English Български
Facebook Instagram Youtube
  • Contact us
  • FAQ
Facebook Twitter Google Email Pinterest
Call us
+359 877 717 221
Contact us
info@tripvam.com
tripvam tripvam
  • Login / Register
custom-icon 0 items / 0.00€
Menu
tripvam
0 items / 0.00€
  • Home
  • Tours
    • Guided Tours
    • Self-guided Tours
  • Historical Park
    • Accommodation
    • Buy a ticket
    • Packages & Holidays
    • Transfers
    • Minibus shuttle
    • Learn about the park
  • Transfers
  • Blog
  • About us
    • Who we are
HomeClassic Ancient times, traditions, culture and local life in Bulgaria
Previous Trip
Kaleto in Mezdra
Medieval Festival in Kaleto-Mezdra 135.00€ – 360.00€
Back to Trips
Next Trip
Bulgarian rose
Home of the Bulgarian Rose and the Thracian Kings - Day tour from Plovdiv 150.00€ – 336.00€

Welcome to Bulgaria!

On this tour, you’ll explore the cultural and historical profile of Bulgaria with its most remarkable sites, but also you’ll get to feel the local lifestyle and some famous Bulgarian traditions like winemaking, rose picking, oil making, yogurt making, traditional crafts, and arts.

You’ll explore the European Capital of Culture for 2019 - Plovdiv, Thracian tombs, Roman roads, Medieval fortresses, Monasteries with fantastic stories, Curative springs and more.

There’s even more! You’ll try the romantic "time travel" back to the 20th century by taking a trip through the Rhodope, Rila and Pirin mountains with the Alpine railway of the Balkans which is the last operational narrow gauge line in Bulgaria (track gauge of 760mm).

Come and touch the Bulgarian spirit!

Day 1: Welcome to Bulgaria! - VIDEO

Day 2: Sofia - Explore the Bulgarian Capital! - VIDEO

Day 3: UNESCO World Heritage site, a unique narrow gauge, and Balkan’s SPA capital - VIDEO 1 and VIDEO 2

Day 4: Plovdiv - The story of 8 millenniums - VIDEO

Day 5: The traditions of Bulgarian yogurt and winemaking

Day 6: Valley of the roses, Thracian tzars, and the most spectacular communist monument in the world - VIDEO 1, VIDEO 2, VIDEO 3

Day 7: The medieval Bulgarian capital, traditional Elena ham - VIDEO

Bulgaria

Ancient times, traditions, culture and local life in Bulgaria

2078.00€ – 5272.00€

8 days / 7 nights

GET A 10% PRICE DISCOUNT! EMAIL US NOW TO GET YOUR PROMO CODE!

Tour prices depend on the number of people in your booking:

2 people – 2078 euro (1039 euro per person)

3 people – 2397 euro (799 euro pp) / 4 people – 2956 euro (739 euro pp)

5 people – 3295 euro (659 euro pp) / 6 people – 3954 euro (659 euro pp)

7 people – 4613 euro (659 euro pp) / 8 people – 5272 euro (659 euro pp)

For groups of 9-12 people, the price is 619 euro per person. For groups of 13-18 people, the price is 589 euro per person. For such or bigger groups, please contact us at info@tripvam.com or +359877717221

This tour can be upgraded according to your wishes and needs. Contact us if you want a tailor-made tour with more nights and activities in Bulgaria: + 359896 612175 or via email: info@tripvam.com

Clear
    • €
Share
Facebook Twitter Google Email Pinterest
  • Description
  • Price includes
  • Price does not include
  • Documents
  • Useful info
  • Accommodation
  • Payment options
  • Cancellation policy
  • Reviews (0)
Description

Day 1: Welcome to Bulgaria!

Welcome to Sofia Airport. Transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Sofia in St.George hotel 3* or similar.

Day 2: Sofia - Explore the Bulgarian Capital!

Breakfast.

On this day you’ll feel Sofia with all your senses!

You’ll trace Bulgaria’s history with a walk in the National History Museum where you’ll see many collections of artifacts from Bulgarian and Balkan history. Also, we will visit the former residence of the Bulgarian Chief of State (President of People’s Republic of Bulgaria 1954-1989) which today is the National History Museum.

Afterward, we will visit one of Bulgaria’s historical symbols – The Boyana church “St. Nicolas and St. Panteleimon” which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and was built 11-13 century AD.

In the afternoon you will learn how the of Sofia was established, which are the main ages and cultures it has gone through, while walking on its streets and getting to know its greatest sites – The National Library, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski; The National Assembly (The Parliament of the Republic), Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Russian Church “Sveti Nikolay Mirlikiiski”, Ivan Vazov National Theatre, St. George Rotunda (the oldest building in Sofia), The Presidency and the Ministry Council,The Eastern Gate of Roman Serdica and some other surprises.

