Stanley Ginsberg, aka The Rye Baker, is inviting bread enthusiasts to join him for a once-in-a-lifetime baker’s journey of discovery and learning. This year, the sixth edition of the European rye tours, the itinerary will take the group to four Alpine destinations filled with history, culture, beer, food and of course, rye bread — Vienna and Linz, Austria; Bolzano, Italy; and Munich, Germany.

With rye cultures and baking traditions going back more than 1,000 years, the bakers of the German-speaking Alps have developed highly sophisticated techniques that produce rye breads of exceptional quality. For two weeks from October 7-20, 2024, the group will explore cities and countryside, visit bakeries, breweries, farms and flour mills.

This tour will include stays in four-star hotels and historic guesthouses, and relaxation at a resort on the banks of the Danube. Guest will savor each destination’s finest cuisine at world-class restaurants and rustic inns. In Bolzano, they’ll visit Ötzi the Iceman, the Copper Age mummy whose remains lay frozen for 5,500 years, and the Bread Museum in Ulm, Germany.

Most importantly, the group will learn from master bakers who produce some of the region’s finest rye breads. This tour has been curated, and will be led, by Stanley Ginsberg, author of The Rye Baker and America’s rye bread authority.

“As I’ve written in The Rye Baker, “Complex flavors and subtle spices put Alpine rye breads in a class by themselves. Most start with multiple wheat, spelt and rye sponges, which contribute both sweet and sour notes of enormous complexity. Vegetables, proteins, spices and fresh herbs contribute even more flavor variety ... No wonder I think of the Alps as the rye bread equivalent of a candy store,”” Ginsberg says.

More information, including detailed itineraries, can be found on the tour website. Those interested in signing on can use the Contact Form on the website to have questions answered and confirm reservations. A $1,000/person deposit will hold a place.