WEST RHODOPE MOUNTAIN – 8-DAY TOUR

Arrival in Sofia. Leaving for the Rila monastery, the largest and the most important Bulgarian monastery situated on the Rilska river in the Rila National Park, a UNESCO site, very popular among tourists. It was founded in 930 by St. John of Rila, the first Bulgarian hermit, built, demolished and rebuilt many times throughout its history, famous for its murals, columns and wood carvings. Heading for Bansko, one of the most popular ski resorts located at the foot of the Pirin mountains at 925 m. above sea level, a town with traditional 18th and 19th century houses made of stone and wooden logs. Dinner at a traditional Bulgarian restaurant with local music and dances. Overnight in Bansko. Breakfast. Walking tour of the old part of the town. A visit to Velyan’s house, a good example of the local architecture, and to Holy Trinity’s Church, the largest one in Bulgaria before the completion of St. Alexander Nevsky’s Cathedral in Sofia. A trip to the village of Dobarsko. Free time for lunch, followed by a visit to 16th-century St. Theodore Tyron and Theodore Stratelates’ Church and 19th-century Church of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple that has unique murals and woodwork. Return to Bansko. Dinner and overnight in Bansko. Breakfast. A trip to Melnik and a visit to Kordopulov’s House. The smallest town in Bulgaria with a population of 208 people is located on the southern slopes of the Pirin mountains, amidst strangely shaped sand pyramids, one of the natural attractions in the region. A visit to the Rozhen Monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God, the largest one in the Pirin region, one of the few Medieval Bulgarian monasteries that have been well preserved over the centuries. Free time for lunch. Heading for Rupite, a protected area famous for its 74°C thermal springs. A visit to St. Petka of Bulgaria’s Church built in 1994. The area is popular among pilgrims and tourists alike due to the fact that Vanga the Clairvoyant lived there. Return to Bansko. Dinner and overnight in Bansko. Breakfast. Leaving for the villages of Leshten and Kovachevitsa. The first one appeared in mid-17th century as a result of attempts to Islamize the Bulgarian population of the Rhodope mountains. Looking for a place to hide, some locals settled higher up the mountain. The village is a historical and architectural reserve since 1977. The typical two- and three-storey houses were built mainly in 18th century. A visit to the architectural reserve of Kovachevitsa. Free time for lunch. Heading for the village of Ognyanovo famous for its thermal water springs. Accommodation, dinner and overnight in Ognyanovo. Breakfast. Leaving for Trigrad, a beautiful village located in the Western part of the Rhodope mountains at 1240 m. above sea level, close to the border with Greece. A number of archaeological finds show that the village already existed during Antiquity. Cave dwellings and Thracian settlements have been found in the surroundings. A visit to a cave named Devil’s Throat. According to the legend, this was the entrance to Hades’ Realm through which Orpheus descended to the Underworld in search of his beloved Eurydice. Heading for Shiroka Laka, an architectural reserve famous for its traditional Rhodope houses set in tiers on the banks of the river. The village was famous for its builders considered one of the best in the country. The best examples of the typical Rhodope architecture (two- storey houses with oriel windows and inside wooden staircases) are the houses owned by the Zgurov, Uchikov and Grigorov families. A visit to the Yagodina Cave located in the Buynovo Gorge near the Rhodope village of Yagodina. It is one of the most famous and most-visited caves in Bulgaria. Its galleries extend to a length of 8,501 m., which makes it the 4th longest cave in Bulgaria and the longest in the Rhodopes. Heading further for Smolyan. Accommodation, dinner and overnight in Smolyan. Breakfast. Leaving for Plovdiv. A stop to visit the Bachkovo Monastery. Arrival in Plovdiv around noon. Plovdiv is the second-largest Bulgarian city and the administrative centre of the Plovdiv province. Built on seven hills, it is situated in the Upper Thracian Plain on the banks of the Maritsa River. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe, its history spanning 6000 years. A walking tour of the old part of the city with a visit to St. Constantine and Elena’s Church, the Ethnographic Museum, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Roman Stadium, the Djumaya Mosque. Accommodation and dinner at a traditional Bulgarian restaurant with local music and dances. Overnight in Plovdiv. Breakfast. Leaving for Sofia. A visit to the Boyana Church of St. Nicholas and St. Panteleimon located at the foot of the Vitosha Mountain, in the Sofia neighborhood of Boyana. It’s one of the best- preserved examples of Christian Medieval art. Free time for lunch followed by a visit to the National History Museum. Accommodation and overnight in Sofia. Breakfast. A walking city tour during which you will see St. Alexander Nevsky’s Cathedral, St. Sophia’s Church that gave its name to the city, King Liberator’s Monument, the Parliament, the Bulgarian Academy of Science, the Military Club, St. Nicholas’ Russian Church, the Royal Palace that houses the National Art Gallery, the National Theatre, the Archaeology Museum, St. George’s Rotunda and the remains of Emperor Constantine’s quarter, the Presidency, St. Petka’s Church, the Council of Ministers, the Banya Bashi Mosque built in 16th century. Free time or transfer to the airport. End of the tour.