Meet 3 hours before the flight at the SunExpress Airlines counter in the international departures terminal of Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport. After baggage, ticket, and passport procedures, depart for Dortmund at 05:00 with SunExpress Airlines flight XQ936. Upon arrival at 07:20 local time, our city tour of Dortmund begins with our vehicle waiting at the airport. Dortmund is a vibrant city that blends industrial heritage with modern life in Germany’s Ruhr region. With its wide parks, cultural centers, and strong football atmosphere especially associated with Borussia Dortmund, it offers both a calm and energetic city experience. During our panoramic city tour, places to be seen include Alter Markt, Altes Stadthaus (Old City Hall), St. Reinold's Church (Reinoldikirche), which bears traces of the Middle Ages with its Gothic architecture, and Westfalenpark. We then depart for Amsterdam. Upon arrival, our Amsterdam city tour begins. During our city tour in Amsterdam, places to be seen include Dam Square, Central Station, National Monument, Royal Palace, Flower Market, and the Red Light District. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight in Amsterdam or nearby.
After breakfast at the hotel, guests who wish may join the optional Magnificent Fairy-Tale Villages and Canals tour (Zaanse Schans & Marken & Volendam & Giethoorn Hobbit Village) (110 Euro). Our tour begins with Zaanse Schans. One of the hidden gems of the Netherlands, Zaanse Schans is a famous Dutch town dating back to the 17th century, known for its historic windmills that are still in operation and its untouched nature. With its historic windmills and wooden houses, Zaanse Schans offers a beauty unlike anywhere else in the world, making you feel as if you are walking through an open-air museum. Our second stop is Marken. After exploring this wonderful island, which used to be an island but was later connected to the mainland by land reclamation, we continue to Volendam. Volendam captivates visitors at first sight with its harbor, typical Dutch houses, and people in traditional clothing. In this town, where you can taste delicious seafood and cheeses and buy inexpensive souvenirs, you will have a pleasant time before our final stop, Giethoorn Hobbit Village. Considered one of the most beautiful places in the world, Giethoorn is one of Europe’s most fairy-tale-like destinations. Its popularity began with the 1958 film “Fanfare,” which was shot here, and it has attracted more than 800,000 tourists annually ever since. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight in Amsterdam or nearby.
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Brussels. On the way, guests who wish may join the optional Magnificent Cities Bruges & Ghent tour (90 Euro). Our first stop is the magnificent city of Bruges, famous for its beauty. Today, Bruges is among the most visited cities in Europe and was protected by UNESCO 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 exploring this beautiful city, we proceed 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, we continue to Brussels after our tour of this city. Brussels, one of the most striking stops on Benelux tours, stands out with its versatility. Thanks to its cosmopolitan character, the city offers many different attractions to travelers. Upon arrival, we will visit the Royal Palace, 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 in Brussels or nearby.
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Paris, one of the most romantic cities in the world. Upon arrival in Paris, places to be seen include the Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, Louvre Museum and Pyramid, Étoile Square, Grand Palais and Petit Palais Exhibition Palaces, Concorde Square and the Obelisk, the French Parliament Building, Alexandre III Bridge, the Seine River, Napoleon’s Tomb, and the Eiffel Tower. After the tour, transfer to our hotel and free time. In the evening, guests who wish may join the optional Magnificent Paris by Night tour (35 Euro). Paris is beautiful both by day and by night. On this tour, you will have the chance to see the Champs-Élysées, Concorde Square, Louvre Museum, and many more boulevards, buildings, and squares under the lights. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight in Paris or nearby.
After breakfast at the hotel, 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 is the Eiffel Tower, the city’s iconic structure visited by millions of tourists every year. By going up to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower, you will have the chance to see Paris from above. Then we take a boat tour on the Seine River, which divides Paris into two. After seeing the historical structures on both banks of the river during the boat tour, we take the cable car up to Montmartre Hill, the highest hill in Paris. Sacré-Cœur (Basilica of the Sacred Heart) will be the first place to see on this hill, where important artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Dalida, Vincent van Gogh, and Jean Marais left their mark. After seeing this structure up close, we have a break at Place du Tertre, where you can shop and have your portrait drawn, then visit Notre Dame Cathedral, a symbol of French history and an indispensable part of the Paris 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. Overnight in Paris or nearby.
