Arbanassi - VelikoTarnovo - Kilifarevo monastery - Elena

Morning departure to the medieval capital of Bulgaria - the town of Veliko Turnovo. Our first stop will be the nearby village Arbanassi famous for its 17th and 18th centuries architecture and the unique church of the Nativity with its well preserved murals depicting over 2000 scenes from the Old and New Testament. Free time for lunch. Visit Transfiguration monastery followed by a comprehensive guided tour of Veliko Tarnovo. During the tour you will see the most notable landmarks: Tsarevets medieval stronghold – a present day architectural and museum reserve which during the Middle Ages housed the palaces of the Bulgarian Emperors and the Patriarchate along with some administrative and residential buildings. Stroll along Samovodskata charshia - with no doubt the most famous market street in the town. This street flourished in the 19th c when the people of the nearby Samovodene village came to sell their home-produced goods. Nowadays, the visitor may find various workshops for pottery-making, weapons, wood-carving, weaving, icon painting etc.

After breakfast, depart to the nearby Kilifarevo Monastery, nestled in a beautiful forest on the banks of Belitsa river. The monastery was founded in the 14th c by a notable Bulgarian clerk Theodosii of Tarnovo who became an abbot and turned the monastery into the most significant educational and literal center in the region. Liturgical books, secular chronicles have been written and preserved in the monastery for years. The holy cloister housed a school which boasted 450 students. Visit the monastery complex including the church, residential buildings and farming buildings nearby. Next stop is the town of Elena – a well-known Revival center of crafts, trade and education. During the guiding tour, you will visit the town’s most popular attractions – the first class school in Bulgaria, st. Nikolas church, the clock Tower. In the afternoon, drive back to Sofia.