Performing Arts Tour to Germany: The Reformation Trail

Our 24-hour Tour Director will meet us at the airport and remain with us until our final airport departure. We will have use of a private coach and driver, while touring for the next eight days.

Visit Eisleben where we will see Luther's Birthplace, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We will then see St. Andrew's Church where Luther preached his last sermon. Lutherstadt Wittenberg, the capital of the Reformation, is located to the south of Berlin, in the Saxony-Anhalt region of Germany. This small town was named after its most famous resident, Martin Luther, and enjoys a scenic position on the banks of the Elbe River.

We will continue to Lutherstadt Wittenberg (area), our base for the next two nights. Breakfast and dinner will be included at the hotel.

During the course of our tour we will gain from the knowledge and insight of three half-day local guides while we are here in Germany. Visit Lutherhalle, a museum dedicated to Martin Luther and the history of the German Reformation. It includes a section on Reformation art, with works by Lucas Cranach the Elder and Younger. Visit Schlosskirche where Luther posted his thesis in 1517 and where Martin Luther Tomb is here which we will see inside.

Your concert performance is today.

We continue on our journey from Wittenberg to Eisenach. En route we will stop in Leipzig and Erfurt Explore the Augustinian Monastery, where Martin Luther lived as a monk and read his first Mass, in 1507 having been ordained as a priest. The monastery dates back to the 13th century, and houses a rare book library and a Permanent Exhibition about the life of Luther. Visit the St. Mary’s Cathedral, at the top of a broad staircase leading from the Cathedral Square. The cathedral boasts the world’s largest free-swinging bell, the Gloriosa, as well as an elaborate Gothic chancel with a series of impressive stained-glass windows. Explore the Augustinian Monastery, where Martin Luther lived as a monk and read his first Mass, in 1507 having been ordained as a priest. The monastery dates back to the 13th century, and houses a rare book library and a Permanent Exhibition about the life of Luther. Visit St. Nicholas’s Church (Nikolaikirche), Leipzig's oldest church. Due to alterations over the years it now contains elements of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classicist periods. The concert organ is one of the largest in Germany. Visit St. Thomas’s Church (Thomaskirche) was built in 1212 and originally established as a place of worship for Augustinian Canons. Highlights of the church are the Baroque-style turret and the magnificent main entrance. It is also the final resting place of Johann Sebastian Bach, who was organist and cantor here for 27 years. Our hotel in Eisenach (area), will be our base for the next two nights. While here, we will enjoy breakfast and dinner at the hotel.

Visit the Lutherhaus, where Martin Luther lived from 1498 to 1501. This picturesque halftimbered house is one of Eisenach’s oldest buildings, and is now a museum with fascinating multimedia exhibits detailing Martin Luther’s life and times, as well as his teachings. Eisenach is located in the state of Thuringia on the northwestern slopes of the Thuringian Forest, at the confluence of the Hörsel and Nesse rivers. Eisenach was the home of the reformer Martin Luther during his school days; it is also the birthplace of the composer Johann Sebastian Bach. Explore Wartburg Castle to see the Lutherstube, the room where Luther lived and worked; the Neue Kemenate, which today houses an impressive art collection; and the Singing Hall, allegedly the scene of the famous minstrels’ contest in Wagner’s opera Tannhäuser.

Your concert performance will be today.

We continue on our journey from Eisenach to Worms. En route we stop in Coburg. Visit Coburg Fortress, one of Germany’s largest and best-preserved castle complexes towers high above the border between Upper Franconia and Thuringia. During the 16th century Lucas Cranach the Elder frequented the fortress for inspiration and to produce sketches. The city of Worms (a name of Celtic origin) is located on the River Rhine. It is one of Germany’s oldest cities and has a rich history, featuring kings and emperors, the myths and legends regarding the Nibelungs, and traces of Judaism and Martin Luther. It also boasts a magnificent cathedral. Visit Dom St. Peter (Worms Cathedral), towering physically and historically above all the other ancient buildings of the city. The basilica is a fine example of High Romanesque. Inside view the rosette window and the highly decorated 14th century side chapel of St. Nicholas, with its Gothic baptismal font and new stained-glass windows. View the Luther Monument, the world’s largest Reformation monument. At its center is a statue of Martin Luther, flanked by Frederick the Wise of Saxony and Philip of Hesse. It also features the names of other towns that played an important part in the Reformation. We will continue to the Worms (area), which will be our base for the next night. While here, we will enjoy breakfast and dinner at the hotel.

Visit Strasbourg Cathedral, which was built on the remains of an early Romanesque church. Take the opportunity to ascend the Tower for an amazing view of the city, the Rhine Plain, the Black Forest, and the Vosges. We will continue to the Strasbourg (area), which will be our base for the next night. While here, we will enjoy breakfast and dinner at the hotel.

We continue on our journey from Strasbourg to Geneva. En route we stop on Zurich Visit the Romanesque and Gothic cathedral Grossmunster, which, according to legend, was founded by Charlemagne when his horse bowed down, marking the spot of the graves of three early Christian martyrs. Enjoy a visit to the Helferei where Huldrych Zwingli's office was located and where he wrote his famous sermons that forever altered religion in Zurich and Switzerland. Zwingli is considered the leader of the Reformation in Switzerland and helped to turn Zurich into a Protestant city. Tour the Guild Hall and Museum to experience displays of art from the Swiss Reformation. Explore Fraumunster, easily distinguished by its slender blue spire, and built by Emperor Ludwig, grandson of Charlemagne. Highlights of the church include the stained-glass windows, the elaborate organ and Gothic basilica. For the next two evenings we will enjoy the convenience of our centrally-located Geneva hotel, where daily breakfast will be included. We will dine this evening in a local restaurant.

We will gain from the knowledge and insight of one half day local guide while we are here in Switzerland. Geneva is situated in a prime Rhône Valley position at the southwestern corner of Lake Geneva, within view of the pinnacle of the Mont Blanc. The city's strong French influence shows itself everywhere, from its mansard roofs, iron balconies, sidewalk cafes, and French signs. Geneva is a cosmopolitan city and home to more than 200 international organizations, including the European headquarters of the United Nations. We take a Walking Tour along the Left Bank of the old quarter. Visit Cathedrale de Saint Pierre where in 1536 the people of Geneva gathered in the cloister and voted to make the cathedral protestant. With a philosophy of austerity they destroyed all of the alters, statues and ornamentation in the cathedral leaving only the pulpit and stained glass windows. Stop for a visit at the International Museum of the Reformation. Visit the park, Promenade des Bastions, where we will view the Monument de la Reformation. Built in 1917 along a 16th century rampart beneath the walls of the old town, the monument represents John Knox, John Calvin, Theodore de Beze, and Guillame Farel on the one end and the Pilgrim Fathers on either end, Luther and Zwingli. We will dine this evening in a local restaurant.

Your concert performance will be today.

Our rewarding and enjoyable tour comes to an end as our Tour Director accompanies us to the airport on our final day.