BERNINA EXPRESS A European Fairy Tale Tour with Turkish Airlines, 7 Nights Basel outbound – Evening Basel return

ISTANBUL – BASEL – STRASBOURG – FREIBURG – ALSACE / BASEL After completing baggage drop-off, ticketing, and passport control procedures at Istanbul Airport International Terminal, at least 3 hours before departure, we fly to Basel at 07:40 on Turkish Airlines scheduled flight TK1923. Upon arrival at Basel Airport at 09:45 local time, we meet our private vehicle and depart for Strasbourg. Located at the border of Germany, Switzerland, and France, and also the largest city in the Alsace region, Strasbourg welcomes us like something out of a fairy tale, with the beauty of a painting. During our panoramic city tour on foot in Strasbourg’s pedestrian city 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, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the city’s most important landmark located in the very heart of the city, and Kammerzell House, the oldest house in the city and still operating today as a hotel and restaurant. After free time in Strasbourg, we continue to Freiburg, one of the finest examples of green urbanism. In Freiburg, the city of happy people, where only low-carbon vehicles have been allowed to enter since 2010 and transportation is mainly provided by tram and bicycle, our city tour will reveal traces of the historical and architectural cultures of Germany, France, Austria, Spain, and Sweden, under whose protection the city has stood throughout history. Also known as the capital of the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), the city tour in Freiburg includes the Freiburg Cathedral, the charming streets with Freiburg’s unique small water canals, Martin’s Gate, the medieval city gate, and Rathausplatz. After the tour, transfer to our hotel in the Alsace/Basel region. Check-in and free time to rest. ALSACE – HEIDI’S VILLAGES – (Milan Masterpieces and Como Tour) – MILAN After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we set off for Milan following a panoramic journey through the landscapes of Heidi’s Villages, with their endless mountains and green meadows that remind us of the sweet memories of our childhood, and which feature many of the scenes we remember from the cartoon about our lovely heroine Heidi, who lives in the Alps with her grandfather and her closest friend Peter. On the way, guests who wish may join the optional Milan Masterpieces and Como Tour (65 Euro). Our first stop on this tour will be Como. Upon arrival in Como, we visit Lake Como, famous for its luxury lifestyle and natural beauty, and home to summer residences of Hollywood celebrities, European elites, and the world jet set, and we will have a photo break accompanied by the lake’s unique scenery. After free time in Como, we head to Milan city center for the second part of our tour. Milan, one of Europe’s fashion capitals, also stands out with its cuisine, opera, and churches. Although known as the business and financial capital of Italy, it is also the right address for shopping and dining. During our city tour in Milan, the main sights include the famous opera house La Scala, Duomo Square and Cathedral, and Porta Romano. After the Milan Masterpieces Tour, transfer to our hotel. Check-in and free time to rest. MILAN – ST. MORITZ – BERNINA EXPRESS / RED TRAIN – MILAN After breakfast, we depart for St. Moritz for an unforgettable and magical train journey on the Bernina railway line. We arrive in St. Moritz, Switzerland’s natural wonder and a favorite destination of the jet set, and after free time and a short local tour that may be offered depending on the train departure time on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Bernina railway line, we proceed to the station for the unforgettable and breathtaking journey on the Bernina Express / Red Train. Built between 1898 and 1904 and now listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, this world-famous line is a dream for many travelers. During this fairy-tale journey, we will enjoy extraordinary scenery and have the chance to take photographs. After approximately 2 hours of pleasant train travel, we arrive at Tirano Station and return to our hotel in the Milan area by the vehicle waiting for us. MILAN – OUTLET – (Portofino Tour by Boat) – NICE After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for our outlet center visit. After free time for enjoyable shopping at the famous outlet center, which hosts prestigious brands, cafes, restaurants, and personal activity areas in Italy, the country that sets the fashion trend in the world, we complete our tour and continue to 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, captivates visitors with its narrow streets, colorful houses, green hills, and turquoise Mediterranean scenery. After our Portofino visit, we continue our journey to Nice. Upon arrival at our hotel in the Nice region, check-in 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). On this tour, we first depart for 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 first settlement. While walking through the narrow, winding, pedestrian-only streets of the old town, we will have the opportunity to see souvenir shops and shop. After our visit to La Croisette Boulevard, which stretches along Cannes’ coast and is home to many luxury restaurants, shops, and hotels, and Meynadier Street, we enjoy free time before arriving in Nice. On our Nice tour, the Promenade des Anglais, Nice Port, Massena Square, Flower Market, and Palace of Justice are among the sights to be seen. After free time in Nice, guests who wish may join the optional Eze & Monaco & Monte Carlo Tour (80 Euro). Our