That program is identical with “The Rose festival – program 1”, 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 6 nights on FB basis – 3 nights in Sofia, 1 night in Plovdiv, 2 nights in Kazanlak or surroundings; 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 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 to 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 to Kazanlak – the capital of the Rose Valley. Arrival. 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. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay in Kazanlak.
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. Departure to rose fields. Arrival at the parking lot in front of the Rose gardens. 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. Dinner and overnight in Kazanlak.
Useful link:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/traditions/june


DAY 6: Breakfast. 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). Lunch (banitza, yoghurt and other products of the farm). Departure to 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. Lunch. Continuing our road to Sofia. Arrival. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner in a typical Bulgarian restaurant with a 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 7: Breakfast. Transfer to the airport. Departure

Price per person in double room on FB basis
Group 10/15 pax – 709 EUR
Group 16/20 pax – 626 EUR
Group 21/25 pax – 595 EUR
Group 26/30 pax – 569EUR
Group 31/35 pax – 545 EUR
Group 36/40 pax – 537 EUR
Group 41/45 pax – 525 EUR
Single supplement – 169 EUR



Price includes:

• 6 nights (3 nights in Sofia, 1 in Plovdiv, 2 in Kazanlak or surroundings) 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; Rose Museum, Iskra Museum of History and Thracian Tomb in Kazanlak; 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 speaking guide throughout the entire trip;

• Porterage in the hotels.

• for 25 paying pax - 1 free of charge

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