Istanbul (IST)-Stuttgart-Alsace
Meeting our valued guests at the International Departures Terminal of Istanbul Airport at least 3 hours before the flight. Following the ticketing, baggage, and passport procedures, we depart for Stuttgart at 08:30 on Turkish Airlines’ scheduled flight TK1701. We arrive in Stuttgart at 09:35 local time. After completing passport and ticket procedures, we leave the airport to begin our city tour. We then set off for Strasbourg.
Upon arrival, our panoramic city tour begins. Strasbourg holds historical significance as the place where the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise,” was written. It is a city where Alsatian culture blends with French architecture. We visit Strasbourg Cathedral of Notre-Dame, which held the title of the world’s tallest structure until 1874, Rohan Palace, Kléber Square, and the Petit France district, adorned with traditional Alsatian houses. Following the tour, we transfer to our hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Depending on regional availability, accommodation may be provided in nearby cities, such as Mulhouse, Colmar, Strasbourg, Basel, Belfort, or Karlsruhe.
Alsace – Eguisheim – Colmar – Riquewihr – Alsace
After breakfast at the hotel, free time. Guests who wish may join the optional Eguisheim, Colmar and Riquewihr tour (€100). Our first stop is Eguisheim, one of Alsace’s charming villages. As you wander through its narrow, picturesque streets, among houses with beautiful, colorful geraniums hanging from their wooden windows and balconies, you will begin to lose yourself in stories from the past. A member of the “Most Beautiful Villages of France” association since 2003, Eguisheim was chosen as “The Favorite Village of the French” in 2013.
After our visit to Eguisheim, we depart for our second stop, Colmar. With its colorful houses, flower-adorned streets and captivating beauty, Colmar is one of the region’s most enchanting towns and is of great importance as the starting point of the Alsace Wine Route. The canals add even more charm to Colmar. The colorful historic buildings lined along the waterways, dating back to the 1200s, are the city’s most distinctive and remarkable feature. During our tour of Colmar, as we explore its carnival-like streets, we will see Saint Martin’s Cathedral, featuring enormous stork nests, Rue Marchand (Merchant Street), and the Petite Venise district, meaning “Little Venice.”
Our final stop on the tour is Riquewihr, known as Alsace’s most famous village. This charming town, home to 1,200 residents, is visited by 2 million people each year, thanks to the harmony of its two-story Alsatian half-timbered houses, with their varied colors and distinctive designs. You will never tire of taking photographs in this wonderful town, where history, culture and nature blend together. Following the tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
(Depending on the availability and occupancy in the region, accommodation may take place in surrounding cities, such as Mulhouse, Colmar, Strasbourg, Basel, Belfort or Karlsruhe.)
Alsace – Heidelberg – Baden-Baden – Alsace
After breakfast at the hotel, free time. Guests who wish may join the Heidelberg & Baden-Baden tour, which will be organized as an optional excursion by our guide. (85 Euros)
No, not all German cities look alike. If you want to see a truly German city, Heidelberg will welcome you with the harmony of its architecture and nature. It is a tranquil, elegant, refined, and profound city where Hegel wandered the streets deep in thought and which Goethe called his ideal city. Upon arrival, we will take a tour during which we will see Hauptstrasse, Marktplatz Square, the Old Bridge, and Heidelberg Castle (from the outside).
Following our tour, we will depart for our second destination, Baden-Baden. Located near the German-French border, Baden-Baden is an elegant and charming German city surrounded by nature and offers countless opportunities, from thermal baths and cultural and art museums to opera and theaters, as well as a visit to one of Europe’s most famous casinos. The renowned Russian writer Dostoevsky’s novel The Gambler, which includes episodes from his own life, is set in this city. For this reason, Baden-Baden may also appeal to literature lovers.
Following our tour, we will transfer to our hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
(Depending on regional availability, accommodation may take place in nearby cities, such as Mulhouse, Colmar, Strasbourg, Basel, Belfort, or Karlsruhe.)
ALSACE – SCHAFFHAUSEN RHINE FALLS – ZURICH – LUCERNE – ALSACE
After breakfast at the hotel, free time. Guests who wish may join the Schaffhausen Rhine Falls, Zurich & Lucerne tour, organized as an optional excursion by our guide (€110).
Our first stop is the Rhine Falls. Following a walk around Europe’s largest waterfall, which is 150 meters wide and 23 meters high, accompanied by the captivating sound of the water, we depart for Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city. Located on the shores of Lake Zurich and at the foot of the Alps, Zurich welcomes millions of tourists throughout the year with its historical heritage and culture. The city’s history dates back to the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, while its name derives from “Turus.” The city, which was under Roman occupation in the 2nd century AD, was named Turicum. When translated into Swiss German, this name is pronounced “Zuri.” According to the latest data, Zurich is the most livable city in Europe and is also known as Switzerland’s cultural capital.
Upon arrival, we see the Grossmünster and Fraumünster churches, as well as St. Peter’s Church, home to the largest clock face in Europe, before touring Bahnhofstrasse, considered the city’s main shopping district. Following our tour, we depart for Lucerne. In this enchanting city, we see the Lion Monument, built in memory of the 800 Swiss soldiers who were killed while protecting King Louis XVI and his family, the Chapel Bridge, and the magnificent views of Lake Lucerne. We then conclude our tour and transfer to our hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
(Depending on regional availability, accommodation may take place in nearby cities such as Mulhouse, Colmar, Strasbourg, Basel, Belfort, or Karlsruhe.)
ALSACE- MUNICH– ISTANBUL (IST)
After breakfast at the hotel, check out of your rooms. Enjoy free time until the time indicated by your guide. Then, transfer to the airport. Following baggage drop-off and check-in procedures, depart for Istanbul at 18:55 on Turkish Airlines’ scheduled flight TK1636. Arrive at Istanbul Airport at 23:45 local time, marking the end of our tour.