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Home , Burgas Airport, Dospat, Plovdiv Airport, Shipka (town), Sofia, Sofia Airport

Turnovo - situated along the attent Last edited by: NK 11/12/2009 Introduction: This tour takes you to historical hills of Tsarevets, ion. a land with ancient history and Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora on the Then we drive north, up to the beautiful nature where you can enjoy two banks of Yantra River. • Balkan picturesque landscapes and at the Arbanasi - austere houses that Mountains to the Pass. In same time learn something new. The resemble minor fortresses on the 1877 this pass was the site of group consists of maximum 12 outside, with high, solid walls and the most important battle in the people, which gives you an excellent heavy gates, richly decorated and liberation war against the Turks. opportunity of coming closer to the furnished on the inside. • Melnik Further to the north we visit the local people and their everyday life. (380 m a.s.l.) - the smallest and Etur - an open-air Ethnographic On the way, we visit some big cities: one of the most fascinating - Heritage Museum which lies in , , Veliko Turnovo. museums in . •Rozhen green surroundings near the Bulgaria is known as the land of Monastery - one of the few of , with houses magnificent monasteries. They are Bulgarian monasteries of the Middle from the Bulgarian National not only important historical Ages, which has survived relatively Revival period and workshops for monuments, but they are often intact up to present days. ceramics, copper and other beautifully situated in gorges or at •Yagodina cave – a mighty cave handicrafts. After some 25 km the foot of the mountains. Our tour with stalactites and stalagmites more we reach the small takes us up in , , Rhodope, which has formed pearls and mystic picturesque town of , the and to some of figures. where we stay overnight. Bulgaria's most interesting /breakfast, dinner/ monasteries: , Itinerary: , Rozhen Day 1: Arrival at Sofia, Plovdiv or Day 3: In the morning we head Monastery. airport. Transfer to Plovdiv to Veliko Turnovo, which is for overnight (transfer time: 20 min considered the most beautiful Special highlights: from , 2 hrs from Bulgarian town. There we have a , 3 hrs from Burgas sightseeing tour. Veliko Turnovo was the capital of the Second • Sofia – the capital of Bulgaria, the Airport) Bulgarian Kingdom (13th C.). second oldest city in • Rila Remains of the magnificent Monastery - the most popular Day 2: After breakfast we head medieval fortifications, churches tourist site among all monasteries in towards the town of Shipka, where and the palace still stand on Bulgaria • Plovdiv - the second we visit the renovated Memorial Tsarevets Hill (the King's Hill). Bulgarian city in population and size “Birth of Christ” , the Russian The journey continues with a after the capital and one of the most church. The dramatic background of visit to the museum-town of beautiful in the country. • Veliko the mountain makes prominent the gilt of the domes and the multi- Arbanasi with houses looking like colored decoration of the church fortresses. In the late afternoon

