Award-winning special interest holiday companies Andante Travels and Brightwater Holidays, both belonging to the parent company Specialist Journeys, have now unveiled itineraries that include the Oberammergau Passion Play 2022. This once-a-decade theatrical event was cancelled in 2020 due to the global outbreak of COVID-19, but it has been rescheduled and will now take place throughout 2022. 

Germany's Oberammergau Passion Play was first staged in 1634, a year after citizens of the charming Bavarian village by the same name made a desperate plea to God that if no more lives were taken by the deadly plague, they would perform a play depicting Christ's life, suffering, death and resurrection once every ten years as a way of showing eternal gratitude. The villagers kept their promise and the Passion Play has only seen a few incidents where it had to be postponed or cancelled throughout its almost 400-year history, with the most recent being this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 

To celebrate its return in 2022, Andante Travels and Brightwater Holidays have now both launched a collection of escorted group tours with special interest themes that can take guests there. 

Andante Travels is offering a special low deposit offer of just £99pp and early booking discount of up to £150pp that will run until 30th November 2020. The company will operate its brand new Oberammergau & the Way of St James tour, which departs on 9th July and is led by writer Giles MacDonogh. This tour follows the Jakobsweg route of the Camino de Santiago, visiting spectacular pilgrimage churches and the charming villages of Lindau and Bregenz on Lake Constance. There is also an Oberammergau & Mozart's Salzburg itinerary, which explores the architectural marvels of Munich along with sites that are associated with the aforementioned great composer, and also features a private piano recital at Mozart's birthplace. Finally, Andante Travels is offering an Oberammergau & the Dream Castles of Bavaria tour, which again is led by Giles MacDonogh and includes visits to the fantastical fortresses of Ludwig, such as Neuschwanstein Castle, Herrenchiemsee Palace and Linderhof Palace. 

Brightwater Holidays, a garden tours specialist, will operate three tours that include tickets to the Oberammergau Passion Play in 2022. The tours have a special low deposit offer of just £99pp and an early booking discount of up to £100pp for bookings made until 30th November 2020. The first is its Oberammergau & the Austrian Tyrol tour, which includes a choice of themed excursions in Salzburg based around either Mozart or the beloved Sound of Music motion picture, as well as visits to the Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck and Traztberg Castle, along with a ride aboard the narrow-gauge Zillertal Steam Railway. The next tour is Oberammergau & the Veneto, which will see guests discover no fewer than seven glorious Italian villas along with enjoy a very special visit to the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua. Finally, Brightwater has an Oberammergau & Lake Constance itinerary, which visits the fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle, Tettnang New Palace, the historic town of Wangen im Allgäu with its charming gardens, and the unique flower island of Insel Mainau.

Andante Travels 

Oberammergau & the Way of St. James

Led by: Acclaimed British writer, Giles MacDonogh
Overview: Travel the Jakobsweg route of the Camino Way, one strand of which passes through Bavaria. Following a key section of it from Munich to Lake Constance, guests are invited to appreciate some truly majestic places of worship, along with splendid scenery and glorious food and drink (particularly local beer). Whether you are religious or not, this is the perfect combination with the iconic Oberammergau Passion Play.
Highlights: A visit to the UNESCO-listed Pilgrimage Church of Wies, a ferry ride to Bregenz to explore the old town, free time to discover the village of Oberammergau ahead of the play, and visits to the abbeys of Steingaden and Wessobrunn.
Departs: 9th July, 2022
Duration: 7 days from £2895pp £2,745pp (special offer for bookings made until 30th Nov)

Oberammergau & Mozart's Salzburg

Led by: Barnaby Rayfield, an expert on music (opera) who works at the Royal Albert Hall
Overview: Munich and Salzburg are counted amongst Europe's most culturally and architecturally rich cities. So, if you're keen to experience the once-a-decade wonder of Oberammergau in 2022, why not combine the Passion Play with these enthralling cities, where you'll explore palaces, appreciate unforgettable artistic treasures and gain an expert insight into the early life of a musical genius, along with a private piano recital of his works.
Highlights: Tour Nymphenburg Palace and its gardens, explore the opulent Residenz and enjoy a private piano recital at Mozart's birthplace in Salzburg.
Departs: 20th July and 24th August, 2022
Duration: 5 days from £2,295pp £2,195pp (special offer for bookings made until 30th Nov)