Free time to explore and rest.

Overnight in Sofia. Hotel St.George Hotel 3* or similar.

Day 3: UNESCO World Heritage site, an unique narrow gauge and Balkans' SPA capital

Sofia – Rila Monastery – Razlog – Velingrad

An early breakfast and then off to Rila Monastery before all crowds have arrived.

High, high in the Rila mountain where the forest touches the sky and the prayers to God is most powerful is situated the Rila Monastery. This is the biggest monastery in Bulgaria and one of the country’s most visited sites. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The monastery estate is well known for its unique architecture and 24-meter tall walls which are keeping the centuries-long history of the place!  In about two hours we will explore his area.

Afterward, we can try some traditional cuisine in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon we are off to Pirin mountain, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There we’ll visit Razlog town from where we’ll get on an unusual train crawling through the mountains. The Rhodope narrow gauge and the railway is in the rankings for “Most interesting railway routes in Europe” published in the European Railway Guide. This line is also passing by the highest train station on the Balkan peninsula – Avramovo station, situated at 1267m above the sea level. We’ll embark on a magical journey through one of the most romantic and beautiful railway routes in Europe.

In the late afternoon, we will arrive in Velingrad, better known as the Balkans’ SPA capital, because of its numerous mineral springs. Some time to rest and enjoy the SPA.

Overnight in Velingrad. Hotel Velina 4* or similar.

Day 4: Bulgarian Yogurt and Communist times' traditions in Bulgaria

Velingrad –  Peshtera – Ravnogor – Plovdiv

Breakfast.

We leave for Plovdiv – the cultural capital of Europe for 2019.

On our way there we’ll pass by Peshtera town which is keeping the history and spirit of many ages through its unique “Peristera” fortress. This was one of the first centers in Bulgaria which helped the Christian faith to spread throughout the country. The architecture plan of the fortress is unique because two of the towers were built as churches. This is the only fortress in Bulgaria from this kind.

We’ll find another interesting place in Peshtera and that is the “Communist vehicles’ Museum”. There we’ll see many retro cars from the communist era and lots of objects from those times like children’s toys, radios, tv’s, signs and so on.

Our next stop is the village of Ravnogor. There is situated the highest milk-producing factory in Bulgaria – 1330m above sea level. This place is in the Rhodope mountain and has the cleanest air in Europe. The Bulgarian yogurt is proclaimed to be the elixir of youth and here we will taste some of the most typical and unique Bulgarian milk products.

Afterward, we depart for Plovdiv which is just one hour drive from Ravnogor village. Welcome walk and free time.

Overnight in Plovdiv. Hotel Seven Hills 3* or similar

Day 5: Life story of 8 000 years and the winemaking tradition

Plovdiv – Bachkovo – Asenovgrad – Plovdiv

Breakfast.

The first half of this day will be dedicated to Plovdiv. You’ll feel and see this ancient city from all its corners and take a look at the most iconic attractions in the city. We’ll walk through the amazing old city of Plovdiv and enjoy the architecture of the buildings and the casual style of its citizens. Thracians, Hellenes, Romans, Byzantines, Turks – these are some of the cultures which left their remarkable sanctuaries, temples, fortifications, ancient theaters, stadiums, and unique revival houses in the city which nowadays is a real capital of the ethnic and religious tolerance.

Then, we will meet the colorful houses, rugs, pots and faces of the local masters. Let us present to you some of the artists and they will reveal the secrets and will demonstrate many traditional Bulgarian crafts.  

The second half of the day is dedicated to history and wine. Asenovgrad town is located nearby Plovdiv and it’s better known as the Bulgarian Jerusalem. It is also called “the city of brides”. Its symbol is the medieval fortress named by the Bulgarian king Ivan-Asen II. This fortress still controls the passage through the Rhodope Mountain, leading us to the Bachkovo monastery – the second biggest in Bulgaria and the most impressive with its miraculous stories.

Once entered in this area, you’ll definitely hear about the famous Mavrud – man, hero or wine? – Many legends speak about one fabulous wine – the Asenovgrad’s Mavrud. We will visit Asen’s fortress, Bachkovo monastery and after that, we’ll go for a celebration with Mavrud wine in a local winery.

Back to Plovdiv. Relax and enjoy the Evening program in the city – coordinated with its cultural calendar.

Overnight in Plovdiv. Hotel Seven Hills 3* or similar.

Day 6: Valley of the roses, Thracian tzars, and the most spectacular communist monument in the world

Plovdiv – Tranichene – Kazanlak – Shipka – Buzludzha – Veliko Tarnovo

Early Breakfast.

