Private Cultural Tour of Bulgaria
Itinerary at a glance:
Day 1 - Arrive into Sofia | Transfer to Plovdiv
Day 2 - Plovdiv & Kazanlak
Day 3 - Plovdiv to Pamporovo
Day 4 - Pamporovo to Velingrad
Day 5 - Velingrad to Bansko
Day 6 - Bansko to Melnik
Day 7 - Melnik at Lei
Day 8 - Melnik to Sofia
Day 9 - Sofia
Day 10 - Depart Sofia
Day 1 | Arrive into Sofia | Transfer to Plovdiv
Arrive into Sofia, where you will meet your driver-guide just outside of customs and baggage for your transfer east to Plovdiv. This transfer will take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic. Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria after the capital Sofia and was the chosen European Capital of Culture for 2019!
After your arrival in Plovdiv, you will check in to your charming hotel located in the historic Old Town. You may spend the remainder of your day at leisure.
Day 2 | Plovdiv & Kazanlak
This morning, meet your driver-guide to begin an overview tour of Plovdiv.
The first settlement on this place was founded by the Thracians and was later conquered by Philip of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great. He named it Philipopolis (the town of Philip), after himself. The Romans came here around the turn of the first millennia and further fortified the city, also building streets, towers, and aqueducts. You will have a chance to see the famous Roman amphitheater and the Roman Stadium, which were also built in that period (2nd century AD). The amphitheater could seat at that time 6,000 spectators and was probably the site of bloody gladiator fights. It is still used today for performances and cultural events.
You will stroll along the cobble-stoned streets of the Old Town and admire its beautifully restored Baroque houses. Mostly built in the 19th century, these houses typically feature overhanging upper floors with jutting eaves, porticos with colonnades, and brightly colored facades.
Later, you will head north towards Kazanlak, the town of the Bulgarian Rose Damascene and the Capital of the Valley of the Thracian Kings.
Kazanlak is located at the foot of the Balkan Mountains and at the eastern end of the famous Rose Valley, which has been a center of rose cultivation and rose oil extraction for centuries. It is believed that the type of rose used for rose oil extraction was introduced to this region from Asia Minor in the 18th - 19th century and, thanks to the favorable climate and soil, rose oil production soon became a major industry with plantations stretching for miles and supplying over half of the world’s supply of rose oil. The roses bloom from late May until early June and must be hand-picked before dawn to preserve their oil content.
You will first visit a rose distillery where a rose expert will introduce you to the ancient technique of extracting the oil from the roses. There you will also have the chance to taste some liquor and rose jam.
After, you will then visit the famous Thracian Tomb located just north of Kazanlak. The Kazanlak Tomb is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and dates to the 4th century BC. Discovered in 1944, it is located near the ancient Seutopolis - the former capital city of the Thracian king Seutes III and is part of a large Thracian necropolis. The tomb’s interiors include a narrow corridor and a round burial chamber, both decorated with murals representing Thracian burial rituals and culture. These paintings are Bulgaria’s best-preserved artistic masterpieces from the Hellenistic period.
Begin your transfer back to Plovdiv, where you may spend the remainder of your evening at leisure.
Day 3 | Plovdiv to Pamporovo
Today you will head towards the town of Asenovgrad to visit Asen’s Fortress, a medieval construction located on top of a rocky ridge. Thracians first fortified this site in the 5 BC, and Romans rebuilt it completely under Emperor Justinian’s orders. Tsar Asen II commanded the largest expansion in 1231 and named both the fortress and the nearby town after himself.
Later, you will transfer to the second largest Bulgarian monastery – Bachkovo, which is situated in a narrow river valley in the Rhodope Mountains. Bachkovo is known for its miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary with Jesus, because of which the monastery has been a pilgrimage site for centuries. The frescos in the monastery’s medieval refectory are fabulous examples of 17th century art.
Afterwards, visit the Marvelous Bridges, where you will also get to walk through impressive caves. If you wish, you can take a 10-minute walk to see the biggest part of this bridge formation. Legend says that a dragon appeared and started to kill herds in the area. Shepherds tricked it into eating a donkey made of tinder, and upon lighting the donkey, the dragon ate it and attempted to escape being captured. It found a hole in the ground and hid here until it died, causing the rock to form around his body and leave these large bridges that we see today.
Note: You will be hiking through rocky roads and passing through caves today, so wear comfortable shoes.
Continue your journey to your resort in Pamporovo, located at the foot of the Snezhanka Peak of the Rhodope Mountains. Upon checking into your resort, you will spend the remainder of your evening at leisure.
Day 4 | Pamporovo to Velingrad
This morning you will begin your journey through the heart of the Rhodope Mountains. You will start your day in the Shiroka Laka village, an architectural and ethnographic reserve which has now become one of the most popular destinations of the country. The wooden homes along the riverbed in this village represent the region’s traditional architecture. During your visit, you will explore some of the homes and examine their beautiful wooden interior before learning about the unique bag pipe performance and folklore singing that originated here.
While in Shiroka Laka, you will be invited into one of the traditional homes to enjoy lunch while your hosts share their stories and local traditions with you.
Next you will visit the village of Gela, located in one of the highest parts of the Rhodope Mountains. According to the legend, here is where the mythical hero Orpheus was born. Next you will meet a professional 4x4 Jeep driver who will take you to the top of Mount St. Eliah. Upon reaching the top, you will get to experience the stunning scenery at the Eagle Eye panoramic platform. From here, you can observe the Rila and Pirin mountains, as well as the Rhodope mountains and Buinovo Gorge.
