Splendid Four Benelux & France & Germany & Switzerland 7 Nights - with THY - May 19 Special

Day 1 İstanbul – Düsseldorf – Amsterdam Meeting 3 hours before the flight at the Turkish Airlines counter in the international departures terminal of Istanbul Airport. After baggage, ticket, and passport procedures, we depart on Turkish Airlines flight TK 1523 at 06:50 to Düsseldorf. Upon arrival at 09:05 local time, we meet our vehicle waiting at the airport and begin our city tour of Düsseldorf, one of Germany’s most important cities of culture, art, and industry. Among the places to be seen are the revolving restaurant Rheinturm, Schloss Benrath, where some of Germany’s most important thinkers were educated, the shopping avenue Königsallee, and the lush gardens of Hofgarten. After the tour, we head to Amsterdam. Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, which borders Germany to the east and Belgium to the south, will be explored on a city tour including Dam Square, Central Station, the National Monument, the Royal Palace, the Flower Market, and the Red Light District. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at the hotel. Day 2 Amsterdam – Zaanse Schans – Marken – Volendam – Giethoorn – Amsterdam After breakfast at the hotel, our guests who wish may join the optional Magnificent Fairy-Tale Villages and Water Canals tour (Zaanse Schans & Marken & Volendam & Giethoorn Hobbit Village). (100 Euro) Our tour begins with Zaanse Schans. One of the hidden paradises of the Netherlands, Zaanse Schans is a famous Dutch village with historic windmills dating back to the 17th century that are still working, and pristine nature. With its historic windmills and wooden houses, Zaanse Schans offers beauties unlike anywhere else in the world and will make you feel as though you are walking through an open-air museum. Our second stop is Marken. After visiting this wonderful former island, which was later connected to the mainland, we continue to Volendam. Volendam is a place that 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, we spend a pleasant time before our final stop, Giethoorn Hobbit Village. Giethoorn, considered one of the most beautiful spots in the world, is one of Europe’s most fairy-tale-like places. It gained popularity after being used as the filming location for the 1958 movie “Fanfare,” and its fame has continued to grow, welcoming over 800,000 tourists annually. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at the hotel. Day 3 Amsterdam – Brugge – Ghent – Brussels After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Brussels. On the way, guests who wish may join the optional Magnificent Cities Brugge & Ghent tour. (75 Euro) Our first stop is the stunningly beautiful Brugge. Today, Brugge is among the most visited cities in Europe and was placed under UNESCO protection in 1991. With its medieval architecture, canals, narrow streets, bridges, historic buildings, and squares, it has become one of Europe’s jewels. After touring this beautiful city, we head 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 one of the largest and richest cities of the Middle Ages. Famous for its historic monuments and university dating back to the Middle Ages, we continue our tour there before departing for Brussels. Brussels, one of the most remarkable stops on Benelux tours, stands out with its cosmopolitan character. Thanks to its diverse structure, it offers travelers many different experiences, and we will visit its valuable landmarks. Upon arrival, the places to be seen include the Royal Palace, the 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 at the hotel. Day 4 Brussels – Paris After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Paris, one of the most romantic cities in the world. Upon arrival in Paris, the places to be seen include the Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, Louvre Museum and Pyramid, Place de l’Étoile, Grand Palais and Petit Palais exhibition palaces, Place de la Concorde 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. Overnight at the hotel. Day 5 Paris After breakfast at the hotel, guests who wish may join the optional Magnificent Paris Masterpieces & Seine River Cruise tour (Eiffel Tower & Seine River Cruise & Montmartre Artists’ Hill & Sacré-Cœur Basilica & Notre-Dame Cathedral). (100 Euro) Our first stop is the Eiffel Tower, the city’s iconic landmark visited by millions of tourists every year. You will have the chance to go up to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower and see Paris from above. Then we take a boat tour on the Seine River, which divides Paris in two. After seeing the historical landmarks along both banks of the river, we head by cable car to Montmartre Hill, the highest hill in Paris. On this hill, where traces of important artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Dalida, Vincent van Gogh, and Jean Marais can be found, the first place to see is the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. After seeing this structure up close, we have a break at Place du Tertre, where you can shop and have your portrait drawn. Then we visit Notre-Dame Cathedral, a symbol of French history and an indispensable part of Paris’s skyline. Notre-Dame Cathedral was built by order of King Louis VII, who reigned between 1137 and 1180, to show the world Paris’s political, economic, and cultural power. After seeing this magnificent structure, we take a short photo break. Then transfer to our hotel. In the evening, guests who wish may join the optional Paris Under the Lights tour. (30 Euro) Paris is beautiful both by day and by night. On this tour, you will have the opportunity to see Champs-Élysées, Place de la Concorde, the Louvre Museum, and many more boulevards, buildings, and squares illuminated at night. