1Day

Arriving at Sofia Airport and transfer to the hotel. Check-in. Dinner at a restaurant.Overnight in Sofia.

2Day

Transfer to Veliko Tarnovo - the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. En route visit to Troyan to taste the famous Troyan brandies.  Wine tasting and a lunch at Liaskovets Winery. City tour of Veliko Turnovo: visit to the medieval fortress of Tsarevets; the Old Marketplace Samovodska Tcharshia; and other landmarks. Dinner and overnight in Veliko Tarnovo.

Sightseeing during the day:

Troyan monastery - The Troyan monastery, is known above all for the creative work of Zahari Zograph who painted both the exterior and the interior (a rare practice for the time) of the main church built in 1835, 7 km from the town of Troyan. It is a fine example of the impact of the popular conception of the world and the influence of housing architecture on religious construction. Here, Zahari Zograph repeated the social and moral in religious painting (the compositions Doomsday and the Wheel of Life), left his second self-portrait signed with amazing self confidence in spite of the Ottoman bondage, and painted the figures of Bulgarian and Russian saints. Besides, he painted a completely secular group portrait of the monastic brotherhood in the refectory - something highly unusual for the time.

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.

3Day

Early morning breakfast and departure for the Rose Valley. Rose picking in the rose field near Kazanlak. Visit to a Rose distillery and the Ethnographic Complex Kulata. Enjoying the aroma of essential oils and the taste of a rose jam and rose liqueur. Visit the ancient Thracian Tomb. Lunch.

Departure to Plovdiv - the city on seven hills, spread on the both sides of the Maritsa River. Dinner at a restaurant in the Old town of Plovdiv. Overnight in Plovdiv.

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.

The Thracian Tomb in Kazanlak - It was built in 3^rd c., discovered in 1944 and inscribed into UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979. The Kazanluk Tomb in south Bulgaria is of the beehive type and famous for its beautiful wall paintings. A corridor, 2m long, 1.10m wide and 2.20m high leads to a domed tomb, which is 3.25m high and has a diameter of 2.65m at the base. The unique murals, done in wet fresco and tempera, show battles and scenes from daily life. The pictures are realistically, showing many details of clothing and armour.

4Day

City tour of Plovdiv after breakfast. Walking tour begins at the Forum of Philippopolis. Continues in the historic National Revival quarter, where cobblestone streets lined with Bulgarian Rivaval houses and churches, leads to the ancient Roman ruins, a small Ethnographic Museum, and an impressive Roman theater, still in use for cultural events.

Lunch and free time for shopping, etc. In the late afternoon: transfer to Todoroff Wine Cellar for wine tasting and dinner. (Folklore performance of authentic Bulgarian customs could be arranged during the wine tastings – upon request). Overnight in Plovdiv.

Sightseeing during the day:

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.

All sightseeing tours include the architectural and historical reserve Old Plovdiv. The millennial history of Plovdiv is reflected here with all its cultural diversity. The Three Hills, on which Old Plovdiv was built, are named Nebet Tepe, Djambaz Tepe and Taxim Tepe.

5Day

Breakfast. Departure for Bansko - a colorful town, nested in the skirts of the magnificent Pirin Mountain, known as a famous ski resort as well.  Stop for a lunch in a traditional tavern (mehana) and some shopping. Continue to Melnik to visit the Kordopulov’s House. Wine tasting at the cellar on the top of the village, dinner at local tavern, and overnight in Sandanski.

Sightseeing during the day:

Bansko - the newest Bulgarian winter resort, recently discovered by the foreign tourists. Bansko provides an interesting combination between the virgin nature of Pirin Mountain and the atmosphere of the ancient Bulgarian small town. Bansko ski resort is situated in Southwestern Bulgaria, at the foothills of one of the most beautiful Bulgarian mountains - Pirin, which is a national preserve, included in the WORLD NATURAL HERITAGE list. The Holy Trinity Church in Bansko Built in 1835 the Holy Trinity Church with its fine belfry and clock tower constitutes the very heart of Bansko. It is also famous for its collection of icons and murals painted by local Bansko artists who once made the Bansko School of Painting one of the best in Bulgaria.

