BERNINA EXPRESS A EUROPEAN FAIRY TALE TOUR with Turkish Airlines, 7 nights, noon departure to Milan – evening return from Geneva

ISTANBUL – MILAN – NICE
After completing baggage drop, ticket, and passport control procedures by being ready 3 hours before the flight at Istanbul Airport International Terminal, we fly to Milan at 11:50 on Turkish Airlines’ scheduled flight TK1895. After arriving at Milan Malpensa Airport at 13:35 local time, we meet our private vehicle waiting for us at the airport and depart to organize our Milan city tour. Milan, one of Europe’s fashion capitals, also stands out for its cuisine, opera, and churches. Although known as Italy’s business and financial capital, Milan is also the right address for shopping and dining experiences. During our city tour in Milan, the famous opera house La Scala, Duomo Square and Cathedral, and Porta Romano are among the main places to be seen. After the Milan city tour, we depart for Nice. Upon arrival at our hotel in the Nice region, check-in and free time for 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 our optional extra Cannes & Nice Tour (70 Euro). On this tour, we first head to Cannes. Famous for hosting the annual Cannes Film Festival, Cannes has a sparkling sea and golden beaches. During the city tour in Cannes, we first see the old town, which is the city’s first 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 visiting La Croisette Boulevard, which runs along Cannes’ coast and is home to many luxury restaurants, shops, and hotels, and Meynadier Street, we enjoy free time before arriving in Nice. In our Nice tour, Promenade des Anglais, Nice Port, Massena Square, Flower Market, and the Courthouse are among the places to be seen. After the Nice tour, during the free time to be given, guests who wish may join the optional Eze & Monaco & Monte Carlo Tour (80 Euro). On this tour, our first stop is Eze Village, one of the most famous villages of the Côte d’Azur with its magnificent view, where we visit a perfume factory where you can test many beautiful and famous perfumes and purchase them at affordable prices. After the tour, our second stop is the principality of Monaco, which is, after the Vatican, the world’s smallest state on the French Riviera, and upon arrival we will conduct a panoramic tour of Monte Carlo, the focal point of luxury and splendor. After the tour, we return to our hotel in the Nice region.
NICE – (Portofino Tour by Boat) – OUTLET – MILAN
After breakfast and hotel check-out, we depart for Milan. Along the way, guests who wish may join the optional Portofino Tour by Boat (65 Euro). Portofino, surrounded by colorful houses, is a place whose beauty has inspired songs and is admired for its narrow streets, colorful houses, green hills, and turquoise Mediterranean views. After our Portofino visit, we continue our journey toward Milan. Along the way, we will visit an outlet center. In this famous outlet center, which hosts prestigious brands, cafes, restaurants, and activity areas in Italy, which sets the world fashion trend, we will have free time for pleasant and affordable shopping before continuing to Milan. Upon arrival at our hotel in the Milan region, check-in and free time for rest.
MILAN – ST. MORITZ – BERNINA EXPRESS / RED TRAIN – MILAN
After breakfast, we depart for St. Moritz for the unforgettable and dreamlike train journey on the Bernina railway line. Arriving in St. Moritz, Switzerland’s natural wonder and a favorite destination of the jet set, we will have free time and a short orientation tour before the train departure on the UNESCO World Heritage Bernina railway line. Then we proceed to the station for the unforgettable and enchanting train journey we will take on the Bernina Express / Red Train. Built between 1898 and 1904, this world-famous line, now on the UNESCO World Heritage List, is one of the dreams of many travel enthusiasts. During this fairy-tale journey, we will watch extraordinary landscapes and have the chance to photograph them. After about a 2-hour pleasant train journey, we arrive at Tirano Station and return to our hotel in the Milan region by vehicle waiting for us.
MILAN – (Como & Lugano Tour) – HEIDI’S VILLAGES – ALSACE / BASEL
After breakfast and hotel check-out, we depart for our hotel in the Alsace / Basel region. Along the way, guests who wish may join the optional Como & Lugano Tour (65 Euro). On our tour, we first arrive in Como. Como is a center located in the Lombardy region and stands out with its historical structures and orderly urban layout. City squares, the cathedral, and the shoreline offer visitors a compact and easy-to-explore area. Lake Como is one of Italy’s best-known lakes, and the hills, lakeside settlements, and organized transport network surrounding it complete the region’s natural scenery. The lake area is visited regularly throughout the year and presents a balanced blend of city and nature. In our Como & Lake Como tour, we will first reach Como city center and see the cathedral area, squares, and shoreline from the outside. Then free time will be given on the shores of Lake Como; during this time, visitors may walk around the lake, take photos, or explore the surroundings. After the free time, we arrive at our next stop, Lugano. In Lugano, located within Switzerland, we will take a peaceful walk along the shore of Lake Lugano, which will captivate us with its unique nature, magnificent views, and city park, and enjoy the extraordinary scenery while taking photos. After the tour, we continue our journey to the Alsace / Basel region. Our panoramic route through Heidi’s Villages, which features many scenes from the beloved character Heidi’s childhood memories living with her grandfather and best friend Peter in the Alps, among endless mountains and green meadows, ends with arrival at our hotel in the Alsace / Basel region, check-in, and free time for rest.