We depart for Kazanlak, a town situated 2 hours drive from Plovdiv. This is the geographical center of Bulgaria, also known as the “Valley of the roses and Thracian tzars”. The Kazanlak area is a mix of ancient culture, history, and traditions to which we’ll be able to get close.

On our way to Kazanlak, we’ll stop by the village of Tranichene where we’ll visit the “Enio Bonchev” rose oil distillery – the oldest working rose distillery in Bulgaria, established in 1909. There are preserved the old original copper boilers and coolers as well as the oldest technology for rose oil production.

We will also get to see the new generation of rose oil, rose water and lavender oil producing machines. We will try out some of the original products made of Bulgarian roses.

There, nearby the town is waiting for us the Kazanlak Thracian tomb which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites and will teach us more about the life and death of the Thracian tzars.

For lunch, we can enjoy some typical Bulgarian cuisine in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon we leave for Veliko Tarnovo. On our way there we’ll pass through the Balkan mountains and will stop at Buzludzha monument which is one of the most spectacular communist monuments in the world, perched on a windy mountain peak. Underneath is the largest beech forest in Europe, another UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nearby the Buzludzha monument there are other objects which are part of a huge memorial related to the Bulgarian liberation from 5 centuries period of Turkish rule. Numerous Russian soldiers and Bulgarian volunteers have given their lives in the hardest and decisive battle for the Bulgarian liberation.

Shortstops for pictures nearby the monument of Liberty.

We arrive in Veliko Tarnovo. Free time to rest and dinner.

Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo.  Hotel Alegro 3* or similar.

Day 7: The medieval Bulgarian capital, traditional Elena ham

Veliko Tarnovo – Elena – Lovech

Breakfast.

We will start our day with a tour of Veliko Tarnovo. The medieval Bulgarian capital keeps the glory of Bulgarian kingdom spread out on 3 seas in the 13th and 14th centuries. The city of Kings as it is well known nowadays is still spiritual, cultural and respectable center of the past Bulgarian fighting fame. We will conquest the king’s hill “Tsarevets” – medieval capital, fortress, and palace. Afterward, we will visit Transfiguration Monastery from 14th century nearby Veliko Tarnovo with astonishing panoramic view and the emblematic wheel of life.

In the afternoon we leave for Elena town which is situated in the beautiful valley of Elena river. The town is about 38km from Veliko Tarnovo and is famous for its local specialty which is with a protected geographical origin – the Elena ham. There we’ll enjoy some Ham tasting and will learn about the secrets in the making of this delicacy.

We leave for Lovech city. Welcome, walk in the old town, followed by a dinner.

Overnight in Lovech in Park Hotel Stratesh 3* or similar.

Day 8: Bye bye Bulgaria

Lovech – Sofia

After breakfast, we depart for Sofia airport.

Bye Bulgaria!

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Sofia local experience - morning tour 2
Rila Monastery Day trip 4
The Rhodope narrow gauge 6
Day trip in Plovdiv 3
Оpera Open 2019 International Festival
Opera Open International Festival in Plovdiv 2
Barbecue and bagpipe competition in Zlatograd 5
Thracian Temple of Starosel 4
Valley of roses
Enio Bonchev rose distillery
Price includes

Price includes

  1. Transport and airport transfers in all directions in a modern vehicle  – minibus/mini coach with air conditioning. Driving time per day are as follows:  Day 1 – 1 hour; Day 2 – 1 hour; Day 3 – 3 hours; Day 4 – 1.5 hours; Day 5 – 3 hours; Day 6  – 4 hours; Day 7 – 3 hours; Day 8 – 2 hours
  2. Tour of Sofia
  3. Entrance fee for the National History Museum
  4. Visit and entrance fee for Boyana church, boasting Bulgaria’s prettiest medieval frescoes.
  5. Visit and entrance fee for Rila Monastery
  6. Narrow gauge train ride through the Rila, Pirin and Rodhpe mountains.
  7. Tour of Plovdiv and entrances fee for Roman Theatre and Ethnographic Museum in Plovdiv
  8. Demonstration of traditional crafts in Plovdiv
  9. Visit and entrance fee for a guided tour in the oldest working rose distillery in Bulgaria
  10. Visit and entrance fee for the Kazanlak Thracian tomb
  11. Explore small Rhodopean village and meet with a local farmer in his farm and mandra
  12. Bulgarian yogurt, cheese, and kashkaval tasting
  13. Visit and entrance fee for Bachkovo Monastery
  14. Visit Peshtera town
  15. Entrance fees for Peristera fortress and the Museum of communist vehicles
  16. Visit and entrance fee for Asen’s fortress
  17. Visit Asenovgrad and Mavrud tasting in a local winery
  18. Visit of Buzludzha, the most spectacular communist monument in the world.
  19. Visit Liberty Monument Shipka
  20. Tour of Veliko Tarnovo
  21. Visit and entrance fee for the king’s hill of Tsarevets
  22. Visit and explore Transfiguration Monastery from the 14th century
  23. Visit Elena town and meet a local farmer and taste Elena ham.
  24. 7 nights and breakfast in a double room in carefully selected 3* hotels.
  25. An English, Spanish or French speaking tripvam representative during the whole trip
Price does not include

