1.Hari İstanbul – Düsseldorf – Amsterdam
Istanbul Airport Domestic/International departures terminal, meeting in front of the Turkish Airlines counter 3 hours before the flight. After baggage, ticket, and passport procedures, departure to Düsseldorf at 06:50 with Turkish Airlines flight TK 1523. Upon arrival at 09:05 local time, we will proceed with our city tour of Düsseldorf, one of Germany’s most important cities for culture, art, and industry. Places to be seen include Rheinturm with its revolving restaurant, Schloss Benrath where many of Germany’s most important thinkers were educated, Königsallee shopping street, and the green areas of Hofgarten. After the tour, we continue to Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, which borders Germany to the east and Belgium to the south, our city tour will include 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.
2.Hari Amsterdam – Zaanse Schans – Marken – Volendam – Giethoorn – Amsterdam
After breakfast at the hotel, guests who wish may join the optional Glittering Fairy-Tale Villages and Canal tour (Zaanse Schans & Marken & Volendam & Giethoorn Hobbit Village) for 100 Euro. The tour begins in Zaanse Schans. Zaanse Schans, one of Holland’s hidden paradise towns, is famous for its historic windmills dating back to the 17th century, which are still operating today, and its pristine nature. With its historical windmills and wooden houses, you will feel as if you are visiting an open-air museum in the beautiful Dutch town of Zaanse Schans. Our second stop is Marken. After exploring this amazing island, which used to be an island but was later connected to the mainland by filled land, we head to Volendam. Volendam, with its harbor, characteristic Dutch houses, and traditionally dressed locals, is a place that immediately captivates visitors. In this town, where you can taste delicious seafood and cheeses and buy inexpensive souvenirs, we will have a pleasant time before our final stop, Giethoorn Hobbit Village. Considered one of the most beautiful places in the world, Giethoorn is one of Europe’s most fairy-tale-like destinations. Its popularity increased after the 1958 film “Fanfare” was shot here, and it now welcomes more than 800,000 tourists annually. After the tour, transfer back to our hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
3.Hari Amsterdam – Brugge – Gent – Brussels
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Brussels. En route, guests who wish may join the optional Glittering Cities Brugge & Gent tour for 75 Euro. Our first stop is the magnificent Brugge. Today, Brugge is among the most visited cities in Europe and was designated a UNESCO protected site in 1991. With its medieval architecture, canals, narrow streets, bridges, historical buildings, and squares, it has become one of Europe’s favorites. After touring this beautiful city, we head to Gent, another city where time seems to stand still. With a history of 1,400 years, Gent was built at the confluence of the Schelde and Lys rivers and was one of the largest and richest cities of the Middle Ages. Known for its medieval monuments and university, after our tour here we continue to Brussels. Brussels, one of the most striking stops on Benelux tours, stands out with its cosmopolitan character. Thanks to its diverse structure, the city offers many different opportunities to travelers, and we will visit its valuable landmarks. Upon arrival, 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.
4.Hari Brussels – Paris
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Paris, one of the most romantic cities in the world. Upon arrival in Paris, places to be seen include Charles de Gaulle and the Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, the Louvre Museum and Pyramid, Etoile Square, the Grand Palais and Petit Palais exhibition halls, Concorde Square 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.
