4-5 day tours

Plovdiv – The village of Starosel – Karlovo – The Architectural Reserve of the village of Svezhen – Kalofer – Kazanlak

Plovdiv is one of the oldest European cities and one of the largest cultural and historical centers in Europe. The tour includes a visit to the ancient cultural landmarks, the Roman odeum, the Old Plovdiv with its unique houses from the National Revival period and a museum at tourists' choice.

The cult complex near the village of Starosel covers six Thracian temples. The largest one is in the Chetinyova Mogila tumulus. Its monumental architecture makes the temple tomb the largest Thracian complex of the classical antiquity period in the region.

Karlovo is a beautiful town huddled in the foothills of the Balkan Mountains and the birthplace of the greatest Bulgarian patriot – Vasil Levski (nicknamed "The Apostle of Freedom") (an organizer and ideologist of the Bulgarian national revolution). A visit to the National Museum "Vasil Levski" – the birth house of the "Apostle".

 

 

Kalofer is a unique mountain town, standing out with its Renaissance architecture, a remarkable memorial complex dedicated to Bulgarian national hero Hristo Botev and beautiful scenery. It is one of the few Bulgarian towns with so many active churches, monasteries and chapels. This is a town with well-preserved local traditions and unique spirit, clearly expressed during the unmatched festivals that take place throughout the year. About 8 km to the northwest of Kalofer in the area called "White River" (Byala Reka) and not far from the Kalofer Monastery, the White River Eco-Trail can lead you through the Central Balkans National Park. Kalofer is also a starting point for climbing the highest peak in the Central Balkans National Park (Peak Botev, 2376 m) from the south and reaching the highest waterfall in Bulgaria – Raiskoto Praskalo (Heaveny Spray) (124 m).

Kazanlak is known as the town of artists, roses and Thracian kings. It is a popular tourist destination. The town hosts the largest and best preserved Thracian tomb in Bulgaria (which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Historical Museum, and the Museum of the Rose. Nearby is situated the ancient city of Seuthopolis and the Valley of the Thracian Kings. In 2004, Prof. Georgi Kitov uncovered in the Golyamata Kosmatka tumulus, near the town of Shipka, a golden mask of Teres I and a bronze head of Seuthes III. These finds draw crowds of tourists to the Municipality of Kazanlak. The discoveries of Prof. G. Kitov – the Thracian tombs, the ancient city of Seuthopolis as well as many other historical landmarks – make the Municipality of Kazanlak an attractive destination for both Bulgarian and foreign visitors alike.

 

           

 Plovdiv – Smolyan – the village of Shiroka Luka – the rock formation "Wonderful Bridges" – Rozhen Observatory – Trigrad Gorge – Yagodina Cave – Haramiyska Cave – Devil's Throat Cave

 

Smolyan is located in the central part of the Rhodope Mountains in Southern Bulgaria. The Rhodopes are like a sea of dark green hills that welcome you with their beautiful landscapes and fresh air. For thousands of years, the people here have been living in harmony with nature, concealing wild and untouched places, beauty and amazing diversity of plants and animals in the bosom of the mountain. There are many legends associated with the history of this region – the legends of Dionysus and his sanctuary, of the mythical singer Orpheus who enchanted people, birds and beasts alike with his music. He was born here – in the Rhodope Mountains, still full of reminiscences of the mythic singer. Today, the sounds of Rhodope bagpipes and the magic voices of the local people can still be heard in the forests.

The village of Shiroka Laka is declared an architectural and folklore reserve. Shiroka Laka is one of the villages where the Rhodope songs came into existence and further developed. Many of the most popular Rhodope folklore singers and bagpipers were born here. The village stands out with its architecture and is listed as one of The 100 Tourist Sites.

The Wonderful Bridges have been declared as one of The 100 National Tourist Sites. Situated in the Central Rhodopes, they are amongst the most interesting natural phenomena in Bulgaria. The Wonderful Bridges are enormous marble formations that arch over the Dalbok Dol River, running from the top of Golyam Persenik Peak through venerable spruce and pine forests.

Clusters of stars, bright nebulae, distant galaxies – scenes that take your breath away and make you think about the vast universe in which each of us is just a spec. For an instant, you will cross over a distance of light years and will peep into the secrets and mysteries of the Cosmos. This will happen when you visit the National Astronomical Observatory, located closer to the stars – on Rozhen Peak in the Rhodopes. The Rozhen Observatory is the largest observatory in southeastern Europe. Here the Bulgarian astronomers observe the celestial bodies that are part of the Solar System and distant galaxies. They will tell you about the latest space discoveries and the history of telescopes, show you the largest telescope in the observatory and explain its design.

The village of Trigrad is situated in the western Rhodope Mountains near the border between Bulgaria and Greece. Throughout the year, both Bulgarian and foreign tourists alike keep on visiting the village, attracted by its unique combination of unspoiled nature, the preserved folklore traditions, the rich cultural heritage and the traditional Rhodope hospitality. In Trigrad, the adventurers and extreme sports lovers can enjoy visiting Haramiiska Cave where traces of prehistoric humans and animals have been found.

The Trigrad Gorge is in the form of limestone vertical cliffs that surround the Trigrad River. The river enters the Devil's Throat Cave and after 530 meters it comes out as large a karst spring, then turning into a confluent with the Buinovska River. The west wall of the gorge rises 180 m high while the eastern wall reaches 300-350 m in height.

