HOLY SPIRIT IN ALSACE - 4 DAYS

Meeting at the airport and flight with AEGEAN to Frankfurt, the financial and commercial center of Germany. Arrival and departure for the picturesque spa town of Baden Baden with the Oos River flowing through it. The city has been known since Roman times for its thermal springs, but also for its historic Casino, a building - a jewel that has justifiably been described as one of the most beautiful casinos in the world. Free time to take a walk and enjoy a coffee in the beautiful city. Free time and departure for the capital of Alsace, Strasbourg, a city - a mosaic of French and German elements, built on the west side of the Rhine. Perhaps this bilingual character was the reason why the city - a crossroads, as its name etymologically means - was chosen in 1949 to be the "bridge of unity" between France and Germany - the two main partners of Europe - and became the headquarters of the Council of Europe. Check-in as soon as the rooms are ready at the ALOFT STRASBOURG CITY CENTRE 4* hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast and today's tour of Strasbourg begins in the European Quarter of the City, where, among other things, the European Parliament building, the European Court of Human Rights Building, the Palace of Europe housing the Council of Europe, as well as the largest green lung of the city, the beloved Orangerie park. We will continue our walk in the historic center - a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988 (the first time such an honor was awarded to an entire city center) - which has been built on an island in the Ile River (known as the Grand Ile) and is characterized by picturesque streets, wooden houses, cobblestone squares, but also the 149-meter-high Notre Dame Cathedral. We continue our tour of the doll-like "Petite France", the most picturesque of all the districts, with its doll-like houses of the 16th and 17th centuries (with their timber-framed houses, sloping roofs and flower-filled balconies), the traditional Alsatian taverns (winstubs) and the bridges of the canals of the Ile River, to which Alsace probably owes its name, since in German Elsass means "region of Ile". Overnight stay.

Today is dedicated to the Alsatian Wine Route, a route that follows the foothills of the Vosges and encounters historic towns and villages with cobblestone streets, colorful medieval houses and Renaissance fountains. Morning departure for the "capital of Alsatian wine production", the charming Colmar, one of the most beautiful cities in France and all of Europe, with rich medieval and Renaissance architecture. After touring its pedestrian center and admiring its characteristic historical buildings, we will reach the area called "Little Venice", the area with the canals of the Lauch River, which stands out for its picturesqueness and special atmosphere. We will then depart for the "village of winegrowers", Riquewihr, nestled behind its medieval walls that seem intact over the centuries, as well as the picturesque village of Eguisheim, known for its stone alleys in concentric circles and for its wonderful wine. Riquewihr, like Eguisheim, is considered one of the most beautiful villages in France and is included in the list of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France". Return to Strasbourg. Overnight.

Breakfast and departure for Frankfurt. The city, also called Manhattan or Chicago on the Main, due to the large number of skyscrapers near its center, is home to the German Stock Exchange, the European Central Bank and many other important banks and companies, including the Frankfurt Messe. Trade fairs (Messe) have been organized here since the 11th century and have even been the basis of the city's wealth and fame. Arrival and tour of the Römer, the beautiful square, the physical and spiritual center of Frankfurt since the days of Charlemagne, to admire the trinity of connected medieval mansions that functioned as the Town Hall since 1405, the Renaissance Fountain of Justice, the Church of St. Nicholas, and the beautiful colorful houses with wooden frames. The historic center of the city was carefully restored in no time after World War II, when the city aspired to become the capital of West Germany, which did not happen, as this position was won by provincial Bonn. After visiting the Gothic Cathedral of St. Bartholomew or Imperial Cathedral, as the coronations of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire took place there, we will climb the famous Eiserner Steg (iron footbridge) to see the view and take photos in front of the skyscrapers that host the most important financial institutions in Europe. Free time and departure for Frankfurt airport for the return flight to Athens.

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