13 day / 12 night SPECIAL JOURNEY: THE NEW EUROPE Locally Escorted Tour iscover m d or e. BUCHAREST – SIBIU – SIGHISOARA – BRASOV – VELIKO TARNOVO – PLOVDIV – RILA – SOFIA .. ... e $ r d o i 400 s m c r per o e cou v BENEFITS HIGHLIGHTS INCLUSIONS v TR ple e AVEL r o c m s C i R • Maximum 15 participants • Romania’s stunning Transylvania region • Fully Escorted by English speaking EDIT o d Deta r e ils . pa . g Tour Leaders . e 3 • Medieval cities of Sighisoara, Brasov and Sibiu . • Guaranteed departures e r d o i s m c o r v • Dracula’s Castle in Bran and Peles Castle in Sinaia • First / tourist class hotel accommodation e • Comprehensive tour • Meals: B = breakfast (12), ve • Magical, world- renowned Carpathian Mountains disco r mo conducted in English only re L = lunch (3), D = dinner (9) ... • Historic cities of Veliko Tarnovo and Plovdiv . SPECIAL J .. • Centrally located hotels e r OURN d • Sightseeing as per itinerary o E • The Valley of the Roses Y i s m c SOLO o • Gratuities included • Transportation by air-conditioned r • Rila Monastery, Bulgaria’s largest and most e v e v TRAV r o coach or minivan m • Marketed exclusively in important spiritual centre c ELLER s i o d r Australia & New Zealand • Gratuities and porterage during tour e • Bulgarian and Romanian traditional dinners and CLUB . e r entertainment • Arrival and departure transfers d o i s c m o r v e DAY 4 MON SIBIU / SIBIEL ROMANIA SMALL GROUP TOUR •Sighisoara Sibiu was built by German settlers in the 12th century. Discover its impressive Old Town, then visit Sibiu • Brasov GUARANTEED DEPARTURES • Sibiel, an area rich in traditional and rural Romanian Bran • •Sinaia life. Explore ancient fortresses and enjoy a traditional ENGLISH ONLY •Bucharest dinner with a local peasant family. (B, D) •Ruse DAY 5 TUE SIBIU – SIGHISOARA Bachkovo Monastery and the famous Rila Monastery Today, visit historic church castles in Malancrav and as you travel to Bulgaria’s capital. Check-in at Best SERBIA Veliko Tarnovo BULGARIA • Biertan en-route to picturesque Sighisoara, birthplace Western City Hotel (4 star), then join your guide for Sofia • • Kazanlak of Vlad Dracula. Check-in at Hotel Korona (4 star), an orientation tour and dinner. (B, D) Rila • followed by a guided city tour to the 12th century • Plovdiv fortified citadel. This evening, dine at the “Vlad DAY 12 TUE SOFIA TURKEY Drakula” restaurant where Bram Stoker’s famous On today’s city tour, see Sofia’s most interesting and significant sights, including Alexander Nevsky DAY 1 FRI BUCHAREST character was created. (B, D) Cathedral, St. Sofia Church and the historic Old Town. Arrive at Bucharest and meet your driver for your DAY 6 WED SIGHISOARA – BRAN – BRASOV Your afternoon is at leisure before this evening’s transfer to Hotel Central (4 star). This evening, enjoy a This morning, tour Bran Castle, known as the famous farewell dinner and special folklore show. (B, D) welcome dinner at a local restaurant with your Tour Dracula’s castle. Continue to 13th century Brasov and Leader and fellow tour members. (D) discover its architectural magnificence with visits to DAY 13 WED SOFIA Your tour concludes after breakfast with a departure DAY 2 SAT BUCHAREST Old Town Hall and the Black Gothic Church. Meander transfer for your onward journey. (B) Experience the capital’s highlights and grandeur on through the atmospheric city streets before your morning tour. Visit the Parliament, the second transferring to nearby Poiana Brasov for overnight at largest building in the world, the Royal Palace and Hotel Alpin (4 star). (B, L) the Town Hall. Afternoon at leisure before this DAY 7 THU BRASOV – SINAIA – RUSE evening’s dinner at a local restaurant. (B, D) Visit breathtaking Peles Castle in Sinaia, built as the DAY 3 SUN BUCHAREST – SIBIU summer residence of the royal family. After lunch at After breakfast, travel to Horezu Monastery, unique in the castle, cross the Danube River into Bulgaria and its composition of western and oriental styles. After the town of Ruse. Overnight at Hotel Cosmopolitan lunch, continue to charming Sibiu passing through (4 star). (B, L) the magnificent Carpathian Mountains. Check-in at DAY 8 FRI RUSE – VELIKO TARNOVO Hotel Ramada (4 star), then enjoy an orientation walk This morning, uncover Ruse’s cultural and industrial and dinner. (B, D) BRASOV TOWN SQUARE history before continuing to Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria’s ancient capital. Check-in at Best Western Premier Price per person Hotel (4 star) for dinner and overnight. (B, D) ESCORTED TOUR Single Twin DAY 9 SAT VELIKO TARNOVO May 27* 3,875 3,260 Tour the ruined Tsarevets Citadel, Patriarchal Church Jul 15; Sep 02 3,605 2,975 and the foundations of the Royal Palace from which * This departure includes the annual Bulgarian Rose 22 kings ruled Bulgaria. Then travel to nearby Festival. Itinerary will be slightly amended to allow Arbanassi Village, famous for its richly decorated participants to join the locals in the fields to pick churches, and enjoy a homemade lunch before roses in Kazanlak, the capital of the Rose Valley. returning to Veliko Tornovo for a free evening. (B, L) Celebrations will also include a traditional BBQ with folklore program. DAY 10 SUN VELIKO TARNOVO – PLOVDIV After breakfast, travel to the Etara Ethnographic Museum and further to Kazanlak to uncover the art of producing Bulgaria’s famous rose oil. Visit the Thracian Kazanlak Tomb dating back to the 4th century B.C. and continue to picturesque Plovdiv for This tour is designed to link with other dinner and overnight at Dedeman Trimontium Princes popular itineraries. As pre-tour options, Hotel (4 star). (B, D) consider our 13-night Zagreb to Venice tour commencing on July 2 (page 12) or 8-night DAY 11 MON PLOVDIV – RILA – SOFIA Dalmatian Sunshine tour beginning in Discover Plovdiv’s historic town centre, Roman Dubrovnik on August 24 (page 10). ROSE FESTIVAL, VALLEY OF THE ROSES – BULGARIA stadium and antique theatre. You will also visit 8 Beyond Travel • www.beyondtravel.com.au • [email protected].