12 days /11 nights: roundtrip tour + seaside vacation

Day 1 – Welcome to Sofia – a 8500 old town!
Arrival to Sofia. Transfer from the airport and accommodation in 4-stars hotel in the centre of the city.
            Optional: Dinner at a restaurant in the typical Bulgarian folk style. Excellent cuisine, rich selection of wines and folklore programme.
Overnight in Sofia.
 
            Day 2 – The Capitals of Bulgaria.
After breakfast – panoramic tour around Sofia and visit to the most interesting places of interest: the “Alexander Nevski” cathedral, the Church of  ”St. Sofia”, which had given the name of the city 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 very attractive object for tourists, one of the most visited in the country.  
            Late in the afternoon departure for Veliko Turnovo. Accommodation, dinner and overnight in a 3-stars 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 and the Emperor Bolduin’s.  Panoramic tour of the town, stroll along the old Trade Street – “Samovodska charshia”.
In the afternoon – visit to the village of Arbanassi. The village is famous for its ancient rich decorated churches and magnificent architecture. It used to be a residence of the Bulgarian kings. Back in Veliko Tarnovo. Dinner and overnight in the hotel. 
 
Day 4 – Phenomena from the Antiquity
In the afternoon - departure for the region of the town of Shumen. Visit of the architecture reserve with a stone bas-relief 25 m high – “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 upon people, visiting this place.
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 phenomena “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. Accommodation, dinner and overnight in 3-stars hotel in Varna area.
 
Day 5 – 7 Seaside vacation
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. A dinner in a folk restaurant comes next, including drinks and folklore program with the famous “nestinarski“ dances (barefoot dancers over glowing embers).
Day 8 – Nessebar and Ropotamo – paradise for the photo-hunters
Breakfast. Short panoramic tour of Varna. Departure for the South Black Sea side. 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 the mouth of it 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 3-stars hotel in Bourgas.
 
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, dinner and overnight at 3-stars hotel in the top centre of the city.
 
Day 10 – The Antique Plovdiv
After breakfast – visit of the Old Plovdiv, built in IV centuries before Christ from the King Philip of Macedonia. Visit of two of the most interesting houses – cultural monuments (Balabanov’s House and the House of Hidlian), the oldest church “St. Constantine and Elena”, the antique theater, the Roman stadium…
Next is visit of Bachkovo Monastery. Founded in 11 century by two Georgian brothers, this is the second largest Bulgarian Monastery after the Rila Monastery. There are exceptionally valuable frescos of biblical subjects from 16-th century in the monastery. The Icon of Virgin Mary, the patron saint of the monastery are considering as miraculous.
Return to Plovdiv. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.
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 variety “Mavrud”.
 
Day 11 – The treasury of the Rila monastery
Take off to the Rila monastery, founded in 10th c. It was the biggest Bulgarian medieval spiritual centre with rich collection of icons, wall-paintings, old-printed books – some 15 000 volumes, etc. Guided tour around the monastery. The monastery is a monument on the UNESCO list of world heritage. Arrival in Sofia. Accommodation, dinner and overnight in 4* hotel in Sofia.
 
Day 12 – After breakfast – transfer to the airport and flight back home.
 
 

Tour prices include:

·         Accommodation for 11 nights in hotels 4* and 3* on HB base, including 4 days vacation on the seaside.

·         One lunch in a private guest-house in Osmar village.

·         A/C vehicle with driver during the whole trip.

·         Parking fees and road taxes.

·         All entrance fees for the museums and churches.

·         Professional guide throughout.

Tour prices don’t include:

• Other meals than stated.

• Beverages.

• Photo/video fees at sites, museums, etc.

• Gratuities of any kind.

Optional:

• Folklore dinner in Sofia – 38 EUR per person

• The biggest icon collection in Bulgaria at the crypt of the “Alexander Nevski” cathedral – 13 EUR per person.

• Wine tasting in wine-cellar “Todoroff” – EUR 19 per person (for min. 6 PAX).