September 23 – 30, 2022
from $3,595 per person
Part pilgrimage, part party! This eight-day journey provides an introduction to the life and ministry of Protestant Reformers John Calvin in Geneva and Uldrich Zwingli in Zurich then moves on to the 400-year-old, once-in-a-decade performance of the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany. Close your pilgrimage with a visit to Munich, staying in the heart of the city for easy access to one of the world’s best parties: Oktoberfest.
September 23-30 Daily Itinerary
Enjoy time this morning to explore the city of Geneva on your own. You might enjoy strolling along the shores of Lake Geneva, visiting the Palais des Nations (headquarters of the UN in Geneva) or World Council of Churches, touring the English Garden with it’s flower clock, or wandering the winding cobbled streets of the Old Town.
In the afternoon, the group will take the train to Zurich arriving in time for dinner (on your own) and overnight accommodations in Zurich’s walkable old city.
We begin this Sunday morning with worship at Fraumünster or Grossmünster Kirche at 10am, followed by a half-day tour of Zurich including both churches. At Fraumünster, take in the stunning stained glass windows by Marc Chagall. We will also visit a number of sites associated with Ulrich Zwingli throughout Zurich, before dinner on your own. Overnight in Zurich’s walkable old city.
We depart Zurich by private coach, driving along the foothills of the Alps until we reach Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. After lunch, we will tour the castle-like palace that was commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in 1869 but not completed until after his death. It’s Romanesque-revival architecture has inspired many, including Walt Disney.
We continue on to the nearby Pilgrim Church of Wies, a UNESCO World Heritage site with remarkable Rococo architecture commemorating the miraculous appearance of tears on a wooden statue of Christ in 1738.
Finally, travelers will arrive at their accommodations in the Alpine villages around Oberammergau for dinner and overnight accommodations. Please note that three-star accommodations are guaranteed, but exact properties are not finalized until shortly before travel dates. All travelers may not be accommodated in the same property.
The Oberammergau Passion Play is a once-in-a-decade event that has been performed continuously for over 400 years. Each decade, the hamlet of Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps gathers of cast of hundreds of performers, chorister, orchestra, and technicians to tell the story of Jesus suffering, death, and resurrection. Your package includes shuttle service from your accommodations to the theatre, tier-1 tickets to the Passion Play, dinner during intermission, and return shuttle service to your accommodations at the end of the evening.
You may be tired after a late evening at the Passion Play, so we’ll enjoy a mid-morning departure from the Oberammergau area. We will share lunch together before a guided tour of the Dachau Concentration Camp to remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust.
In the late afternoon, we will check into our accommodations in historic Munich with easy pedestrian and public transit access to Munich’s historic core and the Oktoberfest grounds known as the Theresienwiese. You can explore Munich on your own for the evening or make your way into Oktoberfest for beer, traditional music, food vendors, and amusement-park style rides. Your package includes a 3-day Munich City Pass so that you can explore the city as you wish using public transportation.
Munich has a rich history and walkable central area. We will begin the day today with a walking tour of Munich covering the city’s history including it’s role in the rise of the Third Reich.
In the evening, our group has a table reservation in one of Oktoberfest’s many beer tents. Arrive and eat with the group (food and beer vouchers included) but then feel free to explore the rest of the Theresienwiese on your own. Oktoberfest closes at 11:30pm, and it’s a straight-shot back to our hotel on public transit. Your package includes a 3-day Munich city pass, so you can ride public transit within the city as often as you like.
If you plan to stay out late at Oktoberfest, be sure to book a later departure from the Munich airport. Your pilgrimage officially ends after breakfast today. You can use your Munich City Pass to take public transportation to the airport.
Custom extensions are available including Martin Luther in Germany, World War II in Germany, Sound of Music in Austria, visiting Paris and Normandy, and more. Contact us if you are interested in extending your trip.
What’s Included
The cost for this pilgrimage is $3,595 per person, double occupancy. Single occupancy is available for a surcharge of $1,019. Group size is limited to 13 remaining seats 23 travelers.
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A $500/person deposit is due at time of registration, payable online via PayPal or credit card.
Terms and conditions
Sensitive to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, we have offered a more flexible payment and cancellation policy as follows. These terms supersede the standard cancelation policy found on the Terms & Conditions page. You can find our full Coronavirus update here.
- Initial deposit is refundable minus a $50 handling fee through December 31, 2020.
- From January 1 – March 15, 2021 there is a $250 cancellation penalty.
- Beginning March 15, 2021 the deposit is non-refundable.
- 50% of the balance is due October 1, 2021 and is non-refundable
- Final balance is due July 24, 2022. 50% of this payment is refundable until August 18, 2022.
- After After August 18, 2022, no refunds are available.
The pilgrimage officially begins at the Geneva hotel at 2:00pm on Friday, September 23, 2022 and ends in Munich after breakfast on Friday, September 30. Travelers should arrange their travel accordingly or can contact us for air travel arrangements. Progressive Pilgrimage is not responsible for any expenses incurred for travel to or from the destination and will not reimburse travelers for missed programming or other expenses if flights are delayed.
A $500/person deposit is due at time of registration, payable online via PayPal or credit card. Participants will be invoiced for additional payments which may be paid by check, ACH, or credit card. Credit card payments of the remaining balances will incur a 3% fee.
Please read the complete Terms and Conditions online. ENROLLMENT IN AND PAYMENT FOR THE TOUR CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THE CONDITIONS AND STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY.