BERNINA EXPRESS A European Fairytale Tour with Turkish Airlines, 7 nights, morning Basel departure – evening Basel return

ISTANBUL – BASEL – STRASBOURG – FREIBURG – ALSACE / BASEL After completing baggage drop-off, ticketing, and passport control procedures at Istanbul Airport International Terminal, and arriving 3 hours before the flight, we fly to Basel on Turkish Airlines scheduled flight TK1923 at 07:40. Upon arrival at Basel Airport at 09:45 local time, we meet our private vehicle waiting for us at the airport and depart for Strasbourg. Strasbourg, located on the border of Germany, Switzerland, and France and also the largest city in the Alsace region, welcomes us like something out of a fairy tale, with the beauty of a painting. During our panoramic city tour on foot through Strasbourg’s vehicle-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 its statue, Notre Dame Cathedral, the city’s most important structure located in the very heart of the city, and Kammerzell House, the city’s oldest building, which still operates today as a hotel and restaurant. After free time in Strasbourg, we head to Freiburg, one of the leading examples of green urbanism. In Freiburg, the city of happy people, where since 2010 only low-carbon vehicles are allowed and transportation is mainly by tram and bicycle, we will be able to see traces of the historical and architectural cultures of Germany, France, Austria, Spain, and Sweden, under whose patronage the city has fallen throughout history. During our city tour in Freiburg, also known as the capital of the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), we will see Freiburg Cathedral, the small water channels unique to Freiburg that line its charming streets, 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 / BASEL – ST. MORITZ – BERNINA EXPRESS / RED TRAIN – MILAN After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for St. Moritz for the unforgettable and dreamlike train journey we will experience on the Bernina Express & Red Train. Upon arrival in St. Moritz, Switzerland’s natural wonder and a favorite destination of the jet set, we will have a short period of free time and a local sightseeing tour before beginning our journey on the Bernina train. During the world-famous Bernina Train ride, built between 1898 and 1904 and now included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List, a journey that many travelers dream of, we will enjoy extraordinary views and have the chance to photograph them. After approximately 2 hours of pleasant train travel, we arrive at Tirano Station. From Tirano station, we continue to our hotel in the Milan region by the vehicle waiting for us. Upon arrival at our hotel, check-in and free time to rest. MILAN – OUTLET – (Milan Masterpieces and Como Tour) After breakfast, we depart for our outlet center visit. We will offer free time at the outlet center, which is home to stylish stores of world-famous prestigious brands, cafes and restaurants, and personal activity areas, for quality shopping at affordable prices. During this free time, guests who wish may join our optional Milan Masterpieces and Como Tour (80 Euro). Milan, one of Europe’s fashion capitals, is also notable for its cuisine, opera, and churches. Although known as Italy’s business and financial capital, it is also the right address for shopping and dining. During our city tour in Milan, we will see the famous opera house La Scala, Duomo Square and Cathedral, and Porta Romano among the main highlights. After a short free time following the Milan Masterpieces Tour, we head to Como for the second part of our tour. Upon arrival, we will visit Lake Como, famous for hosting the summer homes of Hollywood celebrities, European elites, and the world jet set, and known for its luxury lifestyle and natural beauty, and we will have a photo stop with the lake’s unique view. After free time in Como, we complete our tour and return to our hotel in the Milan region. MILAN – (Portofino Tour by Boat) – NICE After breakfast and hotel check-out, we depart for Nice. Along the way, guests who wish may join our 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 excursion, 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 our 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 will first see the old town, the city’s first settlement. During our walk through the narrow, winding, traffic-free streets of the old town, we will have the opportunity to see souvenir shops and shop. After visiting La Croisette Boulevard, lined with many luxury restaurants, shops, and hotels, and Meynadier Street, we reach Nice after free time. On our Nice tour, we will see Promenade des Anglais, Nice Port, Massena Square, Flower Market, and the Courthouse. During the free time following our Nice tour, guests who wish may join our 