This morning we transfer to the airport for our return flight to the U.S.A.

History of the Reformation

10-Day Tour of Germany, France, & Switzerland
w/Optional Scotland & England Extension

October 4, 2026 to October 13, 2026

Follow the footsteps of the Reformers on an inspiring journey through stunning cities, charming villages, and centuries of faith-shaping history. Begin your adventure in Geneva, where you will stand by Calvin’s pulpit. Here, he boldly proclaimed new theological truths that challenged the established order. From Geneva, travel to Zurich, a city rich in heritage. Explore the churches where Zwingli preached courageously, sparking change and questioning old traditions.

Along the way, you will marvel at majestic castles, grand cathedrals, and beautifully preserved medieval towns like Bern and Heidelberg. Each of these places carries the echoes of voices that reshaped Christianity and changed the world forever. Take time to absorb the atmosphere and imagine the courage it took to speak these bold truths.

Next, stand where Martin Luther famously declared, “Here I stand.” This powerful moment ignited the Reformation and transformed Europe’s religious landscape. You will also visit ancient monasteries, quiet yet full of stories of devotion, struggle, and renewal. Walk through vibrant city streets filled with culture, local traditions, and welcoming people who keep these stories alive today.

Along the route, pause often to enjoy breathtaking views that perfectly capture the spirit of this historic landscape. These moments of reflection connect you more deeply to the journey’s meaning.

Throughout your travels, inspiring stories will unfold, linking you directly to the spiritual legacy of the Reformation and Europe’s rich cultural heritage. This journey blends powerful history, deep faith, and unforgettable moments. It creates an immersive experience that brings the heart of Reformation Europe vividly to life. Prepare to be inspired, moved, and transformed at every step on this remarkable path.

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Departure ID: 4163
Please reference this when calling our office.

Note: the map indicates the general route of the tour, and may not reflect the
exact route that will be taken on the trip.

Street view looking up at the colorful buildings of Erfurt

Ground view of Brandenburg Gate in Berlin

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ITINERARY

Day 1: Travel Day

Tour members gather for our flight to Geneva. After dinner is served, it’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the on-board entertainment in preparation for this exciting adventure of a lifetime.

Day 2: Arrive in Geneva

After arriving in Geneva, we are greeted by our tour guide and board our motorcoach to start touring the city. Our first stop is the International Museum of the Reformation, where we will dive into 500 years of Reformation history. We will explore how the Reformation impacted lives, including faith, education, and economic changes. Located right next to the museum, we will have the chance for an individual visit inside St. Peter’s Cathedral. It was here that John Calvin preached every other week from 1536 to 1564. Next, we will walk to the Reformation Wall, a memorial built into what was once the city wall, representing the reclaiming and protection of the Gospel that happened here. Some of the reformers featured on the Wall include John Calvin, William Farel, Theodore Beza, and John Knox. We will enjoy dinner in the city and then head to our hotel.

Day 3: Bern

After breakfast, we drive two hours to Bern, the historic capital of Switzerland and a key city in the Protestant Reformation. Led by Reformer Berchtold Haller, Bern embraced Protestantism in 1528. However, it was also a site of intense persecution—many Anabaptists were imprisoned, tortured, or drowned in the Aare River for rejecting infant baptism and advocating believer’s faith. On arrival, we enjoy a walking tour through Bern’s medieval Old Town and visit the towering Bern Minster, Switzerland’s tallest cathedral, with stunning views and Reformation ties. We then check into our hotel and enjoy a relaxing evening and dinner.

