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What
will we see each day?
Our
itineraries are designed to be not too full - or too empty! Each
day we'll have breakfast at our hotel, followed by the day's activities.
In the evenings, you'll have the opportunity to join the devotional
time. Enjoy browsing the proposed itinerary.
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IF = In flight
meals, B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Click
here for pre-tour options
Day
1: Saturday, July 17, 2010: Depart
Our adventure will begin as we depart on our transatlantic flight
to Geneva, Switzerland. Please note that flights are not included
in the price, but can be added in 2009. Group rates are available
for groups of 10 or more flying from the same departure point.
IF/D
Day
2: Sunday, July 18, 2010: Geneva
Upon arrival in Geneva, we’ll meet at our hotel. The afternoon
is free to enjoy this delightful Swiss city. Possible optional
tours to the World Council of Churches, Red Cross or United Nations
on our own; not included. This evening we’ll enjoy a welcome
meal at the hotel and a DVD presentation on John Calvin and the
Swiss Reformation. We will overnight in Geneva at the Hotel
Cornavin. IF/D
Day
3: Monday, July 19, 2010: Geneva’s Reformation sites
This morning we will begin with the Reformation Wall, featuring
John Calvin, Martin Bucer, William Ferrel, Ulrich Zwingli and
other heroes of the Swiss Reformation. We will have a walking
tour up to Geneva’s historic old town and tour the Reformation
Museum. 
This paints a comprehensive picture of the Reformation from its
origins to the present day, using the latest museum technologies.
We'll also have a guided tour of St. Peter's Cathedral and the
amazing Roman and ancient church ruins underneath. Following this
tour, we'll visit two other key churches of the Reformation, associated
with John Calvin and Martin Bucer. Lunch will be on our own in
the charming old town. Our afternoon will be free to explore Geneva
further and maybe shop, take a train to France for a coffee or
perhaps take a boat ride on Lake Lausanne. In the evening, we
are invited to an optional lecture by a local Reformation scholar
on the Swiss Reformation. We will overnight in Geneva for a second
night. B/D
 Day
4: Tuesday, July 20, 2010: Chillon Castle, Bern, Interlaken, Alps
at Grindelwald
Driving past verdant vineyards and views of gorgeous Lake Geneva,
we will go to the magnificent Chillon Castle, the inspiration
for Lord Byron's poem, "The Prisoner of Chillon." We'll
take tour this impressive fortress and then continue on to Bern
where we’ll enjoy a guided city tour of this Swiss Reformation
city. Then we will drive through magnificent scenery to Interlaken
and up to alpine Grindelwald in the Swiss Alps; where we’ll
be based for two nights. B/D
Day
5: Wednesday, July 21, 2010: Grindelwald, Klein Scheidegg, Jungfrau,
Lauterbrunnen Falls & Alps
 Today
we’ll enjoy the beauty of God’s creation with a cog-rail
train trip up to the famous Alpine railway station of Kleine Scheidegg,
with views of the Eiger (Bear), Mönch (Monk) and Jungfrau
(Maiden) peaks. On this two-valley round trip we'll pass from
Grindelwald up to the summit at Kleinscheidegg and down the other
side to Lauterbrunnen, some of Switzerland’s most beautiful
scenery. We’ll have a walking tour up inside the Lauterbrunnen
Falls, seeing the glory of God’s creation in alpine majesty.
We will return to Grindelwald for dinner on our own, giving us
a chance to sample local cuisine. This evening will be free to
take an Alpine walk, or meet local Christians. B/D
Day
6: Thursday, July 22, 2010: Lucerne, Zwingli’s Kappel Monument,
Zurich
 Today
we will drive to Lucerne for a short tour of the city, seeing
the classic sites, starting with the amazingly ornate Jesuitenkirche,
or Jesuit Church. This is baroque masterpiece, was dedicated to
Francis Xavier, and constructed in 1666 and is one the most beautiful
Baroque churches in Switzerland. We’ll walk across the covered
Kapellbrucke Bridge and Spruerbrucke Bridge. We’ll also
see the Lion of Lucerne monument. Next is a short drive to an
important place in the Swiss Reformation, Ulrich Zwingli’s
death memorial at Kappel. We’ll watch a fascinating DVD
on Zwingli while we drive. Here at Kappel, our guide will explain
who Zwingli was, why he fought and died, and why it still matters
today. Next will be Zurich, voted the world’s most livable
city, and after a brief drive-by orientation tour, we’ll
settle into our centrally-located hotel, the Leonardo
Hotel Rigihof. B/D
 Day
7: Friday, July 23, 2010: Ulrich Zwingli’s Zurich, Anabaptist
sites, leisure time
We will explore Zurich, with our expert guide who will teach about
Ulrich Zwingli, the Swiss Reformation and the Anabaptists and
the Catholics of that time. Highlights will include the Zwingli
Memorial, the Frauenkirche and the Grossmünster Cathedrals,
both churches key to the Reformation. We’ll see the Anabaptist
Memorial beside the Limmat River, site of Felix Manz’s martyrdom
due to his beliefs on baptism. Our guide will share about the
struggles in the early Swiss Protestant movement. We’ll
the tour nearby St. Peter’s Church The rest of the day will
be at leisure to enjoy Zurich. B/D
Day
8: Saturday, July 24, 2010: Liechtenstein, Austria, Linderhof
Castle, Wieskirche Oberammergau.
