Trips of Bulgaria

City tour of Sofia
With thousands of years of history behind it, Sofia is today an interesting medley of modern and old. Among the highlights of Sofia are the Alexander Nevski Cathedral with its famous 12 domes. The church was build in 1912 in honor of the Russians who liberated Bulgaria from Ottoman yoke. Two very old churches - the Saint George (4th c.) and Saint Sofia (6th c.) will also be visited. Most of the city’s main sights are centrally located and can easily be visited on foot. These include Levski monument, National Assembly, National Theater. The tour ends with lunch in the Vitosha mountain. The mountain is a national park and popular winter resort. Drive takes 30 minutes from Sofia. In summer, more than 2 700 species of plants can be found in the forests and meadows.

Two days trip to Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo is a district town located almost in the heart of Bulgaria. The drive takes about 4 hours. Veliko Tarnovo was a capital of the Second Bulgarian State. The town is situated on three hills - Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora and is circled by the Yantra River. Tarnovo is not only a medieval capital, it is also a National Revival city. The houses are perched one above the other on the steep slopes of the river bank. One of the highlights of the tour is the visit to the Arbanassi Village. There are 80 preserved houses, 36 of which are national monuments of culture. The Birth of Christ Church is of particular interest. Dug into the ground, hidden domes and no belfry. Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo. The second day you will have the chance to visit the biggest open-air ethnographic museum in Bulgaria called Etara. Built in the 60’s, the museum displays some old traditional arts and crafts.
Services included - one overnight, one full board and one half board.

Two days trip to Sandanski and Melnik
An early drive to Sandanski following the main road to Greece. Sandanski is a district town known as a balneological center. En route - a visit to the famous Rila Monastery and afternoon drive to Sandanski. Accommodation, dinner, overnight. Second day - a trip to Melnik, a small settlement, wine producing center. Melnik is visited by thousand of tourists because of its typical Bulgarian atmosphere, ancient houses and hospitable inhabitants proud with their wines. Lunch in a folk-style restaurant, visit to the Rozhen Monastery and drive back to Sofia.

One day trip to Rila Monastery
Founded in the 10th century, the Rila Monastery is situated 119 km south of Sofia in the heart of the Rila mountains. An inaccessible fortress from outside it reveals a totally different atmosphere behind its heavy gates - exquisite architecture, unique frescoes. Lunch in the monastery.

One day trip to Plovdiv and Bachkovo Monastery
Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria, one of Europe’s oldest settlements. It was founded in ancient times by the Thracians. All the tribes and people who had lived there left behind a great part of their culture and way of life. A great part of architectural and historical monuments are well preserved in the old part of the city picturesquely located on hills. Remains of a Roman theater contribute to the ancient atmosphere and makes one feel the romantic of the past. In the afternoon - a drive to Bachkovo Monastery founded in 1083 and possessing a big library and museum with numerous exhibits. Lunch included.

One day trip to Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa is a small settlement an hour and a half away from Sofia. It is a historical place mostly visited by tourist groups because of the beautiful old Bulgarian houses. Every house is different than the other, painted in bright colors which are typical for the architecture of the Bulgarian Renaissance period. The ground floors are built in stone, the upper ones in wood. Narrow, stony lanes are winding around. Koprivshtitsa is a favorite place of Bulgarian and foreign painters. Lunch included.

One day trip to Borovets
If you are in Sofia you should certainly visit Borovets - Bulgaria’s famous winter resort. Thousands of tourists from all over the world come here every year for skiing. The resort is about 90 km away from Sofia and nestles below the ancient forest of Rila mountains. The name comes from "bor" which is the Bulgarian for pine tree. Borovets has an ideal altitude of 1300 meters and average annual temperature of 5 degrees. The crisp mountain air is full of fragrance of pine, wild flowers and herbs. Lunch in Borovets.

One day trip to Plovdiv
A thousand years older than Sofia - Bulgaria’s second largest city was founded in 342 BC. See the Ethnographic Museum, the Roman Amphitheater, the Church of the Holly Virgin and St. St. Constantine and Helena Church. Enjoy one of the most remarkable places in Bulgaria.

One day trip to Melnik - Rozhen Monastery
The Museum Town of Melnik is the tiniest treasure of the Bulgarian architecture with its lovely romantic houses perched on the slopes of steep sandstone rocks and one main street. See the Kordopoulos House with the spacious wine-cellar, which used to be well-known for the production of Melnik wine. Try the delicious Bulgarian wine and enjoy a trip to the near-by Rozhen Monastery famous for its magnificent wood-carvings.