THE On the Road Again travelers enjoy Vienna, Austria — from left are Sharon Reuter, Michelle Youmans, Susan Wilson, Wendy Barszcz, Jeri Allen and Suzanne Cattelan.

IRON MOUNTAIN — The On the Road Again travel group returned from their second trip of the summer. For this excursion, they explored the vibrant cultures of Hungary, Austria, Germany and Switzerland on a one-of-a-kind journey.

From dynamic Budapest in Hungary, they traveled through the Austrian countryside to visit the cities of Vienna and Salzburg. Then, the group continued on to Munich, Germany, with its beer gardens and great food.

On the way to the Swiss Alps, members passed through the Bavarian Alps, making several stops along the way, including at Neuschwanstein Castle, the fairy-tale retreat of “Mad” King Ludwig II, and a visit into Liechtenstein, a tiny Alpine principality dating back to the Holy Roman Empire. Lucerne — a charming lakeside city — featured buildings with hand-painted facades, cobbled streets and the medieval Kapellbruke, a covered wooden footbridge spanning the Reuss River.

The focus of the trip was the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, and this is why the trip was postponed from 2020, according to group spokeswoman Susan Wilson.

When the pandemic hit, the German government shut down this world-famous theater. The Passion Play reopened this summer. It is produced by the residents of the Bavarian town every 10 years. This year was the 42nd performance.

The play began in 1634 as a way of thanking God for sparing them from bubonic plague. It depicts the life and death of Jesus and involves more than 2,000 people: actors, musicians, stage technicians, and others, all the residents of the village.

Everyone in the village seems to be involved, according to Wilson, as hotels and restaurants house and feed the 5,000 people who flock to Oberammergau daily.

Some members of On the Road Again traveled on to the Rhine Valley. Heidelberg and Rudesheim proved to be delightful, picturesque German towns nestled along the river. Wine tasting, an excursion down the castle-lined Rhine, and a funicular ride to a hilltop castle ended this magical trip to this area of Europe.

Highlights of the trip, according to the group organizer, include sliding down wooden slides toboggan-style in a Salzburg salt mine; enjoying a festive night of music, food, and entertainment in Vienna; an evening cruise along the Danube in Budapest; a Mozart classical music performance; the ascent to 7,000 foot Mount Pilatus by way of cable car and cogwheel railway; and of course, the unforgettable performance of the Passion Play.