The Best of Bulgaria Tour

The Best of Bulgaria Tour
8 days / 7 nights

Guaranteed departures for minimum 2 persons at the following dates*:

Start date (Sunday)

End date (Sunday)
22 April 2012 29 April 2012
27 May 2012 3 June 2012
24 June 2012 1 July 2012
22 July 2012 29 July 2012
26 August 2012 2 September 2012
16 September 2012 23 September 2012
7 October 2012 14 October 2012

*Depending on the availability, this tour can be organized at any other dates and for any number of persons, but the prices could vary

Prices:
706.00 Euro/person sharing a double room
Single room supplement: 148 Euro

For more information or bookings please e-mail us at [email protected] or call +40 735 525 710.

Day 1 - Sunday
SOFIA

Arrival in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Pick-up from the airport and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free. In the evening you will meet your guide and the fellow travelers. Overnight in Sofia.

Optional: Dinner in a Bulgarian traditional restaurant with folklore program 22 Euro/person

Day 2 - Monday
FULL DAY TOUR OF SOFIA

After breakfast, sightseeing tour of Sofia.

Founded over 7,000 years ago around numerous hot and cold mineral springs, which are still available today, Sofia has flourished and declined around a variety of civilisations. It is one of the oldest settlements in Europe and numerous archaeological, cultural and historical monuments from its rich Thracian, Byzantine, Roman, Slav and Turkish history have been preserved among the modern edifices, the blend of the new and the old lending a charming quality to the capital.

Visit of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral - one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in Europe, as well as one of Sofia's symbols and a primary tourist attraction with the richest collection of icons on the Balkan peninsula, St. George Roman Rotunda dating from the 4th century, the St.Sofia Basilica built by the roman emperor Justinian in the 6th century, the Ruins of Serdica, the National Theatre Ivan Vazov, the former Royal Palace, the National Bank, the Presidency and the Ministry Council, the Statue of St. Sophia, etc.

Overnight in Sofia.

Optional: Half day visit of Boyana Church and the National History Museum with transportation and professional English guide. Tour duration - approx. 3 hours. 25 Euro/person including entrance fees

Day 3 - Tuesday
SOFIA - RILA MONASTERY - PLOVDIV

After breakfast trip to Rila Monastery. Tour of the monastery complex, church and museum with its lavish collection of precious old manuscripts, icons, jewellery, masterpieces of woodcarving, ethnographic exhibition of fabrics and carpets.

Rila Monastery (10th c - UNESCO World Heritage site) is the largest and the most impressive Bulgarian monastery. It is the most exquisite example of the monastery art and architecture of Bulgaria. Nativity of the Virgin Church impresses with its miracle icon of the Virgin and splendid gilded iconostasis.

Continue to Plovdiv - a city ranking second in importance after Sofia, passing through the highest Bulgarian mountain - Rila with a short break in the Borovets Resort.

Overnight in Plovdiv.

Day 4 - Wednesday
PLOVDIV - BACHKOVO MONASTERY - KAZANLAK

Sightseeing of the Old town of Plovdiv with its 3,000 years long history, National Revival architecture and excavations from Roman times.

Visit of the ancient Roman Amphitheatre with impressive marble statues, decorative columns and arcades. The Theatre was build in the 2nd century AD under the rule of the Roman Emperor Trajan and is nowadays considered to be the largest surviving Roman construction in Bulgaria, visit to the Ethnographic Museum, the Roman Stadium, the Church St Constantine and Helena, etc.

Excursion to Bachkovo Monastery (11th c) - one of the richest galleries of traditional Bulgarian religious art with exquisite murals and medieval icons. The monastery is known and appreciated for the unique combination of Byzantine, Georgian and Bulgarian culture, united by the common faith.

Departure to the town of Kazanlak, the capital of the famous Valley of Roses and Thracian kings.

Overnight in Kazanlak.

