Previous 2025 Reformation Trip Completed

    Weather

    Keep in mind that Leipzig is on the same latitude as Calgary, Canada. But, the world has warmed up the last 20 years. Right now temperatures are about 40 at night, and 55 during the day. It will probably be about that temperature, perhaps a degree or two colder in 20 days. You’ll want a warm coat. Wear comfortable shoes because there is walking. Bring an appetite because the food is incredible.
     
    Hotels
     
    You’re going to be quite happy with the hotels. I decided to invest a little bit more to get us right in town in Berlin, Leipzig, Erfurt, and Munich. In Erfurt and Munich we’re even in the Altstadt. 
     
    Meals and alcohol
     
    On these trips, a substantial breakfast and dinner are covered. Lunches are on your own, although we can eat together if we want. And if you’d like a break from the group that gives you a chance to wander off. People generally cover their own alcohol, however some groups have asked me to pick up the cost and then just divided evenly among the group afterwards, for convenience. Be thinking about this and we can decide when we are all together.
     
    Charging
     
    Electricity. Unless you intend to bring a blow dryer, you won’t need a converter. Most phones and laptops these days have their own converters. You just want the two prong adapter. $4 on Amazon. Or for $20 you can get a fancy schmancy one that takes every kind of USB. 
     
    Packing
     
    Less is more. You’ll be happier not overpacking. And, if you forget anything, rest assured, Germany has pretty much everything we have, and more. We are in major cities where you can get anything you need. Bring a jacket in case it gets cold or rains. 
     
     
    Rick Steves article on packing light:  https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/packing-light

    ITINERARY

    All tours and ground transportation are covered. Breakfasts and dinners are covered. Lunches are on your own (and your last dinner as we will be separated).

    Wednesday, October 29, 2025

    The transatlantic flight can be tiring. We arrive at about 8 o’clock in the morning, but you will have been up a long time if you’re not able to sleep on the plane. The first day challenge is not to go to bed! If you do, you’ll be off for days. It’s hard, but we need to stay up at least until dinner. Consequently, I have scheduled some things for us.

    Check-in is not till 3 o’clock. We’ll valet our luggage. If our rooms are available, we’ll put our luggage there and freshen up, but we will not, I repeat, not take naps! 🙂 The Mapas will have been there a couple of days, so they can keep us alive and alert.

    We can get a coffee and a pastry to keep us going. At 11:30, we’ll walk 15 minutes to the Berlin Cathedral (the largest Protestant Church in Germany) and enjoy some organ music for 20 minutes and then a 20 minute tour. After that we have options: we can walk to the Berlin Fernsehturm (TV Tower) and Alexanderplatz, or the other direction to the Reichstag and the Brandenburg Gate. The Holocaust Memorial is and Checkpoint Charlie are only a matter of blocks as well. Whatever we choose, we can pick up other things tomorrow. Our goal is to make it to dinner, and then retire to our rooms if you wish.

    Thursday, October 30, 2025

    After a hearty breakfast we will meet our professional English guide, who will give us options as well: the things we opted out of yesterday, Kaiser Willhelm Church, the Bonhoeffer House, the Brandenburg Gate, etc.

    Following our morning tour we will have lunch, and then head to Leipzig, or we will enjoy our accommodations at the Leipzig Marriott. I love this hotel. It is conveniently located across the street from the Hauptbahnhof (train station) where I can pick up a bullet train to anywhere. It is walking distance from everything, and they have a lavish breakfast with both German and American breakfast foods.

    After we check in, those who wish can walk around. The Marktplatz is beautiful and amazing. Leipzig has these amazing interior passages in the buildings with incredible shopping and restaurants. It’s hard to believe this was once East Germany.

    Mädler Passage

    Well enjoy a great dinner at one of Leipzig’s fantastic restaurants. Dinner is an evening event. Tomorrow will be a big day.

    Reformation Day, Freitag, October 31, 2025

    Reformation Day in Germany is a national holiday. We will attend Sunday worship at St. Thomas Kirche. Johann Sebastian Bach was organist and choirmaster there from 1723 to 1750, over a quarter of a century. Luther was here in 1519, just two years after the posting the 95 thesis, for the Leipzig Disputation with Johann Eck. In 1539 he introduced reforms in Leipzig and preached at St. Thomas Church for the 20th anniversary of the Leipzig Disputation.

    Worship will be at 9:30 a.m. We will have reserved seats as guests from a partner church. Pastor Britta Taddiken will welcome us along with Pastor Robert Moore, former pastor at Christ the King Houston. Pastor Janning Hoenen will be installed as pastor on that day. His wife Allison is a former member of Christ the King Houston. She currently works for the Lutheran World Federation.

