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Day_1
: You arrive in
the capital Sofia, where our guide meets you and bring you
for accommodation in a nice 3 star family hotel. As you have
just arrived in a country famous for its hospitality, the
hosts will be happy to invite you for a dinner with Bulgarian
specialties.
Overnight in Sofia |
Day_2 :
This
day we see the biggest Monastery in Bulgaria – Rila
Monastery, an UNESCO protected monument. Here most of the
visitors you can feel the energy around the grave of Ivan
Rilski, the founder of the Monastery.
We
proceed to the smallest town of Bulgaria – Melnik.
The houses here perched one above the other along both sides
of a river, blending with the beauty of the nature. Tourists
are charmed immediately by this small town / just 270 citizens/
which is hided between sand pyramids and mountain hills.
The red melnik wines are world famous and we cannot miss
it during our dinner. Overnight in Melnik or Sandanski.
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Day_3
: We
start with a pleasant walking tour in Melnik along the well
preserved museum houses. Aftarwards the road leads us to the
sand pyramids and to the Rozhen Monastery with its well-preserved
frescoes, stained glasses and magnificent woodcarvings.
Just 2 hours driving and we arrive in Bansko, a fomous ski
resort, but more than this - wanderful mountain museum village
. Dinner and overnight in Bansko. |
Day_4
:
... And here we are at the foothills of one of the most beautiful
Bulgarian mountains - Pirin, which is a national preserve,
included in the World Natural Heritage list. Already from
early morning freshness and cleanness are in the air. We got
to a small village Dobarsko to visit its small but unique
church. The afternoon is for yourselves to enjoy the calmness
of the old town, the cobble streets, wooden houses, cosy shops.
The town attracts the visitor by its 120 cultural monuments,
its museums houses, and the permanent ethnographic and Bansko
school of icon painting exhibitions. A very interesting sight
is the Holy Trinity church with its 30 m high bell tower and
clock, splendid murals and woodcarvings. The region is famous
for its cuisine and colourful folklore. No doubt - we dinner
in aone of the famous Macedonian style mechana with alive
folklore music. Overnight in Bansko.
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Day_5
: Beautiful
mountain winding road alond valleys and rivers, takes us via
Velingrad to Plovdiv, the 2nd town of Bulgaria. . Its old
part, called the Old Town, with houses from the National Revival
period (18-19th century), is an imposing open-air museum situated
on the three hills of the ancient Trimontium. In the afternoon
we walk through it and visit the Ethnographic Museum and some
of the historical houses and atteliers. Dinner and overnight
in Plovdiv |
Day_6
:
This day we start with a visit to Backovo Monastery . The
second largest Bulgarian monastery, the Bachkovo cloister,
lies in the valley of the Chepelare river and is unique for
its wall-paintings, which rank among the most valuable works
of Orthodox art of the 11th -12th c. Don't miss the great
opportunity for a 30 min walk up in the mountain to see the
area Kluviata or the Thracian sanctuary Belintash.. We lunch
here and return to Plovdiv. Free afternoon and evening to
blend in the sphere of the old part of Plovdiv, the ancient
heritage of the Thracians and the Ancient Greek civilization.
Overnight in Plovdiv. |
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Day_7
: Koprivstitsa
- This small picturesque town is situated in a valley along
the flow of the Topolnitsa river, surrounded by beautiful
mountain hills. It was founded at the end of XVI century and
managed to remain a pure Bulgarian town during the ottoman
oppression. The unique atmosphere, the preserved Bulgarian
revival architecture makes Koprivstitsa a museum town. It
is pleasure to walk between the wooden houses, little coble
streets or visit one of the many museum houses. Dinner and
overnight in Koprivstitsa. |
Day_8 :
After a calm free morning its time to start towards the
spectacular Rose valley. We pass beautiful rose fields and
small villages. Every town and village celebrates the "Rose
time" in different way, but all with traditional songs,
costums and dances. We overnight in a village of Sokolitza,
close to Karlovo and get prepared for the unique event next
day - The Rose festival.
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Day_9 :
Feel the fragrance of roses and become part of the unique
and exciting Rose Festival !
Girls and boys in national costumes will meet you in the
rose fields with traditional home-made bread, bunch of roses
and geranium. The whole valley is echoing with folklore
songs, original bagpipe music and alive Kukeri dances. Of
course you pick some roses yourselves and meet the Queen
of Roses.
You can see the rose-oil destilation in one of the most
interesting and beautiful houses in the Old town - Buholov
Han. In the garden, a specialist will show us the old and
new techniques of rose-oil extraction. Don't miss to taste
the famous Gulova rakia /brandy/ and the rose jam.
On the square of the town is the folklore programme of the
Festival, which on its own turns in common cheerful feast.
Lunch will take place in a cosy restaurant on a watermill.
Dinner and overnight in Sokolitza.
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Day_10 :
After breakfast we head
to Kazanlak, the "capital" of the Rose valley
- visit the small Rose museum, the unique Thracian tombs.
Our next step is the magestic Shipka church - it is just
before crossing the Balkan mountain. A Russian church with
golden domes, recently announced as monastery complex.
Dinner and overnight
in Gabrovo, center of humor and jokes :)
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Day_11 :
A relaxing day with short
excursions to the museum village Bozhenci and the open air
ethnographic museum Etara. It lives the authentic life of
a typical craftsmanship settlement from the period of the
Bulgarian Revival.
Some fun at the Museum of Humour and Satire.
Dinner and overnight in a monastery-style complex Fenerite.
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Day_12 :
We proceed to Veliko
Tarnovo - the town with the most glorious historical past
in Bulgaria. It has been the capital of the Second Bulgarian
Kingdom and prosper for more than two centuries. On Tzarevetz
hill, surrounded by solid walls and battle towers, the royal
palaces and patriarchal church rises proudly. Very close
to V.Tarnovo is the museum village Arbanassi. The houses
here resemble minor fortresses – high solid walls,
heavy gates, iron grids and secret hiding-places, but richly
decorated interior. One of the five preserved churches /
The Birth of Christ, 17th c./ is a genious art gallery of
biblical scenes with over 3.500 strikingly realistic figures.
At the end of the day tired but full of impressions we dinner
and overnight in a cosy family hotel in Veliko Tarnovo.
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Day_13
:
- This is Sofia - 7000
years history in the heart of the capital. There is plenty
to see and to do in the city: The famous golded domes Cathedral
"Alexander Nevski"and the Crypt, the National Assembly, St.Sofia
church, Holy Synod, National Opera house, the Russian Church
of Saint Nicholas, the Tzar Palace, housing the Ethnographical
Museum, National Theatre, National Archeological museum, and
much more … Of course some free time to walk around for little
presents.
We make a pleasant farewell dinner and say good buy to our
new friends :)
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Day_14
:
Breakfast, Transfer to
the airport for departure
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Dates
and price for this trip |
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