Bulgaria 8 Days Roadtrip - Full Itinerary

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Veliko Tarnovo - Tsarevets - Arbanasi - Ruse - Danube River - Kazanlak - Valley of the Roses -  Kalofer - Plovdiv - Rhodope mountains - Trigrad -  Pamporovo - Yagodina cave - Melnik -  Rila Monastery - Sofia  

Evening arrival at Sofia airport. Meeting with your tour guide and a short transfer to the centre of the city, where we will be accommodated in a nice Four-star hotel. Short briefing about the tour.

After breakfast, we will travel to Veliko Tarnovo – the Medieval capital city of Bulgaria.  On the way, we will visit the stunning Troyan monastery, the third largest in Bulgaria, keeper of  

the miracle-working icon of the Three-handed Virgin Mary. Lunch in a traditional restaurant. 

Tour of Veliko Tarnovo and Tsarevets – the castle of the Bulgarian kings: we will learn  

about the dramatic story of the city, visit the  Palace, the Patriarchy, the Baldwin’s Tower,  

and enjoy the stunning views of the Throne City. Visit the nearby village of Arbanasi – an  

open-air reserve of the National Revival architecture (XVIII c.). Accommodation here in a nice rustic hotel. Traditional dinner and overnight. 

After we finish Breakfast today we will visit the Northeast of Bulgaria. We will start with the world-famous rock-carved monasteries at Ivanovo: the fantastic scenery Rusenski Lom nature park,  with the curving river and jungle-like forests,  

compliment the view of frescoes, painted on the vertical rocks: a UNESCO-listed site. Lunch in a nice restaurant in the nearby city of Ruse, at the Danube. In the afternoon we will visit one of the most impressive and best-preserved Bulgarian medieval fortresses – the Cherven castle from the 13th century. Return to Arbanasi and our hotel. Traditional dinner and overnight.  

Breakfast. Morning transfer to the city of Kazanlak – on the way we will visit the stunning Shipka temple – one of the most beautiful Russian-style churches in the world. Tour  

of the Kazanlak Thracian tomb (UNESCO) – the jewel of the  Valley of Kings, known for its golden treasures and remarkable frescoes. We will also visit the Rose Museum, in order to learn about the famous “Valley of the Roses” and the production of Rose Oil in Bulgaria. Lunch in a traditional tavern in Kazanlak. In the nearby town of Kalofer, we will pay a visit to a local Bulgarian family and learn from them about their life. In the afternoon we will head to Plovdiv, one of the  oldest cities in the world, and also the second largest of  

Bulgaria. Accommodation in a rustic family hotel in the romantic Old Town. Accommodation and dinner.

Today is our day for Plovdiv the  2019 ’s European capital of culture. After breakfast we will take a tour of the ancient city of Plovdiv - here we will see the remains of a  Thracian fortress (5th century BC) and well-preserved remains from the Roman times to our days: the Ancient Roman Empire – the  Roman Stadium, the Roman Forum, the  Amphitheater. The Old Town is a marvellous site, with its picturesque churches, the mosque and many houses with architecture, a specific atmosphere and the spirit of the Bulgarian  Revival period. Free time in Plovdiv. Accommodation here in a nice family hotel, located in a gorgeous building with traditional Bulgarian architecture from the 18th century. Lunch in one of the best local restaurants. In the afternoon: free time to explore the treasures of ancient  Phillipopolis. Dinner (optional) and overnight at our hotel.

Breakfast. We are heading to the mighty  Rhodope mountains and our goal is Trigrad – the heart of the range. On our way, we will visit the medieval Asen’s Fortress with its beautiful XII-century church and the Bachkovo monastery second largest in Bulgaria and keeper of some of the finest frescoes in Orthodox  Christianity. Drive through Pamporovo – one of the largest and most modern Ski resorts in the country. Next is the transfer to the Open-air architecture reserve village of Shiroka Laka,  with its famous Devil’s Bridge and typical houses. Lunch here in a tavern: you will be able to taste the best dishes of the Rhodope cuisine Our journey through the mountains will continue to one of the most picturesque and original villages of Europe - Trigrad Accommodation in a great rustic family hotels in Trigrad. Traditional dinner and overnight – tonight our host has a special treat for us: an actual presentation of the legendary folklore of the Rhodopes. 

Breakfast. We will visit the famous  Trigrad gorge with 250-meter overhanging cliffs and the “Devil’s throat” cave with the largest underground waterfall in the Balkan  

peninsula. Next is a transfer to the nearby  Yagodina cave: one of the most popular caves in Bulgaria. Visit the cave and a transfer through the fascinating landscape of  

the Southwest Rhodopes, all the way to the charming old town of Melnik – Bulgarian wine  

capital. Lunch at a restaurant on the way.  A short walk through the fantastic scenery of the Melnik pyramid's 150-meter-tall vertical sand towers. Next is time for a degustation. Melnik is the home of the world-famous Bulgarian wine cellars. Here we will have the opportunity to taste some of the amazing local red wines. Dinner in a traditional folklore restaurant. Overnight. 

Breakfast. Transfer to the world-famous Rila Monastery – a UNESCO-listed site and  

the most popular cultural-historical landmark of  Bulgaria. Tour of the Holy Monastery, hidden  

deep in the very heart of the mountain. Lunch at a local restaurant. Next is a transfer to Sofia: 

Panoramic tour of the historical centre of Sofia  on foot, during which you will see the main  

sights - Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the  Parliament, Banya Bashi Mosque, The  

The synagogue, the National Theater, and the Kings’  Palace. Dinner in a nearby restaurant.

Transfer to Sofia Airport later in the evening. 

Ryanair Flights and taxes.

10 kg luggage and Backpack. 

Accommodations are mentioned in the program. 

Breakfasts, Lunches and Dinners are mentioned in the program (except one dinner in Plovdiv).

All the transportation the whole holiday.

All the tickets for natural and cultural-historical monuments: Sofia Historical Centre; Troyan  Monastery; Veliko Tarnovo Historical Site; Arbanasi Village; Ivanovo Rock Monasteries;          

Cherven Castle; Shipka Temple; Kazanlak Thracian Tomb; Plovdiv Old town; Asen’s Fortress;  Bachkovo monastery; Shiroka Luka village; Trigrad gorge; Yagodina cave; Melnik old town;  Rila monastery. 

Wine tasting in Melnik.

Visit a local family in Kalofer.

Folklore show in Trigrad.

Service of a licensed local guide  English-speaking.

Service of a Maltese Tour leader.

Insolvency Funds certificate.

Travel insurance is required.

Drinks while dining. 

Tips and personal expenses.

Use of minibars in hotel rooms and others.

Entrances in places of interest unless mentioned in the itinerary.