Cultural – religious tour of Bulgaria combined with SPA relax

Your journey will begin in the capital of Bulgaria – Sofia. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be taken to ”City Hotel” 4 * to check-in for your two night stay.

After breakfast with your guide you will visit Rila Monastery – 127 km from Sofia. It is one of the most famous Bulgarian symbols. It is not only the biggest monastery in Bulgaria, but also the most influential spiritual center in the country and the second biggest monastery on the Balkan Peninsula. Its architecture and frescoes present the apogee of the Bulgarian Renaissance art. During the guided tour in the inner yard and the monastery museum you will discover the most treasured monuments and will learn the most fascinating facts and stories about the biggest Bulgarian monastery complex. You will also have free time to buy souvenirs, make some photos and continue to explore it by yourself. Later in the day, you will return to spend your second evening in the capital.

On this day you are going to Plovdiv - the second largest city in Bulgaria, situated on the Maritsa River. Its unique location on these ancient crossroads has stimulated strong cultural and political influences from East and West civilizations, and yet maintained its unique cultural identity. The city of Plovdiv is renowned for its ancient Roman heritage, with the Roman Theatre, Roman Stadium and the Aqueduct popular haunts for sightseers. The city is brimming with cultural significance with the St. Marina Church and the Ethnographic Museum also well-worth a visit. In the afternoon 30-minutes will take you to Bachkovo Monastery, a famous religious and tourist site. Enjoy the unique frescoes in the dining room and the facade of St. Nicholas Church, while your guide explains about the history, architecture and nowadays life in the monastery. Overnight stay in Kosovo village or Plovdiv.

After breakfast, departure for the city of Kazanlak - the center of the Valley of the Roses located at the heart of the Thracian Plain. Kazanlak is the home of the Thracian kings and an attractive tourist destination. The country’s largest and best preserved Thracian tombs are found here, and they are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, together with the Museum of Roses. Overnight stay in the city of Pavel Banya - a balneology center known for the healing properties of its mineral hot springs. The city is located in central Bulgaria, 24 km from the city of Kazanlak.

Full day SPA and relax in a hotel in Pavel Banya. Pavel Banya spa offers many options for accommodations – spa complexes, hotels, and family guest houses. Almost every hotel in the city has pools and other facilities fed by the thermal springs, with the latest balneology equipment and trained staff to serve the guests. Restaurants at the resort offer a wide range of local dishes.

The tour departs early in the morning to the Tomb of the Thracian Tsar Sevt III named “Golyamata Kosmatka”. After the tomb you will continue to the north and arrive in National Park-Museum Shipka. The park comprises of 26 monuments, the reconstructed battle positions, artillery batteries and dugouts of the defenders of Shipka Pass during the Russo-Turkish War from 1877 - 78. Your next stop is Etara, an open-air ethnographic complex showing the everyday life of local people centuries ago. After Etara, we will continue to the medieval capital of Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo for a two-night stay.

Sightseeing tour of Veliko Tarnovo, picturesquely located on four hills above the Yantra River. Visit to the Tsarevets Royal Hill and fortress. The hill is crowned by the Patriarchal Church of the Ascension. Visit to the Church of SS Peter and Paul. In the afternoon, we will drive to the nearby museum village of Arbanassi for a visit to the unique Church of the Nativity (16th-17th c) and the Konstantsaliev House. Overnight stay in Veliko Tarnovo.

Today you will visit the third largest monastery in Bulgaria - Troyan Monastery. The main church of the monastery was reconstructed near the end of Ottoman rule during the Bulgarian National Revival period by a master-builder called Konstantin in 1835. The iconostasis in the central church is a wood carving dating to 1839. The Troyan Monastery is also, since the 17th century, the home of one of the holiest icons in Bulgarian Orthodoxy, the Three-Handed Virgin. After that you will have time to explore the town of Troyan with yor guide. Troyan has been popularised for producing magnificent pottery. The name Troyan comes from the Latin name for the Roman road through the area – Via Trajana. One of Troyan’s major attractions is its museum dedicated to folk art and traditional handicrafts. The museum exhibits offer examples of the artisans’ skill, along with their original tools and photographs illustrating techniques employed by ceramicists and metalworkers. Overnight stay in Troyan or Chiflik village.

After breakfast you will return in the capital city of Sofia. You will check at the hotel and then follows a tour of the main attractions of the city - Temple-monument "St. Alexander Nevsky" church "Sv. Sofia" church "St. Sunday, "the Russian Church, National Theatre" Ivan Vazov "square in front of the National Assembly, the Presidency building.

Your trip concludes with breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Sofia airport for a departure flight.