WELCOME TO BULGARIA!

 Pick-up from Sofia airport. English speaking assistance upon arrival.

Sofia is a city with an ancient history. Its name comes from the Greek word “Sofia” which means wisdom. Here, through the millennial history of the city and the history of one of the oldest countries in Europe – Bulgaria, you will be able to experience the greatest mystery of all – time.

Transfer to the hotel.

Check in and accommodation for 2 nights.

Free time for relax and refreshment.

SOFIA

Buffet breakfast at hotel. Meet your guide and start City tour of Sofia. History and traditions.

Bulgaria’s capital has a lot of stories to tell, and each historic attraction will give you a new perspective on Sofia’s past. Take the churches here that have spent several centuries of their existence as mosques, the Roman history that is still being uncovered and blends with the modern city. You can see many old buildings, old streets, monasteries and artefacts that are preserved to tell the story of the city. But Sofia is not all about ancient and medieval monuments.

Today the image of Sofia is changing fast. There are many new attractions – modern buildings, parks, malls, museums, galleries.

Highlights: National Historical Museum, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St. Sofia Church, Russian Church, National Theater, Romans remains.

After city tour time for lunch on your own.

Visist Boyana Church,

The Church of Saint Nicholas and Saint Panteleimon, also known as Boyana Church, is famous for its medieval frescoes. The church is a cultural monument under UNESCO protection, inscribed in the World Heritage List. Boyana church is unique with the multitude of colors, versatility and images of profound psychological complexity. The unknown master follows the classical composition of the iconography. The master painter innovative approach placed Saint Nicholas and Saint Panteleimon church on the World Heritage List.

Overnight stay at Sofia.

After breakfast transfer to Rila.

Visit the Rila Monastery and explore the most visited UNESCO site in Bulgaria! Rila Monastery is one of the symbols of Bulgaria and is also a popular tourist destination. The monastery lies in the recesses of Rila Mountain, at 1147 m above mean sea level.

The total area which the holy cloister takes, together with the church, the residential, and the farming buildings, is 8800 sq. m

The monastery courtyard, the Birth of the Virgin Mary Temple, Hrelyo’s Tower, the museum, the residential and the farming buildings are surrounded by 22 m-high stone walls. There are around 300 rooms in the monastery, 100 of which are monastic cells.

Time for lunch.

Transfer to Plovdiv – approx 3 hours’ drive, stop on the way.

Arrive. Check-in and accommodation for 2 nights.

Overnight stay at Plovdiv.

PLOVDIV

Buffet breakfast at hotel.

Your tour starts in the Old town – The Historical Reserve of the Old Town really is a one-of-a-kind place. You can walk through the cobblestone streets, see the old fortress gate Hisar Kapia (a structure that survived the Middle Ages), the architectural masterpieces from the National Revival Period (18-19th century) and an Ancient Roman Theatre built more than 2000 years ago (still in use today! There are impressive ruins from Roman times that you can still see around the city today – Archaeology Complex in Nebet tepe, Roman Amphitheatre, Antique Odeon, Roman Stadium and Forum, Dzhumaya Mosque, Ethnographic Museum.

Visit KAPANA district – place for art and culture, full with cafes and restaurants and open street performances.

As Bulgaria’s first dedicated creative district, Kapana is a charming arts and cultural destination where cobblestone streets give way to restored buildings with art galleries and specialty shops.

 Visit Bachkovo Monastery. The cloister is the second largest in Bulgaria, founded in 1083 and one of the most sacred places in the Bulgarian history.

Overnight stay at Plovdiv.

PlOVDIV  – KAZANLUK – STARA ZAGORA

Buffet breakfast at hotel.

Transfer to Kazanluk

The country’s largest and best-preserved Thracian tombs are found here, and they are included among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, along with the Museum of Roses. Here are two nature reserves and five protected areas in the vicinity of Kazanluk, preserving natural wonders and age-old forests.

Visit Thracian Kings Tombs. There are dozens of other tombs around the town forming the so-called Valley of Thracian Kings.

Wе will visit Kazanluk Tomb and The Tomb of Tsar Sevt.

Kazanluk Tomb is an original Thracian tomb from 4th – 3rd century BC – one of the most significant monuments of the Thracian culture in the Bulgarian lands, included in the list of the global cultural inheritance of UNESCO.

The Tomb of Tsar Sevt – The Tomb was built in the second half of 5th century BC. A remarkable thing is the bronze head of the statue of Sevt III buried ritually in front of the façade, which is quite detailed.

Transfer to Stara Zagora.

Check-in and accommodation for 1 night at Stara Zagora.

Buffet breakfast at hotel.

Transfer to Burgas. On the way visit Karanovo,

The archaeological site of Karanovo, the tomb of the last king of independent Thrace.

The Thracian Tomb at Karanovo, which was discovered during excavations during the 1950s, is one of the oldest in Europe.