Day 4: Zurich

After breakfast, we will board the bus and enjoy the countryside as we drive from Bern to Zurich. Once we arrive in Zurich we will have lunch. After lunch we will begin our walking tour of several churches including Wasserkirche, Fraumunster, and Grossmunster (where the preaching of Huldrych Zwingli initiated the Swiss-German Reformation in Switzerland). After our walking tour we will check into our hotel where we will have dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Basel

After breakfast, we’ll enjoy a 90-minute drive to Basel, the cultural capital of Switzerland, featuring Mittlere Brucke (Middle Bridge) that dates back to the 1200s and offers beautiful views of the Rhine River and Basel. Our adventure begins at Basel Munster, built between 1019 and 1500, which contains the tomb of humanist scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam. After lunch, we’ll tour Saint Martin’s Church (Martinskirche), the oldest parish church in Basel, with origins tracing back to 1101 or 1103. Saint Martin’s Church holds a key place in Basel’s Reformation history. In 1529, reformer Johannes Oecolampadius preached here in German for the first time, marking a significant shift in religious practice. We will have dinner and check into our hotel.

Day 6: Strasbourg

After breakfast, we board the bus and drive to Riquewhir, a charming little village frozen in time. After taking a break with a stroll through town, we finish our drive to our stop for the day, one of Europe’s most beautiful cities: Strasbourg. The ideas of the Reform Movement spread in Strasbourg as early as the beginning of the 16th century. These ideas helped to establish a structure for theological education. In 1532, Martin Bucer started courses on the exegesis of biblical books in German and Latin, and along with others like Capiton who followed the Reformed ideas, they began teaching ancient languages and many other courses that were added to the exegesis course. Our first stop once we arrive will be the Statue of the Reformers at the University, and we will also visit the historic quarter known as La Petite-France. Before lunch, we will visit St. Thomas Church. After lunch, we will visit Strasbourg Cathedral, then have dinner in the city before checking into our hotel.

Day 7: Heidelberg, Worms

After breakfast, we visit Heidelberg, a beautiful town on the Neckar River where romanticism is both past and present. Our walking tour includes the Old Town, the famous Stone Bridge over the Neckar, Heidelberg Castle (where the Heidelberg Confession was written in 1653), the Castle Church, the German Apothecary Museum, and the Church of the Holy Ghost. We stop for lunch, then continue to Worms, one of Germany’s oldest towns. There, we visit St. Peter’s Cathedral, an exquisite example of Romanesque architecture. In 1521, Martin Luther was summoned by Emperor Charles V to recant his teachings before the Diet of Worms. We also see the spot where Luther made his famous “Here I Stand” declaration. We will visit the world’s largest memorial to the Reformation, along with Europe’s oldest Jewish cemetery, the Holy Sands. Another Reformer, William Tyndale, completed printing the English Bible in Worms, escaping persecution in England. After an amazing day of touring, we finish with dinner and check in at our hotel near Frankfurt.

Day 8: Wartburg Castle, Erfurt

This morning, we enjoy breakfast and then drive to the magnificent Wartburg Castle for a self-guided tour of the Palais (Great Hall), the Elisabeth Hallway, and the Luther Room, where Luther, under his disguise as “Junker Jörg,” translated the New Testament into German. After our tour, we board the motorcoach and head to Erfurt, where we will have lunch before a guided visit to the Augustinian Monastery, featuring a permanent exhibit about Luther’s life as a monk. If time permits, we will visit St. Mary’s Cathedral, where Luther was ordained as a priest, and St. Severus Church. We end our day with dinner and then check into our hotel.

Day 9: Lutherstadt-Wittenburg, Berlin

We start our day with breakfast and then board the motorcoach for the drive to Wittenberg. Our tour begins with a guided walking tour, including an exterior visit to All Saints’ Church of the Castle Church, the famous site where Luther posted his 95 Theses on the church door, sparking the Reformation. It is here that Luther is buried beside his fellow reformer, Philipp Melanchthon. During our tour, we will also have the opportunity to see All Saints’ Church. We then take a break for lunch and continue with a visit to the temporary exhibition “Luther” located in the Augusteum, built in the mid-1580s. Since Luther House is currently closed for renovation, selected pieces are displayed here. Luther Hall was once an Augustinian monastery where Luther lived as a monk, and later in 1525, as the owner with his wife and family. Luther Hall is the largest museum of Reformation history in the world. After the visit, we board the bus and drive to Berlin, where we check into our hotel before dinner. We will spend the evening reflecting on all we have seen and learned on this incredible journey to explore some of our roots in the faith.

