ITINERARY

There are 9 of the 24 wonders of Bulgaria included in this itinerary:

1. Madara Horceman
2. Rila Monastery (UNESCO object)
3. The historic hill of Tsarevets in Veliko Tarnovo
4. Nessebar (UNESCO object)
5. The Thracian tombs in Kazanlak (UNESCO object)
6. Etara Ethnographic Museum at open air
7. The Stone Forest
8. The Old Plovdiv 
9. Bachkovo Monastery

  
Day 1 – Welcome to Sofia – a 8500 years Old Town!
Arrival to Sofia. Transfer from the airport and accommodation in 3* hotel in the centre of the city. Dinner and overnight.
Optional: Dinner at a restaurant in the typical Bulgarian folk style. Excellent cuisine, rich selection of wines and folklore programme.
 
Day 2 - The Capitals of Bulgaria
After breakfast - panoramic tour around Sofia and visit to the most fascinating places of interest: the Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the St. Sofia Church, which had given the name of the city, the antique Roman theatre dated III-IV-th century (the time of the Emperor Constantine the Great)  and the historical and cultural centre of the capital. Set off to Etara - it is an unique museum in the open, re-creating the way of life and the means of livelihood of the Bulgarians in the 19th c. It is a very attractive object for tourists, one of the most visited in the country. Late in the afternoon departure for Veliko Turnovo. Accommodation and overnight in a 3* hotel in Veliko Tarnovo. 
 
Day 3 – The Hill of the Kings
After breakfast - sightseeing of the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom: the historical hill Tsarevets with the Fortress, the Patriarchal church, the Royal Palace and the Emperor Bolduin's tower. Panoramic tour of the town, stroll along the old Trade Street - "Samovodska charshia". For the beer lovers we offer possibility to visit the local brewery "Bolyarka". Set off for Lyaskovets, where we will visit the local museum of gardening. The wine lovers will have a possibility to taste some sparking wines in the renowned "Lyaskovets" winery. In the afternoon - departure to the village of Arbanassi. The village is famous for its ancient, richly decorated churches and magnificent architecture. It used to be a residence of the Bulgarian kings.
Return back to Veliko Tarnovo. Dinner and overnight.
Optional:
·         Live Orthodox songs concert in the St. Michael and Gavrail Archangels Church
·         Wine tasting in Lyaskovets or beer tasting in Veliko Tarnovo
 
Day 4 – The European Bulgaria Begins from… Danube river
 After breakfast - departure to the Rusenski Lom river valley. Visit to the Rock Churches of Ivanovo (XII-XIV c) - an UNESCO object, famous with its unique frescoes. Set off to Ruse - the first Bulgarian city with European appearance, also called "the little Vienna". The city is also the main Bulgarian port, located on the bank of Danube river. Panoramic tour around the city: the Monument of Liberty, the Pantheon of National Revival Heroes, Dohodno Zdanie Building, the National Museum of Railway Transport and others. Accommodation, dinner and overnight in a cosy family hotel in Nisovo village, located not far from Ruse.
Optional: Boat trip over the Danube river.
 
Day 5 – Phenomena from the Antiquity
In the afternoon - departure for the region of Shumen town. Visit of the architecture reserve with a stone 25 m high bas-relief  of Madara Horseman, which is under the protection of UNESCO and also of the curing spring in an ancient Thracian sanctuary. This mystical place is one of the strongest energy zones in Bulgaria with healthy and psychology effects over people, visiting it. Lunch in the village of Osmar - in a private rural house, where the hospitable housekeepers offers home-made, ecologically clean food. The village of Osmar is famous with its wine, called "Pelin" - made with curative herbs from a secret recipe. Late in the afternoon, departure for the nature phenomenon "The Stone Forest" - a magical place with many stone figures, dating tens of thousands years back in time. Departure for the sea capital, the sea beauty Varna. Short panoramic tour of Varna. Accommodation and overnight in 3* hotel in Golden Sands Resort.
 
Day 6 – 7 Leisure at the Seaside
Optional: a half day trip to the town with ancient history - Balchik, also called "The White Town". You will visit the summer residence of the Romanian Queen Maria, called "The quiet nest" and the Botanical garden, with more than 3000 species of plants. There are also about 250 species of cactuses. The Botanical garden is the second largest garden in Europe. Visit of Kaliakra Cape and the medieval fortress. Return to Golden Sands. Dinner and overnight in the hotel. 
 
Day 8 – Nessebar and Ropotamo – Paradise for the Photo-hunters
Breakfast. Departure for the South Black Seaside. Visit of the Ancient town of Nessebar /we recommend here a lunch with fish specialties/. The town is listed in the UNESCO world heritage. There are more than 40 churches, dated from different eras, visit of some of them. The atmosphere is very pleasant with the old architecture of the houses, the romantic narrow streets. In the afternoon - departure for the Ropotamo Reserve - one of the most exotic places at the Black sea coast of Bulgaria. Row with a boat down the Ropotamo River to it's mouth at the sea - possibility to meet wild animals, unique rock figures, rare plants. This short voyage is a real treasure for the photo-hunters.
Accommodation, dinner and overnight in 4* hotel in Sunny Beach resort.
 
Day 9 – The Valley of the Roses and the Thracian Kings
After breakfast - visit of the town of Kazanlak - the capital of the Rose valley and Thracian kings. Visit to the Museum of Roses and The Thracian Kazanlak Tomb, dating back to the 4th C. BC (listed in the world natural and historical heritage of UNESCO). In the afternoon - departure for Plovdiv. Accommodation in 3* hotel in the top centre of the city. Dinner and overnight.
 
Day 10 – The Antique Plovdiv
After breakfast - visit of the Old Plovdiv, built in IV century before Christ from the King Philip of Macedonia. Visit to the old part of the town with the Ethnographical museum, the St. Constantine and Elena Church, the Antique Theatre and the Roman Stadium. Next is visit of Bachkovo Monastery. Founded in 11-th century by two Georgian brothers, this is the second largest Bulgarian Monastery after the Rila Monastery. There are extremely valuable frescos of biblical subjects from 16-th century in the monastery. The Icon of Virgin Mary, the patron saint of the monastery, is considered as miraculous. Return to Plovdiv. Dinner and overnight.
Optional: Wine tasting in "Todoroff" boutique wine-cellar, located not far from Plovdiv. This cellar produces small consignments of high quality wine, made from the typical Bulgarian grape sort "Mavrud". There is a small SPA hotel next to the cellar, which offers various wine  therapies.
 
Day 11 – The treasury of the Rila monastery
Take off to the Rila Monastery, founded in 10th c. The biggest Bulgarian medieval spiritual centre with rich collection of icons, wall-paintings, old-printed books - some 15 000 volumes. Guided tour round the monastery. It is in the UNESCO list of world heritage. Arrival in Sofia. Accommodation, dinner and overnight in 3* hotel in Sofia.
 
Day 12
After breakfast – transfer to the airport and flight back home