1Day

Arriving at Sofia airport and transfer to the hotel. Check into hotel. Time at leisure. Overnight in Sofia.

2Day

Breakfast. Departure towards Rila Monastery - the most famous and fascinating monastery in Bulgaria, under UNESCO protection. Tour of the monastery and visit to the Monastery church, museum and kitchen "Magernitsa". The tour continues to Plovdiv. Tour of the Old Town of the city - an imposing open-air museum situated on the three hills of the ancient Trimontium. Visit the Ancient Theatre (a well-preserved Roman amphitheatre), Ethnographic museum and other interesting sites. Overnight in Plovdiv.

Sightseeing during the day:

Rila Monastery /UNESCO site/ - It can briefly described as a combination nonumental architecture an rich history. It was founded in the X century by Ivan Rilski and used to be the primary spiritual and cultural center of Bulgaria and the whole ortodox enclave. The library contains 16000 volumes including 134 manuscripts from l5th to 19th century, numerous incunabula and documents. The monastery's unquestionable authority influenced the Turkish sultants who confirmed the rights granted by the Bulgarian kings by special firmans. Retaining the names of the donors and the exact date of donation, they represent an original chronicle of the national consciousness, of those pure patriotic feelings and hopes which were inspired throughout centuries in every Bulgarian by the Rila Monastery - the country's largest spiritual and cultural temple.

Plovdiv - The Ancient Theatre, the most impressive edifice of Roman time, was excavated during reinforcement works at the southern fortress wall. It offered almost 7 000 seats once. Nowadays it is used for staging opera and theatre festivals, concerts, municipal celebrations, etc. The present-day downtown section of Plovdiv lies on the ruins of an enormous Roman Stadium, which had a length of 180 m and was intended for 30 000 spectators. The contests held here were similar to the Greek Olympic Games and dated back to the rule of Emperor Septimus Severus (193 - 211 AD). An Ancient Forum was found next to today's Trimontium Hotel. Clearly visible here is the difference in the building structure of the Thracian agora made of sandstone and the Roman marble ruins. The beautiful houses in Old Plovdiv are dated back to the period of the Bulgarian National Revival. Many of them have been proclaimed for cultural monuments revealing the genius of the Bulgarian builders.

3Day

Breakfast. Departure towards the Rose Valley. Visit to the Museum of Roses and to the ancient Thracian tomb (UNESCO) in Kazanlak. Continue to Nessebur. Check in to hotel. Time at leisure. Overnight in Nessebar.

Sightseeing during the day:

Kazanlak - The town is located in the centre of the valley bearing the same name, whose eastern part is known beyond the boundaries of Bulgaria as the Valley of the Roses. In the Eneolith and Bronze Age was found the Thracian state of Odrissi. From those days are more than 12 burial tombs already found, the most inportant of which is, by no doubt, the Kazanluk tomb, offreing a unique insight into the life of the ancient Thracians. It is one of the 9 cultural, historic and natural sites in Bulgaria included in the UNESCO list of monuments of global importnace. By the end of the 19th century Kazanluk had become well-known for its production of rose oil.

4Day

Breakfast. Half – day tour in the old part of Nessebur - one of the oldest towns in Europe, well known for its impressing monuments from the Antiquity, its fascinating architecture of the Middle Ages and the National Revival period. Leisure time for sunbathing. Overnight in Nessebur.

Sightseeing during the day:

Nessebur - The town is situated on a small peninsula and on the land jutted out into the sea. Its beach is considered to be the best along the Black SeaCoast. The big sandy strip is covered with extremely fine and abundant clean golden sand. There are marvellous dunes next to the coast. The churches of Nessebur are 41. Not all of them have preserved their full brilliance but even their present condition strongly impresses tourists. One of the oldest sights is the Basilica situated on the sea-shore, built most probably at the beginning of 5th century. The Old Bishop's Residence located in the centre of the town, is propably the most imposing one of all churches in Nessebur.

5Day

Breakfast. Departure towards Varna. City tour of Varna. Of particular interest are the National Revival Museum, the Ethnographic and City Historical Museum, the Art Gallery, the Navy Museum and the Aquarium, the Natural History Museum, the Zoo and the Dolphinarium, the Sea Gardens,17th century Cathedral of the Holy Mother, the 2 century Roman thermae. Leisure time for sunbathing. Overnight in Varna.