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Luxembourg. Upon arrival, our Luxembourg city tour begins. Places to be seen include Notre Dame Cathedral, the Grand Ducal Palace, City Hall, and Constitution Square. After the tour, guests who wish may join the optional Magnificent 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 low red sandstone hills covered with vines along the Moselle River, the city tour in Trier includes Porta Nigra, the largest surviving Roman city gate north of the Alps; the Roman ruins within the UNESCO World Heritage area; St. Peter’s Cathedral and Church of Our Lady; the Constantine Basilica; and the house where the father of scientific socialism, revolutionary thinker Karl Marx, was born. After our visit to Trier, we proceed to Remich, the tax-free town where you can do the cheapest shopping throughout the tour. Thanks to Luxembourg’s low tax policies and its border location, you can buy products such as chocolate, coffee, and alcoholic beverages at very affordable prices here. Finally, we visit Schengen, the point where the borders of Germany, France, and Luxembourg meet, and where the Schengen agreement, which abolished passport controls among European Union member states, was signed. In this village, one of Europe’s important wine regions, you will have the opportunity to taste local wines and see the monument and building where the Schengen Agreement was signed. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight in Luxembourg or nearby.
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Strasbourg, one of the most beautiful cities in France and the pearl of the Alsace region. As you explore Strasbourg, you will feel as though you are traveling back in time through Europe’s largest medieval neighborhoods paved with cobblestones. With its nature and historical structures from fairy tales, wooden houses, medieval churches, cathedrals, and many works of art, it is truly worth seeing. Strasbourg also has historical significance as the place where the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise,” was written. It appears as a city where Alsace culture blends with French architecture. During our city tour, places to be seen include Strasbourg Cathedral, the Rohan Palace, Kleber Square, and the Petit France district adorned with traditional Alsace houses. After the tour, guests who wish may join the optional Magnificent Alsace Fairy-Tale Villages tour (Eguisheim & Colmar & Kaysersberg & Riquewihr) (110 Euro). In this tour, where we will want to take photos at every opportunity, our first stop is Eguisheim. Awarded the title of “Favorite French Village” in 2013, Eguisheim is a village where history and nature dance together. Its colorful houses reflecting the typical architecture of the Alsace region create a postcard-like view. After the tour, we head to Colmar, famous for its well-preserved medieval buildings, Gothic-style churches, and colorful houses. As we walk through Colmar’s remarkably preserved streets, places to be seen include St. Martin Cathedral, built entirely of pink stone, Little Venice, which resembles Venice in Italy with its small canals, Maison Pfister, one of Colmar’s oldest houses, and Maison des Tetes, a Renaissance building decorated with heads. Our third stop is Kaysersberg. Kaysersberg is a medieval town in France and a fascinating part of the Alsace region. It is famous for its colorful houses, narrow streets, and historical texture. In particular, the 13th-century Château de Kaysersberg is one of the town’s most prominent symbols. Sainte-Croix Church in the center of the town stands out with its Gothic architecture. After the tour, we proceed to our final stop, Riquewihr, one of the most enchanting towns in Alsace, known for its many half-timbered houses that give the town its charm. This historic village enchants visitors with its old houses decorated with colorful flowers, narrow streets, and medieval character surrounded by walls. On our tour, we will also see the remains of Riquewihr Castle and walk along the village’s old ramparts to feel the medieval atmosphere. After the tour, transfer to our hotel in Strasbourg or nearby. Overnight in Strasbourg or nearby.
After breakfast at the hotel, we check out and depart for Basel. Upon arrival, our city tour begins. Basel, the third most populous city in Switzerland after Zurich and Geneva, is a magnificent city that combines modern and historical textures and, although small in area, contains many treasures. During our city tour in this city, places to be seen include Basel Cathedral, where the tomb of the famous Renaissance writer Erasmus of Rotterdam is located, Marktplatz, the Government Building, and Hotel Les Trois Rois. After the tour, we head to Basel Airport. After baggage, ticket, and passport procedures, depart for Istanbul at 14:15 with SunExpress Airlines flight XQ913. Arrive in Izmir at 19:10 local time and end of the tour.