The Best of Bulgaria till Romania ( Bucharest ) / private tour

Breakfast. Free time in Sofia before departing to Rila Monastery UNESCO site, located 2 h to the south, in Rila Mountain National Park.  Visit the monastery and its museum. 

Free time for pictured and lunch.

Departure to the small town of Samokov, situated just 10 km from Borovets mountain resort, where we will spend the night. Check-in at the hotel, possibility to relax at the indoor swimming pool of the hotel. 

Breakfast. 

Depart to Bachkovo Monastery - the 2nd largest monastery in Bulgaria, built in the 11th c and connected with the history of the 3rd Crusade. After a short visit, we will continue to Plovdiv.  

En route you will see the remains of Assenova Fortress – the gateway to the Rhodope mountains, the homeland of Orpheus – the first singer from the Greek mythology, as well as a divine hero. 

Proceed to Plovdiv - the 2nd largest city in Bulgaria, once the capital city of Philip the 2nd of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great. The city is contemporary of Troy and is much older than Athens and Rome. Daily Telegraph in its research “the World`s Oldest 20 continually-inhabited cities” declared Plovdiv the oldest continually-inhabited city in Europe and the 6th oldest in the world. Plovdiv is No 6 in the Lonely Planet`s TOP 10 cities to visit in 2015 and has been selected European Capital of Culture for 2019. We will have a walking tour of the Old Plovdiv architectural reserve, awarded Golden medal for architecture by UNESCO. 

Check in at your hotel and overnight. 

Breakfast. 

Departure to the town of Kazanluk. It is regarded as the centre of the Valley of Roses, known as well as the Valley of the Thracian kings.  Some say that to visit Bulgaria and not to go to the Valley of Roses is to go to Egypt and not see the pyramids. For a period of more than 330 years, Bulgaria won recognition as the country of roses and the rose flower has rightfully become one of its symbols. Statistics show that once about 75% of the world rose oil was produced in Bulgaria. Today a kilo costs almost two kilos of gold on the world markets…  Visit of Kazanluk Thracian Tomb ( UNESCO site, copy ). 

Continue towards Shipka memorial church ( photo stop ) and Shipka mountain pass.

Afternoon to Veliko Turnovo - the Medieval capital city of Bulgaria, picturesquely located on 4 hills above Yantra river. Check in at the hotel. Visit Tsarevets - an architecture and museum reserve the ‘Citadel’ and ‘Royal hill’ of Veliko Turnovo, once with solid stone walls, gates and turrets. Baldwin’s Tower in the south-eastern part commemorates the victory of the Bulgarian tsar Kaloyan over the knights of the 4th Crusade in 1205. Baldwin – the leader of the knights was captured and imprisoned there. 

Check in at yout hotel, overnight.

Breakfast. 

Morning panorama of Arbanassi museum village, situated on a hill above Veliko Turnovo.

Departure to Ruse - the largest Bulgarian Danubian city, once important Roman port with the name "Sexaginta Prista" ( the harbour of 60 ships ). Free time for lunch and pictures in the centre of the city, before your transfer to Bucharest. 

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