Meeting 3 hours before the flight at the Turkish Airlines counter in the international departures terminal of Istanbul Airport. After baggage, ticket, and passport procedures, departure to Düsseldorf at 06:50 with Turkish Airlines flight TK 1523. Upon arrival at 09:00 local time, we begin our city tour of Düsseldorf, one of Germany’s most important cities of culture, art, and industry. Places to be seen include Rheinturm with its revolving restaurant, Schloss Benrath, where some of Germany’s most important thinkers were educated, the Königsallee shopping street, and the green spaces of Hofgarten. After the tour, we continue on to Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, which borders Germany to the east and Belgium to the south, we will see Dam Square, Central Station, the National Monument, the Royal Palace, and the Flower Market on our city tour. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at hotels in Amsterdam or the surrounding area.
After breakfast at the hotel, our guests who wish may join the optional Magnificent Fairytale Villages and Water Canals tour (Zaanse Schans & Volendam & Giethoorn Hobbit Village). (110 Euro) Our tour begins in Zaanse Schans. One of Holland’s hidden paradise towns, Zaanse Schans is famous for its historic windmills that date back to the 17th century and are still in operation, as well as its pristine nature. In Zaanse Schans, with its historic windmills and wooden houses, you will feel as if you are walking through an open-air museum, surrounded by unique beauty found nowhere else in the world. Our second stop on the tour is Marken. After exploring this wonderful island, which was formerly an island but later connected to the mainland by land reclamation, we head to Volendam. Volendam, with its harbor, characteristic Dutch houses, and people dressed in traditional costumes, is a place that immediately captivates visitors. In this town, where you can taste delicious seafood and cheeses and buy inexpensive souvenirs, we will then continue to Giethoorn Hobbit Village. Considered one of the most beautiful places in the world, Giethoorn is one of Europe’s most fairy-tale-like locations. It gained popularity after being featured in the 1958 film “Fanfare” and has since become increasingly famous, welcoming over 800,000 tourists annually. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at hotels in Amsterdam or the surrounding area.
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Brussels. On the way, our guests who wish may join the optional Magnificent Cities Brugge & Ghent tour. (90 Euro) Our first stop is the wonderfully beautiful Brugge. Today, Brugge is one of the most visited cities in Europe and was placed under UNESCO protection in 1991. With its medieval architecture, canals, narrow streets, bridges, historic buildings, and squares, it has become one of Europe’s most treasured destinations. After visiting this beautiful city, we head to Ghent, another city where time seems to stand still. With a history of 1,400 years, Ghent was founded at the confluence of the Scheldt and Lys rivers and was once one of the largest and wealthiest cities of the Middle Ages. Known for its medieval monuments and university, after our tour of this city we continue to Brussels. Brussels, one of the most striking stops on Benelux tours, stands out with its cosmopolitan nature. Thanks to this structure, the city offers travelers many different opportunities, and we will visit its valuable landmarks. Among the places to be seen upon arrival are the Royal Palace, the Chinese and Japanese Houses, Brussels Cathedral, the city square, the Stock Exchange Building, the Atomium Monument, and the Manneken Pis statue. After the tour, transfer to our hotel and free time. Overnight at hotels in Brussels or the surrounding area.
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Paris, one of the world’s most romantic cities. Upon arrival in Paris, the places to be seen include Charles de Gaulle and the Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, the Louvre Museum and Pyramid, Étoile Square, Grand Palais and Petit Palais Exhibition Palaces, Place de la Concorde and the Obelisk, the French Parliament Building, Pont Alexandre III, the Seine River, Napoleon’s Tomb, and the Eiffel Tower. After the tour, transfer to our hotel and free time. Overnight at hotels in Paris or the surrounding area.
After breakfast at the hotel, our guests who wish may join the optional Magnificent Paris Masterpieces & Seine River Boat tour (Eiffel Tower & Seine River Boat Tour & Montmartre Artists’ Hill & Sacré-Cœur Basilica & Notre-Dame Cathedral). (110 Euro) Our first stop on the tour is the iconic Eiffel Tower, visited by millions of tourists every year. You will have the chance to see Paris from above by ascending to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower. Then we take a boat tour on the Seine River, which divides Paris into two. After seeing the historic landmarks on both banks of the river during the boat tour, we ascend by cable car to Montmartre Hill, the highest hill in Paris. On this hill, where the traces of important artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Dalida, Vincent van Gogh, and Jean Marais can be found, Sacré-Cœur Basilica will be the first place to see. After viewing this structure up close, we stop at Place du Tertre, where you can shop and have your portrait drawn, before visiting Notre-Dame Cathedral, a symbol of French history and an indispensable part of Paris’s skyline. Notre-Dame Cathedral was built by order of King Louis VII, who reigned between 1137 and 1180, to show the political, economic, and cultural power of Paris to the world. After seeing this magnificent structure, we take a short photo break. Then transfer to our hotel. In the evening, our guests who wish may join the optional Paris Under the Lights tour. (35 Euro) Paris is beautiful both by day and by night. On this tour, you will have the opportunity to see the Champs-Élysées, Concorde Square, the Louvre Museum, and many more boulevards, buildings, and squares under the lights. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at hotels in Paris or the surrounding area.
