EMU Radical Reformation @ 500: Gender and Class
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This is a Custome Program.
Registration by invitation only.
At a Glance
- May 18-30, 2025
- 13 Days
- Optional 6-day Netherlands extension May 30 – June 4
Itinerary
May 17 | Vienna (suggested arrival)
Arrival on May 17th is recommended, so as to be well-prepared for the day’s activities tomorrow.
May 18 | Vienna (B, D)
Meet your fellow travelling companions over breakfast at your hotel. Tour the Kunsthistorisches Museum and see pre- & Reformation-era art, particularly featuring Rembrandt (for the Dutch context) and Bruegel Elder and Younger (for the Peasant context). Enjoy lunch at the historic Cafe Sperl. Later a walking tour will set the scene for the Reformation as we stroll through Vienna’s Innere Stadt. Local landmarks of interest will highlight Anabaptist sites, including where Balthasar Hubmaier was burned in 1528, the Castle where the anti-Anabaptist Habsburgs held court, pre-Reformation history/themes, and perhaps some Jewish history. This evening, take an optional walk along the Ringstrasse, a three-mile circle of historic buildings around the city. The beautiful buildings boast a wide range of architectural styles and provide a romantic spectacle at night.
May 19 | Vienna (B)
This morning, go on an Anabaptist walking tour with Alexander Basnar. Enjoy lunch at the Naschmarkt (snack market), Vienna’s open-air eatery and enjoy a flexible afternoon with activities such as browsing the Albertina Museum, Mozart’s house, shopping and an optional concert in the evening.
May 20 | Vienna (B, D)
This morning, visit the Niedersulz Museum, a short distance north of Vienna. Here, see the house where an Anabaptist woman was chained (literally) to her kitchen to keep her from preaching in the streets. Speak with current members of the Mennonite church in Vienna about how they’ve experienced being a “Free Church” member in the current Viennese culture. After lunch, browse through the Falkenstein Castle, drive to Mikulov (Nicholsburg) in the Czech Republic, a site of civic Anabaptism under Hubmaier and site of Hutterite origins. This was a city of refuge for Hutterite Brethren fleeing from Habsburg persecution in Tirol, Vienna, and other Austrian regions. Return to Vienna after supper at a Bruderhof.
May 21 | Salzburg (B, D)
Depart for Salzburg. Along the way, stop at Melk to tour the Benedictine Abbey and the beautiful village. The current abbey was built 1702-1736 and survived the Napoleonic, First, and Second World Wars. Later, take a sobering tour of Mauthausen Concentration Camp, established shortly after the annexation of Austria in 1938, and which became the source of many more sub-camps in the area. Arrive in Salzburg – This UNESCO World Heritage site is an ecclesiastical city-state known for its baroque architecture, musical heritage, and stunning Alpine backdrop. Explore the sites – climb the Hohensalzburg, or take pictures in front of Mozart’s birthplace, the Mozart Geburtshaus.
May 22 | Innsbruck (B, D)
Enjoy a free morning to explore sites at your leisure, join an optional walking tour of medieval and baroque Salzburg or join the optional pre-reserved Sound of Music Tour. After lunch, meet at Castle Mirabelle. Leave Salzburg and head to Anabaptist noblewoman Helena von Freyberg’s family castle in Kitzbühel, now a hotel. Have a coffee in the historic Schloss Münichau. Learn about Helena and how her class distinctions influenced her contributions to the early Anabaptist movement. Depart Kitzbühel for Innsbruck, where you will lodge this evening.
May 23 | Lucerne (B, D)
Take a short drive to Hall in Tirol. Hall has the most intact 15th and 16th-century Old Town in Northern Tirol. It was the magisterial center of Tirol and where Anabaptist women who were unable to escape Habsburg jailers were held and questioned. Take a walking Tour of Hall to learn about Anabaptist women’s social history in Tirol. Back in Innsbruck, discover one family’s centuries-old bell-making tradition at the Grassmayr Bell Foundry Museum, visit the Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof) where Jakob Hutter was burned, and reflect at the Übrige Brocken (Remaining Fragments) Memorial in Hutter Park. Depart Innsbruck and learn about humanism and Anabaptism on route to Lucerne for overnight.
May 24 | Lucerne (B, D)
Lucerne is a picturesque city renowned for its medieval architecture, including the Chapel Bridge and Water Tower, offering a blend of natural beauty and historical charm. You may choose to take an optional pre-reserved Mt. Pilatus excursion, retracing Conrad Grebel’s steps. Or, enjoy a free day in exploring Lucern from a ferry ride around the pristine, turquoise lake.
