CHRISTMAS MARKETS ALONG THE IMPERIAL ROUTE – ISTANBUL

Please arrive at Tocumen International Airport 3 hours prior to departure to board flight TK-801, departing Panama at 18:45 hrs. Overnight on board.

We will take connecting flight TK-1723 at 16:55 hrs. bound for Berlin. Arrival at Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt International Airport at 17:45 hrs. Reception and assisted transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.

Breakfast. In the morning, we will enjoy a panoramic tour that will allow you to become familiar with the main monuments and historical landmarks of this city, until recently divided and a symbol of German reunification. You will discover the Brandenburg Gate, the Parliament or Reichstag, Potsdamer Platz, Alexanderplatz, Kurfürstendamm Avenue, and the remains of the wall that divided the city until 1989. During the month of December, you may visit some of the traditional Christmas markets set up throughout the city, such as the one at Gendarmenmarkt, one of the most famous. Free afternoon with the possibility of taking an optional excursion to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Departure towards the region of Saxony to reach Dresden, its former capital on the banks of the Elbe River, a cultural city that rose again after the bombings of World War II. Free time to explore its historic center and visit, if you wish, the traditional Striezelmarkt Christmas market, one of the oldest in Germany. Continuation towards the Czech Republic until reaching Prague. Panoramic city tour visiting the Old Town Square with its Town Hall, the famous Astronomical Clock from 1410 whose figures move every hour, the Church of Our Lady before Týn, St. Nicholas Church, the Powder Tower, Wenceslas Square, and the Estates Theatre. Accommodation. (The panoramic tour may take place on Friday due to circumstances beyond our control).

Breakfast. Free day at your disposal to continue exploring the city or participate in an optional visit such as Castle Hill, where you can admire St. Vitus Cathedral, Golden Lane, the Imperial Palace, the Church of Our Lady Victorious, famous for housing the image of the Infant Jesus of Prague, and finish at the iconic Charles Bridge. During the month of December, do not miss the Christmas market at Old Town Square, with its magical atmosphere, lights, and traditional stalls. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Departure towards Brno and continuation to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Brief stop to stroll through its charming streets, discover its popular sculptures, St. Martin’s Cathedral, and Michael’s Gate. At this time of year, if the calendar allows, you can enjoy the festive atmosphere of its Christmas market in the Main Square. Continuation towards Hungary until reaching Budapest. Accommodation. Free time with the possibility of optionally taking an evening excursion to discover illuminated Budapest from Gellért Hill, as well as enjoying a cruise along the Danube River.

Breakfast. Panoramic tour of this unique city, formed by the union in 1873 of the former cities of Buda and Pest, also known as the Pearl of the Danube. We will visit the Buda area, with Castle Hill, the Royal Palace, Matthias Church, and Fisherman’s Bastion, and Pest, the modern and commercial side, where the Parliament, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and Heroes’ Square are located. Take advantage of your free time to visit the traditional Advent market at Vörösmarty Square, recognized as one of the most beautiful in Central Europe. In the evening, you may participate in an optional folklore dinner featuring traditional Hungarian cuisine and a traditional dance show. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Departure towards the Austrian border to reach Vienna. Tour of the former capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, visiting the Hofburg imperial area, Heroes’ Square, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Ringstrasse Avenue with the Opera House, Parliament, City Hall, and the Danube River. We will make a stop at Belvedere Palace to admire its gardens. We will finish our tour in the Opera House area. At this time of year, Vienna shines with its many Christmas markets, such as the one located in front of City Hall, where you will find traditional stalls, decorations, sweets, and Advent music. In the afternoon, you may optionally attend a concert of waltzes and polkas in a Viennese palace featuring works by Strauss and Mozart. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Free day at your disposal to continue enjoying the Christmas markets of this wonderful city, strolling through the historic center and its elegant avenues.

Breakfast. At the indicated time, transfer to Vienna Airport to board flight TK-1884 at 10:00 hrs. bound for Istanbul.

Welcome to Türkiye, a country full of culture, history, and unique experiences, where the differences between East and West blend together. Get ready to enjoy an extraordinary vacation.

Arrival on an international flight at the spectacular Istanbul Airport (IST). Inaugurated in April 2019, today it is the largest in Europe and one of the largest in the world. After disembarking, passing through immigration, and collecting your luggage, you must proceed to our meeting point at Exit Gate 9. Following this, meet our drivers for the transfer to the hotel. Arrival and check-in. Free time to rest.

Note: In case you are unable to find our representatives at the meeting point, you must contact our emergency number.

Breakfast. Free day. Possibility of taking the optional excursion: “PEARLS OF THE GOLDEN HORN AND BOSPHORUS” Departure at approximately 08:00 (schedule to be confirmed by the guide) (includes lunch at a restaurant serving typical cuisine): Visit the old Jewish quarter in Balat, the Greek quarter in Fener, and admire the magnificent views of the “Golden Horn”; afterwards, visit the Cathedral of St. George, the principal patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox Church; continue to the Süleymaniye Mosque, designed by the Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan and featuring the largest dome of all the mosques in Istanbul. We then head to the Spice Bazaar, a place with a special charm due to its colors and aromas, the ideal place to purchase teas, herbs, dried fruits, traditional sweets, and, of course, spices; concluding with a boat ride through the Bosphorus, the strait that divides the city between Europe and Asia, where we will admire the wonderful views of Ottoman fortresses, palaces, villas, and the bridges connecting both sides of this metropolis. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.

Note: The order of the excursion days in Istanbul may be reversed depending on operational conditions, such as the number of participants, weather, traffic, or monument closing days

Breakfast. Free day. Possibility of taking the optional excursion “JEWELS OF CONSTANTINOPLE” (includes lunch at a restaurant serving typical cuisine): Departure at approximately 08:00 (schedule to be confirmed by the guide) for an excursion through the historic center of the city, where you will be able to observe the variety of remains from the different empires that shaped present-day Istanbul: the Roman Hippodrome, the center of Constantinople’s social life for thousands of years, where you will also see the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Obelisk of Constantine, and the German Fountain; the Blue Mosque, with its more than 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles brought from Iznik; enjoy a panoramic view of Hagia Sophia, built in the year 537 as an architectural marvel that has served as a church, mosque, and museum. From the outside, the structure impresses with its enormous dome, which was an astonishing technical achievement for its time and remains one of the largest domes in the world. We continue to the majestic Topkapi Palace, home to the Ottoman sultans for more than 400 years, where we will visit the beautiful royal gardens, kitchens, and royal treasury rooms. Discover the mysterious Harem, where the sultan’s wives and children lived, famous for its luxurious decoration.

We continue to the Church of Hagia Irene, a Byzantine church that was never converted into a mosque, and we will finish our tour at the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, where bargaining is a tradition. Return to the hotel. Accommodation.

Note: For admission to Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, please inquire about the supplement.

Breakfast. At the indicated time, transfer to Istanbul Airport to board flight TK-903 at 13:50 hrs. bound for Panama. Arrival at 19:50 hrs.