The best of Romania and Bulgaria
15 days / 14 nights

• Arrival in Sofia - the capital of Bulgaria


• Pick-up from the airport and transfer to the hotel


• Accommodation and overnight in Sofia


• Optional: Supplement for the dinner in traditional restaurant with folklore program- 15 EUROpp. Night club- entrance and 1 drink- from 15 EURO

• Sightseeing tour of Sofia – a city with 7000 years long history, concentrating numerous cultural and historic monuments from different periods


• Visits of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with the richest collection of icons on the Balkan peninsula, the St. George Roman Rotunda from the 4th century, the St.Sofia Basilica, the Ruins of Serdica


• Overnight in Sofia


• Optional: Half day excursion with visit to Boyana Church (UNESCO) and the National museum of History with transportation and professional guide: min 2 participants required- 30 EUROpp

• Departure to the Rila Monastery/10th c/, UNESCO World Heritage site, the largest and the most impressive Bulgarian monastery. Tour of the monastery complex, church and museum with its lavish collection of precious old manuscripts, icons, jewellery, masterpieces of woodcarving, ethnographic exhibition of fabrics and carpets


• Continue to Plovdiv – city ranking second in importance after Sofia, passing through the highest Bulgarian mountain - Rila with a short break in the Borovets Resort


• Overnight in Plovdiv

• Sightseeing of the Old town of Plovdiv with its 3,000 years long history, National Revival architecture and excavations from Roman times. Visit of the ancient Roman Amphitheater with impressive marble statues, decorative columns and arcades


• Excursion to the Bachkovo Monastery / 11th c/ - one of the richest galleries of traditional Bulgarian religious art with exquisite murals and medieval icons


• Departure for Kazanlak, the capital of the famous Valley of Roses


• Overnight in Kazanlak


• Optional: Visit the museum of roses or rose producing company 20 EUROpp

• Visit the recently discovered Thracian golden tresures in Kazanlak Historical Museum. Continue with one of the UNESCO’s sites – the Thracian Tomb dating back from the 4th c.BC


• Departure to the town of Tryavna via the historical Shipka Pass


• Walking tour of Tryavna, where vaulted stone bridges, houses, churches and square with a clock tower preserve the spirit and talent of the artist from Tryavna School of Art from the 17th century. Visit the Woodcarving Museum of Tryavna. Visit de ethnography village Bojentsi


• Continue to Veliko Tarnovo


• Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo


• Optional: Visit the new excavated Thracian tomb - Golyama Kosmatka - 5 EUROpp only- entrance (on the route). Visit the Memorial church Shipka- 5 EUROpp- entrance (on the route). Sound and Light show program (on request). Price- depend on the group size

• Sightseeing of Veliko Turnovo, including Tsarevets hill - an impressive sight with imposing medieval fortifications and dramatic architecture


• Departure to the museum town of Arbanassi boasting a genuine gallery of art in its Church of Nativity


• Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo


• Optional: Half day excursion to Etara open air Ethnographic museum with coffee break: 45 EURO per person, min 2 participants required, SPA package in the hotel - starting from 15 EUROpp

• Departure to Rousse


• Visit en route one of Bulgaria's unique monuments, included in the UNESCO List of World Culture Heritage - the rock churches near the village of Ivanovo - Bulgarian Medieval Churches, chapels and monastic cells, hewn into the craggy gorge of the Roussenski Lom River


• Continue to Rousse


• Overnight in Rousse

• Morning at leisure


• In the afternoon departure to Bucharest


• Overnight in Bucharest

• Bucharest sightseeing tour


• Departure to Curtea de Arges, former capital of Wallachia


• Visit the Episcopal Church where the Romanian Kings were buried


• Drive along the picturesque Olt Valley to Cozia Monastery (visit) and Sibiu , one of the oldest towns in Transylvania and European Capital of Culture in 2007 - formerly Hermannstadt - founded by the Saxon colonists


• Guided walking tour of the medieval town (the Main Square, the Evangelical Church, the Liars’ Bridge etc.)


• Overnight in Sibiu

• Drive to Biertan to visit the impressive fortified church


• Continue to Sighisoara, birthplace of Vlad the Impaler (also known as Dracula)


• Visit the medieval citadel (the “Upper Town”): the Clock Tower, the Church on the Hill


• Departure to Târgu Mures - visit of the elegant city centre well known for its architecture


• Drive on to Bistrita - one of the 7 main medieval towns of Transylvania


• Overnight in Bistrita

• Departure towards Maramures - a region famous for its woodwork traditions and the unspoiled rural life. A trip to Maramures is in all seasons a superb adventure in the Picturesque Kingdom: visit the picturesque villages of Sacel, Bogdan Voda and Rozavlea, with their wooden churches and porches


• Visit the impressive monastery of Barsana and lunch at the monastery


• In the afternoon drive across the Carpathians into Bucovina


• Stop in the Prislop Pass to admire the breathtaking scenery


• Overnight in Câmpulung Moldovenesc

• Full day in Bucovina – land of the unique painted monasteries included in UNESCO World Heritage


• Visit the Moldovita and Sucevita monasteries with outside frescoes. Follows a visit to the famous monastery of Voronet, “the Sistine Chapel of the Orient”. Late afternoon drive south to visit the Agapia monastery


• Overnight in Piatra Neamt

• Departure across the mountains to Brasov through the spectacular Bicaz Gorges - the Red Lake - Miercurea Ciuc


• Visit the beautiful fortified church of Prejmer


• Arrival in Brasov


• Overnight in Brasov

• Panoramic and guided walking tour in the historical center of Brasov (formerly Kronstadt) including a visit to the Black Church


• Departure to Bran for a visit to “Dracula’s Castle”


• Drive across the mountains to Sinaia


• Visit the Sinaia Monastery (1695) and the fabulous “Peles Castle” - former summer residence of the Royal family


• Drive to Bucharest


• Overnight in Bucharest

• In the morning free time in central Bucharest


• Transfer to the airport


• End of our services

Prices:

• 1580.00 Euro/person sharing a double room


• 300.00 Euro Single room supplement

GUARANTEED DEPARTURES for 2010 at the following dates:

• 15th May 2010


• 12th June 2010


• 17th July 2010


• 14th August 2010


• 11th September 2010

What's included:

• Airport pick-up and drop-off


• Accommodation 14 nights as per the above program at a 3-star hotels


• Full board meals /breakfast, lunch, dinner/ throughout the program


• Private car (for 2-3 pax) or air-conditioned van, minibus or coach for all the above itinerary and program


• Professional English speaking guide throughout (for parties of 2-3 pax the guide will also drive)


• All entrance fees to museums, monasteries and sites included in the program


• All Bulgarian and Romanian taxes

What's not included:

• Flight tickets


• Hotel extras /telephone, mini bar, etc


• Drinks /other than water


• Photographing or filming fees at the visited sites


• Tips


• Porterage


• Travel insurance


• Personal Expenses


• Visa procurement (if needed)

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