Germany

Upon arrival in Frankfurt, transfer to our hotel. Gather this evening with fellow travelers for a welcome reception.

Spend the day touring key sights that are tied to German democracy, beginning with St. Paul’s Church. Consecrated in 1833, St. Paul’s served as the seat for the first German national assembly in 1848, which in turn provided the basis for Germany’s present-day constitution. See Frankfurt’s oft-pictured medieval building, the Römer, and stroll through the surrounding neighborhood. We also visit the Goethe House, birthplace of the poet and where he spent his youth.

Depart this morning for Weimar, stopping enroute in Eisenach to tour the Wartburg castle. See the room where Martin Luther translated the New Testament of the Bible into German. Continue to Weimar and enjoy dinner in our hotel.

On our walking tour this morning, stop at the Goethe National Museum to learn more about Goethe’s life during this tumultuous era and his many interests that included natural history, politics, illustrations, and art. Housed in the residence where he lived and worked for nearly 50 years, the museum showcases his many writings and books, as well as his collections of art and scientific specimens. After lunch, enjoy the rest of the day at leisure for individual pursuits.

Examine the first German democracy during our visit to the House of the Weimar Republic, where the delegates of the National Assembly met in 1919. After lunch, venture outside the city for a tour of the Buchenwald concentration camp and memorial. Return to the city for dinner on our own.

Travel today to Thuringia's capital, Erfurt, a beautifully preserved medieval city and lively university town. On our walking tour, see St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Severi's Church. Enjoy free time after lunch to walk along cobblestoned streets through market squares lined with half-timbered buildings.

Jena is considered Europe’s optics capital, a center of innovation in the optical and precision instruments industry. Visit the world’s oldest planetarium, Zeiss-Planetarium Jena, and Collegium Jenense, where the university was founded in 1548. Hear about the many inventors, philosophers, and writers who lived in worked in Jena. Later this afternoon, return to Weimar for dinner on our own.

Depart Weimar for Leipzig, stopping first to see the famous Romanesque cathedral of Naumburg, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Next, enjoy wine tasting and lunch in the Saale-Unstrut wine region. Continue to Leipzig, the birthplace of Richard Wagner and the place where Bach, Mendelssohn Bartholdy, the Schumanns and Mahler worked. Dine tonight at a renowned Leipzig restaurant.

Begin our exploration of Leipzig with a stroll around the inner city. See the two churches where Johann Sebastian Bach served as music director: St. Thomas Church and St. Nicholas Church. Next, set off for the Lindenau district, where we tour the Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei, Europe’s largest cotton mill, now home to more than a dozen galleries and numerous artists' studios. Enjoy a concert later this evening in this city that is steeped in music history.

This morning, we visit the Bach Museum, which is housed in the historic home of the Bose family, affluent merchants and close friends of the Bachs. Tour the twelve thematically structured exhibition rooms that are dedicated to the life and works of the composer, his family, and Bach research. After lunch, enjoy the afternoon at leisure before regrouping to toast our journey at a farewell reception and dinner.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport to connect with flights returning home.