The Da Vinci Code—true or false? Pursue topics of faith, religion and history on a one of a kind 13-night program offered this fall by Elderhostel, the world’s largest not-for-profit educational travel organization for adults 55 and over. Led by expert guest lecturers, this program fuses knowledge from experts in art, history, religion, religious symbolism, secret societies, and code breaking for a unique experience. In Paris, London, and Edinburgh, adventurers will visit actual sites featured in Dan Brown’s blockbuster, The Da Vinci Code, gain uncommon knowledge about Leonardo Da Vinci, the early Catholic Church and generations of coded Jewish, Christian and pagan secrets and symbols.

The journey begins in Paris, focusing on the early church, the origins of heresy, art and the Da Vinci Code. Lectures highlight Jerusalem and the Templars, Cathars and the Albingensian heresy, Mary Magdalene and the “sacred feminine,” while field trips to the Louvre present the Grand Galerie, Denon Wing and an opportunity to “decode” the enigmatic Mona Lisa. Participants will also visit famous Paris attractions such as Le Saint–Sulpice and the Paris Meridian, Montmartre, the Basilica of Sacre Coeur, the Latin Quarter and Chateau de Villete outside Paris.

The sojourn continues through London where local experts bring to light some of the most intriguing aspects of the intertwined relationship between religion, art and history. Secret societies —the Knights Templar, Freemasons, and the mystifying Priory
of Sion—come to light through lectures.

Participants have an opportunity to examine symbolism in the paintings of Nicholas Poussin and learn first-hand about codes and code breaking. Field trips include the Temple Church, chief house of the Knights Templar in England; Fleet Street and the Temple of Mithras; Westminster Abbey and its Chapter House; the National Gallery; and King’s College.

The program culminates in Edinburgh—city of secrets—and brings participants closer to solving the Da Vinci riddles. The quest continues at Rosslyn Chapel outside Edinburgh, founded in 1446 by Sir William St. Clair—last Prince of Orkney and supposedly a Templar grand master—reputed to hold relics connected with the Holy Grail and featured in a climactic scene of Brown’s novel. An excursion to Bannockburn and Stirling Castle traces what may have been a Templar escape route from France.

Founded in 1975, Elderhostel is the world’s largest not for profit educational travel organization for older people. For more information, please visit www.elderhostel.org. Elderhostel also offers a new educational travel initiative for adults of all ages, Road Scholar, www.roadscholar.org, launched in 2004.