BULGARIAN BACKROADS:  MONASTERY TOUR 4

DAY 1: Arrival. Meeting, assistance. Transfer to the hotel. Dinner in a typical Bulgarian restaurant with folklore program. Overnight.

DAY 2: Breakfast. Departure for Koprivshtica - Discover the architectural and ecological paradise! Cobblestone streets and century old town houses in their peaceful and romantic surroundings harbour a variety of impressions just waiting to be experienced! The numerous museums, the arched bridges, the granite fountains, the high stone walls, the wooden yard gates and the buildings in their typical colours, all take you back to times long gone. Departure for Plovdiv. Accommodation and overnight.

DAY 3: Breakfast. Half – day tour of the monasteries in the Plovdiv area – Kuklenski (15 km south) with precious frscoes from the 17th c; Muldavkski (20 km south) dating back to the Middle Ages and impressive for its architecture and murals; and of course the Bachkovo monastery – the second largest in Bulgaria (28 km south), founded in 1083 by two Byzantine nobles of Georgian origin, with unique atmosphere, religious paintings and icons. Back to Plovdiv and tour of the city – visit of the Old Town and houses, The Roman theatre. Overnight.

DAY 4: Breakfast. Departure for the mountain town of Bansko in the Pirin mountains. On the way visit of the spa center of Velingrad. Accommodation in Bansko – a small town hidden in the Pirin mountain, famous for its natural beauties, rich culture and unique architecture. Tour of the town. Overnight.

DAY 5: Breakfast. Departure for Melnik – the smallest Bulgarian town, surrounded by marvelous landscape of sandy rocks and famous for its wine production. Visit of the Rojen Monastery (6 km from Melnik) – founded in 12-13 century a.d, a perfect example of the traditional Bulgarian religious spirit and building style, with masterpieces of religious art, admired for the miraculous icon of Virgin Mary. Overnight in the spa town of Sandanski.

DAY 6: Breakfast. Visit of the Rila Monastery – the biggest, the oldest and most renowned in the country, located amongst the high rising mountain peaks and next to a river. Inposing fortress-like architecture, coexisting with the rich and colourful murals, woodcarvings, and the real monastic daily life. An interesting and precious collection of manuscripts, art masterpieces, historical documents to be seen in the museum of the monastery. An immersion in the spiritual heritage of the Bulgarian land! Departure for the mountain resort of Borovetz. Overnight.

DAY 7: Breakfast. On the way back to Sofia – visit of the small nunnery near the town of Samokov and the Dragalevtzi monastery – built in the 15th c. in the traditions of the Bulgarian Mediaeval architecture, with the first paintings of secular persons in the religious scenes. The tour continues in the Northwest part of the country with visit of the Clisura Monastery with its wooden balconies, beautiful four-domed church, nested in the foothills of the Balkan mountains peaks. Overnight in the town of Vurshetz.

DAY 8: Breakfast. A nice journey in the past and traditions – visit of the Chiprovski Monastery and Lopushanski monastery, both built by a local monastic community, with naïve, but precious decoration. Then visit of the Belogradchik fortress –an ancient stronghold built in Roman times among the unreachable mountain rocks. In the afternoon – get onto on of the finest and most impressive Bulgarian caves – Ledenika, ornated with stalactites, stalagmites, stalactones, rock draperies and waterfalls. Overnight in the Vratza region.

DAY 9: Breakfast. On the way back to Sofia the tour stops in the Cherepish monastery and the Sedemte Prestola monastery on the banks of the Iskar river. Overnight in Sofia.

DAY 10: Breakfast. City tour of the Bulgarian capital, including some of the most beautiful churches in Bulgaria – “St. Aleksandar Nevki” Cathedral, “St. Sofia”, Rotonda church of “St. George”, “St. Nicolas”, “St. Nedelya”, “St. Petka” as well as all the major monuments in the city. Farewell and transfer to the airport. Departure.

Please call us for pricing.  Itinerary subject to change without notice.