Best of Bulgaria and Romania Tour (Rose Festival edition)

Day by Day Itinerary:

Day 1: June 03
ROUTING: SOFIA
- Arrival to Sofia airport
- Walking tour of the central part of the capital town – St. Sofia statue, St. George Rotunda, Ruins of Serdica, National Theater, Russian church, Al. Nevski Cathedral and St. Sofia church (aprrox. duration of the sightseeing tour - 3 hrs).
- Overnight in Sofia.
ACCOMMODATION: HOTEL***


Day 2: June 04
ROUTING: SOFIA - RILA - PLOVDIV
- Breakfast
- Departure to Rila Monastery - the biggest monastery of the Balkan peninsula. Visit one of the oldest Bulgarian monasteries (10th C.), included in the UNESCO World Heritage List with medieval defense tower from the 14th C. and fine frescoes.
- Drive to Plovdiv – the second biggest town of Bulgaria, across the magnificent nature of the Rila and Rhodopi Mountains.
- Stop at winter resort Borovets.
- Dinner and overnight in Plovdiv
ACCOMMODATION: HOTEL****
B


Day 3: June 05
ROUTING: PLOVDIV - KAZANLAK - STARA ZAGORA
- Breakfast
- Walking tour in the old town of Plovdiv with beautiful old houses from the Bulgarian Revival period (18th – 19th C.). Entrance to the St. Konstantin and Elena church and to the Roman Theatre.
- Departure to Kazanlak. Entrance to the History museum with exhibition of gold Thracian treasure found in 2004 and to the Thracian tomb - replica. The original tomb is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- Festive dinner with rich menu and drinks at a local restaurant.
- Overnight in Stara Zagora
ACCOMMODATION: HOTEL***
B, D


Day 4: June 06
ROUTING: STARA ZAGORA - KAZANLAK - SHIPKA - VELIKO TARNOVO
- Breakfast
- Early breakfast and drive to Kazanlak - participation to the Rose festival: rose picking in the rose fields, authentic rose distillery, presentation of ethereal oils used in the perfumery and tasting of rose jam and rose liqueur. Carnival procession in the city center. Open-air buffet lunch barbeque, soft and alcoholic drinks included, with folklore show and national souvenir for everyone.
- Late afternoon drive to Veliko Tarnovo across the Shipka pass. Stop at Shipka Memorial church.
- Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo
ACCOMMODATION: HOTEL***
B


Day 5: June 07
ROUTING: VELIKO TARNOVO - GIURGIU (BULGARIAN BORDER) - BUCHAREST
- Breakfast
- Sightseeing of Veliko Turnovo - the ancient capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (12th -14th C.), picturesquely situated on the hills at the banks of the meandering river Yantra. Visit of the medieval fortress of Tsarevets hill and of Samovodska charshiya - handy craft street. Sightseeing of Arbanassi – 17th C. fortified village with entrance to Jesus Christ’s Nativity Church which interior is covered in frescos depicting 2000 scenes. In the afternoon drive to Ruse and border with Romania. On the way visit of the Rock monasteries by Ivanovo, included in the UNESCO List.
- Cross the border to Romania
- Transfer to Bucharest
- Check in hotel
- Overnight in Bucharest
ACCOMMODATION: HOTEL****
B


Day 6: June 08
ROUTING: BUCHAREST- COZIA - SIBIU
- Morning Panoramic tour of Bucharest's major sites; including The House of Parliament; the 2^nd largest building in the world, next to the Pentagon. Other sites include The Revolution Square, the Romanian Athenaeum; the Royal Palace; the building of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party (the well-known balcony, was where the Romanian Revolution started)
- Depart for Sibiu; en route a visit to the Orthodox Monastery of Cozia, located on the beautiful valley of the River Olt. The church was built between 1387 - 1391 by Prince Mircea; grandfather to Vlad Tepes Dracula.
- Evening Tour of Sibiu : including the Tower of the Council, the Liars Bridge, The Protestant Church (dated 1321), the Old Town Hall, the Bruckental Museum, and the Jesuit Baroque Church
- Overnight in Sibiu
ACCOMMODATION: Hotel Ramada Sibiu ****
B