5.Hari Paris
After breakfast at the hotel, guests who wish may join the optional Glittering Paris Masterpieces & Seine River Cruise tour (Eiffel Tower & Seine River Cruise & Montmartre Artists’ Hill & Sacré-Cœur Basilica & Notre Dame Cathedral) for 100 Euro. Our first stop is the Eiffel Tower, the city’s iconic landmark visited by millions of tourists every year. We will go up to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower and have the chance to see Paris from above. Then we take a boat tour on the Seine River, which divides Paris in two. After seeing the historical buildings on both banks of the river, we take the cable car up to Montmartre Hill, the highest hill in Paris. The first place to be seen on this hill, where traces of important artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Dalida, Vincent van Gogh, and Jean Marais can be found, will be the Sacré-Cœur Basilica (Church of the Sacred Heart). After seeing this structure up close, we will have a break at Tertre Square where you can shop and have your portrait drawn, then visit Notre Dame Cathedral, a symbol of French history and an indispensable part of Paris’s silhouette. Notre Dame Cathedral was built by order of King Louis VII, who ruled between 1137 and 1180, to show Paris’s political, economic, and cultural power to the world. After seeing this magnificent structure, we take a short photo break. Then transfer back to our hotel. In the evening, guests who wish may join the optional Glittering Paris by Night tour for 30 Euro. Paris is beautiful both by day and by night. On this tour, you will have the chance to see Champs-Élysées, Concorde Square, the Louvre Museum, and many other boulevards, buildings, and squares illuminated at night. After the tour, transfer back to our hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
6.Hari Paris – Luxembourg
After breakfast at the hotel, we set out 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 Glittering History and Mosaics tour (Trier & Remich & Schengen) for 55 Euro. Our first stop is Trier, founded by the Romans in 15 BC and known as the oldest city in Germany. Located in the Moselle Wine Region among low red sandstone hills covered with vines along the Moselle River, Trier’s city tour includes Porta Nigra, the largest surviving Roman city gate north of the Alps; Roman remains within the UNESCO World Heritage area; St. Peter’s Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady; the Constantine Basilica; and the house where Karl Marx, the father of scientific socialism, was born. After Trier, we head to Remich, the cheapest shopping stop on our tour, a tax-free town. Due to Luxembourg’s low-tax policies and 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 that abolished passport controls among European Union member states was signed. In this important wine region of Europe, 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.
7.Hari 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 you explore Strasbourg, you will feel as if you are traveling back in time through Europe’s largest medieval cobblestone neighborhoods. With its fairytale-like nature and historical buildings, wooden houses, medieval churches, cathedrals, and many works of art, it is truly worth seeing. Strasbourg also has historical significance as the place where the French national anthem “La Marseillaise” was written, and it appears as a city where Alsace culture and French architecture blend harmoniously. During our city tour, Strasbourg Cathedral, 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 Fairy-Tale Villages of Alsace tour (Eguisheim & Colmar & Kaysersberg & Riquewihr) for 100 Euro. In this tour, where you will want to take photos at every opportunity, our first stop will be Eguisheim. Named the “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 a postcard-perfect view. After the tour, we continue to Colmar, famous for its medieval buildings, Gothic churches, and colorful houses. While strolling through Colmar’s well-preserved streets, you will see the Saint Martin Cathedral made entirely of pink stone, Little Venice with its small canals reminiscent of Italy’s Venice, Maison Pfister, one of Colmar’s oldest houses, and Maison des Tetes, a Renaissance building decorated with heads. Our third stop is Kaysersberg. Kaysersberg is a charming medieval town in the Alsace region of France. It is famous for its colorful houses, narrow streets, and historical atmosphere. In particular, the 13th-century Château de Kaysersberg castle is one of the town’s most notable landmarks. Sainte-Croix Church in the town center also draws attention 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 enchants visitors with its old houses decorated with colorful flowers, narrow streets, and medieval atmosphere surrounded by walls. During our tour, we will also see the ruins of Riquewihr Castle and walk along the old town walls to feel the medieval ambiance. After the tour, transfer to our hotel in Strasbourg or the surrounding area. Overnight at the hotel.
8.Hari Strasbourg – Freiburg – Basel
After breakfast at the hotel, check-out from the rooms and depart for Freiburg. Freiburg, Germany’s fourth-largest city, is located near the Black Forest and is a medieval city that fascinates visitors with its natural beauty and historical atmosphere. During our city tour here, 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 continue to Basel. Upon arrival, our city tour begins. Basel, Switzerland’s third most populous city after Zurich and Geneva, is a magnificent city that combines both modern and historical textures; although small in area, it contains many treasures. During our city tour here, places to be seen include Basel Cathedral, where the tomb 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, departure to Istanbul at 18:55 with Turkish Airlines flight TK1926. Arrival in Istanbul at 23:05 local time, and end of the tour.