A once in a decade chance

It may seem a long way ahead to be booking a holiday for 2010, but such is the popularity of the Oberammergau Passion Play that if you don’t book now, you will almost certainly be disappointed. And ten years is a long time to wait until the next one. Escorted touring specialist, Collette Worldwide Holidays, is one of only a handful of UK companies that has secured tickets for this world renowned event, which has taken place every ten years since 1634.

Collette’s latest brochure features four very different tours that all include the chance to enjoy the Passion Play between May and October 2010.

It was in 1634 when the inhabitants of the village of Oberammergau vowed to God that if they could be spared from the plague that was then sweeping through Germany they would perform a play every ten years depicting the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth. Their prayer was answered and no-one else died from the bubonic plague, signalling the start of a heartfelt tradition that still lives on.

More than two thousand residents from Oberammergau unite to present this powerful story just once each decade in a performance that blends dramatic writing, beautiful music and choral accompaniment as scenes from both the Old and New Testament are depicted for the audience. It is a spectacle that has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world and there is a scramble for tickets each year as demand always outweighs supply.

The four tours that will incorporate the Passion Play and one or two nights in the Oberammergau area in 2010 are :

• Imperial Cities – a 9 day tour of the Imperial cities of Central Europe; Budapest, Vienna and Prague. Price from £2099 per person.

• Discover Switzerland, Austria and Bavaria – a 9 day tour with the chance to fully explore the cities of Bern, Lucerne and Salzburg plus an extended stay in Innsbruck. Price from £2099 per person.

• Alpine Explorer with Glacier Express – a 10 day journey through spectacular alpine vistas of Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Germany, including the Glacier Express train ride. Price from £2359 per person.

• Discover Croatia – 11 days touring Croatia and Slovenia, including Dubrovnik, the Plitvice Lakes, Korcula and Bled. Price from £2399 per person.

All the above tours feature the Passion Play which includes an evening meal and one or two night stays in the Oberammergau area. The prices are based on two sharing a double room and include door to door transfers (within 100 miles) in the UK, flights, accommodation, most meals and the services of a Collette Worldwide tour leader.

For more information, log on to Colletteworldwide.com.