Germany & Prague
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Germany & Prague Celebrating Our Lutheran Heritage Hosted by Rev. Craig Breimhorst, Christ Lutheran Church, Faribault, Minnesota Rev. Steve Delzer, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Faribault, Minnesota October 24 - November 3, 2013 Highlights & Inclusions About the Itinerary Spiritual and educational enrichment from traveling This custom-designed travel experience celebrates with a community under the leadership of Lutheran heritage and explores the historic cities and Revs. Craig Breimhorst & Steve Delzer. natural beauty of the region. Begin in Prague, the city k of a thousand spires, untouched by the wars of the 20th century. Discover the unique culture which gave rise Experience Lutheran heritage at the to a tradition of reformers of church and government. Reformation Day festival in Wittenberg, In Terezin and Dresden, remember the sobering days Martin Luther’s home for over three decades. of WWII then witness the reconstruction with a visit to k Frauenkirche. Explore charming Erfurt and immerse Explore the culture, history, art and architecture yourself in Reformation history in Wittenberg. End in of several of Europe’s great cities: Berlin, the vibrant, cosmopolitan German capital. Woven Prague, Dresden and Berlin. into the region’s landscape and landmarks are reminders k of the Renaissance and the Reformation when major International air transportation from Twin Cities shifts in thought and understanding shaped world views. on Delta Air Lines including current fuel surcharge. k With the busy summer season passed, there are fewer Accommodations in Moderate First Class hotels, lines and crowds in October and the locals are more most centrally located, plus a guest house relaxed. Weather varies this time of year as the season located in the heart of Wittenberg, changes. Average temperature high/low ranges in late based on sharing a room. October: k Berlin 49-38°F Prague 50-38°F Private, deluxe, air-conditioned motor coaches for transfers and touring including luggage handling of one piece in/out of hotels. About the Tour Hosts k Pastors Steve Delzer & Craig Breimhorst are 15 included meals: buffet breakfast daily experienced travelers and tour hosts. Pastor Steve has and six dinners including dinner and music at led tours to the Holy Land and to Germany, Switzerland Stary Vrch restaurant outside of Prague. and Austria. He has traveled in Africa, New Zealand, k Latin America and Canada. Pastor Craig has led tours Services of a professional, English-speaking to the Holy Land and Tanzania. Together Pastors Steve German tour director plus local guides in and Craig have co-led three tours most recently to Prague, Terezin, Dresden, Erfurt, Leipzig, Turkey & Greece. They create an experience to explore Wittenberg and Berlin. and grow to understand other cultures and to see more k clearly how we are all God’s beloved children. They Entrance fees and donations for included visits look forward to your presence on this journey of faith and activities as described in itinerary. and heritage to Germany & Prague. Customized Itinerary Day 1 Thu, October 24 Depart Twin Cities Day 7 Wed, October 30 Erfurt - Leipzig - Wittenberg Leave Minneapolis/St. Paul on Delta Air Lines flights to the Leave Erfurt this morning for Leipzig and a memorable Czech Republic via Amsterdam. (meals in-flight) visit to St. Thomas Church where Johann Sebastian Bach was cantor for 27 years. Opportunity to meet with Day 2 Fri, October 25 Arrive Prague a local pastor who shares the moving story of how the Evening arrival in Prague. After a welcome from the tour Peaceful Revolution began in Leipzig in 1989. Continue to director transfer to the hotel for check in before dinner and Wittenberg, where Martin Luther worked and lived for some overnight at Prague hotel. (meals in-flight,D) 36 years. Dinner and presentation by Renate Skirl (former ELCA Wittenberg Center staff) who tells her personal story Day 3 Sat, Oct. 26 Prague as a Christian living in the GDR. Overnight in Wittenberg Begin a discovery of Prague at the imposing castle at Colleg Wittenberg, located in the heart of the historic including visits to St. Vitus Cathedral and Vladislav Hall. centre. (B,D) Afternoon visit to Our Lady Before the Tyn Church, the leading church of the Hussite movement for 200 years Day 8 Thu, October 31 Reformation Festival after Jan Hus’ death. Jan Hus, a church reformer 100 Wittenberg is alive with Renaissance spirit today as it years before Martin Luther, remains a national hero in the celebrates nearly 500 years of Lutheran heritage. Morning Czech Republic and a memorial in his honor is located worship service. Outside visit to see the doors of Castle in the square of Old Town. Afternoon boat cruise on the Church where Luther posted his 95 Theses on October Vltava River. Dinner at local restaurant and overnight in 31, 1517, inciting a wave