Itinerary – Churches of Germany
May 17 – May 26, 2013
Friday, May 17
Travelers board their individually booked flights to Berlin/Germany.
Saturday, May 18
Travelers arrive throughout the day and will be personally met at the airport. A shuttle brings you to our
meeting point near the historic Brandenburg Gate, where we will meet our bilingual tour guide. We will
enjoy a Welcome Lunch, we have time to stroll on the “Unter den Linden” Boulevard, see
the Reichstag or Potsdamer Platz before boarding our luxury bus for our hotel near Leipzig. (Overnight
in Leipzig)
Sunday, May 19 – Pentecost
We will begin the day early with Mass at the historic Thomas Church. Between 1723 and 1750, Johann
Sebastian Bach was the cantor here, and during this time the great composer wrote most of his cantatas
and liturgical work. Today’s Mass will include the Cantata “Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt”, performed by
the world-famous Thomanerchor and the Gewandhausorchester. After mass, we drive to Wittenberg to
visit theSchlosskirche, where in 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses leading to the Protestant
Reformation. We will see the “Theses Door” and the lovely Historic District of Wittenberg before
returning to the hotel. (Overnight in Leipzig)
Monday, May 20
We keep following in the footsteps of Martin Luther. In the morning we visit the town ofEisleben to see
his birthplace, the church he preached in, and other sites. After Lunch in the historic “Lutherstube”, we
travel to Eisenach to visit the 11th Century Wartburg Castle, where Luther spend the summer of 1521 to
translate the New Testament from Greek into German. We will see a rare First Edition of the New
Testament. (Overnight in Leipzig)
Tuesday, May 23
Today, we are traveling on to Dresden to visit the Frauenkirche (“Church of Our Lady”). Built in the
18th Century and completely destroyed in WWII, the church was fully reconstructed with financial help
from the United States and Great Britain. Today, it stands as a landmark symbol of reconciliation
between former warring enemies. Built in the Romanesque style, the church is part of the beautiful
historic part of Dresden. We will have Lunch at the famed “Sophienkeller” before traveling on
to Regensburg to visit the Cathedral that is home to the world famous “Domspatzen” choir. (Overnight
in Regensburg)
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Wednesday, May 24
We are now traveling through the most Catholic part of Germany, the Free State of Bavaria. The day
begins with a visit to the Cathedral of Freising, where Pope Benedict XVI was ordained as a priest and
where he served as Bishop. In the afternoon, we will see the gorgeous Rococo style Wieskirche and
the Abbey Church of Rottenbuch, a masterpiece of the Baroque period. We will marvel at the rare
beauty of these ornate churches before traveling to the historic Andechs Monestary, famous for its
Rococo church as well as the beer brewed on premises. We will have Dinner at the historic Bräustüberl.
(Overnight in Nesselwang)
Thursday, May 23
No trip to Germany is complete without a visit to Neuschwanstein Castle, the famous fairy tale castle
built by King Ludwig. After Lunch, we will continue on to the city of Ulm, home to the Gothic minster
that boasts the tallest steeple in the world – a true architectural masterpiece. Our trip continues to the
romantic city of Heidelberg, one of Germany’s most beloved destinations. We enjoy a walk through the
Baroque style Old Town. (Overnight in Heidelberg)
Friday, May 24
Our day begins in Speyer. Founded by the Romans, this is one of the oldest towns in Germany, and its
spiritual heart is the Speyer Cathedral. Begun in 1030 AD, this Romanesque Church is a Unesco World
Heritage Site and a stark contrast to the more ornate churches we have seen earlier. Just a few miles
north, we find the Basilica ofWorms, a 12th Century Cathedral best known as one of the Imperial
Cathedrals linked to the German Kaisers. It was also a location in the Nibelungenlied, the epic Germanic
saga that is best known in its musical adaptation by Richard Wagner. After Lunch we will drive to
Cologne. (Overnight in Cologne)
Saturday, May 25
Today we will celebrate Mass at the Cologne Cathedral, maybe the most famous Gothic Cathedral in the
World. The atmosphere in this enormous building is something to behold, as is the beauty of the Shrine
of the Three Kings, one of the most famous reliquaries. We visit the Treasure Hall of the Cathedral
before traveling on to Frankfurt. (Overnight in Frankfurt)
Sunday, May 26
It is our last day of this trip. After breakfast, we say our good-buys. Individual transport to the airport
will provided for all guests to reach their individually booked return flights leaving from Frankfurt
International Airport.
IMPORTANT INFO: Travelers are responsible for buying their own airfare; Please make sure that you
arrive in BERLIN/GERMANY on Saturday, May 18, 2013 and that you have a return flight leaving
FRANKFURT/GERMANY on Sunday, May 26, 2013.
NONSTOP TRAVEL, INC 833 W. Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA
CST#2108313-20
(800) 949-6362 www.nonstoptravel.net