50 km and one hour driving time
Welcome to Bucharest Airport.
The capital of Romania is one of those cities which has a bit from everything and that’s why everyone can find their place in it! Some parts of the city with wide boulevards and huge buildings will remind you of Paris (it’s not a coincidence that Bucharest is called the Little Paris). Other parts of the city are filled with the typical communist style architecture. There are also cobblestone roads with old-age houses as well as interesting shops and delicious food.
Gentle walking tour of Bucharest historical city center. You will enter the building of the Parliament (second largest building in the world, after the Pentagon).
Overnight in Bucharest Rin Grand Hotel 4* or similar.
Bucharest – Sinaia – Bran – Brasov / 220 km and 4 hours driving time.
Breakfast
We depart for the region of Transylvania.
First will visit Sinaia and Peles and Pelisor castles, which are ranked as the most beautiful in Romania.
Then we continue with the castles by visiting Bran Castle or more famously known as the Count Dracula’s castle. This is one of the most famous historical attractions in Romania and the top visited castle in the country.
The afternoon will be dedicated to walking tour of downtown Brasov’s sights as the Black Castle and visit to the narrowest Romanian street.
Overnight in Brasov Golden Time Hotel 4* or similar.
Breakfast.
Depart to Bucharest where you will have the chance to visit and enjoy the biggest aqua and SPA center in Europe – Bucharest Therme.You will have the opportunity to pamper your body and soul, enjoying exceptional spa treatments at the most luxurious spa oasis in the Balkans and indulging in a fun-filled experience! The Bucharest Therme Park Center combines warm pools, entertainment, water adventures and procedures that will satisfy all your wishes.
Visit the Village Museum in Bucharest.
Depart to Ruse known as the Bulgarian Vienna. We will get into Bulgaria through the historic Danube bridge near Ruse.
Overnight in Ruse on the bank of the Danube river and only 400 meters from the central city square. Grand hotel Riga 4*
Ruse – Ivanovo – Nicopolis ad Istrum – Veliko Tarnovo
130 km and 2.5 hours drive
Breakfast.
Only on 25 minutes driving time from Russe there are the unique Ivanovo rock monasteries (UNESCO World Heritage Site). High in sheer cliffs are chiseled out tens of monk caves, churches, and chapels. There used to live monks who decided to leave the worldly live and dedicate their lives to seclusion and prayers to the Lord. Nowadays the place is well known as the Ivanovo’s rock churches. Six of them are still kept showing amazing frescoes which were the reason for the inclusion of the site in the UNESCO World Heritage list. Video HERE
We depart for Тhe city of Kings as is known the medieval Bulgarian capital – Veliko Tarnovo which keeps the glory of the Bulgarian kingdom spread out on 3 seas in the 13th and 14th centuries. The city is still being considered cultural and respectable center of the Bulgarian fighting spirit and fame.
On the way to Veliko Tarnovo we’ll visit one of the biggest Roman towns in Bulgaria – Nicopolis ad Istrum. This Roman and an Early Byzantine town was founded by the Roman emperor Marcus Ulpius Traianus to honor his victories over the Dacians tribes in 101 and 106. The ruins are located at the village of Nikyup, 20 km north-west of Veliko Tarnovo.
Next is Transfiguration Monastery from 14th century nearby Veliko Tarnovo with astonishing panoramic view and the emblematic wheel of life with the 12 zodiac signs.
In Veliko Tarnovo we will conquest the king’s hill “Tsarevets” – a medieval capital, fortress and palace. Gentle walking tour in the old town.
Overnight in / around Veliko Tarnovo the Complex “Arbanashki han” or similar.
Veliko Tarnovo – Veliki Preslav – Madara Rider – Pliska – Varna
250 km and 3.5 hours driving time
Breakfast.
Our day will begin with a visit to the second Bulgarian capital – Veliki Preslav and the message of the Round church. Veliki Preslav was a leading administrative, spiritual and art center of the European South-East and was the place for some of the greatest Bulgarian achievements during the medieval ages. We’ll explore the archeological reserve and the fort walls of the old capital.
After a short walk in this archeological reserve we leave for the Shumen Plateu where we’ll see the world-renown Bulgarian symbol – the Madara rider. It is the most significant part of the Madara reserve and is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Nearby is situated the first Bulgarian capital – Pliska, established in 681. There we’ll learn about the city building plan which was used by Bulgarian rulers for centuries.
Our day ends with a walk through Varna city center and the sea garden. Part of our tour are the Roman Baths in Varna. They are one of the best preserved architectural remains of antiquity and at the same time are the largest Roman baths on the Balkan Peninsula – about 7000 sq.m. Video HERE
We leave for the hotel. Overnight in Varna hotel Aqua 4* or similar.
Varna – Stone forest – Historical Park – Ovech – Varna / 120 km and 2 hours drive
Today will start with the phenomenon “Beaten stones” – a mystery of a million years. The Bulgarian Stone Desert is located about 15-20 miles outside of the city of Varna and is one of the most beautiful and mysterious locations in Bulgaria. A stone forest or an experimental field of time?
We will explore this magical place to find the answer, then continue to our next stop.
Historical Park – significant attraction that represents the cultural and historical values of people and civilizations, which inhabited the Balkan Peninsula since the Stone Age up until the late Middle Ages.
Real gold treasures, battles, demonstrations, wine degustations and thracian rituals, predatory birds, horseback riding and archery are some of the experiences here.
We will have the opportunity to relive the history, lifestyle, culture, beliefs and lifestyle of this ancient civilization.
We will admire Thracian art, treasures and food prepared according to authentic Thracian recipes. Here are the only fully restored Thracian palace in the world, as well as the marble Temple of the Mother Goddess – Cybele. Stories and legends will come alive to immerse us in a world of ritual, mysticism and beauty.
In the late afternoon, we depart for Varna. We will stray from the road to visit the Sheep Fort. Here, nature has formed a natural citadel that has been used by the Thracians. The place has a rich history, as in the III-IV centuries the Romans built there the Provaton fortress, and later the Slavs named it Ovech. The fortress preserves the foundations of three medieval churches, one of which is metropolitan. Defense towers were rebuilt at two of the entrances to the fort.
Video HERE
Overnight in Varna, hotel Aqua 4* or similar.
Varna – Nessebar – Pomorie – Varna 240km
Breakfast
We head to Nessebar – one of the most beautiful and enriched with thousands of years of history places on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. We will enjoy the unique atmosphere, scenic cobblestone streets with typical Black Sea houses, ancient ruins of churches and remains of Antiquity amidst the beauty of the rocky shore and the blue sea. Walks, photos and delicious seafood.
On our way back we will visit Pomorie, whose Salt Museum is the only museum of its kind not only in Bulgaria but also throughout Eastern Europe. Here we will learn more about the “white gold”, as the salt was called in ancient times, and we’ll take a look at the museum with adjacent 20 decares of salt marshes, which today is harvesting salt using the same technology that it has been using for production centuries ago.
We will also visit the Pomorie wine cellar, where you can also taste the excellent wine produced by local sorts and get acquainted with the wine-making technology..
Back to Varna. Overnight in 4* hotel
Breakfast at the hotel.
Free time at leisure in downtown Varna or visit to the dolphinarium. Festa Dolphinarium is the only attraction of its kind in Bulgaria. It is situated amidst the greenery of the Seaside Garden of Varna.
End of program. Transfer to Varna airport.
Bye Bulgaria!
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