“Ankara to Bernina Express: An European Fairy Tale Tour” with SunExpress Airlines, 7 nights, morning departure from Stuttgart and evening return to Stuttgart

ANKARA – STUTTGART – STRASBOURG – (Alsace Pearls: Colmar & Riquewihr Tour) – ALSACE / BASEL
After completing baggage drop-off, check-in, and passport control procedures at Ankara Esenboğa Airport International Terminal 3 hours before departure, we fly to Stuttgart on SunExpress Airlines’ direct scheduled flight XQ790 at 06:35. Upon arrival at Stuttgart Airport at 08:55 local time, we depart for Strasbourg by our private bus waiting for us at the airport. Located on the borders of Germany, Switzerland, and France, and also the largest city of the Alsace region, Strasbourg will welcome us with a picture-postcard beauty, as if straight out of a fairy tale. During our panoramic city tour on foot in Strasbourg’s traffic-free center and streets, which was added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1988 and has hosted the European Parliament since 1992, we will see Gutenberg Square and Statue, Notre Dame Cathedral, the city’s most important structure located in the heart of the city, and Kammerzell House, the oldest house in the city and still serving as a hotel and restaurant. Following the Strasbourg tour and free time, we transfer to our hotel in the Alsace/Basel region. On the way, guests who wish may join the optional Alsace Pearls: Colmar & Riquewihr Tour (80 Euro). In our tour, we first travel to the fairytale city of Colmar, where we will see the Old Customs House, Pfister House, and the colorful houses around the Rhine River, as well as the city’s most famous area, Petite Venise (Little Venice). In this unique setting surrounded by the Rhine River and canals, you will have the chance to enjoy many delicious foods as well as buy various souvenirs. Our next stop is Riquewihr, famous for its flower-filled balconies, distinctive rows of shops, cobblestone streets closed to car traffic, buildings that somehow survived World War II unharmed, and charming cafés, all surrounded by vineyards in the Alsace region; it is a place that resembles a Grimm fairy tale, with its tower housing the Dolder Museum, which preserves the city’s history through documents. After our visit in Riquewihr, we continue our journey to our hotel in the Alsace/Basel region. Upon arrival at the hotel, room assignment and free time to rest.
ALSACE / BASEL – HEIDI’S VILLAGES & ST. MORITZ – BERNINA EXPRESS / RED TRAIN – MILAN
After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for St. Moritz for an unforgettable and dreamlike train journey on the Bernina railway line. Following a panoramic journey through the villages of Heidi, the lovable character from our childhood who lived in the Alps with her grandfather and best friend Peter, with landscapes of endless mountains and green meadows just as we remember from the cartoon, we arrive in St. Moritz, Switzerland’s natural wonder and a favorite destination of the jet set. Depending on the train departure time on the UNESCO World Heritage Bernina railway line, free time and a short orientation tour may be provided before we reach the station for our unforgettable and breathtaking train ride on the Bernina Express / Red Train. On this world-famous line, built between 1898 and 1904 and now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one that dreams of many travelers, we will witness and photograph extraordinary landscapes during this magical journey of approximately 2 hours. After arriving at Tirano Station, we return to our hotel in the Milan region by our waiting vehicle.
MILAN – (Portofino Tour by Boat) – NICE
After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart to organize our Milan city tour. Milan, one of Europe’s fashion capitals, is also known for its cuisine, opera, and churches. Although it is recognized as Italy’s business and financial capital, Milan is also the right destination for shopping and dining experiences. During our city tour, the La Scala opera house, Duomo Square and Cathedral, and Porta Romano are among the main places to be seen. At the end of the Milan city tour, we depart for Nice. On the way, guests who wish may join the optional Portofino Tour by Boat (65 Euro). Portofino, surrounded by colorful houses and inspiring songs with its beauty, enchants visitors with its narrow streets, colorful houses, green hills, and turquoise Mediterranean view. After our Portofino visit, we continue our journey to Nice. Upon arrival at our hotel in the Nice region, room assignment and free time to rest.
NICE – (Cannes & Nice Tour) – (Eze & Monaco & Monte Carlo Tour)
After breakfast, we offer a full day of free time. During this free time, guests who wish may join the optional Cannes & Nice Tour (70 Euro). In this tour, we first head to Cannes. Famous for hosting the annual Cannes Film Festival, Cannes has a sparkling sea and golden beaches. During our city tour in Cannes, we first see the old town, the city’s original settlement. As we walk through the narrow, winding, traffic-free streets of the old town, we will have the chance to see souvenir shops and shop. After the La Croisette Boulevard, which stretches along Cannes’ coastline and is home to many luxury restaurants, shops, and hotels, and Meynadier Street, we arrive in Nice following some free time. In our Nice tour, Promenade des Anglais, Nice Port, Massena Square, the Flower Market, and the Courthouse are among the places to be seen. After the Nice tour, during the free time provided, guests who wish may join the optional Eze & Monaco & Monte Carlo Tour (80 Euro). In this tour, our first stop is Eze Village, one of the most famous villages on the Côte d’Azur with its magnificent views, where we visit a perfume factory where you can test and purchase famous perfumes at affordable prices. After the tour, our second stop is the principality of Monaco, the world’s second-smallest country after the Vatican, located on the French Riviera. Upon arrival, we will conduct a panoramic tour of Monte Carlo, the center of luxury and splendor. After the tour, we return to our hotel in the Nice region.
