JOIN-IN GROUP TOUR WITH GUARANTEED DEPARTURES

That program is identical with “The Rose festival – program 3, but could be carried-out in the period between 20.05.2020–20.06.2020, because that is the time when rose buds are picked and it is possible for the tourists to visit the rose fields, to observe the whole process and even take part in it.

The program includes 7 nights on FB basis – 3 nights in Sofia, 1 night in Plovdiv, 1 nights in Kazanlak, 2 nights in Veliko Tarnovo or Arbanasi; transfer with an air-conditioned coach; English speaking guide throughout the entire trip.

PROGRAM

DAY 1: Arrival at Sofia airport. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay in Sofia.

DAY 2: Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of Sofia – St. Nedelya Cathedral, St. George Rotunda, Russian Church of St. Nicolas, St. Sophia Church, St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Ivan Vazov National Theater. Lunch. A visit to the National Museum of History and the Boyana Church. The Boyana Church is included in the UNESCO List of World Cultural Heritage and has preserved frescoes of an unknown artist, which date back to the year 1259. The frescoes impress with the spirituality and expressiveness of their images, created 7 years before the birth of Giotto di Bondone, considered the first Renaissance artist. Dinner. Overnight stay in Sofia.
Useful links:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/cities/view.html?lid=657&cid=72
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/world_heritage/boyana_church
http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomingbulgaria/sets/72157626139590239/

DAY 3: Breakfast. Departure for Rila Monastery – the biggest monastery in Bulgaria, founded in the 10th century by the monk and hermit St. John of Rila, patron and protector of Bulgaria. The monastery served as the center for cultural and spiritual life of the Bulgarian people, during the centuries of foreign enslavement. Visit to the monastery, the main church and the monastery museum. Lunch. Departure for Plovdiv – one of Europe’s most ancient cities, older than Athens, Rome and Constantinople. Arrival. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay in Plovdiv.
Useful links:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/places_of_interest/Monasteries/Rila_Monastery/index.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomingbulgaria/sets/72157626152993899/


DAY 4: Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of Plovdiv – a tour of the old town which consists of one of the most spectacular ensembles of town houses from the period of the Bulgarian National Revival. Visit to the Saints Constantine and Helena Church, Roman Theatre, Regional Ethnographic Museum. Lunch. Departure for Kazanlak – the capital of the Rose Valley. Arrival. Visit to the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak. The tomb is part of a great Thracian necropolis that dates back to the 4th century BC. It has been part of the UNESCO List of World Cultural Heritage since 1979. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay in Kazanlak or surroundings.
Useful links:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/cities/view.html?lid=636&cid=72
http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomingbulgaria/sets/72157626474926586/
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/cities/view.html?lid=614&cid=72


DAY 5: Breakfast. Visit to the rose fields where rose picking rituals take place. All tourists will be welcomed by young girls wearing typical national costumes and live folklore music. The girls will then accompany tourists into the rose gardens showing them personally how the rose buds are picked. For that purpose each one of them is caring a wicker basket. Baskets will be distributed among tourists too so they can pick some rose buds by themselves. 15-20 min free time in the gardens is provided for that purpose. A visit to the rosedistillery. Tourists will be welcomed at the entrance with homemade bread and salt which is a typical Bulgarian tradition. A specialist will introduce visitors to the old way to extract oil from roses, the modern way of extracting oil in the rose-distillery. Ethereal oil testing. Examination of a wide collection of decorative roses. After the visit of the rose-distillery, tourists will be offered to try rose liqueur, rose jam and mineral water. The whole tour will end-up with a short folklore program (about 15-20 min). Lunch. Free time. Departure to Veliko Tarnovo or Arbanasi. Arrival, accommodation in hotel, dinner and overnight stay in Veliko Tarnovo or Arbanasi.
Useful link:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/traditions/june

DAY 6: Breakfast. Sightseeing in Veliko Tarnovo –Tsarevets hill,
Samovodska Charshia. Lunch. A visit to the historical village of Arbanasi - the Konstantsaliev’s House – one of the biggest and most lavishly decorated houses of the Bulgarian National Revival and at the Church of the Nativity of Christ, the oldest church in Arbanasi, unique with its frescoes. Dinner and overnight stay in Veliko Tarnovo or Arbanasi.
Useful links:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/cities/view.html?lid=603&cid=72
http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomingbulgaria/sets/72157626154308937/
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/places_of_interest/Arbanasi/index.html

DAY 7: Breakfast. Departure to Sofia. On the way – visit of Dryanovo monastery, established in the 13th century and situated in the picturesque gorge of Dryanovo River. Visit of Tryavna – a beautiful small town famous with its architecture from the age of the Bulgarian National Revival. Visit of St. Archangel Michael Church, Slaveykov’s school and Daskalov’s house. Lunch in Tryavna. In the late afternoon – arrival, accommodation, dinner and overnight stay in Sofia.
Useful links:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/places_of_interest/Monasteries/Dryanovo_Monastery/index.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomingbulgaria/sets/72157626153197267/
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/cities/view.html?lid=665&cid=72
http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomingbulgaria/sets/72157626153237197/

DAY 8: Breakfast. Transfer to Sofia International airport. Departure. End of services.

Price per person in double room on FB basis
Group 10/15 pax – 670 EUR
Group 16/20 pax – 612 EUR
Group 21/25 pax – 596 EUR
Group 26/30 pax – 565 EUR
Group 31/35 pax – 552 EUR
Group 36/40 pax – 538 EUR
Group 41/45 pax – 528 EUR
Single supplement – 169 EUR



Price includes:

• 7 nights (3 nights in Sofia, 1 in Plovdiv, 1 in Kazanlak or surroundings, 2 nights in Veliko Tarnovo or Arbanasi) on FB basis in 3 or 4 star hotels including the dinner in a typical Bulgarian restaurant with a folklore program in Sofia;

• All entrance fees for museums, listed in the program (National Museum of History and Boyana Church in Sofia; Rila Monastery Museum; Saints Constantine and Helena Church, Roman Theater and Regional Ethnographic Museum in Plovdiv; Thracian Tomb in Kazanlak; Dryanovo Monastery, Konstantsaliev’s House and the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Arbanasi; Tsarevets hill in Veliko Turnovo; Slaveykov’s school and Daskalov’s house in Tryavna);

• Half day program in the rose fields;

• All transfers and transport with a luxurious coach (air-conditioning, video, mini-bar);

• English speaking guide throughout the entire trip;

• Porterage in the hotels.

• for 25 paying pax - 1 free of charge

The price is valid for a join-in group tour of 10 participants. On the above mentioned dates you can join an existing group and take advantage of prices and services of group travel.

Rual Travel can provide prices on request for groups of more or less than 10 persons. For any inquiries please contact us on the following e-mail - rual@incomingbulgaria.com