Sightseeing during the day:

Varna - This place was inhabited even before the Greeks established the colony of Odessos there about 580 B.C. Later, under the Romans and their successors, the Slavs, Varna became a major port trading with Constantinople, Venice and Dubrovnik. In 1393 it was captured by the Turks, who made it an important military centre. Nowadays it is the main port for both naval and commercial shipping and, adjacent as it is to the coastal resorts of Golden Sands, St. Constantine (Drouzhba) and Albena, it has a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Of particular interest are the NationalRevivalMuseum, the Ethnographic and City Historical Museum, the Art Gallery, the Navy Museum and the Aquarium, the Natural History Museum, the Zoo and the Dolphinarium, the SeaGardens,17th century Cathedral of the Holy Mother, the 2 century Roman thermae, the natural reserve at Kamchiya, etc.

6Day

Breakfast. Departure towards Balchik. Tour in “Dvoretza” complex. Struck by the natural beauty of this place, Queen Maria built a Palace and botanical garden, a chapel and a villa complex for the Romanian aristocrats. The town turned into a luxurious resort at that time. Return to Varna.

Sightseeing during the day:

Balchik – the town is situated on the coast itself. There is a big harbour used for medium-size passenger and trade vessels. After the Balkan War in 1913 it was included in the territories of Romania. Struck by the natural beauty of the place Queen Maria built a Palace and botanical garden, a chapel and a villa complex for the Romanian aristocrats. The town turned into a luxurious resort at that time. After 1940 Balchik was again included in Bulgarian territory.

7Day

Breakfast. Visit to Rock Aladja Monastery and the natural cool spot “Pobiti kamani” – a stone forest situated only 11 miles away from Varna. Just like most of the natural phenomena, the origin of Pobiti Kamani is shrouded in mystery. Leisure time for sunbathing. Overnight in Varna.

Sightseeing during the day:

Aladja Monastery.The monk's cells, common rooms and sanctuaries, dug directly into the limestone rock and situated on two levels high above the ground, were connected via an external staircase.According to some historians, primitive monks' cells were built and inhabited already in the 4th century AC. The entire monastery is considered to date back to the 12th century AC. Unfortunately, nowadays only few of the frescoes are preserved (most of these to be found in the chapel) but the experience of visiting a monastery dug high above the ground into a steep rock is unforgettable. The monastery is declared a cultural sight and houses a small museum. Less than a kilometer away from the Aladzha Monastery, one can find a similar monastery complex, called Katakombite (The Catacombs).

8Day

Breakfast. Departure towards Madara Horseman National Preserve (UNESCO) and Veliki Preslav town to explore the ruins from The First Bulgarian Kingdom. The tour continues to another former Bulgarian capital – Veliko Tarnovo. Check in to hotel. Overnight.

Sightseeing during the day:

Madara Horseman - The Madara National Preserve is situated 17 km from the town of Shoumen. A range of cliffs show signs of human presence dating back to the III century B.C. The most famous sight here is a mysterious bas-relief known as the "Madara Horseman". Interesting about the relief is the fact that it is carved into the rockface at a height of 25m above the ground. The details are apparent by sunlight because the monument is so eroded. The carving is said to represent a horseman who is trampling a lion. He holds a pike in one hand and a wine cup in the other. There is a god behind the rider. There are inscriptions around the image of the Rider, which are written in old Greek language and telling about some Bulgarian rulers. The oldest inscription mentions the name of the Bulgarian Khan Tervel - probably the relief was carved in VIII c. There are different oppinions what the relief represents. The Rider of Madara is a unique example of the Bulgarian mediaeval art. It is included in the UNESCO list of cultural monuments with world significance.

Veliki Preslav - the second capital of Danubian Bulgaria. Its imposing ruins are to be found 2 km south of the present day town. It was the capital of the Bulgarian Kingdom from 893 till 969 in the epoch of its supreme might and in the boom of old Bulgaria culture /the so called Golden Age/. It establishes as an administrative, cult-religious and cultural centre of Medieval Bulgarian state, renowned for its remarkable monumental construction work, the achievements of applied arts, the stone plastic arts, the painted ceramics, the famous literary school.

9Day

Breakfats. Tour of Veliko Tarnovo town with visit of the medieval fortress of Tsarevets, the old Marketplace Samovodska Tcharshia and other exciting landmarks. Continue to Sofia.

Sightseeing during the day:

Veliko Tarnovo - One of the most picturesque Bulgarian towns. Known under the name of Tsarevgrad Turnov (i.e. King's Town) and Turnovgrad. In the town and its outskirts traces have been uncovered of life dating back to the late Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, the Bronze and the Iron Ages. After the foundation of the SecondBulgarianKingdom (1186), the town becomes its capital. In 1393 the town is conquered by the Turks and burned down. During the years of Ottoman rule it is a fortress of the Bulgarian national spirit and one of the centres of the struggle for liberation. In 1879 the Constituent National Assembly has its first session here and adopts the Constitution of Turnovo - the first constitution of the Bulgarian state liberated in 1878.

10Day

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport. Departure.