Rozhen monastery - Situated far to the south in the Pirin area, 6 km from Melnik, this is the only monastery restored during the first centuries of Ottoman rule which has survived to this day. The present-day appearance of this old monastery (built by the Melnik ruler, despot Slav, during the 12th or 13th century) dates back to the 16th century. According to one inscription, the image of Christ Pantocrator together with the twelve apostles above the entrance gate of the Holy Virgin main church, was painted in 1597. Valuable monuments of 17th century painting included the external southern wall (Doomsday, Jacob's Ladder), dated with an inscription from 1611, as well as scenes from the life of John the Baptist painted in 1622 in the ossuary. The inside walls in the naos, the narthex and chapel of the main church were painted in 1732, with a strong inclination for narration, as a result of which more than 150 subject-matters were illustrated. The abundance of figures of monks and hermits unknown anywhere else, many of them, probably historic personages, contemporaries of the unknown painter, is also typical. Rozhen Monastery owes its fame above all to its carved iconostases and lecterns. Some of them are extremely complicated compositions, both in intent and in actual execution, in which Biblical themes have given full scope to boundless imagination which reached the peaks of decorativeness. Rozhen Monastery has left us with a treasure in yet another art - that of calligraphy. A unique work of the calligraphic school, which existed here as early as in the 14th century, is the manuscript "Interpretation of Jonah", taken in 1674 from the Constantinople Patriarch Dositheusm, and kept today in the Holy Grave Church in Jerusalem.

Melnik - Bulgaria's smallest town is hudding among frozen sandstones pyramids immobile for millennia, 190km south of Sofia. Thracians, Romans and Byzantines have written its history. Trace of it are preserved in unique monuments of old architecture, some of which are of national significance. Melnik's houses are spacious, with wide eaves and towers, high stained glass windows, carved ceilings and large celars here the famous Melnik wine matures. A single street leads to the finest example of the formes splendor of this small southern town.

The Kordopoulos House - with Venetian stained glass windows, spacious rooms and salons, ornamental murals, weaves and fretwork, a wrought iron gate and large wine-cellar from which caravans with the famous Melnik wine once left for Salonika, Athens, Vienna, Rome, and even Marseille and Spain.

Phenomenon Melnik Pyramids - The pyramids of Melnik are rocky formations (earth pyramids) in the south-westen peripheral slopes of the Pirin mountain. They are located in the surroundings of the town of Melnik. These magnificent natural sculptures are outlined in various forms and shapes, looking like haystacks, Egyptian pyramids, Gothic temples, minarets, ancient towers and loop-holes, giant obelisks, rising jumpers with incredible resemblance to colossal stone mushrooms.

6Day

Full day wine tour in No Man’s Land in cooperation with the Damianitza Winery. The tour includes:

-        visit to the wine cellar Damianitsa following the wine path;

-        lecture on the specifics of the wine region, grape sorts, traditional wine producing;

-        wine tasting (5 wines – Damianitsa Rose, Melnishko wine from Hursovo, No Man’s Land, Uniqato, Barrel sample);

-        Lecture presenting the wine tasting rules, the role of the oak in the process of wines ripening, and various characteristics of the wines;

-        Appetizers and mineral water;

-        Visit to the No Man’s Land Wineyard.

Lunch. Dinner and overnight in Sandanski.

7Day

Breakfast. Continue to the Rila Monastery - the most famous and the most fascinating monastery in Bulgaria, under the UNESCO protection. Situated at 3,785 feet elevation, near the site where John of Rila lived and worshiped in a cave. The fortress-like complex, established at the time of the First Bulgarian Kingdom, was known as a center of learning and a place from where the Church exercised its power. Visit to the monastery and its museum. Lunch at a restaurant in the proximity. Continue to Sofia. Check-in at a hotel, dinner at traditional restaurant with fire dancing program.

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.

8Day

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport. Departure.