NICE – (Annecy Tour) – GENEVA
After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for Geneva. On the way, guests who wish may join the optional Annecy Tour (50 Euro). Known as the “Venice of the Alps” thanks to the canals passing through it and the Thiou River, Annecy captivates visitors with its canal-based structure and extraordinary location between mountains and lake. During our visit in Annecy, Château d’Annecy, built in the 17th century and restored in 1947, St. Maurice Church, and Palais de l’Isle, a magnet for photography enthusiasts, will be seen panoramically. After a short free time on the shores of Annecy Lake, the 3rd largest lake in France, we complete our tour and continue on to Geneva. Upon arrival at our hotel, room assignment and free time to rest.
GENEVA – BERN – (Train Tour to Swiss Alpine Villages: Interlaken & Lauterbrunnen) – ALSACE / BASEL
After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for our Geneva city tour. Known as the “French side of Switzerland” and located on the shores of Lake Geneva, Geneva is a magnificent city where history, culture, science, and nature come together. The presence of the headquarters of international organizations such as CERN, the World Health Organization, UEFA, FIFA, and the United Nations gives the city a central role in cultural and administrative terms. During our tour in Geneva, where museums, parks, historic monuments, streets, and clean air come together, St. Pierre Cathedral, the Jet d’Eau fountain, which has become the symbol of Geneva and rises up to 140 meters, and the Reformation Monument are among the main places to be seen. After the city tour, we head to Bern. Bern is one of the few cities in Europe that has remained unchanged since the Middle Ages. Due to this historical texture, it is listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Located in Switzerland and with German as its official language, Bern also reflects the influence of German culture in its architecture. After our tour in Bern, guests will have free time, during which those who wish may join the optional Train Tour to Swiss Alpine Villages: Interlaken & Lauterbrunnen (80 Euro). Our first stop on this tour will be Interlaken. We will tour Interlaken, which takes its name from its location between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun (“inter-lakes”), and is famous for its natural beauty and breathtaking views. The area’s important hotels, casinos, and shopping streets are along our walking route. Victoria Jungfrau Hotel, one of the city’s historical symbols, and Höhematte Park will be seen panoramically. After free time for photos and sightseeing, we move to the train station to head to Lauterbrunnen, our next destination. By train from Interlaken, we arrive in Lauterbrunnen after approximately 20 minutes. We will feel the deep structure of the valley and the steep rock walls as soon as we leave the station. Walking toward the village center, we will panoramically see the mesmerizing form of Staubbach Falls hanging down toward the valley floor and have the chance to photograph it. Lauterbrunnen is known for the small settlements and walking paths lined along the valley that is home to 72 waterfalls. On our walk along the designated route in the village, we will take many photos of the region’s traditional chalet architecture, the natural formations surrounding the valley floor, and the wonderful, heaven-like landscapes. We complete our tour by returning to Interlaken by train. After the tour, we travel to our hotel in the Asace/Basel region. Upon arrival at the hotel, room assignment and free time to rest.
ALSACE / BASEL – (Freiburg Tour) – (Rhine Falls & Schaffhausen Tour) – STUTTGART
After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for Stuttgart. On the way, guests who wish may join the optional Freiburg Tour (45 Euro). In this tour, we visit Freiburg, one of the most important examples of green urbanism. In Freiburg, where only low-carbon vehicles have been allowed to enter since 2010 and transportation is mainly provided by trams and bicycles, we will see the traces of the German, French, Austrian, Spanish, and Swedish historical and architectural cultures that the city has been under throughout history. Known as the capital of the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), our city tour in Freiburg includes the city’s most important symbol, Freiburg Cathedral, the charming streets with Freiburg’s unique small water channels, Martin’s Gate from the Middle Ages, and Rathausplatz. After the tour, we continue our journey to Stuttgart. On the way, guests who wish may join the optional Rhine Falls & Schaffhausen Tour (25 Euro). In this tour, we visit Schaffhausen to see Rhine Falls, Europe’s largest waterfall with a width of 150 meters and a depth of 25 meters, and to photograph the unique view of the waterfall, which cascades in all its glory in every season. After visiting Rhine Falls, we continue our journey to Stuttgart. Upon arrival at our hotel in the Stuttgart region, room assignment and free time to rest.
STUTTGART – OUTLET – ANKARA
After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for a visit to the outlet center. After a pleasant free time for affordable and quality shopping in the outlet center, which hosts stylish stores of world-famous prestigious brands, cafés and restaurants, and personal activity areas, we head to Stuttgart Airport for our return flight to Ankara. After completing baggage drop-off, check-in, and passport control procedures at the airport, we fly to Ankara on SunExpress Airlines’ direct scheduled flight XQ791 at 20:40. Arrival at Esenboğa Airport at 00:45 local time and end of our tour.