Full Itinerary and Tour details for

Bulgaria 7-day Tour

Prices starting from. Trip Duration. Max Passengers. 900 € 6 days 12

Start and Finish. to Sofia

Experience. Tour Code. Wine Tours Europe #B1/2396 7-day Wine Tour

Tour Details and Description

Enjoy a 7-day wine tour in the undiscovered wine country of Bulgaria. Taste unique local such as and Rubin, and discover the stories behind the wines. Learn more about the wines, terroir, winemaking and in the traditional wine region surrounding – the Thracian Valley Region. The Thracian Valley is Bulgaria’s largest wine region. It is an under-the-radar wine region that was selected as Best Wine Travel Destination of 2017 by Wine Enthusiast.

Explore Plovdiv and its many layers of history from the Thracian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman eras. Plovdiv is the European Capital of Culture in 2019. Enjoy the city and discover its magical atmosphere. Sample local Balkan foods. Discover cultural gems. Have an unforgettable experience!

Winemaking in Bulgaria dates to Thracian times more than 5 000 years ago. In the 1970s, Bulgaria became one of the largest wine exporters in the world. However, demand for declined after the fall of the Soviet Union. Since 2007, numerous small and medium-sized wineries have been established, focusing on quality rather than on quantity. They have consistently won awards at

prestigious international competitions. These wineries continue the centuries-old tradition of winemaking on these lands and tell the stories of the skillful in a modern and unique way. Discover Bulgaria’s many local grape varieties. Grab the chance to try many interesting wines from old and modern wineries. Discover the rich tradition of winemaking in Bulgaria.

Included in the Wine Tour: • All ground transportation mentioned in itinerary in comfortable passenger bus • Transfer from/to Sofia Airport on Day 1 and 7

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• Accommodation in 4-star hotel (standard • Most young people in Bulgaria speak some double/twin rooms) English. People of 40+ years of age usually do not • Meals as per itinerary speak English, but might speak Russian, German • Tours and tastings at 7 wineries or French. If you need to ask something in English, it is better to approach a young person • Visits to Bachkovo Monastery, of , Starosel Thracian Tomb, • Tipping in restaurants is not mandatory but Museum and Old Plovdiv (incl. usually people leave a tip of around 10% of the entrance fees) total bill • English-Speaking Private Tour Leader • Most places in the big cities take debit and credit cards, but it is advisable to take some cash with • Tour operator insurance from Armeec Insurance you, especially if you are traveling outside of Not included in the tour: bigger cities • Flight tickets • Most places do not take American Express credit • Private transfers cards. The most widely used debit/credit cards are • Meals and beverages not mentioned in the tour Visa and Mastercard description • The exchange rate to Euro is fixed at: 1 EUR = • Alcoholic beverages not mentioned in the tour 1.95583 BGN (Nov 2019) description • Some international banks such as: Unicredit, • Travel and medical insurance (please, consult Raiffeisen, Societe Generale, Allianz Bank, TBI your insurance provider) Bank, Procredit Bank, ING Bank, BNB Paribas • Visa fees, if applicable have branches or are present in Bulgaria • Extras and incidentals • There are foreign exchange bureaus in all airports • Single room supplement and larger • Tips • Wi-Fi coverage is good in Bulgaria and almost any café, hotel or a restaurant (especially in big cities) Recommended Packing List: will have free Wi-Fi • EU citizens do not require a visa for Bulgaria. • Cash (BGN - Bulgarian Lev) Schengen Area visa holders do not require visas • Camera, mobile phone, chargers for Bulgaria for a stay of up to 90 days. For more • Sun lotion, sun hat, sun glasses information on visas, visit • Insect repellent http://www.mfa.bg/en/pages/109/index.html or • Notebook for tasting notes contact the respective institutions in your country • Comfortable walking shoes Minimum 2 people (private tour) 900 EUR p.p. • Jacket for chilly evenings (shared room) • Passport and other important documents • Group of 3-6 people: EUR 790 per person Quick Travel Tips: • Group of 7-10 people: EUR 750 per person

