BULGARIAN BACKROADS:  MONASTERY TOUR 6

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

DAY 2: Breakfast. Departure for the Ribaritza locality, in the north slopes of the Balkan Mountains. On the way – visit of the Pravetz monastery and the Etopole Monanastery, donated with many valuable church murals and precious manuscripts, silver crosses, icons. You will not miss the most inetesting monastery in this part of the country – at Glojene – built on a high promontory rock, dominating the surroundings, resembling a fortress – a fortress with hidden religious spirit, masterpieces of woodcarving and painting. Overnight in Ribaritza, among the century old forests and beautiful pure nature.

DAY 3: Breakfast. Departure for the old town of Troyan, center of the traditional hadicrafts, and visit of the adjacent Troyan monastery – the third biggest in Bulgaria, built in the 15th c., part of the traditional cultural and architectural heritage of the Revival period. Fine examples of woodcarvings, valuable icons, vivid monastic daily life. Then proceeding to the town of Gabrovo and the Sokolski monastery from the first half of the 19th c., with a colorful flowered yard and a unique fountain, built by one of the most talented Bulgarian masters. At the end of the day – visit of the architectural reserve of Etara, near Gabrovo – where old houses, church, many craftsmen’s workshops are still in live and traditions are still vivid. Overnight in Etara.

DAY 4: Breakfast. From Etara the tour continues to another typical and traditional Bulgarian village – Bojentsi – with unbeatable in uniqueness architecture and friendly atmosphere. Visit of the Dryanovo monastery (15 km from Gabrovo) – with its impressive stone church and its reach history. Proceeding to the Kilifarevo Monastery – one of the first to be build during the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, being the main literary center of the state. Overnight in the Arbanassi village (near Veliko Tarnovo) – an architectural reserve with stronghold-like houses and traditional atmosphere.

DAY 5: Breakfast. Visit of the Preobrajensky monastery – the “Royal Monastery” of the Bulgarian Kings in the Middle Ages, famous for the murals painted inside its church, among which the masterpiece “The Wheel of Life Cycle”. Then going for a tour in the old Bulgarian capital – Tarnovo – with its fortress on the Tsarevetz hill, the old churches, the Trapezitsa hill, the Old Quarter, “Sound & Light” show. Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo.

DAY 6: Breakfast. From Veliko Tarnovo you’re the tour goes towards Shumen, passing through the capital of the First Bulgarian Kingdom – Preslav and visit of the archaelogical site. City tour of Shumen – the churches of “St. George”, “St. Trinity”, “St. Elias”, The Armenian church, Tombul mosque (the biggest in Bulgaria).

DAY 7: Breakfast. The tour in the remote past continues with visit of the very first capital of pagan Bulgarian state (form 681)-Pliska, then to the Madara plateu with the UNESCO site of the “Madara Horseman”, engraved in the rocks. On the way to the Black Sea coast you will have the chance to see the natural phenomena of the “Pobitite Kamani” (the Standing Rocks) and the unrivaled “Aladja” monastery – a monastic complex built in the rocks of the Eastern Balkan Mountains. Overnight on the Northern Black Sea coast.

DAY 8: Breakfast. From coastline the tour continues towards Russe on the Danube river. On the way – visit of the spectacular “Ivanovski” monastery complex - built into niches over the Rusenski Lom river, with small cells dug in the rocks and ornated with precious murals, included in the UNESCO Heritage list. City tour of Russe and overnight.

DAY 9: Breakfast. On the way back to Sofia you will visit Pleven – a place of rich history, battlefield during the War for Bulgarian Liberation from 1877-1878, including a stop in the “Panorama” exhibition center. 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.