Day 7: June 09
ROUTING: SIBIU - SLIMNIC - ALMA VII - MEDIAS - BIERTAN - SIGHISOARA
- First part of the day is dedicated to explore the old fortresses built by saxons in the south of Transylvania. We visit three of the most important fortresses from Slimnic, Alma Vii, Biertan which are included in the Unesco Heritages list.
- Slimnic rural fortress named Stolzemburg built in 14 century by German community. A part of the fortress is ruins.
- Alma Vii fortified church since 15 century. An example of Saxon construction which can be seen through-out Transylvania.
- In Medias is the beautiful Margareta church from XIV century and the main tower with 47m high slant. This tower was included in top 10 the most slanted towers in the world.
- In Biertan village is a fortified medieval church, one of the biggest in Transylvania with three defensive inner walls.
- Ending the day in Sighisoara, one of the most preserved medieval city in Europe. Situated in Mures County, on the valley of the Tarnava Mare river, Sighisoara (former Dacian settlement and also called the pearl of Transylvania) was founded by the German immigrants in the second half of the 12th century and it was turned into a city in 1407. Its medieval aspect may be found both in the centre of the city and inside the Fortress of Sighisoara. In this area, houses are built very close to one another, giving a sense of crowdedness (in order to occupy the least space possible)
- The main sights: Clock Tower and History Museum, Birth place of Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), Covered stairs, Church on the Hill.
- In the evening a tour of Sighisoara, the best preserved medieval fortress in Europe
ACCOMMODATION: Hotel Sighisoara ***
B


Day 8: June 10
ROUTING: SIGHISOARA - BRAN - RASNOV - BRASOV
- Continue your journey to Bran with it famous Bran castle. Also called Dracula's Castle, it is situated not far from Brasov (25 kilometers) at the entrance in the Bran - Rucar passage. The castle got its fame from Dracula's legend written in 1897 by Bram Stoker and later on made into a film by Francis Ford Coppola.. The first documents about the Bran Castle appeared in 1377. Along the history, the Castle had a strategic mission being the border between Transylvania and Wallachia. First it was under the rule of the King of Hungary Sigismund of Luxemburg, than under the Romanian voievodes Mircea cel Batran and Vlad Tepes and later on it came under the jurisdiction of the City of Brasov. In 1912 it was donated by the municipality of Brasov to the Romanian royal family, in order to became their residence.
- Than if time will allows (depending of the season) stop for a visit at Rasnov and visit the old citadel. Built in 1331, the Fortress had a defense role and it was a shelter for the inhabitants of Rasnov in case of enemy attacks. In the middle of the courtyard there is a well 146 metres deep and the ruins of an 11th - 12th century - Orthodox church were discovered here. Nowadays the Fortress houses an interesting museum
- Than go to Brasov and visit the historical center where you can admire Concil Square, Black Church, Weavers Bastion, Ecaterinas Gate, Black and White Tower.
- Dinner at the Serbians Tavern  
- Overnight in Brasov
ACCOMMODATION: Casa Wagner***
B


Day 9: June 11
ROUTING: BRASOV - SINAIA - BUCHAREST
- In the morning we will go to visit the Peles Castle, former summer residence of the kings of Romania, the Peles Castle is 44 kilometres far from Brasov, in Sinaia, a well-known mountain resort. Nowadays the Castle is one of the most important museums in Transylvania with an impressive collection of furniture and ornamental objects, carpets, tapestry, sculptures, paintings, collections of weapons from the 15th up to the19th centuries.
- Check in hotel
- Overnight in Bucharest
ACCOMMODATION: HOTEL***
B


Day 10: June 12
ROUTING: BUCHAREST
- Breakfast
- Transfer to the airport and the final good-bye
B


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