Day 01 - Arrival to Sofia airport. Half day sightseeing tour of the Bulgarian capital, including the central area and entrance to the National History Museum, exhibiting the Thracian gold and silver treasures; visit to Boyana Church, located at the foot of the Vitosha mountain, built in stages, the oldest part, probably in the 11th c. Later enlarged and decorated again in the 13th c. by the local land lord Sebastocrator Kaloyan. Dinner with folklore show. Overnight at 4-star hotel in Sofia.
Day 02 - After breakfast drive southward along the valley of Struma river to Rila Monastery - the largest and one of the oldest Bulgarian monasteries, hidden within the recesses of Rila mountain, build in the 10thc. The monastery has been destroyed by robbers and by fires several times, but always rebuilt again, each time larger and better constructed and decorated. The nowadays complex was built in the first half of the 19th c. There is a medieval defensive tower in the middle of the monastery yard, which has survived from the 14th c. It is known as The Hrelyo Tower, after the name of the feudal lord who built it and was buried in the yard of the monastery. Drive to Plovdiv. Dinner and overnight at 4-star hotel.
Day 03 -Sightseeing tour of Plovdiv - the second biggest town in Bulgaria with monuments from Thracian, Roman and medieval periods; walking tour in the old part of the town with typical Bulgarian houses from 18th and 19th c. and visiting the Roman Theatre (2nd c AD) and the Ethnographic museum. Drive further into northeast direction to the centre of the Rose Valley - the town of Kazanlak. Visit to the Thracian tomb. The tomb (4th-3rd c BC) was obviously prepared for the local Thracian ruler and decorated with great mastership, following the characteristics of the Hellenistic painting art. Dinner and overnight at 3-star hotel in Kazanlak.
Day 04 - Drive to the Black Sea Coast to stop at Nessebar - museum town, situated on a small peninsular, connected to the main land with a narrow isthmus only. The settlement was founded in the 3rd c. BC and was an important fortress during the ages. It was flourishing during the medieval period and ruins from its fortress walls and several quite well preserved churches, dated back from the 8th to the 14th c. could be seen. The town has typical old houses and is a resort centre as well. Late in the afternoon drive along the Black Sea coast to the town of Varna. Dinner and overnight at 4-star hotel in Varna.
Day 05 - Morning sightseeing of Varna - the capital of the Bulgarian Riviera with visit to the History museum to see the oldest gold treasure in the world (5 th Millenium BC).Drive to the village of Madara to see the oldest monumental sculptural bas-relief in Europe (8th-9th c. AD). The composition made of the face of the rock, 23 m above the ground consists of the figure of a horseman, a lion and a dog, placed in triangle of each other and depicted in motion. There is an inscription, carved in the rock. Probably it was the figure of the Bulgarian monarch in a state of a triumph. Drive to the town of Shumen. Dinner and overnight at 4-star hotel.
Day 06 - After breakfast - drive to the town of Isperih to reach the village of Sveshtari and visit the Thracian tomb there. Although built in the same period as the tomb in Kazanlak (3rd c. BC) the two complexes are entirely different. The one at Sveshtari is a unique multifigural complex, decorated with ten dancing "caryatids" dressed in exquisite costumes. Each figure\'s face is with its own character and expression. In the afternoon drive to the town of Russe, the largest Bulgarian town, situated on the Danube River. Dinner and overnight at 3-star hotel in Russe.
Day 07 - Short sightseeing tour of Russe and drive to the village of Ivanovo to visit the Rock monasteries cut out in the rocks of the canyons of Russenski Lom River. The monastery used to have more than 300 rock premises in the period between the 9th and the 14th c. and was one of the biggest rock monastery groups in Europe. Drive to Sofia. Dinner and overnight at 4-star hotel in Sofia.
Day 08 - Time at leisure and transfer for departure flight.
Rates upon request.
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