•   Accommodations (double-occupancy) in 4-star hotels
•   Meals as indicated in the itinerary
•   Professional Tour Manager 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
•   Arrival and departure transfers for group flights
•   All taxes and tips
•   Full color personalized tour book
•   Travel app

Your Tour Does Not Include

•   Round-trip air transportation and related taxes and fees
•   Airport transfers separate from the group
•   Pre-tour night in Berlin ($100)
•   Single supplement ($850)
•   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
•   Baggage handling (let us know if you need assistance)

Payment Schedule

The deposit of $350 per person is due at the time of booking through the registration system. As you register you will be given the option to pay by ACH (direct from your bank) or by credit card (3.5% fee). If you prefer, checks can be mailed to “Reformation Tours”, 12316 244th St, Chisago City, MN 55013-9688
•   Final payment is due by January 23, 2025
•   Reservations will be accepted after January 23, 2025, subject to availability

Insurance

There are two levels of insurance offered. Click here to compare. When you fill out the registration form, you will be given quotes for both.

Standard is 4.55% of the trip cost and can be purchased up until 2 days prior to departure, although we recommend purchasing it before.

Enhanced is 7.6% of the trip cost and includes cancel for any reason benefits. It has to be purchased within 14 days of registration.

Cancellations

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.

Cancellation penalties:

Terms and Conditions

Reformation Tours reserves the rights to alter itineraries without notice should it become necessary.

Please click the button below to register.