Optional: Visit to the Museum of Rose in Kazalnak. It owns unique collection of articles related to the traditional rose-oil production since 1660: photos and documents of merchants of rose-oil, produce vessels and others. 10 Euro/person (entrance fees are included)

Day 5 - Tuesday
KAZANLAK-SHIPKA PASS-TRYAVNA-VELIKO TARNOVO

Visit the recently discovered Thracian golden tresures in Kazanlak Historical Museum.

Kazanlak Historical Museum manages and promotes the historical heritage of the Kazanlak region. The permanent exhibitions are arranged in five departments: Archeology, Renaissance, New History, Ethnography, and Newest History. In 2005 a modern treasury hall was inaugurated, where the newest golden, silver and bronze finds from the Thracian tombs in the region are on display. The finds of the Thracian town of Seuthopolis are shown in three exhibition halls.

Continue with one of the UNESCO's sites - the Thracian Tomb dating back from the 4th c.BC. Visit the replica of the Thracian tomb.

Departure to the town of Tryavna via Shipka Pass.

Walking tour of Tryavna, where vaulted stone bridges, houses, churches and square with a clock tower preserve the spirit and talent of the artists from Tryavna School of Art from the 17th century. Visit the Woodcarving Museum of Tryavna. Visit the ethnography village Bojentsi.

Continue to Veliko Tarnovo. Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo.

Optional: Visit of the Shipka Memorial Church 3 Euro/person. Tsarevets in Sound and Light show in Veliko Tarnovo. Price depending on the group size.

Shipka Memorial church (or Church of the Nativity) is located only 12 km north of Kazanlak, at the south foot of the Stara Planina Mountain near the town of Shipka. It was erected after the Liberation as a monument to both Russian and Bulgarian dead.

Day 6 - Friday
VELIKO TURNOVO -ARBANASSI

Sightseeing of Veliko Turnovo, including Tsarevets hill - an impressive sight with medieval fortifications and dramatic architecture.

Veliko Tarnovo, the capital of Second Bulgarian Kingdom, is superbly situated on four hills. The houses are at the foot of the hills, perched one above other, crowning the steep streets with their gables. Here are preserved the remains of the old fortress built around the banks of Yantra River. Several mediaeval churches connected with Bulgarian history can be seen as well.

Departure to the museum town of Arbanassi boasting a genuine gallery of art in its Church of Nativity. The houses in the village of Arbanassi resemble fortresses on the outside and are artistically fashioned and beautifully decorated inside. A former residence of the communist leader Todor Zhivkov is also situated here.

Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo.

Optional: Half day excursion to Etara Open-Air Ethnographic Museum, representing the Bulgarian customs, culture and craftsmanship. The park features typical Bulgarian Revival houses and the tourists are able to see how locals use original old instruments in crafts such as wood carving, pottery, coppersmith, needlework, etc. 35 Euro/person with coffee break

Day 7 - Saturday
VELIKO TURNOVO-TROYAN MONASTERY-SOFIA

Departure to Sofia.

On the way stop and visit the Troyan monastery, dating from 16th century and third largest in Bulgaria.

Arrival in Sofia. The rest of the day is free.

Overnight in Sofia.

Optional: Visit of Saeva Dupka Cave. 8 Euro/person (entrance fees included)

Day 8 - Sunday
SOFIA

In the morning free time in Sofia and transfer to the airport

 

What's included:

  • Airport pick-up and drop-off
  • Accommodation with breakfast 7 nights as per the above program at 3-star hotels
  • Transport by modern car, minibus or coach
  • Professional English speaking guide
  • Entrance fees to museums, monasteries and sites included in the program

What's not included:

  • Flight tickets
  • Hotel extras (telephone, mini bar, etc)
  • Drinks (other than water)
  • Other meals except breakfast
  • Photographing or filming fees at the visited sites
  • Tips
  • Porterage
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Visa procurement (if needed)

Pictures

Important! TravelMaker, as the company which organizes the trip, is not responsible if the visited sites are closed without prior notice and for any reason at the moment you arrive.

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