façade and attracts people’s we turn to known for Penguin Travel DMC-Bulgaria 1 Address: 9 Orfej Str., 1421 Sofia, BULGARIA; Phone: +35924001050; E-mail: [email protected] handicrafts, ceramics and plum Devin, famous for its mineral experienced local people with brandy where we stay overnight. springs. We stay overnight in good knowledge of English. The /breakfast, dinner/ Devin./breakfast, dinner/ group size (of different nationalities) is 6-12 people if Day 4: Departure from Troyan to Day 7: After breakfast we drive not specifically mentioned. Sofia. The tour in the capital starts northwest to the city of Plovdiv, with sightseeing on foot of the city of situated in the plain in Difficulty grades Sofia comprising visits to some of Central Bulgaria. Plovdiv is the the most interesting sites in the second largest city in Bulgaria. It is A: Easy: No special experience is town: the National Library, Sofia also one of the oldest on the Balkan needed; everyone who is in University, The Parliament, St. Peninsula - it was the capital of condition to cope with long Patriarchal Ancient Thrace and a big trade Saturday walks in the forest can Cathedral, the former king palace centre in the . The Old also cope with these tours. As a turned into an art gallery, the city of Plovdiv with its museums, rule, the trips are short and at a National Theatre, St. Sofia Church, historical sites, ancient houses and low altitude. Often, it is your Sofia's oldest building – St. George paved streets is a nice play for choice to join or skip a day-tour. , the houses of the Council sightseeing. In the evening we have The routes follow a hilly terrain of Ministers, Presidency and the dinner at a traditional restaurant in without steep ascents and former Communist Party the old quarter of Plovdiv. We stay descents. Normally we walk 3/5h Headquarters, the ruins of the overnight in Plovdiv. /breakfast, a day. ancient city of (dating from dinner/ the 5th-6th C). Free time. Overnight Extensions: Yes, in Sofia. /breakfast, dinner/ Day 8: Transfer to Sofia, Plovdiv or coast Bourgas airport for departure Day 5: After breakfast we go (transfer time: 20 min to Plovdiv This is a unique proposal, which southwards to the biggest and most Airport, 2 hrs to Sofia Airport, 3 hrs gives you the opportunity to stay famous monastery in Bulgaria – Rila til Bourgas Airport). /breakfast/ on a sea holiday for extra week Monastery. It is situated in Rila after your active tour at an mountains and is included in incredibly low price! UNESCO World heritage list. Rila Accommodation and food: You Accommodation at 2, 3 and 4- monastery lies beautifully in Rila stay in 3-star hotels with private star hotels (BB and HB) in hotels mountains enchanting surroundings. facilities (days 2,3,4,5,6) and in , Nessebar, Sunny It empresses with pure and guesthouses (days 1,7) based on Beach, Lozenets, St. Vlas, harmonious line of colonnades, HB (breakfast and dinner included) Golden Sands etc. arches, vaults and richly decorated murals. The next stop in the Tour type: IG program is the old town of Melnik - Equipment and clothing: Bulgaria's smallest town famous for Difficulty grade: A its unique red wine and the natural No special equipment is sandstone pyramides. , Best period: April – October required. Weather in Bulgaria Romans and Byzantines have written can be very hot in the summer its history. Before sunset we head to Group size: Min. 4 people during the days but cooler in the the picturesque Rozhen Monastery evenings, so bring some warm dating from the 13th c. - the only The price includes: Transfer clothes with you. A rain jacket Bulgarian monastery that remained from/to the airport and throughout and good walking shoes are untouched during the Turkish the whole journey; guiding, recommended. Pay attention domination to enjoy the fascinating accommodation and boarding as that weather in October can be view over Pirin mountain. Overnight per program; all entrance fees; VAT rainy and rather cold. in hotel. /breakfast, dinner/ and all local taxes. Money and personal Day 6: In the morning we continue The price does not expenses: further through beautiful Pirin include: Flight tickets, tips, Mountains towards the Rhodope alcohol drinks, cigarettes and other You will need some extra money Mountains – the oldest ones in personal expenses to cover meals, drinks and extra Bulgaria. The rounded green slopes trips not included in the tour of the Rodopi stand against the GENERAL price. Additional money for sharp rocky peaks of Pirin. En-route souvenirs and personal things we pass by dam-lake – one Tour types could also be spent. That is why of the mountains’ blue pearls, where it is always necessary to have we have lunch. The highlight of the IG: Group Tours. There is a guide Bulgarian money in cash. day is the visit to Yagodina Cave. accompanying you throughout the The payments in Bulgaria are The cave is among the longest ones whole trip, meeting you at the usually made in "LEV" (BGN), in Bulgaria (with more than 10 000 airport upon arrival and leaving you which is the official currency. m mapped so far). After a cave tour again at the airport for departure. The exchange rate with EU and there we continue to the town of We use well-trained and USD is quite changing Penguin Travel DMC-Bulgaria 2 Address: 9 Orfej Str., 1421 Sofia, BULGARIA; Phone: +35924001050; E-mail: [email protected] sometimes, but approximately it is: Nice to know/Local traditions: Brief about Bulgaria BGN:EU - 2:1; BGN:USD - 1,7-1. Credit Cards could be used primarily Tipping is popular in Bulgaria. You Territory - 110 912 sq. km. in some supermarkets and can leave 10 % of the bill to the Population - 7 538 000 (2003) restaurants in the biggest cities as waiter at a restaurant. Tips are also (83,9 % ethnic ; 9,4% well as in the petrol stations. Usually given to the taxi driver, Turks; 4,7% Roma; rest – it is marked on their front doors if receptionist, cleaning lady etc. smaller minorities Russians, Credit Cards are accepted. ATMs , Vlachs, Jews, ("bankomates") are more frequent Good to have small coins for a visit Karakachans etc.) (again in the biggest towns only!). to the toilet. Relligion – 82,6% Orthodox, Traveler's cheques take quite a lot of 12,2% , 0,7% Protestant, time to handle and not each bank You should cover your shoulders at 0,5% Catholics, 4,1% Others. deals with them (in many cases it a church visit. - Sofia (1 377 531 takes even few days since their people in 2006) deposition in the bank!) - thus they Post office is the only place where Bigest towns - Plovdiv, Varna, are not recommended! you can buy post stamps. Bourgas, Rouse, , Here are some examples of , comparative costs in Bulgaria (NB: Bulgarians usually nod when they Mountains - 37 (biggest - Balkan prices in mid-range restaurants!): say no and shake their head from Mountain: length - ~ 550 km.; - Coffee – 0,5 left to right when they mean to say width - ~ 30-60 km.); (highest - - Tea – 0,5 Euro yes. Rila Mountain - peak Musala - 2 - Beer (0,5 l) – 1-1,5 Euro 925 m.a.s.l.) - Soft drink (0,5 l) - 0,5-1 Euro Boundaries - North - ; - Bottle of water (0,5 l) - 0,3-0,4 Security: Be aware of pocket East - Black Sea (coastline 378 Euro thieves especially in big towns and km.); West - Serbia, ; - Bottle of good red wine (0,75 l) - take a good care of your South - , Turkey; 6-10 Euro belongings. Distribution of the lands - 0 - - Three-course lunch - 7-10 Euro 400 m.a.s.l. - 59,8 %; 400 - - Lunch pack - 2-3 Euro 1000 m.a.s.l. - 27,6 %; 1000 -

