A European Fairy Tale Tour from İzmir with the Bernina Express by SunExpress Airlines, 7 nights, Milan Departure – Milan Return

IZMIR – MILAN – (Como Tour)
We arrive at Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport International Terminal 3 hours before our flight and, after baggage drop-off, ticketing, and passport control, we fly to Milan at 11:35 on SunExpress Airlines’ direct scheduled flight XQ892. Upon arrival at Milan Malpensa Airport at 12:40 local time, we depart for Milan city center to organize our city tour. Milan, one of Europe’s fashion capitals, is also known 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, the famous opera house La Scala, Duomo Square and Cathedral, and Porta Romano are among the main places to be seen. At the end of the Milan city tour, we head to our hotel. Along the way, guests who wish may join the optional Como Tour (50 Euro). On this tour, we visit Lake Como, famous for its luxury lifestyle and natural beauty, home to holiday villas of Hollywood celebrities, Europe’s wealthy, and the world jet set, and after a photo break with the lake’s unique view, we continue our journey to our hotel in the Milan region. Upon arrival at the hotel, room assignment and free time to rest.
MILAN – BERNINA EXPRESS / RED TRAIN – ST. MORITZ – ALSACE / BASEL
After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for an unforgettable and enchanting train journey on the Bernina railway line, a UNESCO World Heritage site, aboard the Bernina Express / Red Train. During this magical journey on the world-famous Bernina Train, built between 1898 and 1904 and now included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, we will enjoy extraordinary scenery and have the chance to photograph it. After approximately a 2-hour pleasant train ride, we arrive at St. Moritz Station. Following a short free time and sightseeing in St. Moritz, Switzerland’s natural wonder and a favorite destination of the jet set, we travel with our waiting vehicle to the hotel in the Alsace/Basel region. Upon arrival at our hotel, room assignment and free time to 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 this tour, we first visit Colmar, the fairy-tale town, where we will see the Old Customs House, the Pfister House, and Petite Venise (Little Venice), the city’s most famous area 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 according to your taste as well as buy many souvenirs. Our next stop in the Alsace region is Riquewihr, surrounded by vineyards, famous for its flower-decorated balconies, unique row of shops, cobblestone streets closed to traffic, buildings that somehow survived World War II without damage, and charming cafés; with its tower housing the Dolder Museum, which preserves the town’s story through documents, it resembles a Grimm fairy tale. After our visit to Riquewihr, we continue our journey to Strasbourg. Located on the borders of Germany, Switzerland, and France, and also the largest city in the Alsace region, Strasbourg 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’s car-free center and streets will be explored on foot during our panoramic city tour, during which Gutenberg Square and its 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, are among the places we will see. After some free time in Strasbourg, we continue to Freiburg, one of the finest examples of green urbanism. In Freiburg, where only low-carbon-emission vehicles have been allowed since 2010 and transportation is largely provided by tram and bicycle, it is possible to see traces of the historical and architectural cultures of Germany, France, Austria, Spain, and Sweden, under whose rule the city has been throughout history. In our city tour of Freiburg, also known as the capital of the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), we will see 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 return to our hotel in the Alsace / Basel region.
ALSACE/BASEL – (Bern & Gruyeres Tour) – LAUSANNE and FAIRY-TALE CASTLES – GENEVA
After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for Lausanne. Along the way, guests who wish may join the optional Bern & Gruyeres Tour (80 Euro). On this tour, we first arrive in 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 on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Located in Switzerland and where the official language is German, Bern also reflects German culture in its architecture. After our visit around Bern, situated along the Aare River, we head to our second stop, Gruyeres. Selected as the most beautiful village in Switzerland in 2014 and the homeland of the world-famous Gruyère cheese, Gruyères is a fairytale village that has preserved its medieval character to this day, gave its name to the region and its world-famous cheese, and is adorned with flower-filled houses and streets. Located on a hill at an altitude of 800 meters in the upper valley of the Saane River, this traffic-free village is known not only for its cheese but also for Switzerland’s famous fondue. After our sightseeing in Gruyères, we continue our journey to Lausanne. Lausanne holds a very important place in our national history because it hosted the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne on July 24, 1923. It is also one of the important episcopal centers of the Middle Ages. With its castles from the Middle Ages, Château d’Ouchy, palaces, cathedrals, and museum buildings, Lausanne takes visitors deep into history, and its appeal is further enhanced by its location on the shores of Lake Geneva. After a short sightseeing tour in Lausanne, we depart for a city tour of Geneva. Known as “the French side of Switzerland” and located on the shores of Lake Geneva, Geneva is an extraordinary city where history, culture, science, and nature come together. The presence of international organizations such as CERN, the World Health Organization, UEFA, FIFA, and the United Nations gives Geneva a central position culturally and administratively. During our tour of Geneva, where museums, parks, historic monuments, streets, and clean air come together, the St. Pierre Cathedral, the Jet d’Eau fountain, which has become a symbol of Geneva and rises up to 140 meters, and the Reformation Wall are among the main places to be seen. At the end of the city tour, transfer to our hotel in the Geneva region. Room assignment and free time to rest.