first stop is Eze Village, one of the most famous villages on the magnificent Côte d’Azur, where we visit a perfume factory where you can test and purchase beautiful and famous perfumes at reasonable prices. After that, 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 city 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. During our journey accompanied by magnificent natural scenery and views of Mont Blanc, known as the summit of the Alps and located at the common border of France, Switzerland, and Italy, guests who wish may join the optional Annecy Tour (50 Euro) on the way. Known as “The Venice of the Alps” thanks to the canals running through it and the Thiou River, Annecy enchants visitors with its canal-based structure and extraordinary location between mountains and lake. During the excursion, the Château d’Annecy, built in the 17th century and restored in 1947, St. Maurice Church, and the Palais de l’Isle, a favorite spot for photography lovers, will be seen panoramically. After a short free time on the shores of Lake Annecy, the third-largest lake in France, we continue our journey to Geneva. Upon arrival at our hotel in the Geneva region, check-in and free time to rest. GENEVA – (LOZAN & MONTREUX AND FAIRY-TALE CASTLES TOUR by GOLDEN PASS Express Train) – (Gruyères Tour) – BERN – ALSACE / BASEL After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we organize a city tour. Geneva, known as “the French city of Switzerland,” is a magnificent city where history, culture, science, and nature come together on the shores of Lake Geneva. The presence of the headquarters of international organizations such as CERN, the World Health Organization, UEFA, FIFA, and the United Nations gives the city an important cultural and administrative role. During our visit to Geneva, where museums, parks, historical 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 Wall will be among the main sights. After the city tour, we head to Bern. On the way, guests who wish may join the optional Lozan & Montreux and Fairy-Tale Castles Tour by GOLDENPASS Express train (95 Euro). Our first stop is Lausanne, which has an important place in our national history because it hosted the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne on July 24, 1923, and is also one of the important bishopric centers of the Middle Ages. In Lausanne, with its medieval castles, D’Ouchy Castle, palaces, cathedrals, and museum buildings that take visitors deep into history, and its location on the shores of Lake Geneva adding to its charm, we enjoy a panoramic tour before moving on to Montreux. Montreux, also well known in our national history, is important not only for its Chillon, Blonay, and other castles and historic buildings, but also in the music world due to the presence of a Freddie Mercury statue. After our tour in Montreux, we embark on a unique journey into the Swiss Alps aboard the GOLDENPASS Express. Starting from Montreux, our train ride offers postcard-worthy lake views and mountain silhouettes. After this breathtaking journey through natural landscapes, which ends near Gruyères, we continue our trip to Bern. On the way, guests who wish may join the optional Gruyères Tour (40 Euro). Selected as Switzerland’s most beautiful village in 2014, Gruyères is the birthplace of the world-famous Gruyère cheese. Preserving its medieval character to this day, the village gives its name to the region and its world-famous cheese, and with its flower-adorned houses and streets, it is a fairy-tale village. Located in the upper valley of the Saane River, at an altitude of 800 meters on a hill, and with no vehicle traffic, this village is known not only for its cheese but also for Switzerland’s famous dish fondue. After our panoramic tour in Gruyères, we complete the tour and arrive in Bern. Bern is one of the few cities in Europe that has remained unchanged since the Middle Ages. Thanks to this historic texture, it is included on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. Located within Switzerland and officially German-speaking, Bern also reflects German cultural influence in its architecture. After our city tour in Bern, we head to our hotel in the Alsace/Basel region. Upon arrival at the hotel, check-in and free time to rest. ALSACE / BASEL – (Alsace Pearls: Colmar & Riquewihr Tour) – ISTANBUL After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for Basel Airport for our return flight to Istanbul. On the way, guests who wish may join the optional Alsace Pearls: Colmar & Riquewihr Tour (80 Euro). On this tour, we first head to the fairy-tale city of Colmar, where we will see the Old Customs House, the Pfister House, and the city’s most famous area, Petite Venise (Little Venice), with its colorful houses around the Rhine River. In this unique setting surrounded by the Rhine River and canals, you will have the opportunity to enjoy many delicious foods as well as purchase various souvenirs. Our next stop is Riquewihr, famous for its vineyards, flower-filled balconies, unique rows of shops, cobblestone streets closed to vehicle traffic, buildings that somehow escaped damage during World War II, and charming cafes. With its tower, which houses the Dolder Museum that preserves the city’s story with documents to the present day, Riquewihr is a place that looks straight out of a Grimm fairy tale. After our visit in Riquewihr, we continue our journey to Basel Airport. Upon arrival at the airport, after completing baggage drop-off, check-in, and passport control procedures, we fly to Istanbul at 19:00 on Turkish Airlines scheduled flight TK1926. Arrival at Istanbul Airport at 23:05 local time and end of the tour.