10 Day Lutheran Heritage with Oberammergau

DAY 1 - Depart the USA
Depart the USA for Germany. Your flight includes meals, drinks and in-flight entertainment

DAY 2 - Arrive in Berlin, Berlin City Tour, Transfer to Leipzig
Upon arrival in Berlin enjoy a brief tour of Berlin. View the remains of the Wall, drive by Brandenburg Gate and other sights before continuing on to your hotel in Leipzig. Welcome Dinner at hotel. (D)

DAY 3 - Wittenberg & Leipzig City Tour
Begin today's tour of the Reformation Trail with Wittenberg where Martin Luther lived and taught for 36 years. You will see the Castle Church Door where Luther posted his 95 Theses, giving birth to the Reformation. This church is also the burial site of Luther. See the University where Luther taught and the Luther House, the greatest museum of Reformation History in the world. This afternoon return to Leipzig, Bach's city, and a visit St. Thomas Church where Bach was choir master and organist. Dinner at hotel. (B, D)

DAY 4 - Eisleben & Erfurt City Tour
Today, depart Leipzig and travel to Eisleben which is noted among the most significant in Luther's history; he was born here in 1483 and died here in 1546 and old manuscripts indicate that he felt a special affinity to Eisleben. See the house of his birth and death, St. Andrew's Church where he preached his last sermon, the Luther Monument, and St. Anne's Church with the famous Biblical scenes hewn in stone and many other sites. Continue to nearby Erfurt, where Luther attended the university. A highlight of the tour will be the Augustinian Monastery where he spent his early years as a monk. Dinner and overnight in Erfurt. (B, D)

DAY 5 - Eisenach City Tour, Coburg Sightseeing En Route to Wurzburg
Travel this morning to Eisenach, birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach. Eisenach is best known as the site of the Wartburg Castle, most famous for sheltering Martin Luther while he translated the New Testament into German. Continue to scenic Thuringer Wald to view the fortress of Coburg know as Veste, the place of Luther's imprisonment in 1530. Travel on to Wurzburg for evening dinner and overnight. (B, D)

DAY 6 - Heidelberg & Worms City Tour
This morning travel to picture book Heidelberg, the romantic medieval city on the banks of the River Neckar. Sightseeing will include a visit to the Castle Ruins, home of the Student Prince, the famous Stone Bridge and the University, one of the oldest in the world. It was a stronghold of German Reformed Protestants beginning in 1560. One of the great confessional statements of the Reformation, the Heidelberg Catechism was produced here in 1563. This afternoon visit Worms. 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. After seeing St. Peter's Church and the symbolic Luther Memorial near the town square, you will return to our hotel in Wurzburg for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

DAY 7 - Rothenburg & Augsburg City Tour
This morning, one of the highlights of your trip will be a visit to the best preserved medieval town in all of Europe, Rothenburg. Visit the quaint Rathaus (town hall) with its tower, the Kriminal-museum, housing all manner of Medieval instruments of torture and especially for the ladies, one of the most fascinating Christmas stores you will ever see - Kathe's. Some free time for lunch. This afternoon travel south to the ancient city of Augsburg. It was here in 1518 at St. Anne's Church that Luther met the papal legate, Cardinal Cajetan, who demanded that Luther submit to the pope. Augsburg was also the site of another Imperial Diet at which Protestants presented their confession, the foremost doctrinal statement of the Lutheran church. In the town hall the Peace of Augsburg was signed in 1555 ending for a time the religious wars in Germany between the Catholics and the Protestants. Dinner and overnight in Augsburg. (B, D) 

DAY 8 - Tour Neuschwanstein Castle, Cable Car Ride Zugspitze
Today, travel south to Bavaria for a visit to Ludwig II's most luxurious former residence, the Neuschwanstein Castle. This afternoon visit the little hamlet of Eibsee. Take a modern cable car to the summit of the tallest mountain in Germany, the Zugspitze. Here it snows year round with absolutely spectacular views. Continue to the charming town of Oberammergau, for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

DAY 9 - Passion Play Performance Oberammergau
The history of the Passion Play at Oberammergau goes back to 1634, when the village of Oberammergau was miraculously saved from the ravages of the Black Death. Since that date, the play has been performed every ten years on the decade. The full day is set aside for this event, which is literally a "once-in-a-lifetime" event. Lunch and Dinner at hotel. (B, L, D) 

DAY 10 - Depart for the USA
Transfer to Munich Airport for your departure flight. (B) 

• Brandenburg Gate, Berlin
• Castle Church Door, University & Luther House, Wittenberg
• St. Thomas Church, Leipzig
• St. Andrews Church, Luther's Monument & St. Anne's Church, Eisleben
• Augustine Monastery, Erfurt
• Wartburg Castle, Eisenach
• Heidelberg Castle, Heidelberg
• St. Peter's Church & Luther Memorial, Worms
• Town Hall, Rothenburg
• St. Anne's Church, Augsburg
• Neuschwanstein Castle
• Cable Car ride to Zugspitze, Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Passion Play Performance, Oberammergau

• Flights NYC-Berlin, Munich-NYC. Other departure cities available.
• Airline fuel surcharges
• 17 meals: 8 buffet breakfasts, 8 dinners, 1 lunch
• Sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned motorcoach
• Services of an English-speaking tour manager throughout
• Services of local guides in all major cities
• Entrance fees per itinerary
• Ticket to the Passion Play Performance

Leipzig: 2 nights Superior Tourist Class
Erfurt: 1 night Superior Tourist Class
Wuerzburg: 2 nights Superior Tourist Class
Oberammergau Area: 2 nights Superior Tourist Class OR 
Oberammergau Area: 2 nights Guest House

• Not included: airport taxes, fees & September 11th Security Fee, restaurant tips, optional tours, tips to local guides, driver, and tour manager.
• Land only package does not include arrival/departure transfers nor are the transfers included if flight schedule does not meet the schedule below:
  Arrival flights into Berlin must be before 3pm 
• Please ask your Vacations To Go travel counselor for more details.

For terms and conditions of this Oberammergau Tour, please click here.

* The prices shown are U.S. dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. Prices quoted for land arrangements are subject to increase without notice. Once we have received your deposit, land prices are guaranteed. Whenever air-inclusive tour prices are displayed, these prices do not include government taxes and fees, which are additional. Air prices are subject to increase and are guaranteed only from the time that full payment is received. Air-inclusive prices include air from a major U.S. gateway; air from other U.S. airports is available at an additional cost. Sorry, we are unable to offer air from countries other than the U.S. However, for those international customers who are able to arrange their own transportation to the tour origination city, we are able to offer the land portion of the package or tour, at the price quoted.