Oberammergau & the Castles of Bavaria

Led by: Giles MacDonogh
Overview: Of all the attractions to combine with the once-a-decade spectacle of the Oberammergau Passion Play, few could be more enchanting and memorable than the 19th century 'Dream Castles' of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. These fortresses, palaces and country houses, all set in landscapes of Alpine splendour, were like none that came before – so romantic and beautiful that they appear taken from the pages of a fairy-tale. Ludwig's story had no happy ending, but his fantastical architectural visions live on, bewitching visitors to the present day. Discover the reality behind the dreams in expert company on this outstanding itinerary.
Highlights: Visit the stunning Neuschwanstein Castle, tour Herrenchiemsee Palace, visit Linderhof Palace (the smallest of Ludwig's palaces), spend some time at Castle Berg and then pay your respects at King Ludwig's tomb in Munich's St Michael's Church.
Departs: 8th June, 2022
Duration: 5 days from £2,325pp £2,225pp (special offer for bookings made until 30th Nov)

Brightwater Holidays 

Oberammergau & Lake Constance

Overview: From our base at a comfortable, family-run hotel in Bregenz on the Austrian shore of the lake, we visit a selection of outstanding gardens and impressive palaces. Pick of the bunch has to be Insel Mainau, one of the most splendid garden sites in Europe. Getting there is half the fun as we cruise at a leisurely pace along the lake, and once there we have a dazzling array of gardens, parks and buildings to explore. En route to Bregenz, we visit Neuschwanstein Castle and stop at the Pilgrimage Church of Wies.
Highlights: Visit Neuschwanstein Castle, wander the garden of Insel Mainau, view Tettnang New Palace and Meersburg New Palace, and visit the UNESCO-listed church of Wies
Departs: 23rd August, 2022
Duration: 6 days
Price: From £2,195pp £2,095pp (special offer for bookings made until 30th Nov)

Oberammergau & the Austrian Tyrol

Overview: Hop aboard the Zillertal Steam Railway, clink our complimentary glasses of schnapps and sit back to admire the scenery in comfort and luxury. Taking us from the market town of Jenbach to the chic ski resort of Mayrhofen, which sits in the shadow of the great 'Hintertux Glacier', this is one picturesque journey that's hard to beat. Guests may also choose from a Mozart or The Sound of Music-themed excursion on your Salzburg sojourn.
Highlights: Choice of themed excursion in Salzburg (Mozart or The Sound of Music), ride aboard the narrow-gauge Zillertal Steam Railway, cable car ride to a mountainside restaurant for lunch, and a visit to Innsbruck to tour its stunning Tratzberg Castle.
Departs: 11th May and 10th August, 2022
Duration: 6 days
Price: From £2,195pp £2,095pp (special offer for bookings made until 30th Nov)

Oberammergau & the Veneto

Overview: Join us as we discover no fewer than seven glorious villas on tour. The first on our list is one of the most recognisable buildings of the Renaissance – the Palladian masterpiece Villa Rotonda. From here, it's on to Villa Godi Malinverni for a gala dinner, to Villa Barbarigo, Villa Valmarana and more.
Highlights: A special 'Giotto under the stars' visit to the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, a gala dinner at the Villa Godi Malinverni where guests are met by a member of the aristocratic family who live there, and a private visit to the Villa Rotonda hosted by Count Valmarana.
Departs: 11th July, 2022
Duration: 7 days
Price: From £2,595pp £2,495pp (special offer for bookings made until 30th Nov)

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Notes to editors 

The Specialist Journeys Group is a collection of some of the world's finest expert-led tour operators. As a group, it is determined to maintain the unique elements of each of its key brands, which are the award-winning Brightwater Holidays and Andante Travels, and also the charity challenges tour operator, Dream Challenges.  

Specialist Journeys is not just a single business, but a 'family' of tour operators. As with all families, each individual member (or company, in this case) has its own strengths and quirks. In spite of their differences, each Specialist Journeys company shares an ethos – an aspiration, really – to provide truly memorable, inimitable and magical holidays for its customers. The 'special' in Specialist Journeys comes when guests on an Andante Travels tour of Sicily are invited into the stunning Cappella Palatina, decorated with gold and intricate mosaics, for a private evening tour without the presence of any other tourists. Or when Brightwater Holidays guests can appreciate the blooms in Prince Charles' wonderful garden at Highgrove on a private tour.  

For further media information, contact Martha Whatley, Content Marketing and PR Executive: martha@specialistjourneys.com