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 DAY
01: NORTH AMERICA / AMSTERDAM.
Evening departure from North America. Dinner and breakfast will be
served on-board our trans-Atlantic flight to Amsterdam.
DAY 02: AMSTERDAM / UTRECHT / ARNHEM.
Upon arrival in Amsterdam, we are met by our guide and transferred to
our motor coach. Sightseeing in Amsterdam will include the famous
Rijksmuseum, a diamond cutting factory, the Mint Tower, Queens Tower and
the Concertgebouw Hall. An exciting optional canal cruise along
Amsterdam's beautiful old canals in a charming glass-topped boat may be
taken. We then travel via Utrecht to Arnhem, scene of the battle in
World War II, for dinner and overnight.
DAY 03: ARNHEM / HANNOVER.
This morning we will drive through the delightful Teutoburger Wald area
with its spas and hilly scenery passing through areas criss-crossed by
rivers and hedges and dotted with farms until we reach Hannover, the
chief town of Lower Saxony. Our afternoon sightseeing will include the
Leine Palace, Old Town Hall and Martikirche. Balance of afternoon at
leisure with dinner and overnight at our hotel.
 DAY 04: HANNOVER / BERLIN.
Depart this morning for Braunschweig and Helmstedt where we cross into
Germany and then drive along the autobahn to Berlin for a sightseeing
tour. This will include the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Tiergarden
and the Olympic Stadium, the ruins of the Reichstag and the Brandenburg
Gate. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Berlin.
DAY 05: BERLIN.
Morning sightseeing includes a visit to St. Hedwig's Cathedral, the
Soviet War Memorial, St Mary's Church, the restored Opera House, the
famous 300 foot wide boulevard "Unter Den Linden," the Mirienkirche and
the Pergamon Museum containing the spectacular Pergamon Alter and the
Ishtar Gate of Ancient Babylon. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 06: BERLIN / WITTENBERG / LEIPZIG.
Drive this morning to Whittenberg, where the Reformation began. Here we
will see the Castle Church doors where in 1517 Luther nailed 95 thesis's
signaling the beginning of the Reformation. Luther lived in Wittenberg
until his death in 1546. The places of interest we will visit include
the Castle Church containing his tomb, the City Church where he
regularly preached, the Luther House, now a museum of the Reformation
and the Melanchton House, home of his devoted friend and co-worker
Phillip Melanchton, author of the Augsburg Confession. We will also be
able to see the various rooms and quarters which Luther used when he was
a faculty member. The original manuscript of "A Mighty Fortress is Our
God" is still at Wittenberg University and also the table on which it
was written. In the late afternoon we depart for Liepzig, where in 1519
Luther debated with Dr. Eck, defender of the Catholic Faith. Our
sightseeing in Leipzig will include St. Thomas Church where Johannes
Sebastian Bach was choirmaster and organist for 26 years and other
places of interest. Dinner and overnight in Leipzig.
 DAY 07: LEIPZIG / HALLE / EISLEBEN /
ERFURT / EISENACH / FULDA.
Today we travel via Halle to Eisleben, where Luther was born and died.
We then continue to Erfurt, where we will visit Erfurt Cathedral, St.
Servi Church and the Augustinian Monastery where Luther studied to
become a monk and was ordained in 1507. We will also visit the small
cell where as a novice, Luther struggled to find peace with a stern and
harsh God. Then onto Eisenach, where we will visit Wartburg Castle set
high in the Thuringian Mountains. It was here in 1521 that Luther was
put into protective custody for ten months, after the emperor condemned
him as an outlaw and heretic. During this time Luther completed his
translation of the New Testament into German, a tremendous linguistic
task which served as the basis for the New High German. Luther's room
is preserved in its original condition. This afternoon we leave Berlin
for Fulda for dinner and overnight.
DAY 08: FULDA / ROMANTIC ROAD / AUGSBURG.
This morning we travel from Fulda to join the Romantic Road at Wurzburg
and continue via Rothenburg delightfully situated on the River Tauber,
Dinkelsbuhl and Nordlingen with its well preserved medieval walls,
towers and ramparts. Then onto Augsburg, where the Confession was
signed, for dinner and overnight.
 DAY 09: AUGSBURG / MUNICH / OBERAMMERGAU
/ INNSBRUCK. Drive to Minich,
stately capital of Bavaria, for morning sightseeing which will include
the Residenz Palace, the Rathaus, Frauenkirche and Pinakoteque. Drive
through the Bavarian Alps to Oberammergau, site of the world famous
Passion Play held once every ten years. Then onto Austria and the
Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck for dinner and overnight.
