Itinerary
Day 1: Rila monastery and Plovdiv
Stop At: Rila Monastery, Rila 2643 Bulgaria
At 8:30 you will be picked by your guide from your hotel/accommodation in Sofia. You will have an hour and a half drive, on a beautiful road, to get to the first famous site-Rila monastery. Situated deep in the dense pine forests of Rila Mountain, Rila Monastery is the biggest and most important Orthodox cloister in Bulgaria. It is an outstanding example of the Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage, in which architecture and painting merge harmoniously. The site is part of the UNESCO world heritage list. Rila Monastery was found in the 10th century by St Ivan Rilski, a hermit canonized by the Orthodox Church. His ascetic dwelling and tomb became a holy place and later on a monastic complex was formed. It played an important role in the spiritual and social life of medieval Bulgaria.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Plovdiv Old Town, Plovdiv 4000 Bulgaria
After a nice lunch in the area of the monastery, we will continue our journey toward the second biggest cities in Bulgaria-Plovdiv. Plovdiv is said to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe. The city has cultural and economic significance both in the past and in the present due to its strategic location. Pieces of evidence of its millennial history can be found all over the place – from the Roman Theatre to the Ottoman mosques. This is the reason why Plovdiv is one of the most charming sights in Bulgaria- wherever you look you will find history, a legend from a different period, traces of glorious past and at the same time, it’s a pleasure to see how vivid is it still and how it continues to develop and writes its new history. There we will visit the highlights – the Roman Theatre, the Roman Stadium, and have a walk in the Old Town with typical for the Revival Period house museums and narrow cobblestone streets.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Kapana suberb, Center ville Djumaya mosque, Plovdiv 4000 Bulgaria
The evening we will spend in Plovdiv. We will overnight in the heart of the Old town in a nice 3* hotel. You can enjoy your free time by visiting the famous area called "The trap". It is like a maze full of small craft beer and wine shops, wonderful restaurants, bars with live music, and many more places of entertainment.
Duration: 3 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: 3* hotel in the historical part of Plovdiv
Day 2: Koprivshtica, Starosel and the heritage of the Thracians
Stop At: Thracian Temple Complex Starosel, Selo Starosel Chetinyovata Mogila, Hissarya 4175 Bulgaria
After a good Bulgarian breakfast, we will drive to our first point of interest- the Thracian temple complex of Starosel. It is an amazing burial site of this ancient civilization. Luckily for us it almost perfectly preserved. You will learn from your highly educated guide about those people who were living in our lands since the Bronze Age.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Koprivshtitsa, Koprivshtitsa, Sofia Region
Our next stop will bring us back into the 19th century. Koprivshtica is an architect reserve and it is like a time machine. The town is very important for Bulgarian history and especially to the Revival period, and the struggle of the Bulgarians against the Ottomans. We will have a guided walking tour of the place. We will see some wonderful examples of 19th-century Bulgarian architecture. We can have some nice traditional Bulgarian lunch before we head toward Sofia. When we arrive you will be dropped at any location in the city.
Duration: 4 hours
Meals included:
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No accommodation included on this day.