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at the hotel. Day 6 Paris – Luxembourg After breakfast at the hotel, we set off for Luxembourg. Upon arrival, our Luxembourg city tour begins. Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Ducal Palace, City Hall, and Constitution Square are among the places to be seen. After the tour, guests who wish may join the optional Magnificent History and Mosaics tour (Trier & Remich & Schengen). (55 Euro) Our first stop is Trier, founded by the Romans in 15 BC and known as Germany’s oldest city. Located in the Moselle Wine Region among low red sandstone hills covered with vineyards along the Moselle River, our city tour in Trier will include Porta Nigra, the largest surviving Roman city gate north of the Alps; the Roman remains within the UNESCO World Heritage site; St. Peter’s Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady; Constantine’s Basilica; and the house where Karl Marx, the father of scientific socialism, was born. After our Trier visit, we proceed to Remich, a tax-free town where you can shop at the lowest prices during the tour. Thanks to Luxembourg’s low-tax policies and its border location, you can buy products such as chocolate, coffee, and alcoholic beverages very cheaply here. Finally, we visit Schengen, the point where the borders of Germany, France, and Luxembourg meet, and where the agreement removing passport controls between EU member states was signed. In this village, one of Europe’s important wine regions, you will have the chance to taste local wines and see the monument and building where the Schengen Agreement was signed. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at the hotel. Day 7 Luxembourg – Strasbourg After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Strasbourg, one of France’s most beautiful cities and the pearl of the Alsace region. As we explore Strasbourg, you will feel as if you are traveling back in time through Europe’s largest medieval cobblestone districts. With its fairytale-like nature and historic buildings, timber-framed houses, medieval churches and cathedrals, and many works of art, it is well worth seeing. Strasbourg also has historical importance as the place where the French national anthem “La Marseillaise” was written, and it appears before us as a city where Alsace culture and French architecture blend together. During our city tour, Strasbourg Cathedral, the Rohan Palace, Kleber Square, and the Petit France district adorned with traditional Alsace houses are among the places to be seen. After the tour, guests who wish may join the optional Fairytale Villages of Alsace tour (Eguisheim & Colmar & Kaysersberg & Riquewihr). (100 Euro) In this tour, where we will want to take photos at every opportunity from start to finish, our first stop will be Eguisheim. Named “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 Eguisheim’s postcard-like appearance. After the tour, we head to Colmar, famous for its medieval buildings, Gothic churches, and colorful houses. As we walk through Colmar’s well-preserved streets, the fully pink-stone-built St. Martin Cathedral, Little Venice with its canals reminiscent of Venice in Italy, the Maison Pfister, one of Colmar’s oldest houses, and the Maison des Têtes, a Renaissance building decorated with heads, are among the places to be seen. Our third stop is Kaysersberg. Kaysersberg is a charming part of the Alsace region, a medieval town in France known for its colorful houses, narrow streets, and historic atmosphere. In particular, the 13th-century Château de Kaysersberg castle is the town’s most prominent landmark. Sainte-Croix Church in the town center also stands out with its Gothic architecture. Our final stop is Riquewihr, one of the most enchanting towns in Alsace, with many half-timbered houses that add to its charm. This historic village captivates visitors with its old houses decorated with colorful flowers, narrow streets, and medieval walled atmosphere. On our tour, we will also see the ruins of Riquewihr Castle and walk along the old walls of the village to feel the medieval atmosphere. After the tour, transfer to our hotel in Strasbourg or the surrounding area. Overnight at the hotel. Day 8 Strasbourg – Freiburg – Basel After breakfast at the hotel, we check out and depart for Freiburg. Freiburg, Germany’s fourth-largest city, is located near the Black Forest and is a medieval city rich in history that fascinates visitors with its natural beauty. On our city tour here, the places to be seen include Münster Cathedral, one of the best examples of Gothic architecture and the city’s symbol; Markthalle (Covered Market); Münsterplatz (Main Square); Rathausplatz; Kaiser Joseph Street; Augustiner Platz; Adelhauser Platz; and Gerberau. After the tour, we proceed to Basel. Upon arrival, our city tour begins. Basel, Switzerland’s third most populous city after Zurich and Geneva, is a wonderful city that combines both modern and historical textures and, although small in area, contains many treasures. During our city tour here, the places to be seen include Basel Cathedral, where the grave of the famous Renaissance writer Erasmus of Rotterdam is located; Marktplatz, the city’s main square; the Government Building; and Hotel Les Trois Rois. After the tour, we head to Basel Airport. Following baggage, ticket, and passport procedures, we depart for Istanbul on Turkish Airlines flight TK1926 at 18:55. Arrival at 23:05 local time and the end of the tour.