Monastery Tour - Version B
(5 days-4 overnights)

Day 1 - Arrival in Sandanski. 2 overnights in Sandanski.
Sandanski enjoys the warmest and sunniest climate in Bulgaria, with alpine breezes and Mediterranean aridity, and hot mineral springs whose curative effects have been appreciated since Roman times. Sandanski has originated from a settlement of a Thracian tribe and is the likely birthplace of Spartacus, who led the great slave revolt against the Roman Empire in 1st c. BC. The old name of Sandanski, prior to Turkish conquest, was Sveti Vrach (Blessed Doctor), after the names of local brothers, Kozma and Damyan, whose healing skills earned them the accolade "Saints". During the Ottoman rule, Sandanski rivalled Melnik as a market centre. The town’s present name pays tribute to the nineteenth-century Macedonian freedom fighter Yane Sandanski. A seven-meter stone figure of Spartacus welcomes the visitor on his way into the town. The Archaeological museum exhibits ruins from a Bishop’s Basilica and material evidences from more than 27 centuries. The St. George church is the only preserved building from the Bulgarian National Revival period.
Day 2 - Visit of Rozhen Monastery and Melnik. Optional wine tasting. Same accommodation.
This spectacular little town is located amidst the fantastic scenery of high sandstone pyramids in the most southwest corner of Bulgaria. Melnik is a museum town for its unique architecture from the National Revival period. Known since the 10th century, Melnik became the capital of the independent ruler Alexi Slav (early 13th c.). Numerous churches, ancient remains and whitewashed museum houses give plenty of choices for a variety of interesting walks. Melnik is also known as the wine capital of Bulgaria for its thick and robust red wines, produced from the unique local variety "Broad Melnik vine". High above the town of Melnik, amidst a typical landscape of pink-white sandstone rocks rises the Rozhen Monastery. The monastery itself dates back to 11th-13th c., while its Blessed Virgin church was built in 1600. An unknown painter decorated it with over 150 biblical scenes while other nameless artists made the beautiful stained glass windows and carved the ornate iconostasis and altar.
Day 3 - Drive to Rila monastery. Sightseeing tour of the monastery. Overnight in a hotel near the monastery.
The Rila Monastery (10th c.) is situated on the Western slopes of the Rila Mountain amidst a century-old deciduous forest. It was founded in the 10th c. by a Bulgarian monk Ivan of Rila. Having survived the times with the self-confidence of the most zealous protector of the Bulgarian spirit and language, it still fascinates present-day visitors with the pure and harmonious line of the buildings, exquisite colonnades, arcs and vaults, spacious rooms richly decorated with murals and woodcarvings. The monastery’s most treasured historic and artistic monuments include the 14th century Hrelyo Tower, the five-domed Birth of the Blessed Virgin church and the original monastery kitchens from the 19th century. The monastery also houses a rich museum collection of valuable old manuscripts and documents, charters and icons, an ethnographic exhibition of fabrics, jewellery, carpets and wrought iron objects, and a library containing more than 16 000 books. Rila Monastery is included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage.
Day 4 - Full day excursion to Sofia with an overnight.
Sofia - ancient and new. Ancient because of its eternal cultural heritage and new because it is constantly evolving with the time, constantly changing with the pulse of modern times, a witness of countless historical events and a stage for the development of modern culture. It is impossible to even count the historical sites in Sofia but there are a few which must be mentioned.
Alexander Nevski Cathedral is the biggest church on the Balkan Peninsula. Built from 1904 to 1912, the Cathedral is a magnificent building with domes and half-domes with capacity of 5000 people. Expressive frescos depict episodes from the life of Christ in rich tones. Italian and Spanish onyx, marble and alabaster constitute the rest of Cathedral’s decoration and the grandeur of the iconostasis is enhanced by the two splendid thrones once used by the king and the patriarch during services.
Chapel of Sveta Petka Samarjiiska.
The subterranean Chapel of Sveta Paraskeva is a mediaeval foundation. It was built in the 13th c. by Tzar Kaloyan as a palace chapel. Alongside icons of Sveta Petka herself, the impressive depictions of saints George, Dimiter and Mina (a forth-century Egyptian) are here the object of genuine devotion.
The Rotund "St. George", built in the beginning of the 4th c., the Rotund is probably the oldest survived building to be seen in Sofia. Under the dome, frescos date back to the 9th, 12th, 14th and 18th centuries. In the 9th century, the newly Christianised state subjected aristocrats to mass baptism in this church.
National History Museum keeps the oldest man-crafted golden treasure ever found on the Earth (5th millennium BC), amazingly moulded jewellery and ancient artefacts (13th - 2nd c. BC), Bulgarian gold and silver treasures from 5th and 4th c. BC, archaeological finds from the time of the First and Second Bulgarian Kingdoms (7th - 10th and 12th - 14th c.). Fine collections of ecclesiastical art (14th - 19th c.) and folk costumes, carpets and arms are on display in the Museum representing the flow of time and development of culture, art and way of life of the inhabitants of the Bulgarian lands. The museum is housed by the residence of the Bulgarian President. The residence is situated on the green outskirts of Sofia, in a nice park area suggesting a pleasant walk around. The building itself is also impressive with its wood-carved ceilings and spacious halls.
Day 5 - Departure