TOUR IHS5: BULGARIA
Valley of the Roses – 10 Days
Plus Optional 3-day Extension

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Sofia – Borovets – Plovdiv – Veliko Turnover – Varna - Black Sea Beaches - Varna
Departures: September 03, 2010; May 06, 2011; September 02, 2011

 

Bulgaria is a land of great natural beauty and a nation rich in ancient and recent historical monuments. Its pristine mountains offer spectacular views, hiking and excellent skiing in the winter. The golden beaches of the Black Sea Coast stretch for miles dotted with a combination of romantic unhurried fishing villages and lively modern resorts. For the history enthusiasts and the curious you will find ancient ruins and fortresses dating back thousands of years, beautifully restored monasteries and museums, and old cities like Plovdiv and Veliko Turnover with their age-old ruins and 19th century Bulgarian Renaissance architecture. All speak of a long and stormy history. Today the country is emerging from the dark years of dictatorship into an exciting and cosmopolitan nation rich in culture and welcoming friendly people.

 

Itinerary:

 

Day 1: Arrival in Sofia. Meet and greet at the airport and assistance with luggage. Transfer to your central city five-star hotel. The evening is free for you to settle in. Dinner (your own arrangements) is available within your hotel or you may prefer to dine at one of the city’s many restaurants.

 

 

Day 2: In the morning enjoy a 2 – 3 hours walking tour of Sofia starting with the Square around Alexander Nevski Cathedral. Also you will see the 5th century St Sofia Basilica which has inspired the city’s coat of arms, the National Parliament and Sofia University buildings, a monument to Tsar Alexander II of Russia. We’ll have a half hour break at the country’s largest flea market before continuing the second half of your city tour – follow the famous yellow-brick tourist path from Parliament House to the Sunagogue – the largest of its kind (Sephardic) in Europe. En route see the Royal Palace, the Military Club, National theatre, National Bank, the exquisite 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) A special visit will be paid to the burial tomb of Bulgaria’s first modern king (Alexander I, Prince of Battenberg). Having seen all historical sights in the downtown area we proceed with sightseeing of greater Sofia – all the way to the foothills of Mt Vitosha where the precious Boyana Church (an UNESCO sight) is huddled. Along with the medieval frescoes in the church, in its courtyard you will see the desecrated grave of King Ferdinand’s second wife. The afternoon is at leisure – before a special welcome dinner and folkshow at a traditional restaurant. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

 

Day 3: Today you will enjoy a full day excursion to the 10th century Rila Monastery (Bulgaria’s premier tourist site also listed in the UNESCO’s list of World Heritage). The schedule is to allow oover two hours travelling each way and about a two hour visit to the monastery for complex sightseeing on the whole complex – one of the most impressive on the continent with its size, unique architecture and unsurpassed abundance of frescoes. Admire the 1,200 murals of the Blessed Virgin Church (and Tsar Boris’s tomb in one of its chapels), see the 1335 Hrelyo Tower. At the end, if you wish spend about half an hour amidst the precious 41,000 objects collection of the monastery’s treasury-museum. A special treat will be to enjoy lunch at one of the many riverside restaurants serving fresh trout. Travel back to Sofia for an evening at leisure. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

 

Day 4: After a leisurely morning for a little shopping your journey returns to the Rila Mountains and into the cool forested resort of Borovets for an overnight stop. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Tsar Ferdinand built three villas and a hunting lodge in the pine woods on the slopes of Rila Mountain. Borovets is now mainly a winter sports resort centre, but in May and September during your visit it is a tranquil and peaceful spot to spend some time. The evening is at leisure – perhaps time for a walk along the tree-lined paths? Overnight is spent just under the highest peak on the Balkan peninsula – Musala (2925m).
Meals: Breakfast

 

Day 5: The tour will spend the morning on the mountain. Your tour guide will organize either a cable car ride or will drive you up to Ferdinand’s hunting lodge. After a light lunch in Borovets we will set off just after noon for the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second largest city. The evening is at leisure. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

 

Day 6: This morning we will enjoy a walking tour of the Old Town of Plovdiv, often compared to Paris’s Montmartre, seeing dozens of monuments from Thracian, Roman, Medieval civilizations, preserved 2nd century Roman Theatre being the highlight among them. After a light lunch we will continue our journey towards the coast and Veliko Turnover. First we will arrive at the Valley of the Roses (which should be at full blossom for the May tour groups), followed by a short stop at the village of Banya to have a look at one of Tsar Boris’s summer residences now his son’s (ex-King Simeon) private property. On this long but scenic drive through 2 mountain ranges (the Balkan range and Sredna Gora) you will also see the city of Grabova, the Etara open-air village and crafts museum, the Liberty monument on Stoletov Peak and the exquisite gold-domed Shipka Memorial Church, newly discovered Tomb of the Thracian King Seutus (approximately 500 B.C.) Arrival in Veliko Turnov will be in the late afternoon. Meals: Breakfast

