∗ From Sofia – our team will be waiting to greet you at the Sofia Airport or you can arrange your pick up point in advance with a member of our booking team.
∗ Check in at the hotel, free time. Hotel Niky: https://hotel-niky.com/
∗ Sofia tour:
–           Sofia tour. (English speaking guide)
–           Visit to the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
–           Rotunda Saint George.
–           Discover Complex Ancient Serdica.
–           Unravel National Institute of Archaeology.
∗ Visit small local businesses to learn about traditional Bulgarian crafts and products. If you wish, you can shop for some nice souvenirs to take home.
∗ Visit local market for food and supplies (The oldest market in Bulgaria).
∗ Bulgarian Arts and Crafts Tour.
You may choose to visit and do a workshop at one of the follwing places. Please let us know beforehand which one you would like to visit:

• Artikos – Shop Gallery “Crafts and Arts Workshop”: Crafts and arts workshop for traditional Bulgarian souvenirs, Icons and Crucifixes made from wood, metal, ceramics, made by hand. https://artikos.bg/en/
• Craft Blаiv: Bulgarian traditional craft workshop. Embroidered clothes, Ceramic dishes, Copper and metal household items from the region, Production of household curtains from the region. https://zanaiat.bg/
• Workshops Potoche: Small family work shop for traditional Bulgarian gifts and souvenirs. The work shops in run by mother and Daughter. https://www.potoche.bg/workshops/
• Bulgarian Tapestry: Creative workshop for Bulgarian embroidery and needlework: Bulgarian embroidery is a beautiful embroidery that is not just decoration. It is a story, a symbol, coded information. It is a testament to the rich spirituality of our ancestors and their pursuit of beauty. https://goblen-bg.com/

Bulgaria has an extremely rich tradition of arts and crafts – with many items and techniques unique to particular regions or towns. By looking at the craft traditions of Bulgaria, you’ll be able to learn a huge amount about the traditions and beliefs of the people… as well as the lifestyles of Bulgarian people throughout history.
∗ Dinner in a restaurant with traditional folklore program, relax at the charming atmosphere and get ready for the next day.

∗ Today after breakfast we are departing toward Vitosha mountain. The starting point of the trek is just 30 minutes drive from the hotel.
∗ Starting point of the trek is Aleko Konstantinov hut.
∗ Hiking trek to the Cherni peak takes about 02:30 hours.
∗ After a break on the peak ad meditation practice we will hike back to the starting point.
∗ Trash collection in a Vitosha mountain.
∗ Visit to the School of Arts and Crafts “Dimitar Ekimov” – Arts and Crafts Boarding School for Underprivileged Children. Its focus is on bright and gifted children from the poorest strata of society. Children growing up in complete social isolation and bearing the stigma of doom, children deprived of the right to an equal start and a chance for development.
∗ Hotel dinner and relaxation time at the charming atmosphere to get ready for the next day.

∗ Today after breakfast we depart towards town of Plovdiv and we will visti two local wineries.
∗ Visit to the Villa Justina, wine testing and help with daily work (activities depend on the season, for instance harvesting or processing the grapes). Degustation of local wine.
∗ Short transfer to the Chateau Kopsa.
∗ Visit to the Chateau Kopsa, wine testing and help with daily work (activities depend on the season, for instance harvesting or processing the grapes). Degustation of local wine and you have the opportunity to taste some local snacks.
∗ Departure towards town of Plovdiv.
∗ Check in at the hotel, free time. The stay hotel: https://thestayhotelplovdiv.com/en/
∗ Dinner in the local restaurant, relax at the charming atmosphere and get ready for the next day.