GENEVA – (Annecy Tour) – NICE
After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for Nice. 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 running through it and the Thiou River, Annecy captivates visitors with its network of canals and its unusual location between the mountains and the lake. During our sightseeing tour, Château d’Annecy, built in the 17th century and restored in 1947, St. Maurice Church, and Palais de l’Isle, a favorite spot for photographers, are among the places to be seen panoramically. After the tour, we continue our journey to Nice. Upon arrival at our hotel in the Nice region, room assignment and free time to rest.
NICE – (Cannes & St. Paul de Vence & Nice Tour) – (Monaco & Monte Carlo & Eze Tour)
After breakfast, we offer a full day of free time. During this free time, guests who wish may join the optional Cannes & St. Paul de Vence & Nice Tour (85 Euro). On this tour, we first depart for Cannes. Famous for hosting the Cannes Film Festival during the summer months, Cannes has a sparkling sea and golden sandy beaches. During our city tour in Cannes, we first see the old town, the city’s original settlement. During our walk through the narrow, winding, traffic-free streets of the old town, we will have the chance to see souvenir shops and shop. After our visit to La Croisette Boulevard, lined with many luxury restaurants, shops, and hotels, and Meynadier Street, we head to our second stop on the Mega Côte d’Azur Tour, Saint Paul de Vence. Located on a hill with magnificent views, Saint Paul de Vence is a medieval-style village whose center features a historic fountain dating back to 1615. Around the fountain, in the narrow streets connecting one another, there are art galleries selling works by famous painters, as well as shops offering region-specific olive oil, lavender, soap, and handicrafts. After our pleasant sightseeing in St. Paul de Vence, we arrive at Nice, the last stop of our tour. In our Nice tour, Promenade des Anglais, Nice Port, Massena Square, Flower Market, and the Courthouse are among the places to be seen. At the end of the tour, free time is provided. Guests who wish may join the optional Monaco & Monte Carlo & Eze Tour (75 Euro). On this tour, we first visit Eze Village, one of the most famous villages on the Côte d’Azur with its magnificent view, where we will visit a perfume factory where you can test and purchase beautiful and famous perfumes at affordable prices. Then we continue to Monaco, after the Vatican the world’s smallest state, on the French Riviera, and then to Monte Carlo, the center of luxury and glamour, where we will arrange sightseeing tours. At the end of the tour, we return to our hotel in the Nice region.
NICE – (Portofino Tour) – OUTLET – MILAN
After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for our visit to the outlet center in the Milan region. Along the way, guests who wish may join the optional Portofino Tour (65 Euro). On this tour, we reach Portofino by public transportation. Surrounded by colorful houses, Portofino, which has inspired songs with all its beauty, enchants visitors with its narrow streets, colorful houses, green hills, and turquoise Mediterranean scenery. After our Portofino tour, we continue our journey to the Milan Outlet shopping center, where we can find products from world-famous brands at affordable prices, and upon arrival we provide free time for shopping. After the outlet visit, we head to our hotel in the Milan region. Upon arrival, room assignment and free time to rest.
MILAN – IZMIR
After breakfast and check-out from the hotel, we depart for Milan Malpensa Airport for our return flight to Izmir. After baggage drop-off, ticketing, and passport control, we fly to Izmir at 13:40 on SunExpress Airlines’ direct scheduled flight XQ893. Arrival at Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport at 18:25 local time, and the end of our tour.