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Luxembourg. Upon arrival, our Luxembourg city tour begins. Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Ducal Palace, City Hall, and Constitution Square are among the places to be seen. After the tour, our guests who wish may join the optional History and Mosaics tour (Trier & Remich & Schengen). (65 Euro) Our first stop is Trier, founded by the Romans in 15 BC and known as the oldest city in Germany. Located in the Moselle Wine Region, among vine-covered low red sandstone hills along the Moselle River, Trier’s city tour includes Porta Nigra, the largest surviving Roman city gate north of the Alps; Roman ruins within the UNESCO World Heritage area; St. Peter’s Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady; Constantine Basilica; and the house where Karl Marx, the founder of scientific socialism, was born. After visiting Trier, we head to Remich, a duty-free town and one of the cheapest shopping stops on our tour. Due to Luxembourg’s low-tax policies and its border location, you can buy items such as chocolate, coffee, and alcoholic beverages at very low prices here. Finally, we visit Schengen, the point where the borders of Germany, France, and Luxembourg meet, and where the Schengen Agreement—abolishing passport controls among European Union member states—was signed. In this village, one of Europe’s important wine regions, you will have the chance to taste local wines and see the monument and building where the Schengen Agreement was signed. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at hotels in Luxembourg or the surrounding area.
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Strasbourg, one of France’s most beautiful cities and the pearl of the Alsace region. As you explore Strasbourg, you will feel as if you are traveling back in time through Europe’s largest medieval neighborhood paved with cobblestones. With its fairytale-like nature, historic buildings, wooden houses, medieval churches, cathedrals, and many works of art, it is truly a place worth seeing. Strasbourg also holds historical significance as the place where the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise,” was written. The city reflects a blend of Alsace culture and French architecture. During our city tour, we will see Strasbourg Cathedral, the Rohan Palace, Kleber Square, and the Petit France district adorned with traditional Alsace houses. After the tour, our guests who wish may join the optional Fairytale Villages of Alsace tour (Eguisheim & Colmar & Kaysersberg & Riquewihr). (110 Euro) This tour is a place where you will want to take photos at every moment. Our first stop is Eguisheim. In 2013, it was named “Favorite French Village,” and it is a village where history and nature dance together. Its colorful houses reflecting the typical architecture of the Alsace region create Eguisheim’s postcard-perfect appearance. After the tour, we head to Colmar, famous for its medieval historic buildings, Gothic-style churches, and colorful houses. As we walk through Colmar’s remarkably well-preserved streets, we will see St. Martin’s Cathedral, built entirely of pink stone; Little Venice, which resembles Italy’s Venice with its small canals; Maison Pfister, one of Colmar’s oldest houses; and Maison des Têtes, a Renaissance building decorated with faces. Our third stop on the tour is Kaysersberg. Kaysersberg is a charming part of the Alsace region and a medieval town in France. It is famous for its colorful houses, narrow streets, and historic atmosphere. The 13th-century Château de Kaysersberg castle is one of the town’s most prominent landmarks. Sainte-Croix Church in the center of the city also stands out with its Gothic architecture. After the tour, our final stop is Riquewihr, one of Alsace’s most enchanting towns, distinguished by its many half-timbered houses. This historic village captivates visitors with its old houses decorated with colorful flowers, narrow streets, and medieval atmosphere surrounded by walls. During our tour, we will also see the ruins of Riquewihr Castle and walk along the old ramparts of the village to feel the medieval ambiance. After the tour, transfer to our hotel in Strasbourg or the surrounding area. Overnight at hotels in Strasbourg or the surrounding area.
After breakfast at the hotel, we check out and depart for Freiburg. Freiburg, Germany’s fourth-largest city, is located near the Black Forest and is a medieval, history-filled city that enchants visitors with its natural beauty. During our city tour here, places to be seen include Münster Cathedral, one of the city’s symbols and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture; Markthalle (Covered Market); Münsterplatz (Main Square); Rathausplatz; Kaiser Joseph Street; Augustiner Platz; Adelhauser Platz; and Gerberau. After the tour, we continue to Basel. Upon arrival, our city tour begins. Basel, Switzerland’s third most populous city after Zurich and Geneva, is a magnificent city that combines both modern and historic elements and, although small in area, holds many treasures. During our city tour, places to be seen include Basel Cathedral, where the grave of the famous Renaissance writer Erasmus of Rotterdam is located; Marktplatz, the city’s main square; the Government Building; and Hotel Les Trois Rois. After the tour, we head to Basel Airport. After baggage, ticket, and passport procedures, departure for Istanbul at 19:00 on Turkish Airlines flight TK1926. Arrival at 23:05 local time and end of the tour.