Day 1

Arrival at the Sofia Airport. Transfer to the hotel, short rest or we will pick you up directly from your hotel. Walking tour in the center - visit to the Saint Nedelya Church, the Statue of St Sofia – the symbol of the city, the Parliament square, the Presidency, the National Theater, the Ruins of Serdica and the Rotonda St George 4th c. AC, the Russian Church, the St. Sophia early Christian basilica, which has given the city its name, the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral – the biggest and the most beautiful on the Balkan Peninsula, the Monument of Alexander II – Tzar Liberator (1902), the Parliament. In the afternoon – time at leisure. Dinner. Overnight. 

Day 2

Departure to the Troyan Monastery, the third largest monastery in Bulgaria, situated in the northern part of the country in the Balkan Mountains. It was founded in the end of the 16th century. The main church of the monastery was reconstructed during the Bulgarian National Revival period by a master-builder called Konstantin in 1835 soon after the decline of Ottoman Rule was marked. The richly decorated interior and exterior of the church were painted between 1847 and 1849 by the great Bulgarian icon-painter Zahari Zograph.
The Troyan Monastery also keeps one of the holiest icons in Bulgarian Orthodoxy, the Three-Handed Virgin since the 17th century.
The Troyan Monastery is also famous for its incredible wood-carving.
The oldest carving is the marvelous wood carved iconostasis of the chapel „St.Nikola” which is distinguished with its genuine artistic qualities. Continue to Veliko Tarnovo. Overnight.

Day 3 

After breakfast – tour of the town - visit to "Tsarevets" - a mediaeval stronghold located on a hill with the same name. It served as the Second Bulgarian Empire's primary fortress and strongest bulwark from 1185 to 1393, housing the royal and the patriarchal palaces. 47 churches and 400 residential houses have been discovered in the whole complex. Fortified walls and defensive towers surround the city. The tower of Baldwin is the most famous and is an evidence for the power of the Bulgarian Kingdom. We will continue our tour by visiting the old Marketplace Samovodska Tcharshia, the churches St. Demetrius (12th c.), Holy Forty Martyrs, built in 1230 by Tsar Ivan Assen II, and St. Peter and Paul (14th c.). In the afternoon – departure to Arbanassi  4 km from Veliko Turnovo, a charming village with an eventful history and fascinating architecture. Thirty six of its 80 houses and the five local churches have been declared for national monuments of culture. Visit of the St. Nikola and Holy Virgin monasteries. From the XVI century to its tragic devastation two centuries later, the village, one of the wealthiest in pre-liberation Bulgaria, boasted with the work of skilled masters from different parts of the country. The St. Nikola Monastery was part of the widespread religious construction under the Assen dynasty, the founders of the Second Bulgarian State. Its artistic and historical value lies primarily in the surviving murals in the St. Elija Chapel, dating from 1716 and comprising of a monumental figure of Christ the Great Archangel, 12 scenes from the Holy Akathistos, and 6 scenes from the life of Christ. The effective coloring and rich palette, the confidences in the portrayal of the human figures, the unusually varied architectural decoration reveal the hand of a master. The filigree wooden iconostasis in the chapel, with its delicate and exquisite decorations, is valuable a treasure. Situated in the same village, the Holy Virgin Monastery suffered a different, though no less tragic a fate. Historians cannot tell how it survived the attacks in 1393. In this monastery too, valuable icons abound. Return to Veliko Tarnovo. Overnight.

Day 4

Departure to Dryanovo monastery “Sveti Arhangel Mihail” - situated in the picturesque gorge of Dryanovo River in Stara Planina. The monastery was founded in the 12th century and gradually became centre of the Hesychasm. During the Ottoman slavery the monastery was conflagrated twice and it was built at its present place in the 17th century.
The history of this captivating holy site is closely connected with the National Liberation Movement. The monastery was one of the headquarters of the Tarnovo revolutionary committee. The Apostle of Liberty, Vasil Levski and his adherents often stayed in the monastery. During the April Uprising several surviving rebels repulsed the attacks of the numerous Turkish army only in nine days. Continue to Sokolski Monastery. Optional: Visit "Etara" - an open air museum. The shopping street represents the way crafts were practiced locally in the mid-19th century. Arrival in Plovdiv. Sightseeing of The Old city: The Antique theatre, built in the beginning of II century by the time of Emperor Trayan (98 – 117) was one of the most imposing public buildings in Trimontium; The church “St. Konstantin and Elena”, one of the oldest Christian temples in Plovdiv, was built in 337 on top of the fortified acropolis wall. It was dedicated to the great Emperor Konstantin who made Orthodox Christianity the state religion and his mother, Sveta Elena. The current church, however, dated back to 1832. The wonderful iconostasis and the covered portico features sumptuous frescoes were painted by Zahari Zograf between 1836 and 1840; The Ethnographic museum which is housed in a beautiful building from Bulgarian National Revival, built in 1847, is a wonderful example of the baroque style characteristic for this period. Overnight.

