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Photograph to come · A choir in St. Thomas Church, Leipzig

Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands: Bach and the Reformation

Berlin, Wittenberg, Leipzig, Mainz, Brussels, Bruges and Amsterdam

Eleven days from Berlin to Amsterdam through the cities of Luther and Bach and the Catholic heritage of the Rhine and the Low Countries, with concerts at the Castle Church in Wittenberg, St. Thomas in Leipzig and the English Reformed Church in Amsterdam, and Mass at St. Hedwig’s and Mainz cathedrals.

Departures

Current Tours to Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands

Upcoming departures to Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. Each group has its own host, dates, and itinerary. The route below is our standard.

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Ten stops from Berlin to Amsterdam

Two nights in Berlin, one each in Wittenberg, Leipzig, Mainz, Brussels and Bruges, and two in Amsterdam, by motorcoach throughout with a Rhine River cruise from Bacharach to Koblenz on the seventh day.

Itinerary · EU_DE-BE-NL-11D-01

The Bach and the Reformation Itinerary

An eleven-day concert itinerary through the Reformation cities of Germany and the Catholic heritage of the Rhine, Belgium and the Netherlands, with a sung Mass at St. Hedwig’s Cathedral in Berlin and concerts at the Castle Church in Wittenberg, St. Thomas Church in Leipzig and the English Reformed Church in Amsterdam. Performance venues are confirmed with each church when your dates are set. Your group travels on its own dates, and the itinerary can be adjusted to fit the time you have and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Day 1 – 2

Departure and arrival in Berlin

Photograph to come · St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, Berlin
St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, Berlin
Day 1

Departure from Home

Our tour begins with an overnight flight to Berlin, Germany.
Day 2

Arrival in Berlin

We are met on arrival in Berlin by our local professional tour escort and accompanied by motorcoach to our hotel. After check-in there is free time to rest and settle in, and this evening we gather for a welcome dinner to begin the tour together.Overnight in Berlin.
Day 3 – 5

Berlin, Wittenberg and Leipzig

Photograph to come · The Castle Church and its door, Wittenberg
The Castle Church and its door, Wittenberg
Day 3

Berlin and a sung Mass at St. Hedwig’s

This morning the choir sings the Mass at St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, the Catholic cathedral of Berlin, built under Frederick the Great as the first Catholic church raised in Prussia after the Reformation. We then tour the city: the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, kept in its war-damaged state as a memorial to peace, the Tiergarten, Unter den Linden, the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, Berlin Cathedral and the State Opera, with a visit to the Checkpoint Charlie Museum.Overnight in Berlin.
Day 4

Wittenberg and a concert at the Castle Church

We continue this morning to Wittenberg, where Martin Luther lived and worked for almost forty years. We begin at the Castle Church and its Theses Door, where Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses in 1517, see the Stadtkirche with its altarpiece by Lucas Cranach, and visit the Lutherhaus, the former Augustinian friary that holds the largest collection of Reformation artifacts in the world. This afternoon the choir gives a concert at the Castle Church.Overnight in Wittenberg.
Day 5

Leipzig and a lunchtime concert at St. Thomas

We leave Wittenberg this morning for Leipzig and tour the city, including St. Thomas Church, where Johann Sebastian Bach served as cantor for twenty-seven years and where his remains now rest. The choir gives a lunchtime concert at St. Thomas Church, and this afternoon we visit the Old Town and the Museum of Musical Instruments.Overnight in Leipzig.
Day 6 – 7

Eisleben, Erfurt, Mainz and the Rhine

Photograph to come · The Rhine below Bacharach
The Rhine below Bacharach
Day 6

Eisleben, Erfurt and Mainz

Today we visit Eisleben, where Luther was born and died, seeing his birth house and St. Peter’s Church, where he was baptized. We continue to Erfurt, where the Catholic faith has endured since St. Boniface founded the see in 742, and visit Erfurt Cathedral, where Luther was ordained a Catholic priest in 1507, the Church of St. Severus, St. Augustine’s Monastery and the Krämer Bridge. We continue to Mainz, seat of one of the oldest dioceses in Germany.Overnight in Mainz.
Day 7