Price does not include

  1. The paid evening programme events of Plovdiv 2019
  2. Airplane ticket
  3. SPA procedures in the hotel in Velingrad town
  4. Personal expenditures
  5. Using a single room or a hotel upgrade are not included
  6. Food and beverages outside the included in the price breakfasts and tastings
  7. Insurance (optional)
  8. Gratuities (optional)
Documents

Documents

  1. Personal ID or passport
Useful info

Useful info

  1. Important – We reserve the right to make changes to the tour if the meteorological conditions demand it.
  2. We have the obligation to offer you the opportunity to sign a “Cancellation of the trip” insurance policy which is optional for you according to article 80, paragraph 1, section 14 from the Bulgarian Tourism Law.
  3. During the days good restaurants will be suggested for lunch en-route
  4. In our tours, we have included accommodation in a 3* hotels chosen by us for their quality of service. Whenever possible, you can upgrade to 4* and 5* hotels or opt for cheaper accommodation.
  5. 1 euro = 1.95583 Bulgarian lev-a. You can check the international currency rates in real time when you click on the link “Currency conversion rates” at the bottom of this page.
  6. 3-course lunch usually comes up to 10-20 BGN/5-10 Euro per adult.
  7. Please, choose your clothes according to Bulgarian weather and seasonal conditions. Try to wear comfy shoes and warm clothes since the nights in the mountain can be chilly.
  8. Please contact us if you have any additional specific needs or wishes!
Accommodation

Accommodation

  1. Seven nights with breakfasts in a double room in carefully selected 3* hotels.
  2. Bed & breakfast in a single room is to be paid additionally.
  3. Hotel upgrades are not included.
  4. Please, contact us if you have any other specific needs or wishes!
Payment options

Payment options

You can make your booking on our website www.tripvam.com or via email: info@tripvam.com

You can use the following payment methods: bank transfer, credit/debit card, PayPal.

Kindly note that all clients are required to pay a deposit of 180 Euro per person for their booking in order to start the reservation process (preferably online by card/PayPal, which will ease the full refund from our side if there is no availability with hotels). Your booking IS NOT confirmed without further written confirmation from our staff, which normally takes up to 24 hours! You have to pay the amount due not later than 30 days before the tour’s beginning date.

Cancellation policy

Cancellation policy

Please do not reserve your flights or make other non-refundable arrangements with other service providers until you hear from us!

You can unsubscribe from using our services at any time by paying the following cancellation fees:

From the day you have made the booking until 45 days – 10%

44 – 30 days -30%;

29-15 days -50%;

14 -9 days -70%;

8 days or less -100%

Important: We reserve the right to make changes to the tour if there are circumstances that occur and are beyond our control – like severe weather conditions, strikes etc.

Reviews (0)

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “Ancient times, traditions, culture and local life in Bulgaria” Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tripvam
Phones:
+359 877 717 221
+359 896 612 175
info@tripvam.com

We are a licensed tour operator in Bulgaria with license number: PK-01-7925
Our tour operator liability insurance number is: 03700100002272
Resources
  • Payment methods
  • Bulgarian Travel Agency and Incoming Tour Operator – license and insurance
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
External links

TripAdvisor
  • Currency conversion rates
3D Secure
tripvam is a brand of WeTrip OOD, a tour operator registered under Bulgarian legislation. All rights reserved tripvam.com
close
Start typing to see trips you are looking for.
We use cookies. When you visit our website, the strictly necessary cookies and functionality cookies will be stored on your computer. The cookies for analysis and marketing effectiveness are disabled by default, if you want to enable them you can go to our options. For more information, please check our cookie policy.
The cookie policy was last updated on 30.12.2018
×
×

Our website uses the following cookies for analysis and marketing effectiveness

Services Options
Google Analytics
Loading...
  • Menu
  • Categories
  • Uncategorised
  • Home
  • Tours
    • Guided Tours
    • Self-guided Tours
  • Historical Park
    • Accommodation
    • Buy a ticket
    • Packages & Holidays
    • Transfers
    • Minibus shuttle
    • Learn about the park
  • Transfers
  • Blog
  • About us
    • Who we are
  • Login / Register

Shopping cart

close

Sign in

close

Lost your password?
No account yet? Create an Account
Scroll To Top