Bulgaria Uncovered: A Private Family Adventure through Mountains, Seaside, and Traditions

Day in Sofia - the capital city of Bulgaria, which Constantine the Great once called "My Rome". Walk in the city centre and enjoy the diverse architecture and ancient history. The landmarks include: the mineral springs and mineral baths, The Largo area with the ruins of Serdica ( 2nd – 6th c. ), the Presidency and the Parliament building, St. George 4th c. Rotunda church, the old city garden and the National Theatre, the former Royal Palace and National Art Gallery, St. Alexander Nevski Memorial Cathedral, Sofia University, etc. 

Departure north to the town of Lukovit. Possible walk along the picturesque Zlatna Panega eco trail and visit the stone houses in Golden Park near Lukovit. Visit the nature miracle of Prohodna cave ( more famous as “The Eyes of God” ), located in the midst one of Bulgaria’s largest karst regions. 

The cave is easily accessible and is most notable for the two equal-sized holes in the ceiling of its middle chamber, which resemble human eyes. The holes, formed through erosion, let in light into the cave. 

Continue to the town of Lovech. Independent discovery of the old part of the town and the famous Covered bridge built in 1876, which is the only covered bridge on the Balkans. Check in at a small guesthouse, dinner and overnight. 

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Departure to the east to visit Veliko Turnovo – the medieval capital city of Bulgaria, picturesquely located on 4 hills above Yantra river. Your local guide will show you Tsarevets Royal hill with the fortress (Patriarh`s complex, Baldwin tower – named after the leader of the 4th Crusade, who was imprisoned there). 

Free time in the old part of the town with Samovodska Charshia Street – the old marketplace in Veliko Turnovo with its traditional architecture including the famous House with the Monkey. Stroll through the cozy Gurko Street or visit the picturesque museum village Arbanassi ( just 8 km. away from Tarnovo ) or the colourful Transfiguration monastery with its well known fresco of the Wheel of Life. 

In the afternoon - continue to Tryavna museum town. Check in at a small family-run hotel. 

Day in Tryavna museum town – main centre of woodcarving and icon painting with a very charming old part and traditional architecture: the Old Tryavna architectural complex comprises the Clock tower, the Old school, St. Archangel Michail Church ( 1192 ), Daskalov House ( museum of woodcarving ), many small galleries and workshops. Another small gem in the area is Bojentsi museum village. In the suburbs of nearby Gabrovo you can visit Etur open air ethnographic complex.

Possible visit to Dryanovo monastery, situated in Bulgarka Nature Park, together with Bacho Kiro cave, where you can choose between two routes with duration of min. 30 minutes. Traces of intensive human habitation have been found in the cave, dating from some 70,000 years BC, proving the Homo sapiens presence in Europe, when it was still inhabited by Neanderthals. 

Nice eco-trains in the region exist, if you prefer to take a walk. 

Overnight in Tryavna. 

Departure to the Black Sea coast with several possible stops en route – through Shipka pass with the memorial church bearing the same name ( you will cross the Balkan mountains – the mountain which gave its name to the Balkan peninsula via its highest part ), the town of Kazanlak – centre of the Valley of Roses where the majority of rose oil is produced, known as well as the Valley of the Thracian kings due to its magnificent Thracian temples and tombs from 4th c. BC, going through the town of Stara Zagora with its rich history dating from Neolithic age. Finally you will join the highway to the Black sea coast.

Arrival in Nessebar area, check in at your hotel and rest.

Time to soak up the sun, enjoy the sandy beaches and relax or visit one of the nearby aquaparks.

A day to relax at the beach or possible places to visit in the area:

Old town of Nessebar – one of the pearls of the Bulgarian seaside and a UNESCO site. According to the famous Greek geographer and historian Strabo, the town was named Messambria ( later altered to the Slavonic Nessebar), after the legendary founder – a Thracian by the name of Melsa and the Thracian name for city “bria”. In existence since the 2nd  millennium BC, the Hellenic colony on this site was founded in 510 BC by Dorian settlers. Having captured Messambria in 72 – 71 BC, the Romans preserved the city intact, leaving there a permanent garrison. 

Pomorie - a small and cozy town, located on a peninsula to the south of Nessebar. Visit Pomorie Lake - a protected area, super-saline lagoon with an area of 760.8 hectares. The Pomorie Lake Visitor Center offers an interactive exhibition about the natural wealth of the salt lagoon, as well as birdwatching of rare bird species with specialized optical gear. Oher interesting sites in the area are "Old Pomorie houses" - architectural reserve, Historical Museum, Museum of Salt, churches from 18-19th  c., Ancient Thracian domed tomb dated 2nd – 4th c. A.D., Pomorie monastery St George.

A day to relax at the beach or possible places to visit in the area:

Burgas – the 4th  largest city in Bulgaria, boasting with neat, pedestrian-friendly centre, spacious beach, a gorgeous seafront park, and some interesting museums. It is ideal place for nature lovers with its four lakes just outside the city, which are haven for many bird species. 

Sozopol - a museum town, located 35 km to the south of Burgas. Famous with its name “Apollonia” ( dedicated to god Apollo ) it is around 2500 years old. Stroll through the cobbled streets of Sozopol’s charming Old Town full with quaint art shops, cafes, and traditional town houses. This small seaside town offers a range of historical and cultural sites such as medieval churches, ancient coastal fortress and museums.

