From Luther to Calvin
Thirteen days through Germany, France and Switzerland, where the Reformation began: Wittenberg, Erfurt, Wartburg and Worms, then Strasbourg, Zurich and Geneva.
We follow the Reformation in the order it happened: Luther’s towns in eastern Germany, a cruise down the Rhine to Worms, then Bucer’s Strasbourg, Zwingli’s Zurich and Calvin’s Geneva, with two nights in the Alps on the way.
From Berlin to Wittenberg and Erfurt, west to the Rhine, then south through Worms, Strasbourg, Constance and Zurich to the Alps and Geneva.
From Erfurt to Wartburg Castle and Eisenach.
A Rhine River cruise from St. Goarshausen to Rüdesheim.
Two nights in Wittenberg, two in Erfurt, one in Rüdesheim, two in Strasbourg, one in Zurich, two in Mürren and one in Geneva.
Days 2 to 5
Where the Reformation began: the 95 Theses, the monastery and the Bible in German.
Berlin, Wittenberg, Erfurt, Wartburg, Eisenach
Days 6 & 7
A cruise down the Rhine, then the city where Luther took his stand before the emperor.
St. Goarshausen, Rüdesheim, Worms
Days 7 to 9
Bucer’s city, where Calvin lived for a time, and the place where Jan Hus was martyred.
Strasbourg, Constance
Days 9 to 12
Zwingli’s Grossmünster, two nights in the Alps, and Calvin’s Geneva.
Zurich, Mürren, Geneva
The sites on our standard thirteen-day route, from Luther’s Wittenberg to Calvin’s Geneva.
Thirteen days, day by day. Every group’s version is built around its own dates, its own pace and the places that matter most to its people.
Passports. Germany, France and Switzerland require a passport valid for at least three months after the date you leave Europe. U.S. citizens do not need a visa.
Days 1 to 3
Day 1
Our journey begins as we depart the United States for our overnight flight to Berlin, Germany.
Day 2
We arrive in Berlin and meet our Christian Expedition tour director, who stays with the group for the whole trip. We see the Reichstag, the Berlin Cathedral and the Brandenburg Gate, then travel by private coach to Wittenberg, the home of Martin Luther.
Dinner and overnight in Wittenberg for two nights.
Day 3
We tour the birthplace of the Reformation: the Luther House, with part of his library, and the Castle Church, where Luther posted his 95 Theses in 1517 and where he is buried. We visit St. Mary’s Church, where he preached, and Luther’s Oak, where tradition says he burned the papal bull of excommunication, with time to explore the town.
Dinner and overnight in Wittenberg.
Days 4 to 6
Day 4
We travel to Erfurt and the Augustinian monastery where Luther lived as a monk. We see his quarters and worship together in the chapel, then share a dinner from Luther’s time and spend the night in the monastery itself.
Dinner and overnight in Erfurt for two nights.
Day 5
At Wartburg Castle we see the room where Luther hid and translated the New Testament into German. In Eisenach we visit St. George’s Church, where he sang in the choir as a boy, and the Luther House Museum.
Dinner and overnight in Erfurt.
Day 6
At St. Goarshausen we board a cruise along the Rhine, past old castles and vineyards, to Rüdesheim. A cable car takes us over the vineyards to the Niederwald Monument, with the evening free in this riverside town.
Dinner and overnight in Rüdesheim.
Days 7 to 9
Day 7
In Worms we see the cathedral and the site of the Diet of Worms, where Luther, pressed to recant, made his “Here I stand” reply, and the world’s largest Reformation monument. We cross into Strasbourg, France, the city of Martin Bucer, where John Calvin lived and wrote for a time. We see the cathedral, Bucer’s home and La Petite France, with dinner at Maison Kammerzell, a house built in 1427.
Dinner and overnight in Strasbourg for two nights.
Day 8
A free day in Strasbourg, for its food, its old streets and a boat ride on the canals.
Overnight in Strasbourg.
Day 9
We cross back into Germany at Constance, where Jan Hus, a forerunner of the Reformation, was tried and martyred in 1415, then continue by coach to Zurich, the city of Ulrich Zwingli and the Anabaptists.
Dinner and overnight in Zurich.
Days 10 to 13
Day 10
We see the Grossmünster, where Zwingli was pastor, and the Helferei, where he lived and worked, with free time in the old city before we go up to Mürren, a village at the foot of the Alps.
Dinner and overnight in Mürren for two nights.
Day 11
A day in the Alps: hiking, a cable car up the mountain, lunch at a mountaintop restaurant, or simply resting in Mürren.
Dinner and overnight in Mürren.
Day 12
In Geneva we see the Reformation Wall, Calvin’s church and academy, and St. Pierre’s Cathedral, where Calvin preached and his chair still stands. We visit the Reformation museum and walk the old city walls, then gather for our farewell dinner.
Farewell dinner and overnight in Geneva.
Day 13
We transfer to the airport for the flight home.
Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your people.
Every inclusion can be tailored to your group.
Not included unless added to your package: travel insurance, lunches, drinks at dinner, personal expenses, and the cost of meeting any national entry requirements.
Our group leader support team guides you every step of the way, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Eastern, at (877) 234-3002 or groups@christianexpedition.com.
Our 24/7 travel emergency team is there for travelers who are abroad and facing a travel-related emergency, at (877) 234-3002 ext. 9.
Start from our standard route, begin in Prague with Jan Hus, or finish in London with Wesley and Spurgeon, and we shape the days, the pace and the sites around your people.
“Our church has absolutely enjoyed every aspect of planning travel with Christian Expedition! Their team makes the process of taking our church to see incredible locations from the Bible easy and stress free!”
Pastor Josh LuechtCalvary Chapel Palm City
“Trey and his team have done a fabulous job organizing, managing and overseeing our trips to Israel and Greece.”
Pastor Jim GallagherSenior Pastor, Calvary Chapel Vero Beach
U.S. citizens do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days. All three countries are in the Schengen area, so passports must be valid for at least three months after the date you leave Europe. The European Union plans to introduce an online travel authorization called ETIAS; it is not yet in operation, and we will tell your group if it applies before you travel. Passport and entry requirements remain the responsibility of each traveler.
The Reformation moved across all three. It began with Luther in Wittenberg, Erfurt, Wartburg and Worms, passed through Bucer’s Strasbourg, and was carried on by Zwingli in Zurich and Calvin in Geneva. This route follows that story in order, from north to south.
Yes. Our Church History routes begin in Prague with Bethlehem Chapel, where Jan Hus preached, and some continue to London for Wesley and Spurgeon. Ask us and we will build the version that fits your group.
Yes. Every expedition is built for one group, on that group’s dates. The thirteen-day route on this page is our standard, and groups often shorten the time in the Alps, add Heidelberg, or start in Prague.
A good deal. The old towns are on cobblestones, Wartburg Castle sits on a hill above Eisenach, and the day in the Alps is as active as you choose to make it. Comfortable shoes make each day easier, and our guides set the pace for the group.
Travel insurance, lunches, drinks at dinner, personal expenses, and the cost of meeting any national entry requirements. Anything not listed as included can be quoted for your group on request.
Tell us about your group and we will be in touch.