Afterwards, you will enter the Yagodina cave, one of the most beautiful caves in Bulgaria. This multi-level marble cave extends to 8,501 meters and is considered the 4th longest cave in the country. As you exit the cave you will come upon the Buynovo River, where Neolithic Age artifacts have recently been discovered.
Continue your journey to your hotel in Velingrad. Upon checking in, you may spend the remainder of your evening at leisure.
Day 5 | Velingrad to Bansko
Upon checking out of your hotel, you will meet your driver-guide for your journey to Bansko. Along the way, you will be welcomed into a private home in Gorna Draglishte, where you will participate in a culinary lesson and prepare lunch with organic and home-grown ingredients. While creating your fantastic traditional dish, your host, grandma Deshka, will share stories of their folklore beliefs and traditions.
Later, you will make a stop in the village of Dobarsko, where you will be welcomed by the grandmothers of Dobarsko with folklore songs, bread, and traditional banitza in the courtyard of Church Sv Teodor Tiron & Teodor Stratilat, famous for its beautiful frescoes that date back to the 17th century.
Afterwards, you will reach the famous mountain resort of Bansko. Upon checking into your hotel, you may spend the remainder of your evening enjoying the resort at your leisure.
Day 6 | Bansko to Melnik
Today you will begin your transfer to Melnik. This journey will take approximately 1.5 hours depending on traffic and the number of stops you make along the way.
Arrive at Zornitsa Estate, where you will spend the rest of your day at leisure. This property offers stunning views of the Melnik Sand Pyramids, as well as the surrounding landscape. The hotel also features one of the best wine collections in the area. We recommend experiencing a special gourmet dinner prepared by a Michelin star chef (payable locally).
Day 7 | Melnik
Today you may spend your day relaxing at your leisure.
Day 8 | Melnik to Sofia
This morning you will meet your driver-guide and begin your journey to Sofia. Along the way, you will explore the Rila National Park to visit the Rila Monastery, the most important monastery in the country.
It is believed that the monastery was founded by the hermit St. John of Rila (Ivan Rilski), whose name it bears, in the 10th century. The hermit lived in a cave not far from the monastery's location, while the complex was built by his students, who came to the mountains to receive their education. Ever since its creation, the Rila Monastery was supported with large donations by the Bulgarian rulers, gradually turning the monastery into a cultural and spiritual center throughout the centuries under Ottoman authority.
The monastery museum houses a rich collection of valuable ancient manuscripts, coins, and weapons. After visiting the museum’s historic treasures, you will then have the chance to visit the main church.
Continue your journey to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Sofia is a city with a history that stretches back over 7,000 years and was previously known as Serdika. Sofia grew under the influence of the Roman and the Ottoman Empire until the 19th century. With the assistance of Russia, the Ottoman Empire collapsed, and Bulgaria was able to gain its independence. Shortly after the end of World War II, the country found itself inside the Iron Curtain and was under communist rule until 1991. You can still see the architectural influence from the Romans, Ottomans, and the Soviet Union throughout the city to this day.
Now, Sofia is a modern, laid-back city with a wide variety of museums, restaurants, and art galleries. Scattered throughout the city are large parks and monuments dedicated to recognizing the struggles of its past.
Upon checking into your hotel, you may enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.
Day 9 | Sofia
This morning, your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby to take you on a tour of Sofia. You will see Sofia’s signature gold onion-domed landmark, the Alexander Nevsky Memorial Cathedral, built as a tribute to the Russians who liberated Bulgaria from the Turks at the turn of the 19th century.
The St. Sofia Church stands just across from the Alexander Nevsky Church and is in rather modest contrast to the cathedral’s Russian flamboyance. The current building dates as far back as the 6th century, but excavations have revealed that it stands on the remains of an even older church. The Ottomans who used it as a mosque added minarets to the church in the 16th century. This graceful monument has inspired the city of Sofia’s coat of arms.
You will continue your exploration of the Bulgarian capital at the famous Rotunda Sveti Georgi (Church of St. George), which was built in the 4th century as a Roman temple. Later, it was consecutively used as both a church and a mosque, and recent restoration works have revealed magnificent medieval frescoes. The rotunda is the oldest preserved building in Sofia.
In the afternoon, you will the head to the outskirts of Sofia, where you will stop at the small Boyana Church. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its rich collection of medieval murals, some dating back to the mid-13th century, and considered to be among the finest examples of religious art. The east wing of the two-story church was originally constructed in the late 10th or early 11th century. Later, the central wing was added in the 13th century during the period of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. The whole building was finally finished with a further expansion to the west in the middle of the 19th century.
Later, you will transfer back to your hotel to spend your final evening in Sofia at leisure.
Day 10 | Depart Sofia
Today you will meet your driver for your transfer to the airport to board your departing flight onward.
Accommodations
Plovdiv - Residence City & Garden
Pamporovo - Perelik Hotel
Velingrad - Arte Hotel
Bansko - Kempinski Grand Arena Hotel
Melnik - Zornitsa Family Estate & Chateaux
Sofia - Intercontinental Hotel
This itinerary is based on a sample itinerary from Exeter International. Get in touch for rates and to customize the itinerary to your preferences!