Balkan - Travel | 2007 Best of Romania and Bulgaria Tour

DAY 1: SOFIA (Radisson SAS*****)

Upon arrival at Sofia airport you will be met and assisted by your tour-guide, then transferred to your hotel. En route you’ll have a brief overview city tour, along with useful hints regarding shopping, money-exchange, optional visits. Hotel check in. Overnight.

DAY 2: SOFIA – the capital city with a history of 7,000 years (Radisson SAS*****)

In the morning - walking tour of Sofia, starting with the square around Alexander Nevski Cathedral – the city’s greatest sight. Along with the cathedral’s visit you’ll see: 5th century St Sofia Basilica (which has inspired the city’s coat of arms), the National Parliament and Sofia University buildings, the monument to Tzar Alexander II – Liberator. Half hour break (at country’s largest flea market), before continuing with city tour’s second part - following the famous yellow-brick tourist path from the Parliament House west to the Cynagogue – the largest of its kind (Sephardic) in Europe. En route see the impressive buildings of the ex-Royal Palace, the Military Club, the National Theater, the National Bank, the gold-domed St Nikolay Church, reach the Presidency where you just plunge into the ruins of Roman Serdica – a large archaeological complex, dominated by St George’s Rotunda (the oldest fully preserved structure from the 4th century). Afternoon at leisure. Dinner at a local restaurant nearby your hotel. (B,D)

Optional visits in Sofia:
The National Museum of History in the prestigeous Boyana District. $20.00 incl. r/t car tansfer.
Boyana Church (in UNESCO's list of world heritage). $20.00 per pers. incl. r/t car transfer
National Museum and Boyana Church. $32.00 per person including all transfers.

Day 3: SOFIA – RILA MONASTERY – BOROVETS – PLOVDIV (Hotel Seven Hills***+)

9:00 Leave Sofia for a 2-hr drive to 10th century Rila Monastery (in UNESCO’s List of World heritage)
11:30-13:00 Comprehensive sightseeing of the monastery complex –one of the most impressive on the continent with its size, unique architecture, unsurpassed abundance of frescoes. Admire the 1,200 murals of the Blessed Virgin Church, see the 1335 Hrelyo Tower. At the end – if you wish - spend 1/2 hour amidst the precious 41,000-objects collection of the monastery’s museum (Optional: EUR4.50 admission fee)
13:00-14:00 Fresh mountain trout lunch at restaurant Gorski Kut near the monastery. Continue to Plovdiv
15:30 Half the way to Plovdiv – ? hour stop at the world-famous ski resort Borovets – for tea/coffee break, an optional gondola-lift ride, or just admire the majestic Rila mountain scenery.
18:00 Arrive in Plovdiv. Overnight. (B,L)

DAY 4: PLOVDIV – The artistsic capital and second largest city of Bulgaria (Hotel Seven Hills ***+)

9:30 –12:00 Walking sightseeing tour of the Old Town (cobbles, steep streets!): see mastrepieces of 18-19th centuries Bulgarian city architecture, orthodox churches, muslim mosques , a catholic cathedral (visited by the Pope in 2002) and its highlight - the 2nd century Roman Theater. During the tour – pay a visit to one of the 4 museum houses your guide will suggest.
12:00 Return to your hotel. Free time for lunch/nap/individual activities
16:00 Guided walking tour of the modern part of the city – with excellent opportunities for shopping.
19:00 Dinner at hotel or nearby local restaurant. Second overnight in Plovdiv (B,D)

* Optional side trip for this day: 2 ? -hr excursion to 11th century Bachkovo monastery. $32.00 per person DAY 5: PLOVDIV – ROSE VALLEY – SHIPKA - ETARA – VELIKO TURNOVO (Boutique Hotel Gurko)

9:00 Depart for Veliko Turnovo (3 1/2 hours net drive time)
10:00 Spend an hour or so in the Valley of Roses* and the Valley of Thracian Kings.
11:00 Visit the exquisite gold-domed Shipka Memorial Church. Continue uphill the scenic Shipka mountain pass.
12:00 Short stop on the top – at the foot of Stoletov Peak, decorated with a huge granite monument, commemorating the Liberation of Bulgaria from Turkish domination (1878). Drive downhill for about 40 minutes to Etara.
13:00 During the hour-long tour of this open-air Village Museum you get familiar with the authentic housing and craft traditions of the past 3 centuries. Another hour on your own in this picturesque place–for optional lunch, souvenir buys.etc…
15:30 Short stop in the city of Gabrovo (sister city of Scotland’s Aberdeen – famous for its yearly festival of humor.
17:00 Arrive at your hotel in Veliko Turnovo. Dinner, overnight. (B,D)
* Optional side-trips for this day:

