Breathe in Travel
Bulgaria, crossroads of civilizations
8 days – 7 nights
Package Details
- Group Tours
- Overland Tour
Overview
Discover Bulgaria in a new light through this 8-day / 7-night cultural tour, designed for travelers curious about history, traditions, and authenticity.
From Sofia to Veliko Tarnovo, passing through Plovdiv and the Rose Valley, this journey reveals the country’s most beautiful facets: listed monasteries, charming villages, ancestral crafts, and local gastronomy.
Between medieval fortresses, churches adorned with frescoes, living museums, and genuine encounters with artisans, each step combines heritage and emotion.
An enchanting interlude in the heart of the Balkans, punctuated by the scent of roses, the chants of monasteries, and the warmth of Bulgarian hospitality.
Highlights
- A comprehensive tour combining heritage, culture, and traditions in the most beautiful regions of Bulgaria
- Rich and varied cultural visits, ranging from Orthodox churches to ethnographic museums and medieval fortresses
- Authentic local experiences, including Bulgarian yogurt tasting, traditional meals, and a folkloric dinner in Sofia
- A selection of comfortable hotels, well located for groups and offering a warm Bulgarian welcome
- The discovery of the Valley of the Roses, with its workshops and museums dedicated to Bulgaria’s liquid gold
- Major UNESCO-listed sites, including the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak and the Rila Monastery
Day to day description
Day 1 : Sofia Airport > Sofia
Meet at the airport for check-in formalities and flight to Sofia, the Bulgarian capital.
Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by your local English-speaking guide.
Tour of Sofia, one of the oldest capitals in Europe.
A thousand-year-old city, it has lived through many eras: Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman… Today, Sofia is a fascinating mix of styles, combining Orthodox heritage and modernity. You will discover Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St. George’s Rotunda, and the elegant avenues of the city center.
Check in at the hotel.
Dinner and overnight stay in Sofia.
Accommodation : Hotel Via Serdika – Sofia
Included services :
- Overnight
- Dinner
- Entrance fees included: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Saint Sophia Church, Saint George’s Rotunda
Day 2 : Sofia > Plovdiv (env. 150 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Plovdiv, a city of art and history, founded by Philip II of Macedonia.
Lunch at a restaurant.
Guided tour of Plovdiv’s old town, with its cobbled streets and colorful houses: the ancient theater, the Regional Ethnographic Museum, and the Church of Saints Constantine and Helena.
Check-in at the hotel.
Dinner and overnight stay in Plovdiv.
Accommodation : Holiday Inn Plovdiv
Included services :
- Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
- Overnight
- Entrance fees included: ancient theater, ethnographic museum, Saints Constantine and Helena Church
Day 3 : Plovdiv > Kalofer > Shipka > Kazanlak (env. 130 km)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Short stop in Kalofer, the charming hometown of poet Hristo Botev.
Visit of his house-museum and stroll through the historic center.
Discovery of the Shipka Memorial Church, a symbol of Bulgarian liberation, followed by the UNESCO-listed Thracian Tomb.
Drive to the Valley of the Roses, a major hub of the global perfume industry.
Visit of the Rose Museum in Kazanlak.
Check-in at the hotel in the Kazanlak region.
Accommodation : Hotel Palas – Kazanlak
http://www.hotel-palas.com/index_en.htm
Included services :
- Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
- Overnight
- Included entrances: Rose Museum, Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, Shipka Memorial Church, Hristo Botev House-Museum
Day 4 : Kazanlak > Etara > Sabotkovtsi > Veliko Tarnovo (env. 120 km)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure for Etara, a true open-air ethnographic museum recreating an 18th-century craft village. You will observe artisans keeping traditional trades alive: potters, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, and weavers working to the rhythm of watermills.
Lunch en route.
Stop in the village of Sabotkovtsi, where you will discover a family farm and attend a demonstration of the production of the famous Bulgarian yogurt, followed by a friendly tasting.
Continue to Veliko Tarnovo, the former medieval capital of the Bulgarian kingdom.
Check-in at the hotel.
Dinner and overnight in Veliko Tarnovo.
