WASHINGTON, DC, March 6, 2013 — Imagine finding clean, private, and comfortable sleep space with breakfast in a major European city center at reasonable rates, say, $55 per person double.
In Erfurt, Germany’s very attractive medieval center city (a major stop on the Martin Luther heritage trail), you not only can find such a deal, you can sleep in the Augustinian monastery where Luther studied from 1505 until 1511.
The modernized monastery includes a church, conference center, 51 guest rooms, and meeting space for the Protestant Church in Germany. Luther history is on display here too, in the monk’s cell and at a library whose contents date to 1646.
The church is the oldest part of the monastery (much was rebuilt after World War II devastation) and dates from the 13th century. The stained glass windows above the altar portray the life of St. Augustine, one of the western Christian church’s most influential early leaders. Concerts in the church or monastery church yard are regular summertime events.
The Erfurt monastery is just one lodging option that can enhance faith travelers’ experiences during their worldwide journeys.
Christian Hotels International (CHI) was founded in 1895 and has members on almost every continent with most locations in Europe.
CHI offers a variety of hotels, guest houses, youth and retreat centers and camp sites located in mountains, cities and seaside. Many of these lodging sites promise not only good service and manner but also good rates. Contact individual properties via email.
How about lodging for free? There are several possibilities. Christian Home Exchange, which claims to be the oldest online Christian home exchange organization, recently partnered with HomeExchange.com. Members select from more than 40,000 listings in 147 countries to find a home that best fills their vacationing needs. According to CHE, staying in someone’s home transforms a tourist experience, giving them the opportunity to live like a local in the community they are visiting.
Christian Home Swap was organized a few years ago by an Australian couple. Now, hundreds of singles, couples and families from 35 countries post photos and descriptions of their homes on the network. You contact homeowners via email, build relationships and then swap homes for free. It can be a great way to take that dream vacation at much less expense.
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