Day 5

Departure to Monastery of Bachkovo (20 km from Plovdiv) - the second largest monastery after the Rila Monastery. The complex and its neighborhoods have grown into a developed tourist sight where dozens of small shops, stalls, and restaurants stand on both sides of the walkway to the gates and appeal with their variety to visitors. Breakfast. Depart for Bachkovo monastery "Assumption of St. Maria", the second large Bulgarian monastery. It is located on the right bank of the breathtaking Chepelare River. The monastery was founded in 1083 by the Byzantine military commander of Georgian origin, Grigorii Bakuriani and his brother Abazii. Yet only the two-storey bone-vault lying about 300m to the east of the present-day complex is still kept from that time. The bone-vault is a must-see building there because of its unique wall-paintings which rank among the most valuable works of Orthodox art of the 11th –12th century. During the times of the Second Bulgarian State, the monastery was patronized by Tsar Ivan Alexander, a portrait of whom can be still seen in the arcs of the bone-vault’s narthex due to his renovation of this building. At the end of the 11th century, the monastery opens a religious school.
Our trip continues to the famous Bulgarian ski resort - Pamporovo. The specific combination of favorable weather conditions makes this resort both beautiful in winter and in summer. Pamporovo, the pearl of all Bulgarian mountain resorts, is situated in the heart of the stunning Rhodopi Mountains. It is better known as the sunniest mountain resorts in Bulgaria.
Pamporovo is situated on 1650 m above the sea level at the foot of peak Snejanka (1926 m).
Visit of Shiroka Laka - village–museum, an architectural and ethnographic reserve, well known for its original Rhodope architectural style, musical traditions and history.
It is built amphitheatrically in the narrow and steep valley of the Shirokolashka River, at the foot of the Western Rhodope Mountains.
Next stop on the road is the city of Devin,Spa and holiday resort. It is situated amid scenic hills in the heart of the Rhodopes at an altitude of 710 - 780 m. Devin boasts several mineral water springs with a temperature between 16 and 76C. The water is clear, colorless, palatable, odorless, hyper- and homeo-thermal, mildly mineralized, and contains hydro carbonates of sodium and small quantities of fluorine. It has a strong alkaline reaction (pH 9.4).
Devin is the perfect choice when it comes for spa and balneology treatments for a wide range of diseases: of the locomotors system, cardiovascular diseases and nervous disorders. Overnight.

Day 6

Departure to the most famous Bulgarian winter resort Bansko. It is quite different from the classic mountain resorts as it can impress with significant cultural heritage spanning from architecture to poetry and ancient Christian arts. The city can impress with authentic fortified and artistically decorated houses from the 18th and 19th century, built almost entirely of stone, with small barred windows, tall walls, heavy metal-plated gates and interconnected by narrow and winding cobble-stone streets. The “Sveta Troitsa”(“St.Trinity”) church, the bell tower with the big clock, the medieval church "Assumption of the Virgin Mary" with its remarkable wood-carved iconostasis make for fine accents in Bansko's atmosphere. Continuation to the Rozhen Monastery, built by the Melnik ruler despot Slav during the 12th or 13th century. The monastery offers an amazing view to the peaks of the green Pirin and Belasitsa mountains and the famous ‘mels’ of Melnik – the latter being pyramid-like hills around the town, formed by the erosion of clay loam. It is the biggest sanctuary in the Pirin region and one of the few Bulgarian monasteries of the Middle Ages which has survived relatively intact up to present days. Actually, the present day appearance of this old monastery dated back to 16th century.
Visit to Melnik – the smallest town in Bulgaria. The breathtaking Melnik pyramids rank among the most remarkable natural phenomena in Bulgaria. Over an area of about 17 sq. km. millennia-long erosion has created a truly unearthly world. Apart from the unique natural surroundings, the town also boasts for the fascinating architecture of its old Melnik houses, most of which were built during the Bulgarian Renaissance. Continue to Sandanski (10 km). Its excellent position, favorable climate (with the highest average annual temperature in the country, +19,70°C) and the concentration of mineral water springs in the area are the reasons why the town is a famous centre for relaxation and recreation. Overnight.

Day 7

Departure to the Rila Monastery - the richest historical and architectural monument of the Orthodox enclave, founded in 10th century and transformed to the most important spiritual and cultural center of Bulgaria. The site is recognized by UNESCO as part of the world heritage list. Continue to  Sofia. Accommodation. Overnight.