Tour Overview
Welcome to Bulgaria! A picturesque small country called Bulgaria has existed for more than 13 centuries in Europe, linking East and West. Bulgaria remembers ancient civilizations and great people that wrote its turbulent history. Come and explore Bulgaria on our exclusive 8-day program. Ancient culture, high mountains with marvelous gorges and caves, wide valleys, healing springs, hospitable people and tempting cuisine and wines. Now is the time to explore this land!Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Sofia, BulgariaWelcome to Bulgaria! Today when you arrive in Sofia, you will be met at the airport and driven to your hotel. You will be confirmed for two nights at the Hotel Sofia Plaza, or similar, in a Standard Room, including breakfast daily. The Hotel Sofia Plaza will charm you with its unique atmosphere of luxury and coziness, Bulgarian hospitality and high-level service in the center of the city. Take the rest of the day to get acquainted with your surroundings before enjoying dinner in the hotel this evening.
Hotel Sofia Plaza Day 2: Sofia
After breakfast, meet your English-speaking guide for a panoramic tour of Sofia. The sites you will visit on the tour include the University of Sofia, The Parliament, Russian Church, King Boris III Palace, the Statue of St. Sofia, St. Petka Church, the National Palace of Culture, Vasil Levski Monument, Boris Garden Park, the synagogue and the central baths. You will also visit Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the largest cathedral in Bulgaria. This massive, awe-inspiring church is one of the symbols not just of Sofia, but of Bulgaria itself. It was built between 1882 and 1912 as a memorial to the 200,000 Russian soldiers who died fighting the Turks for Bulgaria’s independence. Take note of the marble at the main entrance, the mosaics above the doorways and the domes laden with 8kg of gold. The crypt here displays Bulgaria’s biggest and best collection of religious icons from the past 1,000 years.
Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel Sofia Plaza Day 3: Sofia- Veliko Tarnovo- Trjavna
After breakfast at the hotel this morning, depart with your guide and drive to Veliko Tarnovo. En route you can make a short stop at the Troyan Monastery, noted as having some of the most powerful and disturbing frescoes anywhere in the country. They depict Judgment Day, the apocalypse and hell and are truly remarkable. Some of the images, including the seven-headed fire-breathing dragon and the torture of sinners in hell by demons affect even the most devout atheist. The monastery is also renowned for its remarkable woodcarvings. Note: the visit to the Troyan Monastery is optional. You can decide with your guide on the spot if you would like to visit here, and entrance fees would need to be paid directly as they are not included in the tour price. Continue driving to Veliko Tarnovo, the former Bulgarian Capital, with many remarkable and historic places, and enjoy a sightseeing tour of the town. Then, drive to Arbanassi- an architectural reserve- for a walking tour. Arbanassi makes a wonderful contrast to the ancient capital and offers a chance to see one of Bulgaria’s most lovely historic monastery-villages. Today some of Bulgaria’s rich & famous live here in large, traditional homes behind high walls, and nearly 90 churches, homes and monasteries are protected as cultural monuments. Enjoy lunch in a typical house in Arbanassi, where the hostess will serve you in her living room and you will be her guest. Afterwards, drive to Trjavna, a small and cozy town for dinner and overnight. You will be confirmed for two nights at the Hotel Kalina, or similar, in a standard room, including daily breakfast.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel Kalina Palace Day 4: Trjavna- Bozhenci- Trjavna
After breakfast, take a sightseeing tour of Trjavna, including a visit to the Museum of Wood Carving. One of a kind in Bulgaria, this museum features some superb examples of the “Trjavna School” of woodcarving. The mounted wood portraits and figures are particularly impressive. Next, visit Etara, an appealing complex of traditional artisans living as if the 20th century hadn’t happened. This is a great excursion for anyone interested in Bulgarian crafts and the traditional Balkan way of life. This open-air museum contains nearly 50 shops and workshops. Spread out over 7 hectares of grass and trees, artisans- such as bakers, cartwrights, cobblers, furriers, glass workers, hatters, jewelers, leather workers, potters and weavers sell their wares, some in workshops powered by water from a stream running through the complex. Finally, stop & visit the Drjanovo Monastery. Delightfully located under limestone cliffs and originally built during the 12th century. Return to Trjavna in time for dinner at the hotel.
Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel Kalina Palace Day 5: Trjavna- Etara- Kasanlak- Plovdiv
Depart with your guide this morning and cross the Balkans via Shipka Pass and drive to Kasanlak- the main town in the Valley of the Roses for a visit to the Shipka Memorial Church. Long before you arrive you’ll see the five golden, onion-shaped domes of the Nativity Memorial Church poking out from the woods above the village. The design is heavily influenced by Russian architecture of the time, and features 17 church bells that can be heard from several miles away. If the weather is clear, you will also see majestic views of the valley of the roses. Next, you can visit either the Thracian Tomb in Kazanlak- a UNESCO designated monument or the Rose-oil production and ethnographic complex. The choice is yours. Built in the 4th century BC for a Thracian ruler and discovered during the construction on a bomb shelter in 1944, the Thracian Tomb is now a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site. Along the vaulted entry corridor is a double frieze with battle scenes. The burial chamber is 12 meters in diameter, and covered by a beehive dome that is typical of those built by the Thracians between the 3rd and 5th centuries BC. The dome contains several murals that feature events such as a funeral feast and chariot race. Ethnographic Complex: See how rose products have been made in the past and also the modern distillation technology. You can walk around the complex and see the rose fields. Arrive then in the second largest city in Bulgaria- Plovdiv and check into your hotel. You will be confirmed for the night at the Hotel Maritza, or similar, in a standard room including breakfast. The Maritza hotel is situated in the town center of Plovdiv, on the bank of Maritza River. Tonight, enjoy dinner in the old town at a typical restaurant of the region.
Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel Maritza Day 6: Plovdiv- Bankso
After breakfast meet your guide for a sightseeing tour of the old town of Plovdiv. Walking the cobblestone streets of the old town is a pleasure for every visitor. Bulgaria’s second largest city has a long history, a rich cultural life and a score of unique attractions you are sure to enjoy. Most of these are within the compact city center and best enjoyed on foot. The main draw is the lovely old town, which has been painstakingly restored to its mid-19th century appearance and is packed with charming house-museums and art galleries. Also here is one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters in the Balkans, still used today for musical and dramatic performances, which you will visit today. Then you are off to Bankso for a walking tour of the city. Bankso is home to more than 150 cultural monuments, including many from the Bulgarian national revival period. The buildings were made from stone and timber and built behind walls to shield the residents from their Ottoman occupiers. With the help of the Beautiful Bulgaria Project, many of these houses have been transformed into charming mehanas (taverns) and cozy pensions After the tour, you will be taken to your hotel in Bankso for dinner there and overnight. You will be confirmed for the night at the Hotel Tanne, or similar, in a standard room including breakfast. The 4* Hotel Tanne is situated in the foothills of Pirin Mountain in one of the most beautiful Bulgarian towns, Bansko. The hotel is constructed in the traditional regional style offering a homely coziness of stone and wood. The beautiful yard, the numerous verandas and balconies offer open views to 3 mountains -Pirin, Rila and the Rhodopes.
Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel Tanne Day 7: Bankso- Rila- Sofia
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before meeting up with your guide and departing for Rila and a visit to the Rila Monastery. Bulgaria’s largest and most famous monastery is hidden away in a narrow and forested valley of the Rila Mountains, south of Sofia. It is the most revered holy place in the country. The monastery was founded in 927 and was added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 1983. Continue on back to Sofia and the Hotel Sofia Plaza for dinner at the hotel and overnight.
Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel Sofia Plaza Day 8: Depart Sofia
Today you will be driven to the airport in Sofia for your flight home.
Breakfast
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