Willkommen to Germany! Discover the 100-year time period that changed the world in Germany and prepared the way for the Restoration. Learn and see sites early reformers like Martin Luther. Follow the early Church history in Germany including the courage of Saints during World War II and those who kept the Church growing in Communist East Germany. Attend a session at the Freiberg Temple. Tour the picturesque World Heritage City of Salzburg, Austria where the iconic “Sound of Music” was filmed. Lush countryside vistas, lavish palaces & castles, Rhine River cruise, quaint shops, medieval towns, & more! List of sites below.
Places Visited
Day 1
Depart on overnight flight to Munich.
Days 2,3,4
Day 2 – Arrive in Munich and travel on our chartered bus to Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart, where we will visit Mozart’s home, and ride the funicular to visit the massive Salzburg Castle.
Day 3 – Follow the Von Trapp family as we visit the real sites of their incredible family story as well as locations for the filming of the beloved film, “The Sound of Music.”
Day 4 – Travel to the city of Regensburg on the beautiful Danube River. Orson Hyde stayed here on his way to and from his mission to the Holy Land. He learned German during his stay here and later taught the language in the School of the Prophets. See 2nd Century Roman ruins and enjoy a walk along the Danube River.
Day 5
Attend Sacrament Meeting with local Saints. Then visit the famous Neuschwanstein Castle, from which Walt Disney patterned Sleeping Beauty’s castle, and nearby Hohenschwangau, one of King Ludwig’s other castles.
Day 6
Spend a delightful day in Rothenburg ob der Taube, considered one of the best-preserved Medieval towns in the world. Be amazed at the incredible wood carving of the Heilege Blut Altar, walk the massive town wall. Walk along half-timbered homes built in the 14th Century. Enjoy the quirky Glockenspiel. Perhaps visit the Museum of Torture–for those who dare.
Day 7
Discuss the Great Apostasy as we prepare to see the spectacular Wurzburg Residenz, home of the Prince Bishops of Wurzburg. Travel to Worms and learn of the council where Martin Luther stood up for his beliefs before the Holy Roman Emperor (and was declared an enemy of the Empire for doing so). Then travel to Mainz, home of Johannes Gutenberg, to visit the Gutenberg Museum where we will see original Gutenberg bibles and a replica of his printing press – easily come to understand the significance this great invention had in bringing about the restoration of the gospel.
Day 8
Enjoy a leisurely cruise on the romantic stretch of the Rhine River with castles at every turn. We will stop at a few quaint towns along the river with opportunities to explore old castles, buy Bier Steins, hand-crafted cuckoo clocks, nutcrackers, sumptuous pastries, and other favorites!
Day 9
Start the day in Cologne to visit the awe-inspiring Cologne Cathedral, one of the finest examples of a gothic-style cathedral. Onward to Wartburg, home of St. Elizabeth and where Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony, “kidnapped” Martin Luther to keep him safe. Here, Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German in only 10 months! Joseph Smith considered this work the most accurate translation of the Bible.
Day 10
Travel into the areas of what was known as East Germany. Learn about the struggles of the Latter-day Saints during WWII and the subsequent isolation from the Church within Communist East Germany. Visit the city of Meissen, birthplace of Karl G. Maeser. Also visit the site where then-Elder Thomas S. Monson blessed East Germany, a place where previous tour members have compared to the Sacred Grove in NY. Spend the night in Dresden, once called the “Florence of the North,” to visit the historically significant Frauenkirche.
Day 11
Join in a session in the beautiful Freiberg Temple, the only temple to be built in a Soviet-run country (so far). Then visit Bach’s grave in Leipzig and drive by the homes of Felix Mendelsohn and Fredrich Schiller. End the day enjoying an evening with members of the Zwickau Branch, childhood congregation of Dieter Uchtdorf.
DAY 12
Travel to historic Wittenberg Cathedral where Luther posted his 95 Theses, or points of discussion, to the door in 1517 challenging & protesting the teachings of the Catholic Church. Continue onward to Berlin.
Days 13 & 14
Visit the benevolent Frederick the Great’s famous Sanssouci Palace (considered the Versailles of Germany) in the beautiful, royal town of Potsdam, just outside of Berlin. In Berlin, visit significant sites including Brandenburg Gate, symbol of the reunification of Germany. See incredible remnants of the Berlin Wall preserved to “never forget.” Perhaps walk through the Holocaust Memorial. Enjoy free time to explore Berlin and possibly take in an evening musical performance by extremely gifted musicians.
Day 15
Catch mid-day flight home from Berlin’s new airport. Travel home full of cherished memories and an increased appreciation for the sacrifices of so many faithful Saints (and a happy belly full of pretzels, Schnitzel, & lebkuchen!).