∗ Today after breakfast we will disocver town of Plovdiv.
∗ Plovdiv, sightseeing tour. Plovdiv is the second – largest city of Bulgaria. One of the oldest cities in Europe – the beginning of the history dates back to 6,000 years BC. In ancient times Thracians inhabited the Three Hills and built a fortified settlement – the largest city in Thrace. During the 4th century BC, Plovdiv was conquered by Phillip of Macedonia. The sightseeing tour includes:
– Ancient Forum and the Odeon.
– Ancient Roman Stadium.
– Archaeological and historical complex of Old town of Plovdiv.
– Ancient theatre.
– Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum.
– Archaeological complex on the Nebet Tepe (one of the hills of Plovdiv) The earliest settlements on Nebet Tepe are dated back to 4000 BC
– Kapana District-Craft street.
Kapana’s intriguing mesh of streets a place with its own distinctive spirit and unique atmosphere. The quarter has become one of the most magnetic city locations – a centre for artists, curators, culture managers, artisans, writers and musicians, and for people working for it.
-Visit Craft workshop Rakodelnitsata: which is home to over 42 artists involved in crafting. What is unique about them is the wet plastering they do.
-Visit Studio Darvodelite: You can find various wooden products in the workshop, from decorations to practical items. The carpentry shop is located above the workshop itself, and an interesting fact is that the craftsman is working on recreating a life-size boat.
-Visit Studio “GG sisters”: they make from recycled paper. Besides the fact that you can leave with a bowl or a lamp, a decoration for your home or other beauty, they will happily accept your unwanted newspapers and magazines and breathe new life into them. What is characteristic of them is that they do not use any dyes, do not change the color of the paper and transform it into a completely natural form.
∗ Lunch and relax in a traditional restaurant while enjoying deliciously prepared food and lovely atmosphere.
∗ Discover the ancient Asen’s Fortress, a medieval fortress in the Rhodope Mountains controlled by the Thracians, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Ottomans and Bulgarians. Asen’s Fortress is also the most notable examples of Medieval Christian architecture with frescoes dating back to the 13th century. The church is one of the oldest in all of Eastern Orthodoxy and has a tower once used as a belfry and watchtower.
∗ Visit to the Bachkovo Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos, where you will learn about the Bulgarian history. You will learn about the creativity of Zahary Zograf (1810-1853), a famous Bulgarian painter of the Bulgarian National Revival, noted for his church mural paintings and icons and often regarded as the founder of secular art in Bulgaria due to the introduction of everyday life elements in his work.
∗ If time permits, we will also stop by a small wood shop next to the monastery to view the craft of woodworking.
Bulgaria has an extremely rich tradition of arts and crafts – with many items and techniques unique to particular regions or towns. By looking at the craft traditions of Bulgaria, you’ll be able to learn a huge amount about the traditions and beliefs of the people… as well as the lifestyles of Bulgarian people throughout history.
∗ Transfer back to the town of Plovdiv. The stay hotel: https://thestayhotelplovdiv.com/en/
∗ Dinner in the Hotel, relax at the charming atmosphere and get ready for the next day.

∗ After breakfast we will depart towards Town of Haskovo.
∗ Visit the monument of the Holy Mother of God. The monument is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was unveiled in 2003. Standing at a total height of 31 metres (102 feet). The monument has been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest statue of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus in the world.
∗ Visit to the Alexandrovo Tomb and the Museum Centre “Thracian Art Of Eastern Rhodope”. The tomb in the vicinity of the village of Aleksandrovo dates back to the IV century BC and is one of the most prominent monuments of the ancient Thracian culture.
∗ Lunch and relax in a traditional restaurant while enjoying delicious food and lovely atmosphere.
∗ Transfer to the town of Nesebar (Burgas region).
∗ Check in at the Family Hotel RG: http://rghotel.hotelsbg.net/
∗ Dinner at the local restaurant and relaxation time at the charming atmosphere to get ready for the next day.

∗ Today after breakfast we will discover the town of Nesebar.
∗ Tour of Nesebar – It is another an ancient city and one of the major seaside resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Often referred to as the “Pearl of the Black Sea”.
Nesebar is a rich city-museum defined by more than three millennia of ever-changing history. The small city exists in two parts separated by a narrow man-made isthmus with the ancient part of the settlement on the peninsula (previously an island), and the more modern section (i.e. hotels, later development) on the mainland side. The older part bears evidence of occupation by a variety of different civilisations over the course of its existence.
It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations and seaports on the Black Sea.
∗ Lunch and relax in a traditional restaurant while enjoying deliciously prepared food and lovely atmosphere.
∗ Garbage collection at the beach.
∗ Transfer to the town of Varna.
∗ Check in at the hotel, free time. Family Hotel Varna: https://hotelvarna.net/
∗ Dinner in the Hotel, relax at the charming atmosphere and get ready for the next day.

∗ After the breakfast we will continue our adventure in Bulgarian seaside.
∗ Tour of Varna. It is the third-largest city in Bulgaria and the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and in the Northern Bulgaria region. Situated strategically in the Gulf of Varna, the city has been a major economic, social and cultural centre for almost three millennia. Historically known as Odessos (Ancient Greek: Ὀδησσός), Varna developed from a Thracian seaside settlement to a major seaport on the Black Sea.
∗ Lunch and relax in a traditional restaurant while enjoying deliciously prepared food and lovely atmosphere.
∗ Garbage collection at the beach.
∗ Transfer to the town of Shumen.
∗ Check in at the hotel, free time. Hotel Central: https://centralshumen.com/
∗ Dinner in the Hotel, relax at the charming atmosphere and get ready for the next day.