    I’m hoping the Thomanerchor will sing. The St. Thomas Boy Choir is the oldest continuous boys’ choir in the world, having been founded in 1212. The service will be followed by a 22-hour Bach Marathon, featuring the complete organ Works of J.S.B. arranged into 14 concerts, beginning with Advent, then Christmas, and so on. It’s being broadcast live and livestreamed around the world. Interested? 🙂 I’ll get you in.

    In the afternoon, we will have time to explore Leipzig. Maybe dinner at Andria Gastronomie.

    All Saints Day, Saturday, November 1, 2025

    Saturday, we will rise early for a full day. After a full breakfast, we will head to Wittenberg, 37 miles north of Leipzig. We will be greeted by Pastor Bridget Gautieri, Director of the ELCA Wittenberg Center. She will show us around town in the morning.

    Kirche in Wittenberg: Amerikaner sind wieder in der Lutherstadt

    Luther taught and Wittenberg, Frederick the Wise’s young university founded in 1502. On October 31, 1517, Luther’s 95 theses against indulgences were posted on the door of the All Saints Castle Church. (We must get the obligatory picture there.)

    We’ll briefly stop by the Lutherhaus courtyard with Katharina von Bora statue. We can visit the Castle Church, Stadtkirche, Marktplatz, Cranachhof, and if there is time, the Luther 1517 Panorama or Melanchthonhaus. 

    After lunch, we will visit Torgau out on our way home. I’ve never been to Torgau, so I’m excited to see this political center of the Reformation. Will visit Hartenfels Castle and see the “Luther and the Princes” exhibition, and the chapel that Luther consecrated and 1544. We can see St. Mary’s and visit Katharina von Bora’s grave. 

    At 6:00 in the evening, we have dinner reservations at Auerbach’s Keller (Auerbach’s Cellar) the second oldest restaurant in Leipzig and one of the world’s most famous restaurants in Germany, immortalized by Goethe’s drama Faust. Mentioned as early as 1438, this restaurant was in operation in Luther’s day and is now around 600 years old.

    Sontag, November 2, 2025

    Sunday morning we will worship at St. Thomas again or perhaps leave earlier for Eisleben and worship at Sts. Peter and Paul. Still working that out. Eisleben is where Luther was born, and sheerly by accident, where he died. He was passing through at the time. We will be met by Episcopal Father Scott Moore. I’ve known Scott for 15 years. Born in Maryland, Scott was an ELCA pastor. Long story. Great guy. He’ll show us around. Scott was the ELCA pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul, where Luther was baptized.  

    After Eisleben, we’ll head to Erfurt, where Luther entered the Augustinian monastery. Erfurt is a magnificently preserved Medieval city. Father Moore lives there and knows it intimately. We should see the Cathedral for sure. Build in 1325, the Krämerbrücke is an inhabited, covered bridge with apartments and shops. One of a kind. Maybe dinner at Gasthaus Feuerkugel, a historic restaurant known for its authentic Thuringian cuisine.

     

    Montag, November 3, 2025

    After a great breakfast we will head the Wartburg Castle, where Luther was hidden when they were out to get him and where he translated the New Testament into German. This is a highlight. 

    Afterwards we’ll have lunch in nearby Eisleben, home of the Bach Museum. We can see Cotta House, St. George’s and lovely Carlplatz, or whatever else strikes your fancy. Afterwards, we’ll head back and explore Erfurt some more. Perhaps dinner at Wirsthaus Cristoffel the oldest building in Erfurt. It is highly probable Luther ate here.

    Dienstag, November 4, 2025

    Mittwoch, November 5, 2025

    On Thursday we have some goodbyes. Mike and David will fly back to Berlin while the remaining group of four will stay in Munich. The group of four will head out early for Neuschwanstein. The drive out is about 90 minutes. If you want to drive up the hill, it can take over an hour on a busy day. The tickets are for 10:40 am. If you’re up to it, the walk up the hill is only 40 minutes and the views are spectacular. We’ll check with our driver, but I would suggest 7 AM breakfast and 7:40 AM departure if you’re going to drive up the hill, OR 7:50 breakfast and 8:20 departure if you’re going to walk up the hill. Check out this view: https://www.neuschwanstein.de/ 

    Neuschwanstein Castle

     

    Donnerstag, November 6, 2025

    On the day we all fly out to home or your next destination. Gute Reise!