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Authentic Bulgaria Tour
Brief itinerary:
Day 1 – Arrive in Sofia. Transfer to your hotel.
Day 2 – Sightseeing tour of Sofia
Day 3 – Sofia – the Rila monastery (UNESCO) – Sofia
Day 4 – Sofia – Koprivshtitsa –Starosel – Hissarya – Plovdiv
Day 5 – Plovdiv sightseeing
Day 6 – Plovdiv – Kazanlak (UNESCO) – Zheravna
Day 7 – Zheravna – Veliko Tarnovo
Day 8 – Veliko Tarnovo – Ivanovo – Ruse – Giurgiu, Romania
Day 1 – Sofia – Sightseeing tour of Sofia
Arrive at the Sofia airport at 1:25. Meet your Bulgrian tour guide. Transfer to your hotel.
B Accommodation in Sofia in hotel Rosslyn Thracia **** (three nights)
Day 2 – Sofia – Sightseeing tour of Sofia
In the morning visit the Boyana Church (Unesco site). Admire its beautiful freascoes dating to 1259. In the National Museum of History you will get acqueinted with the rich history of Bulgaria. Here is the Gold Thracian Treasure dating to the 4thc. BC. Return to the central part. Continue with a walking sightseeing tour of Sofia including the Monument of Alexander II – Tzar Liberator, the Parliament, The Statue of St Sofia – the symbol of the city, the Presidency, the National Theater, the Ruins of Serdica and the Rotonda St George 4th c. AC, the Synagogue. Finish the tour at around 2 pm at your hotel. Afternoon at leaisure – time to enjoy the central part of Sofia.
Day 3 – Sofia – the Rila monastery – Sofia
Departure to the Rila Monastery (UNESCO) – the richest historical and architectural monument of the Orthodox enclave, founded in 10th century and transformed to the most important spiritual and cultural center of Bulgaria. The Monastery’s unrivalled architecture and murals will captivate you. In the monastery visit the Ethnographic museum – very rich with its carpets and rugs exhibition, jewelry, customs, buckles. Also you will visit four rooms decorated according to the typical styles of decoration of four regions of Bulgaria. Return to Sofia.
Day 4 – Sofia – Koprivshtitsa – Starosel – Hissarya – Plovdiv
After lunch departure to the village of Koprivshtitsa.The village of Koprivshtitsa boasts a large number of architectural monuments from the Revival period, 383 in all, most of which have been restored to their original appearance. Collections of ethnographical treasures, old weapons, National Revival works of art, fine fretwork, household weaves and embroidery, national costumes and typical Bulgarian jewelry has also been preserved. Continue to the Strosel Thracian tomb dating to the 4thcentury BC and discovered only in 2004.
Next stop is Hissarya where you will see absolutely well preserved fortress wall dating to the Roman period – 4th century. Visit the Roman tomb dating to the same period. Hissarya is also one of the most popular balneology resorts renowned for its more than 20 springs of curative mineral water. Head to Plovdiv –thesecond largest town of Bulgaria, an area since the time of Philip, King of Macedonia, father of Alexander The Great. Its unique location on these ancient crossroads has stimulated cultural and political influences from East and West civilizations and yet maintained its unique cultural identity.
B Accommodation in Plovdiv in family hotel “At the Renaissence Square” (two nights)
Day 5 – Plovdiv Sightseeing
In the morning take a sightseeing tour of Plovdiv. Visit the most impressive building of Roman time that has come to us rising above the city is the Antique Amphitheatreby Emperor Mark Avrelii during the 2nd c. A.D. Its magnificent arcade adorned with marble statues is simply breath-taking. Visit the Ethographic museum housed in the biggest and the most beautiful house of the Old town – the Kuyumdzhioglu’s House. The Roman Stadiumis also constructed during the II century and reproduces the layout in Delphi, Greece. Within the centre of the ancient major town of the Roman province of Thrace remains of stone paved streets, foundations of buildings and columns and ancient fortress walls and gates reside. After lunch visit the Roman house « Eirene » where you will admire extremely well preserved mozaics “in situ”, originals from the 4thcentury. Last visit for today is the Small Bishop’s Basilica dated to the late 5thcentury and today is one of the Plovdiv’s landmarks with its mozaic floor with geometrical motifs and a small chapel and a baptistery. Relinder of the day – time to explore the art quarter « Kapana » and have coffee in one of its little cafés.
B Accommodation in Plovdiv
Day 6 – Plovdiv – Kazanlak – Zheravna village
Departure to Kazanalak known as the Valley of Roses and also as the Valley of the Thracian kings thanks to the big number of Thracian tombs that have been discovered here, most of them dating to the 4thcentury BC.
On the way visit the Damascena rose distillery and see before your eyes how the rose petals turn into rose oil. Beginning of June the rose harvest is still going on. In the town of Kazanlak visit the Kazanlak Thracian Tomb included in the list of UNESCO. You will visit a copy as the original has been closed for the public in order to preserve its extremely valuable paintings 2400 years old. Continue to the village of Zheravna. Here you will admire 200 years old houses, cobble stone streets, stone walls surrounding yards with beautiful flowers and fruit trees. Today the village is an architectural reserve. It has been used as a natural decor for many Bulgarian and foreign movies. Not only you will feel like you are back to the 19th century, but here you will feel the warmness and hospitality of the Bulgarians. Accommodation. Overnight.
B Accommodation in Zheravna in Yovina Kashta Guest House
Day 7 – Zheravna – Veliko Tarnovo
After breakfast departure to Veliko Tarnovo. For more than two centuries Tarnovo is the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (the end of XII – XIV century.). It is the center, where were decided the most important political, religious, administrative and cultural issues in the life of the mediaeval state. Contemporaries spare the epithets calling it “Great Tarnov”, “Queen of the Cities” “… second in words and deeds after Istanbul,” its fame wore in distant lands, reaching to the “North Ocean”. Visit the Tsarevets Fortress – the stronghold of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (12th – 14th century) when Tarnovo was its capital.During the excavations there were found 470 residential buildings, 23 churches, 3 monasteries and an inn. When visiting Tsarevets, make sure you are wearing comfortable shoes, as visiting the fortress involves some degree of hiking on cobbled pathways. From the Patriarchal Church you have a beautiful view over the city.
In the village of Arbanassi you will visit the church of “the Nativity” called the Sistine chapel on the Balkans thanks to its extremely rich gallery counting more than 4000 images. In the evening enjoy the beautiful view from your hotel towards the river.
B Accommodation in Veliko Tarnovo in hotel Gurko ***
Day 8 – Veliko Tarnovo – Arbanassi – Ivanovo (UNESCO) – Giurgiu
In the morning departure to the Bulgarian – Romanian border at the town of Rousse. On the way pas by the Ivanovo rock church (UNESCO). At noon reach the Romanian border where you will meet your Romanian guide and will say good-bye to your Bulgarian guide. End of your Bulgarian leg and transfer to Bucharest.