May 25 | Bern (B, D)
Explore Bern and the Emmental today, with the help of guest guide Markus Jost. This afternoon visit the Täuferversteck farm – a hiding spot for Anabaptists and Trachselwald Castle, a fortress once used to imprison radical Anabaptists, such as Hans Haslibacher. You will also be introduced to the women of Bern, who helped foment the movement.
May 26 | Bern (B, D)
Begin the day with a city walking tour. Pending the weather, drive to Chasseral in the Jura Mountains (end of the Anabaptist Trail) for a fantastic panoramic view or see the historical Mennonite church at La Chaux-d'Abel (and Tavannes). Visit the Jean Guy exhibition & archives to learn more about the Swiss Mennonite story. End the day with a hike up the Jura Täuferhöhle (secret cave where Anabaptist's met and worshiped).
May 27 | Hohentengen-Lienheim (B, D)
The first stop of the day is at Waldshut (the ancestral home and castle of the Habsburg family and no friends of the Anabaptists at the time). On a walking tour, learn about the site of the Peasant's War, where Balthasar Hubmaier was baptized. Transfer to the Schleitheim Musuem to learn about the Schleitheim Confession before transferring to Hohentengen-Lienheim for some free time at the end of the afternoon.
May 28 | Zürich (B, D)
Today, learn about Zürich and its surrounding area central to the story of how the Anabaptist movement began. This morning, spend time in the old city of Zürich for an Anabaptist walking tour with guest guide Markus Jost where you will see House, Felix Manz’s mother’s house, the Grossmunster, Fraumünster, and Lindenhof. Enjoy some free time before taking a tour of the Zürich countryside where you will stop in Zollikon where George Blaurock interrupted the church service in 1525. After stop in Grüningen where you will see Conrad Grebel’s family castle before taking a hike up to see the Bäretswil cave. Transfer back to Zürich for a farewell dinner for those departing this portion of the tour.
May 29 | Zürich (B)
Spend the day in Zürich visiting exhibits celebrating the 500th anniversary of the birth of Anabaptism. Enjoy connecting with EMU students and choir members at the celebration.
May 30 | Departure (B)
Check out of your hotel this morning and either continue your tour to Strasbourg or depart for home.
Extension Itinerary
May 30 | Heidelberg (B)
Continue tracing the Anabaptist story up to the Netherlands, with important stops along the way. First: Strasbourg. This city on the French-German border enchants visitors with its charming half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets, and the iconic Gothic Strasbourg Cathedral. While here, learn about the printers and mystic Anabaptist prophetesses who once walked these streets. Learn about Margarethe Pruss, an influential printer whose shop printed prophetess Ursula Jost's writing. Continue travelling to your hotel in Heidelberg. Enjoy some free time and find a place for dinner.
May 31 | Münster (B, D)
Enjoy a relaxing cruise down the Rhine River, taking in the beautiful sites. Stop at the Cologne Cathedral, with time to stroll around and take in the majestic Cathedral. Then continue on your travels to Münster. Check into your hotel and enjoy dinner at the hotel. In the evening, take a walking tour of the city and hear about the violent uprising of radical Anabaptists during the Münster Rebellion. See the cages where the bodies of Anabaptist leaders were displayed—the cages which still hang from the St. Lambert Church tower today.
June 1 | Sneek (B, D)
Make the journey to the Netherlands today. Tour Mennonite sites in Friesland, including Menno Simon’s hometown of Witmarsum and the hidden church at Pingjum.
June 2 | Haarlem (B, D)
Compare Mennonite and Catholic hidden churches; wonder at portraits of wealthy Mennonites in the Rijksmuseum; and see the canal houses of wealthy merchants and church-sponsored alms houses. Wander around the streets of Amsterdam, taking in the sites. Enjoy a tour of Amsterdam from the water on a cruise through the canals.
June 3 | Haarlem (B, L, D)
Enjoy the Dutch scenery with a stop at Zaanse Schans to see a typical Dutch site, windmills. Visit the Teylers Museum and house in the charming city of Haarlem, founded by an 18th-century wealthy Mennonite collector. Enjoy some free time in the afternoon to get some rest, explore on your own, or even rent bikes to see the sites at your own pace. For dinner, we will enjoy our last meal together with a visit to a local Indonesian Restaurant.
June 4
Depending on your flight departure, enjoy breakfast at the hotel before you depart. Check out of your hotel this morning and depart for home, savouring sweet memories, and new insights!
Frequently Asked Questions
Please note: itinerary subject to change.
For further information, please contact us. We would be happy to be of assistance.