 We
will have a beautiful drive through Liechtenstein and Austrian
valleys en route to Bavaria, where we tour Linderhof Castle, the
glitziest of King Ludwig II’s castles. We’ll then
tour the Wieskirche, a historic Bavarian church, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. We will finish our exciting day with our arrival
in Oberammergau, home to the world famous Passion Play, depicting
the story of Christ, acted out for hundreds of years by the villagers.
We’ll check into the Hotel
am Wiesenhang and have a delicious dinner, followed by a stroll
through the village. B/D
Day
9: Sunday, July 25, 2010: Oberammergau
Today is the highlight of the tour, the world famous Passion Play,
which has been regularly performed since Whitsun 1633. In the
middle of the Thirty Years War, after months of dying and suffering
from the plague, the people of Oberammergau took a vow to perform
the "Play of the Suffering, Dying and Resurrection of our
Lord Jesus Christ" every ten years. In the afternoon and
evening we will be watching the performance of the play, with
excellent, pre-reserved seats. Almost half of the inhabitants
of the town perform in the play on the large open-air stage. (B/L/D)
Day
10: Monday, July 26, 2010: Salzburg
This morning we will continue to the “City of Music”,
Salzburg, Austria, watching “The Sound of Music” film
along the way. We’ll drive by some of the locations used
in this classic film. Our walking tour will introduce us to this
city, visiting the Mozart’s birthplace, we’ll stroll
through Mirabell Gardens, and tour the Salzburg Cathedral, the
Getreidegasse shopping area, the market area, Peter’s Church
and more. This evening we will have a Mozart Concert during dinner
at the famous St. Peter’s Restaurant. In Baroque opulence
we’ll savor the cuisine of Mozart’s day while musicians
play some of his most famous compositions. We will overnight in
Salzburg at the Central
Hotel Gablerbräu. B/D
 Day
11: Tuesday, July 27, 2010: Vienna
We will drive to beautiful Vienna, full of gorgeous baroque architecture.
We will have a city tour of the major sights of the city, the
Belvedere Palace, the elegant Kärntner Ring, St. Stefan's
Cathedral, the Lippizaner Museum and more. In the afternoon, we
visit Schönbrunn Palace, the beautiful palace of the Hapsburgs,
with lovely gardens. We’ll dine at our hotel, the Hotel
Arkadenhof, and this evening experience some of the special
music Vienna has to offer, with many optional live music performances
available. B/D
Day
12: Wednesday, July 28, 2010: Vienna
Our day will be free to explore Vienna, where we can shop, have
coffee and a piece of Sacher Torte, a local delicacy or visit
some of Vienna’s wonderful museums. This evening we will
gather together for a farewell dinner at our hotel, with time
to reminisce about the places visited and the new friends made
along the way. B/D
Day
13: Thursday July 29, 2010: Depart from Vienna
A transfer to the airport will be included for our return flight
home. B/IF
Click here for post-tour options
Reformation
Tours reserves the rights to alter itineraries without notice
should it become necessary. While on tour, if conditions necessitate
changes, or if certain features are unavailable or limited,
we reserve the right to vary or substitute alternatives. All
prices are calculated at the exchange rate in effect at the
time of this quotation. Should currency fluctuations necessitate
an adjustment in tour price the adjusted price will be reflected
in the final invoice.
 Your
Tour Host
Reformation Tours' president Frank Drinkhouse will be your
host on this tour. Originally from St. Louis, MO, Frank
has lived in many countries including the UK and Turkey
and has thoroughly enjoyed visiting many more. He has a
passion for the Word and is looking forward to fellowshipping
with the group. Frank has been married to Rowena for 16
years and they have 2 children, Rosie and Joshua.
