Wine Tour Of Bulgaria - 7 Days

Arrival in Sofia and transfer to your hotel. Depending on time of arrival we leave this day free and no other services will be provided.

After breakfast you will enjoy a comprehensive city tour of Sofia and get to know the highlights of the capital. Among the most impressive sites are the Alexander Nevski Cathedral dominating the city, the round church of St. George, which is the best preserved Byzantine building, the Russian church st. Nikolas, St. Petka church, Banya Bashi Mosque, the ruins of ancient Serdica and some more. Your first wine tasting will be at a fanmous Sofia enotec where you will be presented several Bulgarian sorts of wine. Drive to Rila mountains (the highest on the Balkan peninsula) to see one of Bulgaria’s most famous tourist sites – Rila monastery. This monastery is a sanctuary of Bulgarian literature and spiritual life. Founded in the middle of the 10th century by St. Ivan of Rila it played a key role in preserving Bulgarian culture and language during the centuries. It is included in the UNESCO world heritage list. We shall see the monastery church with its amazing frescoes painted by the most famous Bulgarian finest artists from 19th c. and the monastery museum housing a rich collection of exhibits connected with the history of the monastery and the spread of Christianity on the Bulgarian lands. Departure for Sandanski – the famous SPA resort, known for its unique climate and mineral springs. Overnight. /B WT/

After breakfast we depart for the town of Melnik. The town is an architectural reserve and 96 of its buildings are cultural monuments. With a population of 385, it is the smallest town in Bulgaria, retaining its city status today for historical reasons. Its climate is favorable for the cultivation of the famous Melnik red grape varieties. We will visit the Kordopoulov house where we will enjoy wine tasting with local wines. They are stored in old technology in the sandy tunnels of the house. Later it`s time for lunch in one of the famous Melnik taverns, offering specialties from the Bulgarian national cuisine. In the afternoon proceed to Bansko, a famous mountain resort in the Pirin mountains, equally busy also in summer. Overnight. /B WT/

After breakfast we continue our trip through the picturesque roads of Rhodope Mountains and we will have a short photo break at the Yundola pass. We arrive in the village of Yustina, where we shall visit one of the best wineries in the region. See the full process of wine making and taste teh excellent wines of this producer. In the afternoon we continue to Plovdiv - Bulgaria’s second largest city. Overnight in Plovdiv. /B WT/

After breakfast we depart for Rhodopi Mountains and will visit the famous Bachkovo monastery. It is the second largest in Bulgaria and one of the oldest Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Europe. The Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary (dating from 1604) is the place where a valuable icon of the Virgin Mary Eleusa from 1310 is kept (brought from Georgia). According to the legend, the icon is wonder-working, attracting many pilgrims. In the afternoon we continue to Plovdiv - Bulgaria’s second largest city. This is a city with millennium old history. It has preserved ruins from Roman, Ottoman and Bulgarian Revival period. During our city tour you will see the Roman Forum and Stadium as well as the Roman amphitheater dating back to the 2nd AD; the house of Hindliyan –national monument of culture, impressive with its artistic decoration, with many well preserved original murals. Walk along the tiny cobbled streets of the old town surrounded by beautiful Revival houses and churches. Overnight in Plovdiv. /B/

Leaving behind Plovdiv we continue to the town of Haskovo and visit the tomb of Alexandrovo village. 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. It was recently discovered in 2000. The exceptionally well-preserved frescoes enrich with new data our knowledge and notions of the Thracian religious rituals, cults, weapons, clothing and lifestyle. Departure for the village of Mezek, famous for its variety of wine grapes. We will enjoy wine tasting in Katarzyna estate winery. Return to Plovdiv. Overnight. /B WT/

Transfer from Plovdiv to Sofia airport. End of service. /B/