∗ After breakfast we will continue our adventure in Bulgarian.
∗ Tour of Shumen:
∗ Visit the monument to 1300 Years of Bulgaria. Also known as the Founders of the Bulgarian State Monument. It is a large monument built on a plateau above the city of Shumen. It was built in 1981 to commemorate the 1300th anniversary of the First Bulgarian Empire.
∗ Lunch and relax in a traditional restaurant while enjoying delicious food and lovely atmosphere.
∗ Discover the Madara Rider – it is an early medieval large rock relief carved on the Madara Plateau east of Shumen. The monument is dated in the very late 7th or very early 8th century during the reign of Bulgar Khan Tervel. In 1979 became enlisted on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
∗ Transfer to the town of Veliko Tarnovo.
∗ Check in at the hotel, free time. Hotel Central: https://www.hotelcentral-vt.com/index.php?lng=EN&mod=home
∗ Visit to the Personal Development Support Center and help to the local community. This is municipal children’s complex that organizes activities supporting the inclusion, training and education of children and students, as well as activities to develop their interests. You can meet with the children for a cultural exchange, to talk to them about the beauty of Bulgarian cultura and nature and do some activities together.
∗ Hotel dinner and relaxation time at the charming atmosphere to get ready for the next day.

∗ After breakfast we will discover town of Veliko Tarnovo.
∗ Discover the medieval fortress Tsarevets, where the medieval kings reigned over the centuries.
∗ Visit village of Arbanasi – it is known for the rich history and large number of historical monuments, such as 17th- and 18th-century churches and examples of Bulgarian National Revival architecture.
∗ Lunch and relax in a traditional restaurant while enjoying delicious food and lovely atmosphere.
∗ Visit to the Boris Denev Art Gallery.
∗ Visit to the Monument “Mother Bulgaria”.
∗ Visit to the Marno Pole Park in Veliko Tarnovo – Help with the daily work and walk with some dogs.
∗ Transfer to the town of Kazanlak.
∗ Check in at the hotel, free time. Hotel Diamond: https://hoteldiamant.bg/
∗ Hotel dinner with guest form the town, exchange customes, stories and dance Horo – Bulgarian traditional dances and relaxation time at the charming atmosphere to get ready for the next day.

∗ After the breakfast we will discover town of Kazanlak.
∗ Tour of Kazanlak – it is a town at the eastern end of the Rose Valley. It is the center of rose oil extraction in Bulgaria. The oil-producing rose of Kazanlak is one of the most widely recognized national symbols.
∗ Visit to Kazanlashka Tomb, one of the most impressive monuments of the Thracian civilization in the Valley of the Thracian Kings. It is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.
∗ Discover the tomb of Seuthes III. Seuthes III was the King of the Odrysian Kingdom of Thrace from 331BC to 300BC and founder of the nearby Thracian city of Seuthopolis.
∗ Lunch and relax in a traditional restaurant while enjoying delicious food, fine wine and lovely atmosphere.
∗ Enjoyable afternoon at the Architectural and Ethnographic Complex Damascena, where the legends of Orpheus come to life. Orpheus was considered one of the chief poets and musicians of antiquity and is still a symbol of the art of music. Did you know that:
– The Bulgarian rose oil is declared the highest quality rose oil in the world.
– It takes 30 roses to produce 1 drop of rose oil, and 3000-4 000 kg of rose flowers for 1 kg of first-rate rose oil.
– The first rose oil in Bulgaria was distilled in the 17th century.
∗ Help with the daily work in a Rose fields and the Rose oil production and listen to the stories of Orpheus and the great Thracian tribes. Make a nice gift of Roses in a downtown of Kazanlak and Sofia.
∗ Transfer to the town of Sofia, check in at the hotel, free time. Hotel Niky: https://hotel-niky.com/
∗ Hotel dinner and relaxation time at the charming atmosphere to get ready for the next day.

∗ After breakfast we depart towards Rila Monastery.
∗ Visit Rila Monasetry – one of the symbols of Bulgaria and a popular tourist destination. The monastery lies in the recesses of Rila Mountain between Rilska and Drushlyavitsa Rivers, at 1147 m above mean sea level. Throughout the centuries Rila Monastery has always been the spiritual, educational and cultural centre of Bulgaria. The monastery is a part of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.
∗ Lunch and relax in a traditional restaurant while enjoying delicious food and lovely atmosphere.
∗ Visit to the Stob pyramids. It is one of the most popular among the tourists rock pyramids in Bulgaria. They are included in the Red Book of Bulgaria as a critically endangered natural habitat.
∗ Transfer to the Every Dog Matters EU Shelter (2230, Kostinbrod). Along the way, we will stop at a local store to purchase some supplies to give to the shelter to support their work. We will also help with their daily work and walk with some of the dogs.
∗ Transfer back to town of Sofia. Hotel Niky: https://hotel-niky.com/
∗ Hotel dinner and relaxation time at the charming atmosphere to get ready for the next day.

∗ Today after breakfast, check out from the hotel.
∗ Transfer to the Airport or you can  arranged your Drop off point in advance with member of our booking team.

We are glad that we spent memorable moments together and we will be happy to meet you soon!