ALSACE / BASEL – (Alsace Pearls: Colmar & Riquewihr Tour) – STRASBOURG – FREIBURG – ALSACE / BASEL
After breakfast, we depart for Strasbourg. Along the way, guests who wish may join the optional Alsace Pearls: Colmar & Riquewihr Tour (80 Euro). On our tour, we first go to the fairy-tale city of Colmar, where we will see the Old Customs House, the Pfister House, and the most famous part of the city, 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 find many delicious foods to suit your taste as well as the opportunity to buy many souvenirs. Our next stop is Riquewihr, famous for its vineyard-covered houses, flower-filled balconies, distinctive row of shops, cobblestone streets closed to cars, buildings that somehow escaped damage during World War II, charming cafés, and a tower that includes the Dolder Museum, which preserves the town’s story with documents and brings to mind Grimm fairy tales. After our visit to Riquewihr, we continue to Strasbourg. Strasbourg, located at the border of Germany, Switzerland, and France and also the largest city in the Alsace region, welcomes us like a painting, straight out of a fairy tale. Added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988 and hosting the European Parliament since 1992, Strasbourg will be explored on foot in its traffic-free center and streets during our panoramic city tour, where we will see Gutenberg Square and Statue, Notre Dame Cathedral, the city’s most important structure in the heart of the city, and Kammerzell House, the oldest building in the city, which still operates as a hotel and restaurant. After free time following the Strasbourg tour, we head to Freiburg, one of the finest examples of green urbanism. In Freiburg, where only low-carbon vehicles have been allowed since 2010 and transportation is mainly by tram and bicycle, we will see the traces of the historical and architectural cultures of Germany, France, Austria, Spain, and Sweden, which have ruled the city throughout history. Also known as the capital of the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), our city tour in Freiburg will include the Freiburg Cathedral, the charming streets with small water canals unique to Freiburg, Martin’s Gate from the Middle Ages, and Rathausplatz. After the tour, we return to our hotel in the Alsace region.
ALSACE/BASEL – (Bern & Gruyeres Tour) – LAUSANNE – MONTREUX AND FAIRY-TALE CASTLES – GENEVA
After breakfast and hotel check-out, we depart for Lausanne. Along the way, guests who wish may join the optional Bern & Gruyeres Tour (80 Euro). Our first stop is Bern. Bern is one of the few cities in Europe that has remained unchanged since the Middle Ages. Due to this historical character, it is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Located in Switzerland, where the official language is German, Bern also reflects the influence of German culture in its architecture. After our tour of Bern, we proceed to Gruyeres, our next stop. Selected as Switzerland’s most beautiful village in 2014 and the birthplace of the world-famous Gruyère cheese, Gruyères is a fairy-tale village that has preserved its medieval character unchanged to the present day, giving its name to the region and its world-famous cheese. Located in the upper valley of the Saane River, on a hill at an altitude of 800 meters, and free of vehicle traffic, this village is known not only for its cheese but also for fondue, one of Switzerland’s famous dishes. After our walking tour in Gruyères, we complete the tour and continue toward Lausanne. Lausanne, which holds an important place in our national history because it hosted the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne on 24 July 1923, is also one of the important bishopric centers of the Middle Ages. Lausanne, with its castles, the Château d’Ouchy, palaces, cathedrals, and museum buildings from the Middle Ages, takes visitors deep into history, and its location on the shores of Lake Geneva adds even more appeal. After a short sightseeing tour in Lausanne, we visit Montreux. Montreux, also well known from our national history, is important not only for its castles, historical buildings, and natural beauty but also for the world of music. The song Smoke on the Water tells the story of a casino fire in Montreux, and there is also a statue of Freddie Mercury, who spent the last period of his life working here. After our city tour in Montreux, we see the iconic Chillon Castle panoramically and photograph the postcard-like view. At the end of the tour, we head to Geneva. Known as the “French side of Switzerland,” Geneva, located on the shores of Lake Geneva, is a magnificent city where history, culture, science, and nature come together. The presence of the headquarters of international organizations (CERN, World Health Organization, UEFA, FIFA, United Nations) in Geneva places the city at a central position culturally and administratively. In Geneva, where museums, parks, historical monuments and streets, and clean air come together, the main places to be seen during our tour are St. Pierre Cathedral, Jet d’Eau, the symbol of Geneva rising up to 140 meters, and the Reformation Monument. At the end of the city tour, transfer to our hotel in the Geneva region. Check-in and free time for rest.
GENEVA – (Annecy Tour) – ISTANBUL
After breakfast and hotel check-out, we depart for Geneva Airport for our return flight to Istanbul. Along the way, guests who wish may join the optional Annecy Tour (50 Euro). Known as the “Venice of the Alps” because of the canals and the Thiou River passing through it, Annecy captivates visitors with its canal-based structure and its extraordinary location between the mountains and the lake. During our tour in Annecy, Château d’Annecy, built in the 17th century and restored in 1947, St. Maurice Church, and Palais de l’Isle, a favorite spot for photography enthusiasts, will be seen panoramically. After a short free time on the shores of Annecy Lake, the third largest lake in France, we complete the tour and continue toward Geneva Airport. Upon arrival at the airport and after completing baggage drop, check-in, and passport control procedures, we fly to Istanbul at 19:10 on Turkish Airlines’ scheduled flight TK1920. Arrival at Istanbul Airport at 23:20 local time and end of the tour.