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 and purchase beautiful and famous perfumes at affordable prices. After the tour, our second stop is the principality of Monaco, after the Vatican the world’s smallest state, located on the French Riviera, and 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 hotel check-out, we depart for Geneva. During our journey amid magnificent natural scenery, with views of Mont Blanc, known as the roof of Europe, on the common borders of France, Switzerland, and Italy, guests who wish may join our optional Annecy Tour (50 Euro). Annecy, known as the “Venice of the Alps” thanks to the canals and the Thiou River flowing through it, fascinates visitors with its canal-based structure and extraordinary location between the mountains and the lake. During our tour, Château d’Annecy, built in the 17th century and restored in 1947, St. Maurice Church, and Palais de l’Isle, a highlight 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 complete our tour and continue our journey to Geneva. Upon arrival at our hotel in the Geneva region, check-in and free time to rest. GENEVA – BERN – (Train Tour of Swiss Alpine Villages: Interlaken & Lauterbrunnen) – ALSACE / BASEL After breakfast and hotel check-out, we take a city tour of Geneva. Known as the “French city 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 makes Geneva a central city culturally and administratively. During our tour of Geneva, where museums, parks, historic monuments and streets, and fresh air come together, we will see St. Pierre Cathedral, the Jet d’Eau fountain, which has become a symbol of Geneva and rises up to 140 meters, and the Reformation Monument. After the city tour, we depart for Bern. Bern is one of the few cities in Europe that has remained unchanged since the Middle Ages. Because of this historical texture, it is included on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. Bern, located within Switzerland and whose official language is German, also shows the influence of German culture in its architecture. After our tour of Bern, during free time guests who wish may join our optional Train Tour of Swiss Alpine Villages: Interlaken & Lauterbrunnen (80 Euro). Our first stop on the tour will be Interlaken. Named “inter-lakes” because of its location between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, Interlaken is famous for its natural beauty and the breathtaking views of that beauty. Important hotels, casinos, and shopping streets in the region are located along the route we will walk. Victoria Jungfrau Hotel and Höhematte Park, two of the city’s historical symbols, will be seen panoramically. After free time for photos and sightseeing, we move to the train station for the next stop of our tour, Lauterbrunnen. After about a 20-minute journey by train from Interlaken, we arrive in Lauterbrunnen. We will feel the deep structure of the valley and the steep rock walls as we exit the station. Walking toward the village center, we will panoramically see the fascinating form of Staubbach Falls hanging down toward the valley floor and have the chance to photograph it. Lauterbrunnen is known for its valley lined with small settlements and walking paths, home to 72 waterfalls. During our walk along the designated route within the village, we will take plenty of photos of the region’s traditional chalet architecture, the natural formations surrounding the valley floor, and the wonderful natural scenery that feels like paradise. We return to Interlaken and complete our tour. After the tour, we head to our hotel in the Alsace/Basel region. Upon arrival at our hotel in the Alsace/Basel region, check-in and free time to rest. ALSACE / BASEL – (Alsace Pearls: Colmar & Riquewihr Tour) – ISTANBUL After breakfast and hotel check-out, we depart for Basel Airport for our return flight to Istanbul. Along the way, guests who wish may join our optional Alsace Pearls: Colmar & Riquewihr Tour (80 Euro). On our tour, we first go to the fairy-tale town 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 have the opportunity to taste many delicious foods according to your preference and buy many souvenirs. Our next stop in Alsace is Riquewihr, a town famous for its vineyards, flower-filled balconies, unique rows of shops, car-free cobblestone streets, buildings that somehow survived World War II without damage, and charming cafes, with its tower housing the Dolder Museum, which preserves the town’s history with documents, and which resembles a Grimm fairy tale. After our visit to Riquewihr, we continue our journey to Basel Airport. Upon arrival at the airport, after completing baggage drop-off, check-in, and passport control, we fly to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines scheduled flight TK1926 at 19:10. Arrival at Istanbul Airport at 23:15 local time and end of the tour.