Swiss Reformation, Passion Play + Oktoberfest

When you arrive in Geneva, take the easy (and free) train from the airport to your hotel within walking distance of Geneva’s central train station. Geneva was the center of ministry for Protestant Reformer, John Calvin. The pilgrimage officially begins with a walking tour of the city focusing on the life of Calvin and the events of the Protestant Reformation including the Reformation Wall and St. Pierre’s Cathedral. A celebratory welcome dinner is included tonight. Overnight in central Geneva.   Please note that this itinerary uses a variety of transportation modes including trains, private coaches, and public transportation. In Oberammergau, some accommodations may not have an elevator. Pilgrims should expect to handle their own luggage. We encourage you to travel light and not bring more than you can manage on your own.

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.