LAND OF THRACIAN KINGS

Day 1: Airport Varna – Varna
Arrival at Varna airport. Accommodation at a hotel.
The Sea capital of Bulgaria - Varna – the third largest city in the country welcomes groups of tourists most gladly all the year through. A visit to the Archaeological museum, housing the oldest golden treasure in the world since the Neolithic times, is a tempting one.
Dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Varna – Nessebar - Burgas
The path follows the south and stops at one more of the objects of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List of UNESCO. The town–museum Nessebar is founded in 6th century BC and Situated on a small peninsula, one of the oldest European towns is extremely rich of ancient architectural monuments.
Lunch.
On the way to Burgas an impressive Thracian tomb awaits the travelers near the town of Pomorie. Pretty huge in size, built of stone and brick, the tomb has a unique mushroom dome and is one-of-a-kind on the Balkans used for mausoleum of a rich Anchialo family.
Dinner and overnight in Burgas.

Day 3: Burgas – Kazanlak – Stara Zagora
The tour continues through the Valley of Roses and the Thracian Kings with visiting one of the richest tombs ever found on our lands - the “Goliama Kosmatka” mound – the last home of the King of the Odrisi Land – Seutus III.
Lunch.
On the way to the town of Stara Zagora, which is one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria, stop at the “Midalidare” winery and winetasting - "On the Wine Road" tour explains in details the wine making process and takes our guests around the fermentation area and the barrel cellar.
Dinner and overnight in Stara Zagora.

Day 4: Stara Zagora – Haskovo – Bachkovo – Plovdiv
The Thracian experience includes also the Thracian tomb in Alexandrovo – a Thracian temple with fascinating ancient frescoes from the 4th century BC, owned by a Thracian king or a wealthy aristocrat.
Lunch.
A religious and touristic site which cannot be missed is the Bachkovo monastery, one of the oldest monasteries on the Balkan peninsula and the second largest in Bulgaria after Rila monastery, combined three acting cultures – Byzantine, Old Georgian and Bulgarian. Its preserved unique architectural and art monuments are precious for the whole Orthodox culture.
Dinner and overnight in Plovdiv.

Day 5: Plovdiv – Starosel – Koprivshtisa
A nice walk in Plovdiv would charm any visitor - the second Bulgarian city in population, size and significance, after the capital Sofia. Plovdiv is the 6th oldest town in Europe founded by Philip Macedonian, the father of Alexander the Great. A sightseeing tour of “The Old town of Plovdiv” which attracts visitors from all over the world, visit to the Ethnographical museum, housed in a beautiful old house from the Renaissance period, representing the traditions of the people from the Plovdiv region.
Departure to Starosel where travelers would enjoy the secrets of the biggest Thracian sanctuary on the Balkans and in southeastern Europe, a temple tomb of one of the most powerful rulers of Odrysian Kingdom - Sitalk, dating from the 5th and early 4th century BC.
Lunch and wine tasting at the “Starosel” winery – not only a chance to taste the wine from the land of the ancient Thracians but also to dive deeply into the atmosphere of times past long ago .
The journey continues with a charming walking tour in one of the most beautiful Bulgarian Renaissance settlments, a town museum full of life, harmony and beauty - Koprivshtitsa.
Dinner and overnight in small family houses and hotels.

Day 6: Koprivshtisa – Sofia
Panoramic sightseeing tour of Sofia, one of the oldest European towns – visiting some of the Sofia's popular tourist landmarks like: the gold-domed Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, The Ivan Vazov National Theatre, The Russian church – “St. Nikolai”, the late Roman Church of Saint George (4-th century), The Sofia Synagogue - the largest in the Balkans, the Bulgarian Parliament, The Monument to the Tsar Liberator commemorating Alexander II of Russia, the early Byzantine Church of Saint Sophia (6-th century), etc.
Possibility for a visit to the exceptionally rich National Historical museum, which presents the Bulgarian history from the Antiquity to nowadays including the collections of several Thracian Gold treasures found in the country, as well as the Boyana Church (enlisted in the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List of UNESCO) well-known for its beautiful frescoes dated back to the Early Middle Ages – entrance fees to be paid extra on spot.
Lunch.
Free time.
Dinner and overnight in Sofia.

Day 7: Sofia – Veliko Tranovo – Varna/Dobrich
Veliko Tarnovo is the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (12th -14th century), walk in the architectural preserve museum “Tsarevets” – the Palace, the Cathedral of the Patriarch etc..
Another place out of the present time is Arbanassi – open-air architectural museum, where unique monuments of civil and clerical architecture dated back to 16th-17th century are still to be seen. The sightseeing tour of the village includes the Konstanzaliev house and the Birth of Christ Church, the oldest one in Arbanassi, famous with its unique frescoes.
Lunch.

The price could be calculated according to the request - number of people, hotel category, BB or HB basis. The tourist sites are also subject to personal wish.