Departure from the USA on an overnight flight to Berlin, Germany.

Arrive in Berlin, where your tour director and private motor coach are waiting for you as you exit customs. After everything is settled, transfer to the hotel for check‐in. In the evening, meet your tour director for dinner and a welcome and orientation meeting. (D)

In the morning, we will meet our local guide who will show us the highlights of Berlin. These sites include the 1905 neo‐Baroque Berlin Cathedral, the bomb‐damaged tower of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the famous Brandenburg Gate, and the remains of the Berlin Wall. In the afternoon, we will take time to explore Berlin on our own. This evening is free with no group dinner. (B)

We say goodbye to Berlin and depart to the area of our forefathers. Today, we visit the Wendish Museum in Cottbus. The medieval building became a museum in 1994. After some time for lunch on our own, we take our bus to an old medieval Slavic fortification in Raddusch nearby. See how Slavic and Wendish history characterized the region. In the evening, check in at our hotel in Cottbus for the next two nights, with dinner included. (B, D)

Today, we explore the Spreewald. We enjoy a boat ride through beautiful nature. The landscape was shaped by ice age processes and is unique in Europe. In the Spreewald still live about 60,000 people with Wendish origins. Their earlier settlement characterized the region with their traditional half‐timbered architecture and single-story houses. During our boat ride, we will visit a Wendish outdoor museum in Lehde, where we can see original farmhouses from the 19th century. In the afternoon, we go back to the hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

We leave the Cottbus/Spreewald area and drive to Upper Lusatia. After arrival in Bautzen, we meet our local guide for our guided walking tour to see all the Wendish-influenced spots in Bautzen. After a lunch break on our own, visit the Wendish Museum. After check-in at our hotel, we meet for our group dinner at restaurant Wjelbik. (B, D)

Today, we have a beautiful bus ride to the origin of Jan Kilian and our own heritage. We start our tour in the village where he was born, Doehlen, and continue further to Hochkirch. Kilian was baptized here in the church we will visit. Our way leads us through Rodewitz, Wurschen, and Nechern before we arrive at Kotitz with the church and the Kilian Memorial. Lunch is at Gasthof Plotzen. Then, follow Saerka, Lauske, Zschorna, and Weissenberg with some stops to take pictures. The last part of our village tour will be Groeditz, Baruth, and Wartha, with a last photo stop in Malschwitz. On our way back to Bautzen, we enjoy dinner in Loemischau at Restaurant “Gute Laune”. (B, D)

In the morning, we take the bus to Weigersdorf to join the SELK congregation for divine service. Afterward, meet with the pastor and members of the congregation for lunch. The next stop will be Klitten. We will visit the church and meet with the congregation and the pastor for coffee and cake. On the way back to Bautzen, we cross the villages Dauban, Leipgen and Foerstgen. In the evening, we enjoy a delicious dinner at Wjelbik again. (B, D)

We leave Bautzen to Rohne. We visit an old Wendish farmhouse, the Njepila Hof, in Rohne. The farm is operated by a Wendish cultural society club to maintain Wendish traditions. Afterward, we continue to Dresden. We visit the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady Lutheran Church), which remained in ruins from the WWII bombing in 1945 until recently. Learn the story of the bombing and rebuilding. Admire other treasures on the guided walking tour of Dresden. In the evening, check in at our hotel for dinner and overnight. (B)

It is time to say, “goodbye.” Transfer to Berlin for our homebound flights.