JOIN-IN GROUP TOUR WITH GUARANTEED DEPARTURES

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

PROGRAM

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

DAY 2: Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of Sofia – The St. Nedelya Cathedral, St. George Rotunda, Russian church of St. Nicolas, the church of St. Sophia, 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 to be the first Renaissance artist. Dinner. Overnight stay in Sofia.

DAY 3: Breakfast. A tour of 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. The tour includes a 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.

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 (middle of the 18th century until the end of the 19th century). Visit to the Saints Constantine and Helena Church, Roman Theatre, Regional Ethnographic Museum. Lunch. Departure for Kazanlak – the city of artists, roses and Thracian kings. A 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 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.

DAY 5: Breakfast. Departure for Veliko Tarnovo – the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1187-1396). On the way – stop at the Shipka Memorial Church in the village of Shipka. This is a Russian church built in honor of the perished Russian soldiers and Bulgarian volunteers in the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878). This will be followed by a visit to the Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex, which portrays the way of life, traditions, customs and economic background of the Bulgarians during the National Revival period. Lunch in Gabrovo. The afternoon consists of a visit to Dryanovo Monastery, established in the 12th century and situated in the picturesque gorge of Dryanovo River. Arrival in Veliko Tarnovo. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo.

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. Return to Veliko Tarnovo. Dinner. Possibility to attend the “Sound and Light” show on Tsarevets hill (additional payment). Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo.

DAY 7: Breakfast. Departure for Sofia. On the way - sightseeing tour of Lovech, which will include the Covered Bridge build-up by the craftsman Kolyo Ficheto, Bulgaria’s most famous architect during the Revival Period. The tour will continue with a visit of the Varosha architectural and historical reserve – the old part of the city, which stands in tiers at the right bank of the river Osam. Lunch. Continuing our road to Sofia. Arrival in Sofia in the late afternoon. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner in a typical Bulgarian restaurant with a folklore program. Overnight stay in Sofia.

DAY 8: Breakfast. Transfer to the airport. Departure.

Price per person in double room on FB basis - 595 EUR

Single supplement – 110 EUR


Price includes:
• 7 nights (3 nights in Sofia, 1 in Plovdiv, 1 in Kazanlak, 2 in Veliko Tarnovo) on FB basis in 3 and 4 star hotels including the dinner in a typical Bulgarian restaurant with a folklore program;
• 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 The Thracian Tomb in Kazanlak; Etar Architectural-Ethnographic complex; Dryanovo Monastery; Tsarevets hill in Veliko Tarnovo; Konstantsaliev’s House and the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Arbanasi). The Show “Sound and Light” is not included in the price and will require additional payment.
• All transfers and transport with a luxurious coach or mini-bus (air-conditioning, video, mini-bar).
• English speaking guide throughout the entire trip.

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