Heritage Stories · Faith & History · Europe
From Bruges to Berlin
Exploring Reform, Migration & the Hanseatic World
OVERVIEW
From Bruges to Berlin
Exploring Reform, Migration & the Hanseatic World
May 17 - 28, 2027
From $5,121 USD | $6,915 CAD
From the medieval cities of Flanders to the ports of northern Germany, this journey traces the northern story of Anabaptism and the world that shaped early Mennonite communities. Beginning in Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Haarlem, and Friesland, travelers encounter places tied to reform, persecution, migration, and Menno Simons’ witness.
The journey continues through Hamburg, Lübeck, and Berlin, where trade routes, printing presses, harbour cities, and shifting empires reveal how faith communities endured and adapted. Blending heritage, theology, and cultural discovery, this tour invites travelers to see how courage, conscience, and belonging crossed borders and still speak today.
Troy Osborne
Tour Expert
12 Days
Duration
Belgium, Netherlands, Germany
Countries Visited
Moderately Active
Activity Level
Trip Highlights
Trace Anabaptist Roots Across Northern Europe - Walk through Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Friesland, and northern Germany, following stories of early Anabaptists, Menno Simons, migration, and renewal.
Experience the Beauty of the Low Countries - Drift along canals, visit windmill landscapes, and explore Dutch villages where water, trade, faith, and community shaped daily life for generations.
Discover Historic Cities of Reform and Trade - Explore Bruges, Antwerp, Haarlem, Hamburg, Lübeck, and Berlin, each revealing rich architecture, layered history, and the wider currents of reform.
Enjoy Distinctive Cultural Encounters - Ride a steam train, visit the Zuiderzee Museum, tour a brewery, explore a medieval castle, and cruise Hamburg’s harbour and Berlin’s Spree River.
Reflect on Faith, Freedom, and Resilience - From Antwerp persecution stories to Corrie ten Boom and Berlin’s wartime memory, consider courage, conscience, and religious freedom across generations.
DAY 1 • May 17, 2027
Welcome to the Journey
Arrive in Brussels and make your way to the storybook canals and cobbled lanes of Bruges. Settle in with time to wander at your own pace before gathering for a welcome dinner, where the group begins to trace stories of faith, movement, and belonging across Europe.
Overnight: Bruges
DAY 2 • May 18, 2027
Roots in Flanders
Step into Bruges with a local walking tour that opens windows into medieval church life and Anabaptist history in Flanders. Explore historic squares and waterways, then enjoy a canal boat ride and a tour of the famous Halve Maan Brewery, where the day ends with time to linger.
Overnight: Bruges
DAY 3 • May 19, 2027
Faith Along the Way
Begin the overland journey with a stop in Ghent, where layered streets and stone landmarks help tell the story of Anabaptist witness in the Low Countries. Visit Gravensteen Castle before continuing to Antwerp, gathering again over dinner as the group follows reforming currents eastward.
Overnight: Antwerp
DAY 4 • May 20, 2027
Printing and Persecution
In Antwerp, discover a city shaped by commerce, courage, and conflict. A walking tour introduces the old town and its Anabaptist connections before a visit to Museum Plantin-Moretus, where the power of print reveals how ideas travelled, challenged authorities, and changed lives. In the afternoon, enjoy free time to stroll around the city or explore by bicycle.
Overnight: Antwerp
DAY 5 • May 21, 2027
Windmills and Witness
Travel north through the Dutch landscape to Kinderdijk, where windmills stand as reminders of human ingenuity and life shaped by water. Continue to Haarlem for lunch at the Mennonite church cafe. Then explore Haarlem with time to absorb the city’s quiet beauty and faith heritage.
Overnight: Haarlem
DAY 6 • May 22, 2027
Villages of Memory
Pause in De Rijp, once strongly shaped by Mennonite life, before travelling the historic triangle connecting Hoorn, Medemblik, and Enkhuizen. Travel by steam train and visit the Zuiderzee Museum, where preserved buildings and daily-life stories evoke communities formed by trade, water, resilience, and faith.