Free
book for all our tour participants
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This
best-selling Guide proved an essential tool for visitors who
spent time in this delightful corner of Bavaria, providing concise
information about the Village of Oberammergau, the Area, the
Play, the Theatre, the History and Traditions, the Organization
and Background. Written
by David Houseley - who produced similar books in 1970,1980
and 1990, and Raymond Goodburn, the book is in lavish co lour
with maps, photographs and biographies of the actors who took
the leading roles. There is also an important Introduction
by Otto Huber, Deputy Director of the Play who explains the
thinking behind the radical changes which were made for 2000.
Finally, there is a Synopsis of the Play, provided by Prof.
Ingrid Shafer, the Official Translator of the Text into English.
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What's
included in the land price of $3,549?
Price based on a minimum of 35 participants
-
 Transportation:
via deluxe air-conditioned coaches
-
Accommodations (double-occupancy) in superior 3-star and moderate
4-star hotels
- Tickets to
the Oberammergau Passion Play in seating area 1 (pale blue in
image)
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Meals as indicated in the itinerary
-
Professional
tour escort throughout the tour
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Local
step-on guides for city tours and major attractions
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Entrance
fees included as per itinerary
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All transfers, as a group
-
Baggage handling (1 piece of baggage per guest)
- All taxes
and tips except as indicated below
What's
not included in tour price?
-
Air
transportation (available 10 months before departure)
-
Single
supplement (subject to availability) of $765
-
Meals
and beverages not identified in itinerary
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Items
of a personal nature, such as passports and visas. Passports
must be valid for months beyond return date.
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Passenger
trip cancellation insurance (details sent with reservation form)
-
Gratuities
for tour manager, and driver
Payment
for the tour is in installments:
- Deposit of
$350 ( + second deposit of $500) will secure your place on the
tour
- Third deposit
of $500 is due by December 1, 2009
- The final
price adjustment (in case of low numbers or currency changes)
will be made mid-January, 2010
- Final invoices
will be sent in January 2009
- Final payments
will be due no later than March 17, 2010
Cancellation
Policy:
All cancellations
must be in writing and the date of postmark will determine the amount
of refund due.
- From time
of deposit to until 190 days prior to departure a $150 per person
penalty will be charged for cancellation.
- From 189-145
days prior to departure a $300 per person penalty will be charged
for cancellation, plus any non refundable deposit, if applicable
- 144-30 days
prior to departure a $1,000 per person penalty will be charged
for cancellation, plus any unrecoverable out of pocket expenses
to ground suppliers, as well as any penalties imposed by airlines
will be assessed. If anyone cancels but finds their own substitute
up to 120 days prior to departure, only a $100 change fee will
be assessed.
- 29 days or
less prior to departure-no refund.
Flight
Information:
We can either assist you with flight bookings, or you are welcome
to choose your own flights. If you are using frequent flyer miles,
you'll need to contact your airline directly. We can also arrange
for extra hotel nights before or after the tour. We would like to
have a copy of your flight itinerary for our records.
Arrival:
Please plan on arriving in Geneva on Sunday, July 18, 2010 by late
afternoon. Frank, your tour host, will be at the hotel to greet
you and you can store your luggage if the room isn't ready.
Departure:
Flights can be arranged anytime on Thursday, July 29, 2010
from Vienna.
Pre-
and post-tour options:
If you are planning on arriving early or staying after the tour,
we can help with these arrangements. We would appreciate you letting
us know as soon as possible, so that we can hold the hotel space.
Pre-Tour
We are offering a pre-tour night at the Cornavin Hotel in Geneva
for $110 per person in a double and $170 in a single, including
breakfast. The train transfer from the airport to central Geneva
is $3 and the hotel is by the train station.
Post-Tour
We are offering a post-tour night at the Arkendof Hotel in Vienna
for $69 per person in a double and $94 in a single, including breakfast.
Fellowship
opportunities
 While
on tour, we can arrange for special speakers to come and speak to
the group.
We can also
arrange fellowship with English-speaking churches and you are assured
of a warm welcome!
What
are the accommodations like?
| Our
hotels are chosen for their quality,
amenities and proximity to areas
of interest. Whenever possible, we choose hotels
in town centers, so that you are able to go off and explore
in your free time. It may be necessary for us to substitute
hotels for others of equal quality. You will be fully
informed of any changes that affect you. Enjoy your stay!
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