Oberammergau 2010
Pre-arranged Itineraries

Depart the United States aboard your overnight trans--Atlantic flight to Europe.  The night will pass quickly, and you will soon be landing in Berlin.

DAY 2
ARRIVE BERLIN

Welcome to Berlin! After passing through necessary customs formalities, you will be met by your Tour Director and transferred to your hotel.  The Balance of the day is free for you to begin exploring Berlin on your own.

DAY 3
BERLIN

Breakfast at your hotel.  Morning sightseeing tour.  Among Berlin's many historical treasures are majestic Charlottenburg Palace with its restored apartments of Prussian royalty and the Victory Column, a city landmark erected to commemorate the Franco Prussian War. There are also the imposing Reichstag, a historic building in the midst of the all brand new constructed government buildings and the Olympic Stadium, where Jesse Owens raced to glory in 1936. The Schoeneberger Rathaus, site of John F. Kennedy moving "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech. Centuries old churches and monuments. One of the highlights is your drive along the boulevard "Unter den Linden." Starting at the Brandenburg Gate pass famous buildings such as the State Opera House, the Humboldt University and the Cathedral ending at Alexanderplatz with its TV tower.  

The afternoon free for individual activities. We suggest visiting the Museum Island with its famous Pergamon Museum and the Old Museum which is the temporary home for the bust of Queen Nefertiti (1350 B.C.), one of Berlin's great celebrities. Or enjoy the atmosphere at the main boulevard Kurfuerstendamm with Europe's second largest department store, Kadewe.  Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

DAY 4
BERLIN – WITTENBERG - LEIPZIG

Breakfast at your hotel.  Today’s drive begins with a stop in Wittenberg. with a sightseeing tour which will include the Castle Church, where Luther is buried in the pulpit.  It was here that Luther lived from 1508 until his death in 1546.  Wittenburg, place of Reformation fame, was the site where Luther received the degree of doctor of Divinity in October 1512.  On October 31, 1517, Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church. You will also visit Luther's house and hall.  Following your visit of Wittenberg, you will continue to Leipzig, scene of many famous debates Martin Luther had with his opponents.  Leipzig was also at one time the publishing center of all Germany, and the home of the Deutsche Buecherei, the German National Library.  It was a city of booksellers and publishers, as well as the birthplace of Wagner and the place where Johann Sebastian Bach composed many of his works.  Dinner and overnight in Leipzig.

DAY 5
LEIPZIG – DRESDEN

Breakfast at your hotel./  Morning sightseeing of Leipzig.  See the historical market with the reconstructed City Hall, the old stock market and the Goethe monument.  Stop at Thomas Church where J.S. Bach is buried and where he worked for a good part of his life.  At Nikolai Church, you will see one of the largest organs in Germany.  Stop at the new City Hall where Luther and Eck disputed in 1519.  Your sightseeing tour will end with viewing the memorial dedicated to the allied victory over Napoleon in 1813.  Continue to Dresden for dinner and overnight.

DAY 6
DRESDEN – MEISSEN – ERFURT

Breakfast at your hotel.  Morning city sightseeing tour. Many of the historic buildings are back to their original conditions after great damage during WWII. Pragerstrasse is the town center with boulevards of gardens and fountains lined with modern shops. This street leads to the Altmarkt, the historic town center. From here the streets are lined with historic buildings, like the Semper Gallery of Old Masters paintings, the Albertinum Gallery of New Masters, the Green Vault with treasures from the 16th, 17th and 18th century. The Zwinger complex also is the home of one of the largest porcelain collections. Also see the Semper Opera House and the Church of the Cross, home of Dresden's famous boy's choir.

Following your tour of Dresden, you will continue to  Meissen. The town centers around the old market place with its late Gothic Town Hall (1472 * 1478). The square is surrounded by old burghers houses. You also find the Church of our Lady from the late 15th century. The bells of the carillon are made of Meissen porcelain. Take a stroll from the market square through charming small cobble stoned streets to the Albrechtsburg Castle. Enjoy a beautiful view over the town and the River Elbe. The castle was also the historic place where the famous Meissen Porcelain was discovered in 1708. A year later in 1709 the Royal Saxon Porcelain Manufactory was founded and still exists today at its new location.  Continue to Erfurt for dinner and overnight.

DAY 7
ERFURT

Breakfast at your hotel.  The major sights in Erfurt are the St.Peters Cathedral, the neo-gothic town hall and the Kramer Bridge built in 1325. In the 17century houses were built on this bridge due to a lack of space. Erfurt is also the home of the Augustiner Monastery where Luther entered in 1505 to become a Monk.  Following some free time for lunch, you will board your motorcoach for an excursion to Eisenach, the native town of J.S. Bach and the site of Wartburg Castle (11C). See the castle with its late Romanesque great hall, knight's hall and the Governor's office with Luther's room.  Here Luther translated the New Testament into the German Language.  Walk through this historic town and see St. George's Church (1560), Nikolai Church (1190) and the residence of the Bach Family.   Return to Erfurt for dinner and overnight.