Overnight: Haarlem
DAY 7 • May 23, 2027
Across Frisian Waters
Journey toward Friesland, where open skies, lakes, and small villages invite reflection on Menno Simons and the Anabaptist story. Board a historic sailboat to enjoy the scenery from a slower paced perspective, allowing the landscape itself to become part of the pilgrimage.
Overnight: Leeuwarden
DAY 8 • May 24, 2027
Refuge and Renewal
Cross into Germany with a stop in Neustadtgödens, a town shaped by Mennonite refugees from the Low Countries. Visit the Mennonite Museum and continue toward Hamburg, an important northern port where trade routes carried not only goods, but also religious ideas and human hope.
Overnight: Hamburg
DAY 9 • May 25, 2027
Harbour of Ideas
Explore Hamburg, where warehouse canals, port life, and international exchange reveal the reach of the Hanseatic world. A guided visit to Speicherstadt introduces the city’s trading heritage, followed by a harbour boat tour and free time to walk, bike, or simply watch the flow of the Elbe.
Overnight: Hamburg
DAY 10 • May 26, 2027
Toward the Capital
Travel toward Berlin, pausing at Menno Kate in Bad Oldesloe and in Lübeck, a Hanseatic city rich with layered history. Arrive in Berlin and meet the city from the water on an evening Spree River cruise, a gentle introduction to Germany’s complex capital.
Overnight: Berlin
DAY 11 • May 27, 2027
Courage Under Pressure
In Berlin, enter stories of resistance, war, division, and moral courage through a guided tour. After free time for lunch and personal exploration, gather for a farewell dinner and reflect on the journey from Bruges to Berlin.
Overnight: Berlin
DAY 12 • May 28, 2027
Homeward Reflections
Depart Berlin for home, carrying with you the stories of reformers, refugees, merchants, and communities whose lives crossed borders and reshaped faith across northern Europe. The journey ends, but its invitations continue: to remember, to listen deeply, and to notice courage in every generation. Or consider extending your stay in the history rich city to explore more sites. We have lots of suggestions for more activities.
Pricing
Registration By
Early Bird Rate until January 17, 2027
Standard Tour Fare
Shared Occupancy
$5,121 USD | $6,915 CAD
$5,751 USD | $7,765 CAD
Single Occupancy
$6,245 USD | $8,432 CAD
$6,875 USD | $9,282 CAD
What’s Included
11 nights of accommodations in carefully selected hotels in well-located, prime locations
All land transportation during the tour with complimentary water
Daily breakfasts, along with select lunches and dinners, including thoughtfully hosted group dining experiences featuring multi-course menus at local restaurants. Complimentary water is included on the bus.
All admission fees to included sightseeing, excursions, and cultural sites as detailed in the itinerary
The full-time services of a TourMagination Tour Expert to guide and support you throughout your journey
Knowledgeable local guides in select destinations, offering deeper cultural insight and enriching on-the-ground perspective
Gratuities for drivers, guides, and included group meals
What’s Not Included
International airfare and associated fees
Schengen ETIAS, visas, entry permits, and any required digital travel authorizations (if required)
Meals not specified in the itinerary
Beverages with meals
Optional excursions, bike rentals, and personal purchases
Gratuities for hotel staff, airport porters, and other personal services not explicitly included
Travel and medical insurance (strongly recommended)
TOUR EXPERT
Troy Osborne
Educator · Historian · Explorer · Life-Long Student
Troy teaches European, Reformation, and Mennonite history at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. He has also taught at Bluffton University, Gustavus Adolphus College, and the University of Minnesota, where he completed a PhD on seventeenth-century Dutch Mennonites. His recent book, Radicals and Reformers: A Survey of Global Anabaptist History, explores the faith and legacy of Anabaptist communities around the world.
Troy’s passion for Anabaptist history began on a college travel course, where he first encountered the captivating past and vibrant present of European Anabaptists. He then served two terms living and working with Mennonites in the Netherlands and Germany through the InterMenno exchange program. That experience led to over thirty years of travel, research, and storytelling across Europe.
Questions?
Reach out to our team at office@tourmagination.com
or by phone at (877) 668-2732.