 

 

Velingrad – "Snow White" Cave – Batak – Beglik – Dospat 

 

The greatest concentration of hot water springs in Bulgaria is in the town of Velingrad. The mineral water springs (totaling 80), the mild climate and the beautiful scenery are the town's wealth. Velingrad is one of the largest spa resorts in the country and is known as the "spa capital of Bulgaria". There are a lot of sanatoriums, clinics, modern hotels and spa centers here.

Regardless of its relatively small size, in the "Snow White" Cave can be seen some of the most beautiful glacial formations in Bulgaria, rich in stalagmites, stalactites, stalactones, draperies, sinter lakes.

Batak is a Rhodope town and one of The 100 Tourist Sites.

The Batak Dam and the area of Tsigov Chark are a perfect place to relax at any time of the year. The resort itself offers good accommodation facilities of all categories as well as numerous places to eat and entertain. The waters of the artificial lake provide wonderful opportunities for water sports (canoeing) and fishing.

The area of Shiroka Polyana is located in the northwestern part of the Western Rhodopes, with a prevailing altitude of 1500-1700 m. Forests alternating with vast meadows is the typical land terrain in the Rhodope Mountains. Here are the Shiroka Polyana and Toshkov Chark dams, which offer excellent conditions for fishing and good relaxation.

The area of Beglika occupies the so-called the "Beglika Plateau" in the central part of the western Rhodopes, at an average altitude of 1700 m. The picturesque mountain scenery attracts a lot of tourists while the crystal clear rivers provide excellent opportunities for fishing. There are deer, wood grouse, wild boar and other game in the local woods.

The Dospat Dam and the town of Sarnitsa are 50 km away from Velingrad. They are connected by an asphalt road that runs parallel to the Chepino and Dospat Rivers. A lot of holiday homes, cottages, motels and restaurants have been built in the village and around the dam, offering comfort to the tourists.

Very attractive are the two local reserves – Beglika (together with Golyam Beglik Dam), covering an area of 415 hectares of perennial coniferous trees, and the "Hole", a natural phenomenon with diverse flora and fauna, protected by UNESCO.

 

Climbing Persenk Peak

 

(June, July, August, September)

Golyam Persenk (2091 m) is a beautiful pyramid-shaped peak, the highest in Chernatitsa – the Western Rhodopes.

 

Skiing in Pamporovo

(December, January, February, March, April)

The tourists come to Pamporovo mostly in wintertime because the resort is designed primarily for skiing. Almost all ski runs here start from Shezhanka (the Snow White) Peak and their altitude ranges from 1926 m to 1400 m. The tourist season begins in December and lasts well until the end of April.

 

Lovech is a beautiful town situated in a foothill area, on both banks of the Osam River. The sightseeing tour includes a visit to the architectural reserve of Varosha as well as Devetashka Cave. Devetashka Cave is one of the largest caves in Bulgaria. It is 2442 m long, 60 m high and occupies an area of 20,400 sq. m.

The Troyan Monastery of the Assumption is a Bulgarian monastery, founded no later than the end of 16 c. It is the third largest cloister in Bulgaria and is situated along the banks of the Cherni Osam River up to the village of Oreshak, 10 km away from Troyan.

Chiflika is a village in the Troyan Balkan Mountains, abundant in healing mineral springs and providing magnificent mountain sceneries.

The architectural and ethnographic complex of Etar is the first museum of its kind in Bulgaria. The crafts bazaar showcases 16 examples of Balkan architecture, revealing the distinctive talent of the architects of the National Revival period.

The village of Bozhentsi was set up after the Turkish invasion in the Turnovo region at the end of the 16 century. The village was declared an architectural and historical reserve in 1964 and one of the UNESCO cultural sites. For this reason, it has preserved the architectural style of the National Revival period and the construction of buildings deviating from the architectural style of the village is not allowed. Characteristic features of the houses are the balconies, stone slabbed roofs, corner fireplaces, carvings on the ceilings, etc. The paving on all streets in Bozhentsi is of cobblestones.

The town of Tryavna dates back to the second half of the 12 c. The place is famous for its houses of the National Revival period as well as the Tryavna Iconography and Woodcarving School. The famous clock tower, dating from 1814, is one of the town's landmarks, along with the old school, now a museum of the Tryavna Woodcarving School.

Veliko Tarnovo is one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria. Its history covers more than 5 millennia – the first evidence of human life dates back to the third millennium BC and was found on the hill of Trapezitsa. The old district of Veliko Tarnovo, housing the royal palace from the times when the town was the capital of Bulgaria, during the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (1187-1393), is located on three hills – Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora.

The stay in Arbanassi is not only refreshing for the tourists but it also evokes pride in the historical past of our nation – from the skills to build beautiful houses to the artistic talent of our architects and icon-painters. The village can be used as a starting point for visiting the nearby medieval capital of Veliko Tarnovo.

 

 

(June, July, August, September)

The Central Balkans National Park is located at the heart of the country, in the central and highest areas of the Balkan Mountains. Here one can find self-regulating ecosystems of biological diversity and habitats of rare and endangered species as well as a lot of historical landmarks of world importance for science and culture. The park covers spacious lawns, a chain of harsh peaks, of which 20 over 2000 m high, rock walls, precipices, caves, deep canyons and high waterfalls. The Central Balkan Mountains is a favorite place for tourists, nature lovers and naturalists.

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