JOIN-IN GROUP TOUR WITH GUARANTEED DEPARTURES

This program 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, 4 nights in Pavel Bania – SPA Hotel Sevtopolis****; 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 to Pavel banya. Arrival. Accommodation in SPA hotel Sevtopolis****. Pavel banya is a SPA resort, situated at 22 km from Kazanlak. Hotel Sevtopolis (www.sevtoplishotel.com) is newly build hotel with open and covered swimming pools with mineral water and modern SPA centre. Lunch. In the afternoon visit of Kazanlak – the capital of the Rose Valley. Visit to the Rose Museum, which has unique exhibits relevant to the production of rose oil from the year 1660 until today. Visit to Iskra Museum of History (the most recently discovered gold, silver and bronze findings from the Thracian mounds are on display in the new treasury) and 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. Return to Pavel banya. Dinner and overnight stay in hotel Sevtopolis****.
Useful link:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/Spa_resorts/Pavel_banya_SPA/index.html
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/cities/view.html?lid=614&cid=72

DAY 4: Breakfast. Visit to the rose fields where rose picking rituals take place. Departure to the rose fields. Arrival at the parking lot in front of the Rose gardens in the village of Skobelevo. 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 rose-distillery. 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. Visit to a dairy farm in the vicinity of Kazanlak where tourists will be initiated into the secret of making Bulgarian yoghurt. Many people love yoghurt but only few of them know that it was the Thracians who discovered the process of making yoghurt out of milk. And that is not accidental, on the contrary, well known fact is that the bacterium that transforms milk into yoghurt is called Lactobacillus Bulgaricus and it exists only in Bulgaria. Our tourists will have the possibility to become familiar with the knowhow of making yoghurt – a skill inherited from the Thracians. Apart from learning how to prepare yoghurt tourists will learn how to prepare banitza (sheets of pastry with feta cheese filling which is a traditional dish for all regions in Bulgaria). Return in Pavel banya. Dinner and overnight stay in hotel Sevtopolis****.
Useful link:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/traditions/june

DAY 5: Breakfast. Excursion to Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria and one of Europe’s most ancient cities, older than Athens, Rome and Constantinople. 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 Saints Constantine and Helena Church, Roman Theatre, Regional Ethnographic Museum. Lunch. Free time in Plovdiv. Return in Pavel banya. Dinner and overnight stay in hotel Sevtopolis****.
Useful links:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/cities/view.html?lid=636&cid=72
http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomingbulgaria/sets/72157626474926586/


DAY 6:Breakfast. Free day for relaxation and SPA in hotel Sevtopilis**** in Pavel banya. Lunch and dinner and overnight stay in hotel Sevtopilis****. Possibility to organise an excursion with additional payment to Shipka and Etara. Visit to the peak Shipka - where in August 1877 one of the most crucial battles in the Russo-Turkish war took place. It was part of a series of battles that brought freedom to Bulgarians after five centuries of enslavement. Visit to the Shipka Memorial Church - a Russian church built in honor of the perished Russian soldiers and Bulgarian volunteers in the Russo-Turkish War. This will be followed by a visit to the Etara Architectural-Ethnographic Complex, which portrays the way of life, traditions, customs and economic background of the Bulgarians during the Revival. Lunch. (Price 35 EUR per pax – price includes transport, English speaking guide, entrance fees and lunch – 3 course menu without beverages. The price is valid for a group of 10 pax minimum).
Useful link:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/places_of_interest/Thracian_Tombs/Tom_of_Starosel/index.html

DAY 7: Breakfast. Departure to Sofia. On the way there will be a stopover in Koprivshtitsa – pretty little town at the heart of Sredna Gora. Visit to Koprivshtitsa - Oslekov’s House, Todor Kableshkov’s Memorial House, Dimcho Debelianov’s House and the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos. Continuing our road to Sofia. Arrival. Dinner in a typical Bulgarian restaurant with folklore program. Overnight stay in Sofia.
Useful links:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/cities/view.html?lid=618&cid=72
http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomingbulgaria/sets/72157626278230742/

DAY 8: Breakfast. Transfer to the airport. Departure

Price per person in double room on FB basis
Group 10/15 pax – 714 EUR
Group 16/20 pax – 653 EUR
Group 21/25 pax – 628 EUR
Group 26/30 pax – 606 EUR
Group 31/35 pax – 592 EUR
Group 36/40 pax – 577 EUR
Group 41/45 pax – 564 EUR
Group 46/50 pax – 558 EUR
Single supplement – 169 EUR
Supplement for accommodation in suite in hotel Sevtopolis**** in Pavel banya – 62 EUR per pax

Price includes:

• 7 nights on FB basis – 3 nights in Sofia in 4 star hotel, 4 nights in Pavel banya – SPA Hotel Sevtopolis**** (standart room) on FB basis;

• Sightseeing tour of Sofia, visit of the National Museum of History and the Boyana Church, visit of Rose Museum, Iskra Museum of History and Thracian Tomb in Kazanlak, rose picking in the village of Skobelevo, sightseeing tour of Plovdiv, sightseeing tour of Koprivshtitsa;

• All entrance fees for museums, listed in the program (National Museum of History and Boyana Church in Sofia; Rose Museum, Iskra Museum of History and Thracian Tomb in Kazanlak; Saints Constantine and Helena Church, Roman Theater and Regional Ethnographic Museum in Plovdiv, Oslekov's House, Kableshkov Memorial House, Dimcho Debelianov’s house and Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Koprivshtitsa);

• Half day program in the rose fields – rose picking;

• Visit of a dairy farm;

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

• English, French, German, Spanish, Italian or Russian 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

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