|
13
Days All Reformation Tour
 |
includes
Prague, Luther Sites, Berlin, Rhine Valley,
Strasbourg, Swiss Alps, Geneva, and many more places |
Offer a tour
to your clients which covers all important sites of the Reformation
in Central Europe.
The first city
your group will visit in Europe is Prague, capital of the
Czech Republic. Here John Hus fought for a reformation
of the church already 100 years before Martin Luther.
Upon your arrival at Prague Airport the group will be met by a waiting
German deluxe motor coach and the tour director. A first orientation
tour introduces the travelers to the Golden City of Prague. They
walk through the Hradschin Castle district, take a look at St Veits
Cathedral, cross Charles Bridge, and continue to the market place
with the Astronomic clock and the Hus memorial. The welcome dinner
tonight will be on a Vlatava River cruise.
Leaving Prague,
the following days are focussed on the Reformation of Martin Luther.
Based in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Germany, the
group will see the cradle of the Reformation as well as other towns
in the area. In Wittenberg they will tour the town where Martin
Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Schlosskirche on
October 31, 1517. In 1508, when Martin Luther came to Wittenberg,
he lived in the Black Abbey - now known as the "Lutherhaus".
It was here that he had his "Tower Experience" and first
grasped the gift of faith by grace alone. Later, Luther lived here
with his wife, Katharina von Bora, and their six children. After
the guided tour the Wittenberg Coupons™ (exclusive by Terra
Lu) offer free admission to all museums, exhibitions, and some other
attractions in the center of Wittenberg.
Day excursions
take the group to Leipzig and Berlin. It was in Leipzig where
Johann Sebastian Bach served as cantor of the Thomas Choir, writing
a new cantata for every Sunday. The group visits Thomas church with
Bach's grave, passes the town hall with its marvellous Renaissance
façade, walks through the historic malls, and reaches Nikolai
church. From here East German protesters started to walk the Leipzig
ring road with candles, bringing the East German regime to fall
in 1989. In Berlin, the vibrant
capital of Germany, a tour with a local guide includes sights like
the Reichstag parliament, Brandenburg Gate, the Holocaust memorial,
and Berlin Cathedral. And of course the group will see remnants
of the Berlin Wall - it's already 25 years since Berlin and Germany
were reunited! The afternoon offers more possibilities for individual
visits at museums in Berlin or for shopping at the Kurfürstendamm
boulevard before travelling back to Wittenberg.
Eisleben, Erfurt,
Wartburg Castle, and the town of Eisenach are the next stops in
Luther's Country. In Eisleben, the town where Martin Luther
was born and where he died, the group will see the little museum
of Luther's birth house, visit St Peter and Paul where he was baptized,
and St Andrew with the last original pulpit from Luther's times.
On to Erfurt in the afternoon, the town where Luther lived
as a student before he joined the Augustinian monks. See the market
place with the magnificent cathedral, stroll through the little
streets with the rich timber framed buildings, cross the merchant's
bridge, and visit the Augustinian monastery which Luther always
called to be his spiritual home. Dinner tonight will be in a local,
"medieval styled" restaurant.
It was at Wartburg
castle where Luther was hidden for his protection after the Diet
of Worms, spending his time with translating the New Testament.
Down the hill lies Eisenach, the town where Johann Sebastian
Bach was born. Your group will visit the museum in his birth house
and enjoy an introduction into Bach's life and work with historic
music instruments.
Leaving Luther's
Country, the next step of this tour through central Europe is the
Rhine Valley. Dinner after arrival offers a taste of the
regional wine. A day of leisure awaits your group as they enjoy
a Rhine cruise, passing picturesque vineyards, romantic castles,
and the famous Loreley cliff.
The group reaches
Worms for a brief local walking tour to see the Reformation
Monument. It was here, during the Imperial Diet in 1521, that Martin
Luther challenged the entire Roman Catholic establishment by his
refusal to recant the great doctrines of Protestantism. It was also
here that William Tyndale completed the printing of his English
version of the New Testament in 1525 which he had begun in Cologne.
It was the first translation of the Bible from the original Greek
into English - the first translation of a Greek book into English
at all.
Strasbourg
in France, the next stop, is also referred to as the
"City of Hope" by the Anabaptists. Martin Bucer was a
Reformation leader here and warmly welcomed John Calvin, who spent
several years pastoring the French church and writing his famous
books on systematic theology. The group's tour will include the
Cathedral of Strasbourg with its amazing Astronomical Clock, St.
Thomas' Church, the Statue of the Reformers in the University, and
the historic "La Petite France" quarter. Some free time
is provided in the Old Town Square where travelers may wish to try
a tart flambé or sample "Backofen stew", or take
a boat ride.
Switzerland
is the fourth country visited on this trip. An en route
stop includes Constance. In 1415, Reformer John Hus from
Prague was called before the Council of Constance and sentenced
to death. The group will visit the Hussenstein, which marks the
spot where Hus was burned at the stake, as well as the historic
Council building. From 2014- 2018, Constance celebrates the 600
years anniversary of the Council with many exhibitions and events.
The tour continues
on to Zurich. Here the group meets up with a local expert
guide who will accompany them as they learn about Huldrych Zwingli
on a tour of the key Reformation sites in Zurich - including Zwingli's
church (the Grossmünster), the Zwingli Statue, and the Helferei
(where Zwingli lived). An overnight stay will be in the
Kappel monastery, where Zwingli ended his life during a battle.
Travelling southbound
the motor coach reaches the Alps. An en route stop is made
in the charming town of Lucerne, beginning with a brief walking
tour to view the Lake front and famous covered wooden bridges. The
Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge) is a symbol of Lucerne and dates back
to the 14th century.
After all these
long travels the group will be happy about a relaxing day in a little
village inmidst the Alps. A number of excursions are possible from
here, including a drive through Lauterbrunnen Valley, a ride in
Europe's steepest cog railroad to Pilatus peak, or a visit
at the "Top of Europe" Jungfrau Joch. Mountain
railways, cable cars, and hiking options guarantee an
exciting day surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of towering
mountains.
Travelling along
Lake Geneva the group finally reaches Geneva. The
center of the calvinistic Reformation, our
tour of Geneva will include Cathedral St. Pierre, where John Calvin
taught for many years. Of course the International Museum of the
Reformation will be visited as well as the Reformation Monument
with 5-metre statues of four Reformation leaders: Theodore Beza,
John Calvin, William Farel, and John Knox.
The end of the "All Reformation Tour" will be celebrated
with a festive Farewell dinner tonight.
Package includes:
 |
 |
Private
motor coach from Prague Airport to Geneva Airport (modern coach
with reclining seats, A/C, bathroom, video/DVD), incl. road
taxes, bus miles, bus parking on scheduled tour sites, incl.
accommodation and meals driver |
| |
|
Experienced,
bilingual TERRA LU tour director, the friendly host for the
group |
| |
|
Hotel
category of your choice |
| |
|
Breakfast
every morning, number of dinners of your choice |
| |
|
Dinner
in hotels or at dedicated places like a Vlatava River cruise,
a "medieval" restaurant, a wine taste, and a festive
Farewell dinner. |
| |
|
Tours
with tour director and/or local guides at all visited places |
| |
|
Admission
fees to all visited Castles, Churches, and Museums |
| |
|
Rhine
River cruise |
This itinerary
is a sample, based on tours we planned for groups. But no two Terra
Lu tours are the same. Our proposal for you might be different,
depending on time of travel and availability of services.
Please
request a customized quote for your group!
>>
Request a quote
|
