TRIP TO SOUTHERN BULGARIA
TRIP TO SOUTHERN BULGARIA
Route: Sofia - Sandanski - Melnik - Bansko - Plovdiv - Zlatogard - Kardzhali
dates:
9 days / 8 Nights
Transport : Автобус
price: 0 €



Trip to Southern Bulgaria

Day 1.
SOFIA
Meeting at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Tour in the centre of Sofia, The Parliament, National art gallery ( before a King palace), Russian church, officially known as the Church of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker, built by donations of russian emigrants, National theatre and the Church “St.Sofia” – the second oldest church in Sofia after the rotunda “St.George” and the cathedral “St.Alexander Nevsky”, built in 1912. Free time. Dinner.Overnight.

Day 2.
SOFIA – RILA MONASTERY - SANDANSY
Breakfast. Trip to Rila Monastery, is the largest and most famous Eastern Ortodox monastery in Bulgaria, founded in X century by bulgarian saint Ivan Rilski (876-946) and built in its present location in XIV century. The Monastery resembles a medieval fortress - with high stone walls and narrow windows. In the center of the inner yard raises the Tower of Hrelyu. The domes are separated in four wings, bound in one amazing architectural entity. The Rila Monastery is announced as one of the most important international cultural, historical and architectural monuments.
Arrival at Sandansky. The city lies at the remains of ancient Thracian village, founded near the hot mineral springs in the area. The first citizens were from Maedi tribe, from which descends the famous leader Spartacus.
Accommodation in your chosen hotel. Dinner. Overnight.

Day 3.
SANDANSKY - MELNIK - RUPITE - SANDANSKY
Breakfast. Arrival in Melnik. Tour in the smallest bulgarian city, surrounded by impressive natural sand pyramids in various forms. The city was founded by Thracian tribe. Today it has about 500 citizens and has preserved its traditional wine-cellars, uniques architectural monuments and unspoiled nature. Melnik is cultural and historical national treasure.
Sightseeing city tour among the ancient houses with interesting architecture and interior – Kordopulov House, Pashov House, Cincarov House, Velev House and the Byzantine House- one of the oldest civilian buildings in the Balkans. Lunch in traditional restaurant with bulgarian cuisine.
Sightseeing in the picturesque site of Rupite, near Petrich city, which is known as the place where the most phenomenal bulgarian prophet –Vanga- welcomed her guests and replenished her unique energy. Vanga is one of the symbols of Bulgaria, known all over the world.
In the evening return to the hotel in Sandansky.

Day 4.
SANDANSKY - BANSKO - PLOVDIV
Breakfast. Arrival at Bansko.Sightseeing. Bansko is located in the foot of Pirin Mountain. The city has statute of unique village with international significance, which has preserved 200 authentic houses from The Renaissance, 32 architectural objects, 3 churches, many chapels, museums, traditional restaurants and taverns, offering the unique bansko cuisine. Lunch.
Arrival at Plovdiv. Accommodation in hotel.Free time.Overnight.

Day 5.
PLOVDIV
Breakfast. Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia and it has more than 6000 years history-one of the most ancient cities in Europe. Scientists think that it might be contemporary of Troy, older than Athens and Rome. Plovdiv is situated in the southern part of the Plovdiv Plain on the two banks of the Maritsa River. During the centuries it was populated by thracians, romans, gothes and ottomans which thraces made the city a living museum.
Tour in Ancient Plovdiv, visiting Balabanov House, the aqueduct, archeological site “Nebet tepe”, the fortress of Filipopulous, Hisar kapia, church “St. Konstantine and Helen”, the roman forum ( amphitheatre ), roman stadium and the clockwork tower in Sahat tepe, built in 16th century and still working.
Free time. Dinner. Overnight.

Day 6.
PLOVDIV - THE TRIGRAD GORGE - YGODINSKA CAVE - ZLATOGRAD
Breakfast. Arrival at the area of Trigrad Gorge-one of the most spectacular “ideas” of nature and a famous landmark. It is a canyon of vertical marble rocks in the Rhodope Mountains. The gorge's west wall reaches 300 m in height, while the east one extends up to 300–350 m.
Visit to Yagodinska Cave. It is located 3 km south-east of the village of Yagodina. It represents a three-level labyrinth of total length of 10km and is one of the deepest caves in Bulgaria. A walk along the well-lit tourist trail (1100 m.) reveals impressive rock formations of stalactites and stalagmites, as well as other shapes resembling stone curtains and cave pearls. Archeological objects dating from the 4th and 5th centuries BC have also been discovered there. The temperature in the cave is stationary at +6 C. Lunch infront of the Cave in the picturesque area, tasting traditional for Rodopite cuisine.
In the evening arrival at Zlatograd. Accommodations in a hotel. Dinner in special restaurant in Ethnographic area complex, where you can feel the spirit of past times and taste delicious meals, prepared from old rodophian recipes. Overnight.

Day 7.
ZLATOGRAD - KARDZHALI
Breakfast. Visit to Ethnographic area complex, where the houses forme a specific architectural ensemble from the second half of the 19th century. It represents one big open museum where you will discover the unique demonstration of traditional working skill in craftsmen workshops. Traditional architecture and crafts are coming back to life. In these craft shops experienced masters create unique models – knives, swords, as well as leather articles, which are crafted almost nowhere else. The legend about Delju the haidouk comes to life with the ancient mould for casting bullets. You can enjoy the unique taste of the famous Zlatograd coffee, boiled over sand and served by special ritual, in cafe "The old town".The most attractive site in the Complex is Vuntsov’s water-mill with three different water works – fulling-mill (the traditional “washing-machine”), felting-mill and primitive water-mill.
Arrival at Kardzhali. Accommodation in a hotel. Free time.
In the evening – trip by The Kardzhali Reservoir. It is one of the biggest and most beautiful in Bulgaria. Dinner in floating restaurant! Overnight.


Day 8.
KARDZHALI - PERPERIKON - SOFIA
Breakfast. Visit to The ancient Thracian city of Perperikon. It is located on a 470 m high rocky hill, which is thought to have been a sacred place. It is thought that the famous sanctuary and oracular shrine dedicated to Sabazios (similar to Greek Dionysus) of the Bessi was situated there. Human activity in the area dates back to 5000 B.C. The first traces of civilization date from the Bronze Age, while the ceramics date from the Early Iron Age, as well as the impressive round altar, almost 2 m in diameter. The pulpit was probably built at the end of the 4th century AD or the early 5th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Honorius .The palace is temple ensemble of God Dionysos. This archaeological site is compared with world’s most famous sites as Mikena, Deplphy and Crete.
Departure to Sofia and accommodation in a hotel.
If you want : dinner in traditional bulgarian restaurant with live music and dances.

Day 9.
SOFIA - AIRPORT
Breakfast. Free time. Transfer to Sofia airport.

The excursion includes:
  • Transportation with a bus
  • 9 overnights with breakfasts in 3* and 4* hotels
  • 5 dinners
  • 4 lunches
  • Tourist Guide service
  • Medical insurance

The excursion does NOT include:
  • Entrance taxes for museums and tourist landmarks

  • The excursion will be made with minimum of 15 people.
  • The tour-operator keeps his right to change the sequence of the program.