Morning relax at the beach, check out from the hotel and take the highway from Burgas to Plovdiv. Being the 2nd  largest Bulgarian city, once capital city of Philip the 2nd  of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great, Plovdiv was awarded European Capital of culture in 2019 and is considered the oldest continuously inhibited town in Europe.

Check in at your hotel, free time.

Start the day with a 3 hour guided walking tour of the central part of Plovdiv, visiting the Old Plovdiv architecture reserve, awarded golden medal by UNESCO, with its historic national-revival houses, stop by the Ethnographic museum ( the so-called Royal House ), St. St. Constantine and Helena Church, The Ancient Theatre, the Roman Stadium and Djumaya Mosque square. 

­Later in the day explore Kapana – the artistic neighbourhood of Plovdiv, with its colourful street art and take a walk on the nearby pedestrian street – the longest in the world, with many small shops, restaurants, cafes, and more ancient ruins from the period of the Roman Empire.

Departure to the south of Plovdiv. Drive through the Rhodope mountains, via some of the most beautiful and picturesque water reserves in this part of Bulgaria. Vucha Dam is a must stop to enjoy the beautiful views or take a boat tour. It is recommended to have lunch at some local restaurants there as well and try the tasty local trout fish. Arrival in Teshel village and check in at your hotel. Possibilities for horse riding or relaxation among the mountain peaks.

Go to Teshel hut where you will meet your driver for a private jeep tour along the scenic Trigrad gorge and Orlovo Oko ( Eagle`s Eye ) observation platform for panoramic view. The platform is built on the edge of a rock, at 1563 meters above sea level and offers a breathtaking view of Buinovo gorge, the villages of Buinovo, Chala, Yagodina, Rila and Pirin mountains and further – the mountains in Greece. This place is not for the faint-hearted as the vertical drop from the platform to the Buynovo gorge roar is approximately 680 m.   

Possible visits in 2 of the most famous caves of the Rhodope mountains: Devil`s Throat cave – the name comes from the cave’s entrance which resembles a devil’s head, inside which is located a massive waterfall. From ancient times it has captivated imaginations and given birth to numerous legends. The most popular of these is that Orpheus descended down this cave to the subterranean kingdom of Hades, to seek his lost love Eurydice. Yagodina cave - the third longest in Bulgaria and the longest in the Rhodope mountain. The natural entrance leads to the uppermost level, where an ancient dwelling dated to the 4th millennium BC was discovered. Option for lunch at a family-run restaurant in Yagodina village.

Head south of Trigrad village to Dospat water reserve. With a detour of some 20 km, we suggest you visit Kovachevitsa museum village and Leshten museum village. They are located in the Dabrash area of the Rhodope mountains, 1 000 m above sea level and surrounded by wonderful panoramas of forests and mountain ridges. Kovachevitsa, established in the end of the 14th c., having remains of settlements from the 1st  millennium BC, is regarded a hidden pearl of the mountains. The village is a national architecture reserve because of its small cobble stone streets and 2 to 4 storey houses built of stone and wood only. Continue along Mesta river valley to Bansko museum town, located at the foothills of Pirin Mountain, which is a National Park and UNESCO site. Check in at your spa hotel and overnight.

Bansko is considered the best starting point for hiking, trekking and walking for all levels. The beautiful mountain offers many marked eco trails, a perfect combination of dense pine and fir forests, peaks, century-old trees, glacial lakes, small rivers, wild flowers, and scenic ladscapes as well as seat lifts, chalets and huts. 

Included in your trip is a private hiking tour with local guide to 3 of the most beautiful glacial lakes of Pirin mountain: Muratovo ( 2230 m ), Ribnoto ( 2190 m ) and Okoto lakes ( 2026 m ). 

In the afternoon we recommend exploring the old town of Bansko with its popular landmarks  St. Trinity Church ( 19th c., one of the symbols of the town), Museum-House of Velyan, House-Museum Neofit Rilski, Nikola Vaptsarov museum, Icon exhibition, Ethnographic complex ‘Radonova House’, etc.   

Possible activity near Bansko – rafting.

If you feel like exploring the southernmost areas of western Bulgaria, you can plan a day trip to Melnik, Rozhen Monastery and Rozhen village which offers a wonderful panorama towards the border mountains with Greece. 

Visit the museum town of Melnik, which is actually the smallest town in Bulgaria, a popular tourist destination due to its picturesque architecture.The town is also famous with the impressive naturally formed sand pyramids in various shapes, resembling giant mushrooms, ancient towers and obelisks, spread in an area of 17 km². The town has a history of wine production since at least 1346. The local wine from the Broad Leave Melnik Vine was reportedly Winston Churchill's favourite. While in town, make sure to visit Kordopulov House ( 1754 ) – the largest residential house on the Balkans from the end of the 18th c. where you can also taste wine kept in its centuries old cellers. Back to Bansko

Departure north along Struma river valley to Rila Mountain National Park and Rila Monastery. Independent visit of Rila Monastery, a UNESCO site, the largest monastery in Bulgaria, located at 1100 m above sea level. There you can admire wooden balconies, colonnades, azure fretwork, colourful murals, the old monastery kitchen, medieval 14th c. tower and museum with precious religious artefacts. 3 km from the monastery is located the cave of St. John of Rila – the founder of the monastery. Legend has it that only the righteous can pass through cave.  

After the visit of the monastery enjoy a lunch at a family-run restaurant, where the traditional dish is a freshly caught mountain trout.

Arrival in Sofia. Free time for own discoveries and relax.

Breakfast, check out and departure.