10 Nights / 11 Days
11 days, 14 meals.
Join us as we follow in the footsteps of Martin Luther. Begin in Mainz, home to the Gutenberg Museum and famous printed Bible. Come to know Worms, and the very spot where Martin Luther refused to recant before the Imperial Diet on a guided walking tour. Visit Wartburg castle, Luther’s sanctuary after being “outlawed.” Here he spent his time translating the Bible into German. Enjoy a musical performance played on medieval instruments inside the home of Johann Sebastian Bach. Discover Leipzig’s St. Thomas Cathedral. Visit Eisleben where Luther was born and died and explore the museum inside the home he was born in. Tour the Augustinian Monastery where Luther studied, and enjoy a prayer service. Travel to Wittenberg to visit the grounds of Wittenberg University with its Luther house, the city church where Luther offered services, and the Castle Church where he set off the reformation by nailing his Ninety-Five Theses to the church door. Have services in one of the medieval churches from Luther’s time. Spend two nights in the lovely old town of Dresden along the banks of the river Elbe. Enjoy unique dinners, including a cellar dinner and a brewery tour, where you sample beers before a typical German meal. This epic journey takes you across Germany and deep into the history of Lutheranism.
Itinerary
Day 1: Overnight Flight
Embark on an inspirational journey through Germany that follows the epic trail blazed by Martin Luther.
Day 2: Mainz, Germany - Tour Begins
Your tour opens in the enchanting city of Mainz, a medieval town located on the banks of the Rhine River. Tonight, meet your fellow travellers during a welcome dinner.
Day 3: Mainz - Worms - Mainz
Begin your day with a visit to the Gutenberg Museum where you can see a copy of Gutenberg’s masterpiece — the 42-line Bible. Enjoy free time to explore the town before travelling to Worms. It was in Worms that the Imperial Diet (Assembly) passed judgment on Luther after his refusal to recant. Come to know the sites significant to Luther’s story during a guided walking tour of the city. Take a moment at the Cathedral where Luther presented his case; see Trinity Church; and visit monuments dedicated to Luther and other important Reformation figures.
Day 4: Mainz - Erfurt
Today you travel to Erfurt which Martin Luther himself referred to as the “City of Towers,” no doubt due to its numerous steeples. Arriving in Erfurt, embark on a walking tour of the city, passing over Merchants’ Bridge on your way to the Augustinian monastery. Enjoy a tour of the monastery, where Luther lived and studied as a monk from 1505 to 1512. After your tour you are invited to a prayer service in St. Augustine's church inside the monastery.
Day 5: Erfurt - Eisenach - Wartburg Castle - Erfurt
This morning we travel to Eisenach to explore another central town in Luther’s life. Your tour of the area begins with a visit to Wartburg Castle, where Luther translated the Bible. Step into what is now “Luther’s Room,” where Luther lived during the many months he spent at the castle. Our next stop is at the Bachhaus Eisenach to enjoy a musical performance played on various historical instruments dating back to Bach’s time. Then, join a local guide for a walking tour of the town. You will see the Lutherhaus Eisenach, where Luther resided as a child, and St. George’s Church, where he was a choir boy. Enjoy some free time to explore independently. Return to Erfurt in the late afternoon.
Day 6: Erfurt - Eisleben - Dresden
Begin your day with a visit to Eisleben, the site of Luther’s birth and death. Delve into his life as we visit the museum inside the home where he was born; St. Peter and Paul Church where he was baptized; and St. Andrews Church where he performed his final sermons. Next, continue on to Dresden, your home for the next two nights. This evening, get a true taste of the region when dining in a local cellar restaurant.
Day 7: Dresden
This morning, join a local guide for a tour of this historical city. See the old town square, the royal residence castle and the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). Enjoy ample time to explore this lovely town on the banks of the River Elbe.
Day 8: Dresden - Leipzig - Wittenberg
This morning, travel to Leipzig, a city touched by musical greatness. Discover the city’s interesting history during a guided tour featuring St. Thomas Church where the boys’ choir has been performing for over 800 years. Martin Luther preached here and its former cantor was the famed composer – Johann Sebastian Bach. Next, travel to Wittenberg where you will have an afternoon service inside one of the local churches remaining from the time of the Reformation. Tonight, discover the tastes of the region with a tour of a local brewery including a tasting, followed by dinner.
Day 9: Wittenberg
Set out on a guided tour of Wittenberg. Your first stop is the former Wittenberg University where Luther served as a professor of theology. Next, explore his family home on the grounds; today it is a fascinating museum housing his writings and other artifacts from the Reformation. Travel back in time as you discover its seemingly untouched rooms used by Luther. Continue to the oldest structure in the city, St. Mary’s Church, where Luther preached, was married, and where his children were baptized. See the Castle Church, the location where the famous 95 Theses were posted, launching the Reformation. Have time to explore or to reflect at Luther’s tomb. Then it is on to discover the Renaissance-style home of Philipp Melanchthon, Luther's scholarly confidant, who aided him significantly in communicating his revolutionary theology. Next, you are in for a special treat! Join a local family in their home to sip coffee and discuss life in Germany, both today and during Communist times.
Day 10: Wittenberg - Berlin
Depart this morning for Berlin. Embark on a comprehensive tour featuring Brandenburg Gate, Charlottenburg Palace, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Schöneberg City Hall, Kurfürstendamm and the Reichstag Building. Finally, pass through the area that was once “Checkpoint Charlie,” and see what remains of the Berlin Wall. Tonight, gather with your fellow travellers for a farewell dinner.
Day 11: Berlin - Tour Ends
Your journey comes to a close. Depart with new perspectives, a strengthened faith and treasured memories.