DAY 10: INNSBRUCK / ARLBERG / VADUZ /
AURICH / VITZNAU. Our morning
sightseeing of Innsbruck will include the famous Maria Theresiastrasse
and the Golden Dachl of the Emperor Maximillian. We then travel across
the Arlberg Pass to Vaduz, capital of the tiny principality of
Leichtenstein. Onto Zurich, Switzerland's largest city and one of the
world's most important financial capitals. Zurich was the city of
Zwingli, the most influential figure of the Swiss Reformation. It
served as the refuge for many English Protestants banished from their
country by Queen Mary. It is believed that Miles Coverdale's first
entire translation of the Bible and Apocrypha was published here in
1535. Our sightseeing will include the Gross-Muenster Cathedral at
Zwingliplatz (Zwingli's Church) and the fine lakeshore district before
continuing to Lucerne, set in an indescribably beautiful mountain and
lake setting. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in one of the lakeside
resorts on Lake Lacerne.
DAY 11: VITZNAU / INTERLAKEN / LAUSANNE.
This morning we travel through the Brunig Pass to Interlaken,
delightfully situated between the lakes of Thun and Brienze and with a
magnificent view of the Jungfrau Mountain which dominates the village.
Continue to Lausanne on Lake Geneva with its share of historical
sights. We will see the Bishop's Castle, the cathedral which was
originally built in the 12th century, Chateau St. Marie, the Town Hall,
the Church of St. Francois and the ancient monastery. Lausanne is the
seat of the Swiss High Courts of Justice and is world famous as an
educational center. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Lausanne.
 DAY 12: LAUSANNE / GENEVA / LAUSANNE.
Sightseeing of Geneva this morning, a delightful city situated on the
banks of Lake Geneva and surrounded by alpine peaks and the slopes of
the Jura Mountains. It is also called the Peace Capital of the World.
Here we see the Peace Palace built for the old League of Nations, the
World Health Organization and the headquarters of the International Red
Cross. We will also see the City Hall, where the Red Cross was founded
in 1864, the Grand Rue - oldest street - where Jean Jacques Rousseau was
born in 1712. The winding cobbled streets of Rue Valvin is lined with
18th century patricians homes, including the residence of John Calvin.
The city attracts many scholars and students with its great libraries
and its 400 year old university. The university houses three museums -
The Reformation Museum, which we will see, Jean Jacques Rousseau Museum
and the National History Museum. Opposite is the Reformation Monument,
which pays tribute to the great religious movement. Geneva is also of
particular significance and rich in Presbyterian Heritage for its deep
association with John Calvin, who also founded the university. He first
visited Geneva in 1536 and returned permanently in 1541. He succeeded
in establishing a rigid theocracy in Geneva and this protestant city
sheltered many religious refugees from other countries - amongst them
John Knox of Scotland. We will visit the 13th century church where
Calvin proclaimed his teaching and John Knox preached as pastor of the
English Church in Geneva. Return to Lausanne for dinner and overnight.
DAY 13: LAUSANNE / BERNE / BASEL /
FREIBURG / HEIDELBERG.
Drive this morning to Berne where we
will see the ancient arcaded streets, medieval painted fountains and the
gothic Minister Cathedral as well as the Bear Pit where the bears have
amused visitors since 1441. Continue via the commercial city of Basel
and Freiburg in the Black Forest region of Germany to Heidelberg,
delightfully situated on the banks of the River Neckar for dinner and
overnight in this area.
 DAY 14: HEIDELBERG / WORMS / RHINE CRUISE
/ HAGUE. Morning sightseeing of beautiful medieval old
Heidelberg will include the university which is the oldest in Germany
and is the personification of German culture. The Red Ox Inn, site
of the world famous "Student Prince," still stands. We will also
see the church where almost a century before Luther, Jerome nailed his
theses for church reform and the famous old stone bridge as well as the
ruins of the castle in this romantic picture book city. Continue
to Worms, city of the 1521 Edict, to admire the magnificent
monument to Luther and the Reformation, and also the splendid cathedral.
Worms was the sight of Luther's trial for heresy and a visit is planned
to the cathedral where Luther, standing before the Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V, uttered his faith affirming death defying proclamation . . .
"Here I stand, I can
do no other. God help me."
We then continue to the River Rhine for a
short steamer cruise along this beautiful river past ruined castles,
terraced vineyards and riverside villages. We then rejoin our motor
coach and drive across northern Europe to the Hague, famous for many
international conferences, for dinner and overnight.
DAY 15: HAGUE / NORTH AMERICA.
This morning we drive directly to Amsterdam Airport for our return light
home to North America at the end of our enjoyable Reformation Tour. |