Day 10: Travel Day

**Scotland & England Extension, Day 10: Travel Day to London

After a morning flight from Berlin, we arrive in historic London and enjoy a relaxing lunch before visiting the magnificent St. Paul’s Cathedral. This iconic masterpiece, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, stands as a symbol of England’s Protestant heritage and resilience. Rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1666, it became a beacon for the Church of England and a spiritual anchor in the postReformation era. Inside, visitors marvel at its soaring dome and inspiring history. After our visit, we check into our hotel, unwind, and enjoy a delicious dinner in the heart of this vibrant, storied city.

**Scotland & England Extension, Day 11: London

We begin our day with breakfast at the hotel before heading to Westminster Abbey, a royal church with deep ties to the English Reformation—where monarchs were crowned and where Anglicanism took root. After lunch, we visit the Metropolitan Tabernacle, the historic Baptist church once led by famed preacher Charles Spurgeon, a champion of evangelical Protestantism. We then explore Wesley’s Chapel, the “Cathedral of Methodism,” founded by John Wesley, whose revivalist ministry shaped Protestant faith across Britain and America. After a day rich in Reformation history and spiritual heritage, we return to the hotel and enjoy a relaxing dinner.

**Scotland & England Extension, Day 12: Travel Day to Edinburgh

We depart our London hotel early and fly north to the historic capital of Scotland—Edinburgh. After lunch, we explore St. Giles’ Cathedral, the High Kirk of Scotland, and the spiritual heart of the Scottish Reformation. It was here that John Knox preached fiery sermons that led to Scotland’s break from Rome and its embrace of Presbyterianism. Next, we visit the Scottish Storytelling Centre and John Knox House, the Reformer’s preserved 16th-century home, offering insight into his life, influence, and the turbulent rise of Protestantism in Scotland. After our self-guided tours, we enjoy dinner and settle into our hotel for the evening.

**Scotland & England Extension, Day 13: Edinburgh

After breakfast at our Edinburgh hotel, we journey to St. Andrews, a coastal town rich in Reformation history. We begin with a selfguided tour of the St. Andrews Cathedral ruins, once the center of Roman Catholic power in Scotland until the Reformation swept through, leaving it abandoned as Protestantism took hold. Next, we explore St. Andrews Castle, where Protestant preacher George Wishart was imprisoned and martyred, sparking greater resistance to Catholic rule. The castle’s bottle dungeon and siege tunnels tell of dramatic Reformation struggles. We conclude with a heartfelt Farewell Dinner, reflecting on the journey before returning to our hotel.

**Scotland & England Extension, Day 14: Return Home

** This denotes this part of the itinerary is part of an optional extension.
Please contact our office for additional information and pricing.

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10-Day Tour of Germany, France, & Switzerland
w/Optional Scotland & England Extension

ITINERARY

HAVE QUESTIONS?

CONTACT US

TOURS

RESOURCES

QUICK LINKS

RIVER CRUISES

GREECE TOURS

ISRAEL TOURS

GERMANY TOURS

ITALY TOURS

BECOME A TOUR HOST

TRAVEL INFO

HELPFUL LINKS

FAQs

RIVER CRUISES

GREECE TOURS

ISRAEL TOURS

GERMANY TOURS

ITALY TOURS

BECOME A TOUR HOST

TRAVEL INFO

HELPFUL LINKS

FAQs

10-Day Tour of Germany, France, & Switzerlandw/Optional Scotland & England Extension

ITINERARY

HAVE QUESTIONS?

CONTACT US

TOURS

RESOURCES

QUICK LINKS

10-Day Tour of Germany, France, & Switzerland
w/Optional Scotland & England Extension