of protest and reform now Prague. (B,D) celebrated annually on this day. Free day to choose among Reformation Day activities including worship services in Day 4 Sun, October 27 Prague English or German, museum tours, food and activities Stroll across Prague’s famous Charles Bridge. Built in the typical of Luther’s time. Dinner on own. Option to attend 15th century, the bridge provided an important connection a classical concert at the Town Church. Overnight in between the castle and Old Town, completing a key trade Wittenberg at Colleg Wittenberg. (B) route between Eastern and Western Europe. Attend late morning worship service at St. Michael’s Lutheran Day 9 Fri, November 1 Wittenberg - Berlin Church. Explore the Jewish Quarter to learn about the Morning visits to the Town Church and Lutherhaus, where community established here in the 12th century which Luther lived, now an impressive museum of Reformation grew to 40,000 by the outbreak of WWII. Visit Wenceslaus artifacts. Leave Wittenberg for Berlin. Orientation and Square where in 1989 peaceful protests led to the new free panoramic drive through the city including the Reichstag state of the Czech Republic. Remainder of day at leisure. building, and stops at the Brandenburg Gate and the wall Evening free to walk Prague’s narrow streets, across scenic museum at Checkpoint Charlie. Possible visit with ELCA bridges and into colorful squares. Enjoy dinner on own to pastor Rev. Steve Kienberger at the American Church in sample the local cuisine. Overnight at Prague hotel. (B) Berlin. Check in to hotel. Final group dinner this evening at a local restaurant. Overnight Berlin. (B,D) Day 5 Mon, October 28 Prague - Terezin - Dresden Travel into the Czech countryside for a one-hour drive to Day 10 Sat, November 2 Berlin the memorial and museum in Terezin, where the fortress Visit Museum Island to marvel at the ancient Greek altar was used as a transit camp for Auschwitz and other at the Pergamon Museum along with artifacts from the concentration camps. Continue to the German border. biblical world excavated in the late 19th century by German Upon arrival in Dresden, enjoy an introductory drive archeologists. Visit the Museum at Bernauer Strasse, through this historic city located on the Elbe River. See the where a church was formerly located in the “no-man’s-land” baroque splendor passing the Semperoper and Zwinger. between East and West Berlin. End at Kaiser Wilhelm Visit the Frauenkirche, the Church of Our Lady Lutheran, Memorial Church which was bombed during WWII leaving which remained in ruins from the WWII firebombing until a only the west tower standing (current renovation may limit recently completed reconstruction. Hear about the inspiring access). Free time this afternoon and into the evening for restoration of the landmark church and the entire city. Check individual exploration. Return to Museum Island to further in to a hotel for dinner and overnight in Dresden. (B,D) explore the priceless cultural treasures. For people watching or shopping, step back into Old Berlin at Hackesche Hofe, Day 6 Tue, October 29 Dresden - Erfurt a historically preserved retail complex. Peaceful places to Leave Dresden this morning traveling west to the city relax are found in Tiergarten and Charlottenberg Palace of Erfurt, one of the best preserved medieval cities in park plus the 29,000 hectares of woodland in the city. Germany. With numerous towers, spires and bridges, Dinner on own to try cuisine of your choosing at one of Erfurt is also among the most beautiful. After Martin Luther Berlin’s restaurants. Overnight in Berlin. (B) finished his studies at Erfurt University, he entered the Augustinian monastery and lived here for five years. Day 11 Sun, November 3 Return Home Visit the monastery and enjoy a walking tour of the historic Morning airport transfer for flights to U.S. via Amsterdam, centre before checking into hotel in Erfurt for dinner and arriving home the same day. (B, meals in-flight) overnight. (B,D) Meals included: B=buffet breakfast, D=dinner Itinerary subject to adjustment as needed for operation. Passport, Visa, Tour Cost $3699 from Twin Cities Health & Travel Additional costs Information Airline/airport taxes - $144 Gratuities - $80 U.S. citizens need a passport valid at least six months Single room supplement - $560 beyond the tour return date. Passport applications are Strictly limited availability of single rooms. available at www.travel.state.gov. Non-U.S. citizens are responsible for their own passport, visa and entry require- Costs are current at printing, subject to change and based on a group size of 33. ments. Late registration fee of $100 after June 24, 2013. Without proper documents entry can be denied at tour member’s expense. No vaccinations are required for U.S. citizens to travel to Registration Germany and the Czech Republic. An initial deposit of $500 per person is due immediately to secure reservation.