Benelux, Paris, Alsace and Switzerland Tour, 7 Nights

Meet at the departure terminal of Istanbul Airport three hours before the flight. After check-in and baggage drop, you fly to Amsterdam on a scheduled Turkish Airlines service. The flight takes about 3 hours 40 minutes.

On arrival, the Amsterdam city tour begins. The city is known for its canals, museums and lively atmosphere. You see Damrak Square, the Royal Palace and Oude Kerk, the oldest church in Amsterdam.

In the evening you transfer to the hotel for the night in Amsterdam. The rest of the evening is free to rest.

After breakfast, leave the hotel for Marken and Volendam, about an hour from Amsterdam. Both are old fishing villages that show traditional Dutch life.

In Marken you walk among houses built on piles, which are still protected today. On the way you visit a cheese maker and learn how the cheese is made. There is a short break for shopping.

In Volendam you see historic fishermen's houses, museums and craft workshops. Lunch is free time.

You then drive about three hours to Brussels. The city tour covers the Royal Palace, the Grand Place, St. Michael's Cathedral and the Stock Exchange building. Free time follows the tour. In the evening you check in at the hotel for the night in Brussels.

After breakfast and hotel check-out, drive about an hour to Bruges. The UNESCO-protected city is known for its medieval architecture, narrow streets and canals.

The walking tour covers the Grote Markt, the Gothic town hall, the Belfry, the Basilica of the Holy Blood and Minnewater, the Lake of Love. In the free time you can sit in a cafe or have lunch at a local restaurant.

You then drive on to Paris. The first stop there is the Champs-Élysées. There is free time for dinner and shopping. Meet the guide at the agreed time and transfer to the hotel for the night.

After breakfast, leave the hotel to see the main sights of Paris. First you drive through Pigalle, home of the Moulin Rouge. A funicular then takes you up Montmartre hill to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. The district was home to artists such as Van Gogh and Picasso.

There is free time in Montmartre for lunch and exploring. The tour continues through Montparnasse, known for modern art and intellectual life.

You then take a boat tour on the Seine. From the water you see the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, the Alexandre III Bridge, the Musée d'Orsay and the Institut de France.

In the late afternoon you go up to the second level of the Eiffel Tower for views over Paris. You then return to the hotel for a second night in Paris.

After breakfast, check out early and drive to Metz. The journey takes about 3.5 hours. The city changed hands many times between France and Germany, and both cultures leave their mark.

In Metz you see the Germans' Gate, the Gothic Saint-Étienne Cathedral, Place d'Armes, the covered market, and the opera and theatre building.

You then drive about an hour to Luxembourg and start the city tour. The stops are the Casemates du Bock, with the UNESCO-listed ramparts and underground tunnels, Place Guillaume and the Chemin de la Corniche.

There is free time in the old town, which you can use for dinner. In the evening you transfer to the hotel for the night in Luxembourg.

After breakfast, leave early for Strasbourg. The city hosts the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights. The main stops are Notre-Dame Cathedral on the River Ill and the UNESCO-listed Petite France quarter.

You then continue to Colmar in Alsace. Its colourful half-timbered houses, flower-covered balconies and canals make up Petite Venise, one of the highlights of the town.

In the evening you transfer to the hotel for the night in Colmar. After check-in the rest of the evening is free.

After breakfast, drive to Lucerne. The city sits on Lake Lucerne among the mountains, and the River Reuss runs through its centre.

In Lucerne you see the Chapel Bridge, the Lion Monument for the Swiss Guards who died defending the Tuileries Palace in the French Revolution, the Musegg Wall and the Nine Towers.

You then continue to Basel, the third-largest city in Switzerland and a city of many museums. The walking tour covers the red town hall, Basel Minster, built in 1091 and rebuilt after the earthquake of 1356, and Marktplatz, the old market square.

In the evening you transfer to the hotel for the night in Basel. After check-in the rest of the evening is free.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel. Once the guide's free time ends, you leave for the airport at the agreed time.

After check-in and baggage drop, you fly to Istanbul Airport on a scheduled Turkish Airlines service. The tour ends on arrival.