Accommodation : Yantra Grand Hotel
Included services :
- Overnight
- Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
- Included entrance : Etara Ethnographic Museum
Day 5 : Veliko Tarnovo > Arbanassi (env. 15km )
Petit déjeuner à l’hôtel. Visite de Veliko Tarnovo, capitale du second royaume bulgare : découverte de la forteresse Tsarevets, perchée sur la colline du même nom.
Déjeuner au restaurant.
L’après-midi, route vers Arbanassi, pour la visite de l’église de la Nativité et de maisons fortifiées typiques.
Retour à l’hôtel.
Dîner et nuit à Veliko Tarnovo.
Accommodation : Yantra Grand Hotel
Included services :
- Petit-déjeuner, déjeuner et dîner
- Nuitée
- Entrées incluses : forteresse Tsarevets, église de la Nativité à Arbanassi.
Day 6 : Veliko Tarnovo > Troyan > Koprivchtitsa > Sofia (env. 345 km)
Petit déjeuner à l’hôtel. Départ pour Koprivchtitsa, joyau de la Renaissance bulgare, réputée pour ses ponts de pierre, ses ruelles pavées et ses maisons aux façades colorées.
Cette charmante ville-musée est un véritable témoin du XIXe siècle bulgare et de la lutte pour la liberté.
Visite d’une maison-musée, illustrant la vie d’une famille bourgeoise de l’époque et présentant des collections d’art populaire, de costumes et d’objets du quotidien.
Déjeuner en cours de route.
Continuation vers Sofia à travers les paysages vallonnés du Balkan central.
Installation à l’hôtel.
Dîner et nuit à Sofia.
Accommodation : Hotel Via Serdika
Included services :
- Petit-déjeuner, déjeuner et dîner
- Nuitée
- Entrée incluse : maison-musée à Koprivchtitsa
Day 7 : Sofia > Monastère de Rila > Sofia (env. 240 km )
Breakfast at the hotel.
Excursion to the Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a major spiritual center and a jewel of Bulgarian Orthodox art.
Visit of the painted galleries, the bell tower, and the main church, beautifully decorated with colorful frescoes and biblical scenes.
Lunch en route.
Return to Sofia in the late afternoon.
Optional: In the evening, folkloric dinner in a local tavern, with traditional Bulgarian music, dances, and typical costumes.
Dinner and overnight in Sofia.
Accommodation : Hotel Via Serdika – Sofia
Included services :
- Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
- Overnight
- Included entrance : Rila Monastery
Day 8 : Sofia > Aéroport de Sofia
Breakfast at the hotel, then transfer to Sofia airport for the return flight.
Included services :
- Breakfast
Package Price
Base 50 : 860 € / pers
Base 45 : 870 € / pers
Base 40 : 890 € / pers
Base 35 : 910 € / pers
Base 30 : 930 € / pers
Base 25 : 970€ / pers
Base 20 : 1120 € / pers
Base 15 : 1220 € / pers
Base 10 : 1 430 € / pers
Optional
Single room supplement: €260 per person
Drink with meal (1 beer, ¼ wine, 1 soda): €4.5 per meal
Lunch on Day 1: €27 per person
Audio guides: €20 per person
Folkloric evening with dinner and show in Sofia: €70 per person
Included / Not Included
- Transportation by luxury coach throughout the tour
- French-speaking tour guide from Day 1 to Day 8
- Accommodation in 3* and 4* hotels based on double/twin rooms (local standards, subject to availability)
- Full board from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8 (6 lunches and 7 dinners)
- Entrances to monuments : Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St. Sophia Church, St. George Rotunda, Ancient Theatre, Ethnographic Museum, Saints Constantine and Helena Church, Rose Museum, Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, Shipka Memorial Church, Hristo Botev House-Museum, Etara Ethnographic Museum, Tsarevets Fortress, Nativity Church in Arbanassi, House-Museum in Koprivshtitsa, Rila Monastery
- All activities mentioned in the program
- Any additional expenses not mentioned in the program
- Drinks
- Tips
- Insurance
- Round-trip flight
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