• In Bulgaria, nodding one’s head means “No” and • Group of 10+ people: EUR 685 per person shaking it means “Yes” • Single room supplement: EUR 120

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Ask us about your travel dates - this tour may be continuously inhabited city in Europe and was a private one to suit you European Capital of Culture in 2019. Head out to the first winery visit of your tour: Villa Yustina. Enjoy a guided tour of the vineyards and winery following the journey from grape to bottle. A memorable wine-paired lunch is served at the winery. Visit to the Red Church of Perushtitsa - the ruins of an early Christian church. Return to Plovdiv. Free evening. Your Tour Leader will be happy to assist with restaurant recommendations and reservations. Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch (wine-paired) (Timings may vary and depend on the pace of the tour. Names of wineries and the tour leader will be provided in the travel service voucher once the booking is confirmed.)

Day 3

Organic Wine & Bachkovo Monastery Located not too far from Plovdiv is one of Bulgaria’s few organic wineries: Zagreus Winery. Enjoy a tour of the winery, which is surrounded by organic vineyards, and end the visit with an unforgettable tasting. This winery works mainly with the Mavrud grape, which is a local grape that grows predominantly in the Plovdiv region. Itinerary Continue to the village of Bachkovo for a Bulgarian lunch. Visit to the second-largest monastery in Bulgaria – Bachkovo Monastery. Return to Plovdiv. Free evening. Your Tour Leader will be happy to Day 1 assist with restaurant recommendations and reservations. Meals: Breakfast & Lunch, Vineyards at Arrival at Sofia Airport. Your private Tour Leader will Villa Yustina be waiting for you in the arrival hall to welcome you to Bulgaria. Transfer to Plovdiv (2h). Check-in to Day 4 accommodation: 4-star hotel in Plovdiv. Meals Included: Welcome Dinner incl. wine, Glass of The Valley of Roses Today, we venture out of the Mavrud at Zagreus Winery Thracian Valley to visit the smallest wine region in Bulgaria: The Valley of Roses. Chateau Copsa is one Day 2 of the few wineries in this region, and the team welcomes us inside to taste a selection of their wines. Plovdiv Start the day with a guided walking tour of The flagship wine of the producer is their Red Misket, Plovdiv and Old Plovdiv (2h). Plovdiv is the oldest which is a local grape variety that is native to this

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region. The next winery is the charming Sopot Winery, where we enjoy a tour and lunch served with a selection of their wines. Return to Plovdiv. Free evening. Your Tour Leader will be happy to assist with restaurant recommendations and reservations. Meals: Breakfast & Lunch Bachkovo Monastery

Day 5

Wines of Western Thrace Today, we visit Manastira Winery for a tour and tasting of 5 wines in the tasting room. Enjoy lunch in a nearby village. After lunch, we visit Dragomir Winery and enjoy a tour of the winery and tasting of 5 wines. The wines from Dragomir Winery are consistently in the Top 10 Bulgarian Wines every single year. Return to Plovdiv. Free evening. Your Tour Leader will be happy to assist with restaurant recommendations and reservations. Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 6

Thracians & Wine \ Today, we visit Rumelia Wine Cellar for a tour and tasting of 5 wines in the tasting room. Enjoy lunch in the of Panagyrishte. In the afternoon, we visit the Panagyurishte Museum that is mostly famous for the Panagyurishte Golden Treasure - a Thracian treasure consisting of seven rhytons (wine vessels) with a total weight of 6.164 kg or 24-karat gold. Return to Plovdiv. In the evening, we enjoy one last dinner together to end our wine tour in a memorable fashion. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (incl. wine)

Day 7

Departure After breakfast, pack your suitcases and check out of the hotel. Transfer to Sofia Airport (2h). Departure. Meals: Breakfast

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