The burial mound site was also a settlement, of a type which abound in Bulgaria. The Karanovo necropolis, one of Bulgaria’s largest, is 13 meters high, 250 meters long, and 150 meters wide.

Continue to Nesebar and Pomorie:

Nessebar is situated on a rocky peninsula on the Black Sea, next to Sunny Beach – biggest resort in Bulgaria. The more than 3,000-year-old site of Nessebar was originally a Thracian settlement, known as Messembria and is one of the most ancient cities in Europe.

Transfer to The Thracian tomb of Pomorie. The Thracian tomb near Pomorie, also considered as a temple, was dating back to II – IV century AD, the time of the Roman era in our lands. It is one of the largest found here in Bulgaria.

Arrive in Burgas

Burgas is a city on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. At its heart, the Church of Saint Cyril and Methodius is known for striking stained-glass windows over its main entrance.

Check-in and accommodation for 1 night.

Buffet breakfast at hotel,

Transfer to Varna.

The city of Varna is situated in the North-Eastern part of Bulgaria, on the Black Sea shore. The town was established in the 6th century BC under the name of Odessos. For a few decades Odessos was within the borders of the Macedonian Empire of Alexander the Great, but later it reestablished its independence and again rose as an economical, commercial and cultural center.

The city was coining its own money which is an evidence of its development. In the 15th year Odessos was included within the borders of the Roman Empire. In 1201 the Bulgarian tsar Kaloyan integrated the town to Bulgaria. During the Revival (18th – 19th century) it was developed as a cultural and commercial center. Today Varna is a modern city with a rich cultural calendar.

You will discover the oldest Golden treasure (4200 – 4600 BC), which is kept in Archeological Museum, Varna Cathedral. Learn about the Roman settlement of Varna and visit the remains of the Roman baths, stroll through Varna’s pedestrianized zone and see the large city garden, lined with fragrant flowers.

Optionally: Еnjoy lunch on your own at a charming restaurant at port Varna.

Check-in and accommodation for 1 night.

Buffet breakfast at hotel.

Drive to Balchik and visit the Palace of Queen Mary and the Botanical Garden, Continue to Ruse.

Overnight in Ruse.

Buffet breakfast at hotel. Check-out

Transfer to Svishtov and Novae

The remains of the Roman Legion Camp Novae are situated 3 km east of Svishtov. This is the best researched military camp, situated within the border territory of the former Roman Empire. Novae was established on the bank of the Danube river as a military camp of the 8th Augustian Legion around 45 AD. The camp consisted of observation towers and fortresses, in which military units were placed – cohorts and legions.
Novae was an extremely important part of the defense line of the Roman Empire because the legion accommodated here was guarding the conquered territories in Thrace and Macedonia from the raids of tribes coming from the East.

Our journey continues to Nicopolis ad Istrum.

This ancient town is located near the village of Nikyup, the district of Veliko Turnovo, at 20 km from the town of Veliko Turnovo. Nicopolis ad Istrum was founded by the Roman Emperor Trajan after his victories over the Dacians in 101 and 106. It was built over an area of 30 hectares and is surrounded by fortress walls. The villas the craftsmen’s workshops and necropolises are to be found outside the walls. The town was planned according to the orthogonal system. The network of streets, the forum surrounded by an Ionic colonnade and many buildings, a two-nave room later turned into a basilica and other public buildings have been uncovered in this town.

The rich architectures and sculptures show a similarity with those of the ancient towns in Asia Minor, Ephesus, Milletus, Palmyra, etc.

After visit transfer to Veliko Tarnovo. Arrival in Veliko Tarnovo

Check-in and accommodation for 1 night.

Overnight.

Buffet breakfast at hotel.

City tour of Veliko Tarnovo. Veliko Tarnovo is one of the oldest towns in the country, as its history dates to more than five thousand years ago, which is proven by archaeological excavations. The upsurge of Veliko Tarnovo is related to the period of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185 – 1393). After its selection to be a capital, the town developed fast, as within the period 12th – 14th century it was the most unconquerable Bulgarian fortress, as well as a cultural and intellectual center of Bulgaria.

The most significant monument of culture in Veliko Tarnovo is the medieval fortress Tzarevetz, situated on the homonymous peak, surrounded on three sides by the river Yantra.

Tour to Arbanassi village. Arbanassi is located on a high plateau 4 km from the city of Veliko Tarnovo. During the 17th century, Arbanassi rose to prominence as a trading center. Take a look at the oldest church in Arbanassi, the Nativity of Christ, with its beautiful frescoes from 1632. Spend great time in the small village of Arbanassi, famous for old stone houses, beautiful nature and great places. Discover some of the very old churches and see beautiful panoramic views.

Time for lunch on your own.

Transfer to Sofia – approximately 3-4 hours’ drive – stop on the way

Accommodation for last night in Sofia.

Overnight.

Buffet breakfast at hotel. Check-out and transfer to airport Sofia.

Have a nice flight back home!

We hope you had a great time in Bulgaria and hope to see you again soon!