 

Day 7: Today will see you exploring this former capital with its historic sites beginning with a tour of the city. You will visit the Samovodene Street with its authentically preserved 18-19the century craft shops (only two flights of stairs from your hotel), the Tsarevetz fortifications, the Church of Forty Maryrs 9site of Tsar Boris’s conversion). In the afternoon is an Imperial Holidays special when we take a 15 minutes drive to the Transfiguration (Preobrazhenski) Monastery. A visit to Bulgaria would not be complete without visiting some of its vast numbers of monasteries and convents which over centuries have preserved Bulgarian culture and today are witnessing a resurgence in popularity, with many youths of the country joining the orders. We will join the monks for a typical Slavic afternoon tea and enjoy a guided tour and their hospitality. This particular monastery was a very strong supporter of the monarchy. This evening there will be dinner at your hotel before attending the Sound and Light Show at the Tsarevetz Fortress. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

 

Day 8: This morning on our departure from Veliko Turnover we will make a one-hour stop at the Village of Arbanassi, well-known for its many churches, monasteries and mansions. The picturesque town was believed to have been founded by Albanian refugees in the fifteenth century, before it was used by the Bulgarian Royalty as a summer residence. We continue on our journey towards the coast visiting Madara to see the famous Madara Hrseman bas-relief carved in the vertical rocks above a chain of caves used by pre-historic and early medieval tribes. An early evening arrival will see us in Varna and checking into the your hotel where you will stay for three nights. Meals: Breakfast

 

Day 9: In the morning you will drive about one and a half hours south along the Black Sea Coast to Nesebur , a town of nineteenth century wooden architecture, a collection of medieval churches and cliff top restaurants serving local seafoods. At the end of our exploration here we will enjoy lunch at one of these restaurants. The Byzantine town is reached via a slender isthmus which connects the old town to the mainland. Today Nesebur is a port of call for some of the world’s luxury liners. In the mid afternoon return to Varna to enjoy a sightseeing tour of Varna’s historical centre. Visits will include the cathedral, the Roman Baths, and the Museum of History displaying one of the world’s oldest gold treasures. Early evening return to Varna. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

 

 

Day 10: Today we will head north of Varna to the romantic Balchik, which along with its picturesque cliffy location will give an opportunity to visit the summer palace of Queen Marie of Romania and the largest cacti botanical garden in south east Europe. We will enjoy a delicious lunch dipped in the tranquility of the fish harbour. In the early afternoon we will drive back to Varna with the option of visiting the medieval Aladja Monastery cut into the rocks. The afternoon provides an opportunity to visit Euxinograd Palace, the former residence of the monarchs Alexander I and Tsar Ferdinand (Foxy Ferdinand). The building is set in magnificent gardens which you can explore. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

 

 

Day 11: or Day 14: Day 11 for those finishing the tour at this point Day 14 for those who wish to select the 3-day extension After breakfast this morning transfer will take you to the airport or rail station for your onward journey. Perhaps transfer to Bucharest to enjoy Imperial Holidays’ tour of Romania? Meals: Breakfast

 

 

Optional three day extension Days 11, 12 13 If you enjoy holidays by the sea just lolling about on white sandy beaches then you may wish to add another three days to your tour and spend a relaxing holiday at one of Bulgaria’s Black Sea holiday resorts. Spectacular white sandy beaches are spotlessly clean and spread for miles along the coastline. There is a range from which to choose – the very large “Gold Coast” resorts like Golden Sands and Sunny Beach, with hundreds of hotels built close to the water with evening entertainment and hundreds of foreign guest; or you may prefer the more peaceful less developed areas such as Balchik or Sozopol and has fewer foreigners and more chance of meeting locals.

 

Imperial Holidays would be happy to prepare a program which suits your needs.

 

 

 

 

Features of this tour
* 10 nights of five-star hotel accommodation where available
* Private transfers from airports or railway stations
* Private transport with driver and English-speaking guide for 10 days
* Breakfasts daily and other meals as per scheduled itinerary
* All entrance fees to sites as per scheduled itinerary
* Sofia
* Rila Monastery
* Pristine Mountains
* Black Sea Coast
* Three Nights in Euxinograd Palace
* Historical sites in Plovdiv, Veliko Turnover
* Afternoon tea and private tour in a functioning monastery
* Optional 3-day extension for a holiday at the Beach

Prices: From: $4,778 per person twin share
Single: From: $5,993
Optional 3-day Extension: Additional $1,825 per person twin share