Mainz Cathedral, the Rhine and Brussels

This morning we celebrate Mass at Mainz Cathedral, the Romanesque cathedral of St. Martin, seat of the Diocese of Mainz for over twelve centuries. We drive to Bacharach and board a Rhine River cruise past the castles, vineyards and villages of the gorge, disembark at Koblenz, where the Rhine meets the Moselle, and continue by motorcoach to Brussels.Overnight in Brussels.
Day 8 – 11

Brussels, Bruges and Amsterdam

Photograph to come · The Basilica of the Holy Blood, Bruges
The Basilica of the Holy Blood, Bruges
Day 8

Brussels and Bruges

This morning we tour Brussels, including the Grand Place, the Town Hall and the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. We continue to Bruges for a walking tour of the medieval town, seeing the Beguinage, the Market Square and the Basilica of the Holy Blood, where a relic of the Precious Blood brought from the Holy Land in the twelfth century is presented for veneration each day, and the Church of Our Lady, home to Michelangelo’s Virgin and Child.Overnight in Bruges.
Day 9

Amsterdam

We continue this morning to Amsterdam and see the city by boat on a narrated cruise of its ring of seventeenth-century canals, passing the Basilica of St. Nicholas, the city’s principal Catholic church, opposite Central Station. The afternoon is free to explore Amsterdam on our own.Overnight in Amsterdam.
Day 10

The Anne Frank House and a concert at the Begijnhof

This morning we visit the Anne Frank House, the canal-side house where Anne and her family hid during the Second World War and where she wrote her diary. The choir gives a lunchtime concert at the English Reformed Church in the courtyard of the Begijnhof, steps from the Catholic Chapel of the Beguines. The afternoon is free, and this evening we gather for a farewell dinner.Overnight in Amsterdam.
Day 11

Return Home

With hearts renewed by the journey, the music we have shared and the witness of the Church across the centuries, we transfer to Schiphol Airport for our flight home.

Why leaders choose Canterbury

“Canterbury treats you like family! They handle everything, from creating exciting itineraries to managing calls, registrations, and payments.”

Patrick MadridPatrick Madrid
Catholic Speaker, Author & Host of The Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio®
St. Thomas Church, LeipzigThe choir gives a lunchtime concert at St. Thomas Church on the fifth day, where Johann Sebastian Bach served as cantor for twenty-seven years and where his remains now rest.
Photograph to come · Leipzig, St. Thomas Church and the Bach memorial
Dates

Your group travels on its own dates.

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 pilgrims.

Your pilgrimage includes

Tour Package Includes

These inclusions can be easily tailored to the individual needs of your group

  • Daily Mass at the churches we visit
  • Round-trip group airfare
  • Airport transfers on arrival & departure
  • 4-Star hotel accommodations
  • Private motorcoach transportation
  • Breakfast & dinner served daily
  • Wine served with some dinners
  • Dedicated tour manager
  • Licensed guiding & admission fees
  • Porterage service at hotels
  • Whisper headsets when touring
  • Tips for hotel & restaurant staff
  • 9 – 5 PM (EST) reservation support
  • 24/7 travel emergency support
  • Canterbury Mobile App
For the group leader

What you get as the group leader

You travel free.

Every group earns complimentary places. The more pilgrims you bring, the more you earn. How complimentary places work

No financial risk.

If the group does not fill, deposits are returned. You owe nothing and neither do your pilgrims. What happens if a group does not fill

We produce the promotional materials.

Flyers, a registration page, and what you need to invite your people. Our guide to promoting a pilgrimage

We handle your pilgrims.

Registrations, rooming lists, payment plans and the phone calls. How leading a pilgrimage works

In your pocket

The Canterbury Mobile App

Every pilgrim in your group gets the app. Their itinerary, hotels and flights, the prayers of the day and a way to reach one another, all in one place and kept current as the pilgrimage unfolds.

  • Group chat

    Your whole group in one thread, so a change of plan reaches everyone at once.