DAY 8
ERFURT – NURNBERG

Following breakfast, you will travel south to Nurnberg , former imperial center dating back to the 11th century, is today the principal city of Franconia.  The Altstadt, the older, central part of the city, is enclosed by medieval walls; 128 towers and 4 main gates still stand.  Much of its medieval charm is evident in the high--roofed, half--timbered dwellings.

Upon arrival, your sightseeing tour includes viewing the house of Albrecht Durer, a leading Renaissance painter and engraver, the Frauenkirche, a 14th century Gothic church with a fine mechanical clock, Lorenzkirche, the largest church in the city and noted for its exquisite rose window, and other public buildings with impressive exteriors.  Dinner and overnight in Nurnberg.

DAY 9
NURNBERG – OBERAMMERGAU

Breakfast at your hotel.  Today you will continue on to Oberammergau.  It is in the Bavarian Alps, and is known throughout the world for the Passion Play presented here every 10 years.  The advent of Hitler interrupted the performances, but they were resumed in 1950. The natives of the town are skilled wood carvers, and a school is maintained here for instruction in the art.  Upon arrival, time is free for you to take a leisurely stroll about the town. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

DAY 10
OBERAMMERGAU

Breakfast at your hotel.  Today you will have the exciting opportunity to see the 41st production of the Passion Play.

For the 41st time since 1634 Oberammergau is preparing to keep the solemn promise of their forefathers to reincarnate the life and bitter suffering of Our Lord.  A village in Ammertal is once again being dominated by its great play:  The Passion.  The pious and faithful loyalty to its tradition gives the village the strength to demonstrate once again that the play still has the same validity as 356 years ago and that it has become a unique event in Germany, not only of cultural significance.

In the year 1633, when the Black Plague stopped short of the little mountain village, the inhabitants took an oath that they would stage a performance of the Passion of Christ every ten years.  And the story goes that from that moment on, the village was spared from the black death.

Already in 1634, the inhabitants of Ammergau fulfilled their oath.  They kept their promise and performed the Passion Play every ten years right up to the present.  The Play depicts the story of Christ's Passion beginning with entry into Jerusalem and ending with the resurrection and transfiguration.

The performance will last an entire day.  It begins at 2:30 in the afternoon and will end at 10:30PM.  The evening dinner break lasts three hours from 5:00PM until 8:00PM.

The text for the Passion Play was written between 1850 and 1860 by the parish priest Alois Daisenberger from Oberammergau.  The Daisenberger version is the fourth largest text period in the 356 year history of the play.

The music for the Passion Play was written in 1815 by the Oberammergau school teacher Rochus Dedler.  Employing a large choir and orchestra, his compositions still compass the entire play today.

DAY 11
OBERAMMERGAU – NEUSCHWANSTEIN – MUNICH

Following an early breakfast at your hotel, you will drive to Neuschwanstein; the fortress, a formidable mass of cold grey granite bristling with towers and pinnacles, rises from a spur cut at its eastern end by the Pollat Gorge.  The first sketches of Neuschwanstein were by a theatrical decorator and not an architect, which explains the dream--like atmosphere.  You'll soon understand why Walt Disney chose to model his own fairytale castles in Disneyland and Disney World after this beautiful castle.

The tour of the interior where marble--gilded paneling and heavy tapestries are in abundance confirms this impression of unreality.  King Ludwig II stayed at this castle for only 102 days, and it was here on June 10th, 1886 that he learned from the Governmental Commission hastily sent from Munich, that he had been deposed.  He died three days later.  Continue to Munich for dinner and overnight.

DAY 12
MUNICH

Breakfast at your hotel. Munich froths with good German beer and Bavarian friendliness.  To capture that mood you'll start the day with a morning sightseeing tour -- a drive to Koenigsplatz, a view of the University, Odeons Square, and the Marienplatz with its neo--Gothic City Hall, boasting the famed glockenspiel.

You have the afternoon free to enjoy Munich as you wish.  Old trees, grassland, shady seats beside winding paths. . .this is the Englischer Garten.  The museums are numerous, among them the Deutsche Museum, the Alte Pinakothek and the Haus der Kunst.  Or you may enjoy a visit to Nymphenburg Castle, surrounded by the beautiful Botanical Gardens.  For the shoppers, you will find good buys in woodcrafts, clocks, sweaters, and naturally, a wide selection of beautiful beer mugs!

DAY 13
MUNICH – U.S.A.

Breakfast at your hotel.  It is time to bid farewell to Munich and be transferred to the Munich Airport for your return flight home.

DON'T WAIT ANOTHER 10 YEARS!