Visit Rose refinery with museum in Tarnichane village $12.00 per person (open May 10-July 20)
Visit Historical museum in Kazanluk and one of the tombs in the Valley of Thracian kings (UNESCO-listed).$17.00 per person

DAY 6: VELIKO TURNOVO – ARBANASSI VILLAGE (Boutique Hotel Gurko)

9:00-12:00 An extensive sightseeing tour of Bulgaria’s medieval capital will show you the remains of its past glory – fortress walls, palaces, and churches perched on the steep cliffs of the meandering Yantra river gorge, then spend an hour at the charming Samovodene Street, lined-up with authentically preserved craft- and art-shops. Free time in the early afternoon
16:30 Short drive uphill to Arbanassi village – known as the summer residence of the Bulgarian royalty in the Middle Ages - for one-hour walking tour letting you get dipped into the traditional atmosphere of this very special place. Its highlight is the visit to the Church of Nativity – hiding layers of unique 16-17th century frescoes. Dinner at a local restaurant with character. Evening return to V.Turnovo – for your second overnight in the royal city. (B,D)
* An option for either of the 2 evenings in V.Tarnovo: the spectacular Sound & Light Show featuring the Tsarevets Royal Hill (20 min, $14.00 )

DAY 7: V. TURNOVO – SOFIA OR V.TURNOVO – DANUBE BRIDGE BORDER / BUCHAREST

Depending on clients’ further program - 3 options for tour's ending:

Immediately after breakfast - transfer to Sofia airport (23/4 hrs net drive time) for their departure flight.
Transfer to the Romanian border at Rousse check point (2 hrs net drive time) OR directly to Bucharest (4 hrs drive incl. border formalities) - for connecting with your Romanian Tour.
To those returning to Sofia for post tour overnight – Koprivshtitsa & Troyan monastery side-trip can be offered with the following itinerary:

9:00 Leave V.Turnovo
10:30 Visit 15th centuryTroyan Monastery, the third largest in the country. See its exquisite walnut iconostasis and the unique icon of the three-handed Virgin.
11:00 Time for shopping in the Crafts Center of nearby Oreshaka Village Continue to Koprivshtitsa.
12:30 Stop on the top of Beklemeto mountain pass – to take in fabulous vistas to the north (the Danubian Plain) and to the South (The Thracian Plain).
13:30 Arrive in Koprivshtitsa – museum town displaying the best preserved authentic architecture of the National Revival period (18-19th cent.). Optional - lunch at a local tavern serving traditional specialties.
14:30 Your walking tour (1 hour - cobbles and steep streets again!) of the town includes visits to 1 of the best museum houses as well as the town’s main church of Virgin Mary (1817). Continue to Sofia (2 hours scenic drive).
17:30 Arrive at your hotel in Sofia (B)
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TOUR FEATURES: * 6 overnights at hotels as specified (or similar ones)

* Buffet breakfast daily
* 5 other meals - Lunch or Dinner, as specified (B/D) from Day 2 through Day 6 incl.
* Private air conditioned car or mini van throughout itinerary including round trip airport transfers
* Private professional English-speaking guide throughout itinerary
* City tours including all museum admissions – as specified in the itinerary
* All taxes and service charges (porterage at hotels not included)
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TOUR RATES – per person in Twin/DblPOST TOUR TRANSFERS – RATES PER PERSON:

$1099.00

Veliko Tarnovo - Danube Bridge border*: $55.00

Danube Bridge border* -Bucharest hotel: $105.00
* Rousse check point on the Bulgarian side
                                                                                       Single Room Supplement       $225.00
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KOPRIVSHTITSA SIDE TRIP – ON DAY 7
(for those having booked post tour night in Sofia)
$57.00 per person
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* PRE/POST TOUR nights at Radisson-Sofia – per person:
Fri-Sun          Mon-Thu

in Twin/Dbl: $108.00 $153.00 Between July 15 & August 31, 2007 weekend
in Single: $162.00 $225.00 rates will be applied for any extra night

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WEEKLY DEPARTURES: Every FRIDAY or SATURDAY from Jan 1 through Dec 31, 2007
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Alternative accommodation in case of black-out periods at the original tour hotels:

in Sofia: Crystal Palace****, Maria Luisa****, City BW****
in Plovdiv: Maritsa****, Royal BW***, Bulgaria***
in V.Tarnovo: hotel Yantra****, Alegro***

Note: At the time of International Trade Fairs in Plovdiv (second week of May and last week of September) higher local hotel rates will require a surcharge of $105.00 per person in Dbl/Twin or Single room – for both nights in Plovdiv.