  • Their itinerary

    The full day-by-day schedule, always current, in every pilgrim’s pocket.

  • Hotels

    Where the group is staying each night, with addresses and dates.

  • Flights

    Flight details kept alongside everything else, not in a separate email.

  • Daily prayers

    The prayers of the day, including the Liturgy of the Hours.

  • Shrine passport

    A keepsake record of the shrines your group visits along the way.

  • Live updates

    Times and meeting points pushed to everyone the moment they change.

Photographs
Photograph to come · The Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate
Photograph to come · St. Thomas Church, Leipzig
St. Thomas Church, Leipzig
Photograph to come · Erfurt Cathedral and St. Severus
Erfurt Cathedral and St. Severus
Photograph to come · Mainz Cathedral
Mainz Cathedral
Photograph to come · The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, Brussels
The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, Brussels
Amsterdam by night
Amsterdam by night

What group leaders say

“They’re big enough to handle any problem that arises, and small enough to craft truly unique experiences.”

Chris StefanickChris Stefanick
Founder & President of Real Life Catholic
Before you ask

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a Catholic pilgrimage?

It is a concert itinerary through the cities of the Reformation, built for choirs, with daily Mass and the Catholic heritage of each city kept in view: a sung Mass at St. Hedwig’s, the Catholic cathedral of Berlin, Erfurt Cathedral where Luther was ordained a Catholic priest, Mass at Mainz Cathedral, and the Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges. Three of the four concert venues are Lutheran or Reformed churches, and the page says so plainly.

How physically demanding is this pilgrimage?

Moderate. Most days involve two to four hours on your feet, with walking on uneven ground, ancient stone, and steps at archaeological sites. Pilgrims who can manage a full day of sightseeing at their own pace do well. If anyone in your group has mobility limitations, tell us early and we will adapt the days around them. What activity level means.

What is generally not included?

Travel insurance, lunches, drinks beyond those served with included meals, personal expenses, and gratuities for your tour manager and driver. Any of these can be built into your package on request, so tell us what you would like covered and we will arrange it. Passports and visa fees are the one exception and remain the responsibility of each pilgrim.

Do I need a passport or visa for Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands?

A US passport valid for at least three months beyond your return date is required, and we recommend six. All three countries are in the Schengen area, so no visa is needed for a stay of this length. Requirements change from time to time, so we confirm what applies with your group before you travel.

Can our priest celebrate Mass at the churches?

Yes. Daily Mass is built into the itinerary, and we arrange times and locations in advance with each church. Your priest should travel with a celebret or letter of good standing from his bishop or superior. We handle the scheduling.

How many pilgrims do you need for a group?

Most of our groups are between 20 and 50 pilgrims, and we can arrange smaller tours as well. We have also organized pilgrimages for groups as large as 2,500, so whatever size your group turns out to be, we can build for it. Minimum group size for a group flight.

Enquire

Interested in leading a choir pilgrimage?

A pilgrimage consultant replies within one business day. No deposit or commitment.

    Your Information

    Your Group

    First time? You are in good company. Many of our group leaders start right here, and we guide you through every step.

    Where You Would Like to Go

    Destinations of interest (check all that apply)

    These are some of our most popular destinations, but we build CUSTOM ITINERARIES anywhere in the world. If you do not see your destination, tell us below.

    Italy, Rome and AssisiFrance, Lourdes and ParisPortugal and FátimaSpain and the Camino de SantiagoPortugal, Spain and France togetherGreece and TurkeyThe Holy LandEgypt and Mount SinaiPoland, Prague and Central EuropeMedjugorje and the BalkansIreland and the United KingdomMexico and Our Lady of GuadalupeArgentinaPeruJapan, Nagasaki and AkitaUnited States and Canada shrinesA pilgrimage cruiseA choir pilgrimageChristmas markets and AdventWorld Youth Day Seoul 2027Somewhere else, or not sure yet

    When

    Group Size and Budget

    Complimentary places are arranged based on the size of your group. Let us know how many you expect so we can request them from our suppliers from the start.

    A Few Last Details

    Would you like sample itineraries emailed to you?

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