2000 m.a.s.l. - 11,9 %; over Visa: Is not needed for EU citizens. ======2000 m.a.s.l. - 0,7 %

Protected areas - 3 national Drinking water: We recommend parks, 10 nature parks, 55 you to avoid drinking water from tap. Vaccination: Is not needed for reserves, 35 managed reserves, You can buy bottled water Bulgaria. Check latest requirements over 350 protected areas and everywhere in Bulgaria. with your travel clinic or doctor 500 natural monuments prior to departure.

Cell phone coverage Currently the whole territory of Insurance: Strongly Bulgaria is covered with a mobile recommended. Please contact us connection. However the trekking & for more information if you want to cycling tours are done in buy an insurance for the planned mountainous areas where the signal trip. could be weak or even lacking from time to time. In such a situation you ======just need to change your location a bit in order to find available network. Weather Average year temperature - + 10,5 °C (Abs. Min. - -38,3 °C ; Abs. Max.

- + 45,2 °C) Electricity Average rainfall per year - 416 - In Bulgaria two-pin sockets are 650 mm. in the lowlands; 650 - normal. Voltage is 220 watts. If you 1193 mm. in the highlands come from the U.S. or UK you need Rainy days per month – May – 7; to purchase an adapter, which is June – 8; July – 6; August – 3; available only in Bulgarian cities and September – 6; (number may be biggest winter and sea resorts. higher in the mountains)

Average daily/night temperatures (up to 1000 m a.s.l.) - May – 22/12 Main language: Bulgarian. °C; June – 26/16 °C; July – 28/17 °C; August – 26/15 °C; September – 23/13 °C;

Penguin Travel DMC-Bulgaria 3 Address: 9 Orfej Str., 1421 Sofia, BULGARIA; Phone: +35924001050; E-mail: [email protected]