Culture And Spa Tour In Bulgaria
Escorted or self drive tour operating throughout the whole year with departures every week
Highlights:
Day 1 – Sofia (Friday)
Arrival to Sofia. Transfer and accommodation in 3* hotel in the center of the city (Sofia Place or similar). Overnight.
Day 2 – Sofia city tour (Saturday)
After breakfast – panoramic tour around the Bulgarian capital (a 8500 years old city!) called “My Rome” by the Emperor Constantine the Great and visit to the most interesting historical sights: the Rotunda church of St. George (dated IV century AC), the mineral springs, the St. Nedelya square, where 4 temples from different religions are located next to each other: The Catholic church, The Orthodox church, The Synagogue and The Mosque are forming quadrangle, symbolizing religion tolerance in Bulgaria. Next is the Alexander I square where the Royal Palace and the National Theatre are located, the Parliament, the Church of ”St. Sofia” (the name means wisdom), which had given the name of the city, and the “Alexander Nevski” cathedral (the biggest Orthodox temple on the Balkan peninsula).
In the afternoon – free time. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 3 – Sofia – Sandanski (Sunday)
After breakfast – departure to Sofia outskirts, in the foot of Vitosha Mounatin, where we will visit another remarkable monument – The Boyana Church. It is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church situated in the Boyana district, near Sofia. The monument is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The church is one of the most completely and perfectly preserved monuments of east European medieval art. The frescoes in the church, painted in 1259, make it one of the most important collections of medieval paintings and initiating the beginning of the European Renaissance.
Take off to the Rila monastery, founded in the 10-th c. It was the biggest Bulgarian medieval spiritual centre. The monastery has a rich collection of icons, wall-paintings, old-printed books – about 15 000 volumes. It is included in the UNESCO list of world heritage. Before visit the monastery we recommend lunch in a nearby restaurant, famous with its dishes of mountain trout.
In the late afternoon we will reach Sandanski – one of the biggest SPA resorts in the country in Bulgaria, located in a valley at the foot of Pirin Mountain (second highest mountain in Bulgaria and UNESCO-protected site), on both banks of the Sandanska Bistritsa River and just 25 km away from Greek border. The region is well known for its healthy climate and mineral water resources – over 80 springs with temperature between 42 to 81°С and different level of mineralization and chemical compound. The mineral waters offer conditions for outdoor swimming all year round and have a strong healing effect on a number of medical conditions.
Accommodation and overnight in 3* SPA hotel (St. Nikola or similar).
Day 4 – Free time and SPA treatments (Monday)
After breakfast – free time at leisure. Possibility to make SPA treatments. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 5 – Free time and SPA treatments (Tuesday)
After breakfast – free time at leisure. Possibility to make SPA treatments. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 6 – Free time and SPA treatments (Wednesday)
After breakfast – free time at leisure. Possibility to make SPA treatments. Overnight in the hotel.
Optional: one day tour of Thessaloniki with visit of the White Tower – symbol of the city, the extensive Byzantine walls of the Upper City, the Triumph Arc, the famous church “St. Dimitаr” (patron saint of the city) and other sights of the city. Free time for shopping on the main commercial street “Ignatiya”.
Day 7 – Sandanski – Rozhen – Melnik (Thursday)
After breakfast – departure for village of Rozhen. Visit of the local Rozhen monastery, founded in XI-th century. Then we descend to Melnik – the town of the sand pyramids and the smallest one in Bulgaria (once there lived some 18 000 people, and nowadays there are no more than 700-800 inhabitants). This is a unique unforgettable place. Melnik is famous for its red wines. Visit of Kordopulova house and tasting of a glass of Melnik wine in cellar, dug in the sand rocks.
In the afternoon – return to Sofia. Accommodation and overnight in 3* hotel.
Day 8 – Flight back home (Friday)
After breakfast – free time. Transfer to the airport and flight back home.
