a brochure

Travel to Experience the Reformation
Lutheran heritage tours give believers an opportunity
to enrich their spiritual lives in unexpected ways as they visit
some of the most significant places of their faith history;
from Luther’s humble birthplace in Eisleben to the door of
the Castle Church in Wittenberg where Luther affixed his
legendary theses. Experiencing these places alongside fellow
believers and spiritual leaders forms a life journey that has been
a tradition for centuries.
Travelers are refreshed in mind, body, and spirit; ready
to share how the tour deepened their faith and enriched their
lives. Cohesion often builds as the group enjoys a special
fellowship and as they experience their faith in the context of
its heritage.
Why Witte
Since 1975, Witte Travel & Tours has designed and
operated exceptional tours for pastors and their congregations,
religious organizations, scholars, historians, and family groups
who desire to add a spiritual dimension to their travels. Each
Witte Spiritual Journey is a made-to-order combination of
religious and touristic activities. Our background knowledge
of Reformation destinations as well as personal connections to
these people and places will ensure that your pilgrimage is a
blessing on every level.
Guides were well-informed;
excellent devotions and
Reformation history — a
trip to remember!
— Martha E. Fair
Nepean, ON
Our services include:
• Personalized, full-color brochures with registration forms
• The convenience of online registration
• All arrangements for flights, land transportation,
accommodations, sightseeing and special events
• Full breakfast daily and other meals according to your
specifications
• Accounting services including individual billing, all major
credit cards accepted
• Arrangements for individuals to extend their stays, visit
other destinations, and/or depart from different cities
Wonderful! Can’t think of
anything I would change…
Ready to go again!
From top: Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Berlin; Luther House, Eisenach
— Begee Staub
Carlisle, PA
Sample 10-Day Itinerary
Walk with Martin Luther on a pilgrimage across the land he
loved. Today’s “Luther-cities” contain numerous historical and
religious treasures. As you ponder the significance of the Great
Reformer’s life and work, you will also enjoy Germany’s rich
culture and its hearty cuisine.
GERMANY
Day 1—Departure
Berlin
Day 2—Berlin
Wilkommen in Deutschland! Today’s sightseeing includes views
of the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate, with a visit to the
Museum at Checkpoint Charlie to learn about the history of
the Berlin Wall. We’ll also make a visit to the Kaiser Wilhelm
Memorial Church and enjoy a relaxing cruise of Germany’s
dynamic capital.
Day 3—Berlin
After breakfast, we’ll transfer to the Dietrich Bonhoefferhaus,
a memorial to the life and work of the young German pastor
Bonhoeffer. After perusing the interesting exhibits, we’ll drive
along Unter den Linden and on to the Nikolaiviertel to see the
Nikolaikirche, the oldest church in Berlin.
Eisleben
Wittenberg
Leipzig
Eisenach Erfurt
Mainz
Worms
Heidelberg
Day 4—Wittenberg
On our morning walking tour with a local guide, we’ll visit
Luther House, the Stadtkirche, and the Schlosskirche, where
Luther famously affixed his 95 Theses to the church door
and which is also home to his tomb. Later we’ll visit the
Melanchthon House.
Day 5—Eisleben, Leipzig
This morning we’ll travel west to Eisleben to visit Luther’s
birthplace, as well as the house in which he died in 1546. Then
we’ll continue on to Leipzig and the St. Thomas Church,
where Luther’s sermon on Whitsunday in 1539 effectively
introduced the Reformation to Leipzig.
Day 6—Erfurt
Today we’re headed southwest to Erfurt, the “Town of
Flowers.” Our first stop is at the Augustinian Monastery
where Luther once lived and worked. We’ll also visit St. Peter’s
Cathedral, see the Kramerbrücke bridge, and have some free
time time for exploring or shopping before continuing west to
Eisenach.
Day 7—Eisenach
Our sightseeing today will take us first to the impressive
Fortress of Wartburg, where we’ll see the Knight’s Hall, the
dining room, the Wartburg museum and Luther’s room. Next
on our agenda are visits to the Bachhaus—Bach’s birthplace
and museum—and St. George Church.
Day 8—Mainz, Worms
On the road again, we’ll visit Mainz to see the GutenbergMuseum, home to two original editions of the world-famous
Gutenberg Bible. We’ll continue on to Worms to see the
19th-century Luther Monument, and then we’ll head for
Heidelberg, our home for the last two nights of our tour.
Day 9—Heidelberg
We’ll start today by touring the romantic Heidelberg Castle.
Then we’ll walk through the historic city center to visit the
University Library and the Holy Ghost Church. The next few
hours are yours to finish your souvenir shopping before we
reconvene in the evening for a festive farewell dinner.
Day 10—Return
All too soon, it’s time to head home! After breakfast, we’ll
transfer to the airport to check in for our return flights to the
U.S.
Left: Fortress of Wartburg, Eisenach
Planning a Lutheran Heritage Tour
for your congregation
It all begins with a DIALOGUE between you and one of our Group
Tour Specialists. Together we will narrow down the big decisions on
the right cities, time frame and length of your trip to fit your goals and
budget.
From there, one of our Group Tour Specialists will further the
conversation until they present to you a TOUR
PROPOSAL
document, which includes a planned itinerary, details on trip
components and inclusions, and pricing and payment options.
Once we are in agreement on the details, you accept our proposal with a
set-up deposit, and we get to work booking components and designing
your PROMOTIONAL
BROCHURE—a custom-designed,
full-color registration packet.
At this point it’s time to advertise and RECRUIT for your tour. We
are available to help you with promotional materials or even participation
in meetings.
Witte can receive all of the passenger REGISTRATIONS and
deposits directly or they can route through your organization. From
there, we manage each individual account and any special arrangements
desired!
We take care of the details and you prepare your group for TRAVEL.
We’ll be in steady communication, adjust to any last-minute realities, and
have you on your way before you know it!
3250 28th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512
616.957.8113 | 800 GO WITTE
www.wittetours.com/Lutheran
From top: St. Thomas Church, Leipzig;
statue of Martin Luther, Erfurt
www.germany.travel
Witte Travel & Tours is the North American travel partner of Refo500, a multi-year international platform that seeks to
demonstrate the continuing relevance of the Reformation through books, seminars, concerts, art exhibitions, teaching materials,
and travel experiences. The project will culminate in 2017, the year in which the 500th anniversary of the Reformation will be
celebrated. For more information, visit the Refo500 website at www.refo500.com