Sofia – Nicopolis ad Istrum – Veliko Turnovo
This morning we visit the ancient town of Nicopolis ad Istrum, founded by the Roman Emperor Trajan after his victories over the Dacians in 101 and 106. It was built over an area of 30 hectares and is surrounded by fortress walls. The villas the craftsmen’s workshops and necropolises are to be found outside the walls. The town was planned according to the orthogonal system. The network of streets, the forum surrounded by an Ionic colonnade and many buildings, a two-nave room later turned into a Basilica, and other public buildings have been uncovered in this town. The rich architectures and sculptures show a similarity with those of the ancient towns in Asia Minor, Ephesus, Milletus, Palmyra, etc.
Further we reach Veliko Turnovo, where we can take a walk on Samovodska Charshiya, the traditional arts and crafts street and visit to Tsarevets hill, an impressive sight with medieval fortifications and dramatic architecture. We will visit the Tsarevest Fortress, the symbol of Veliko Turnovo. It is the former residence of the medieval tsars, and hosts the remains of more than 400 houses, 18 churches, the royal palace, an execution rock and more. Thracians and Romans used it as a defensive position, but the Byzantines built the first significant fortress here between the 5th and 7th centuries AD.

Veliko Turnovo – The Madara Horse Rider – The Thracian Tomb of Sveshtary – Varna
Today we transfer towards Varna, the third-largest city in Bulgaria and the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, where we will spend the next two overnights.
Along the way we visit The Madara Horse Rider, an early medieval large rock relief carved on the Madara Plateau. The monument is dated in the very late 7th, or more often very early 8th century, during the reign of Bulgar Khan Tervel. In 1979 became enlisted on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Madara was the principal sacred place of the First Bulgarian Empire before Bulgaria’s conversion to Christianity in the 9th century. The inscriptions beside the sculpture tell of events that occurred between AD 705 and 801.
Continue further to the Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari. Discovered in 1982 near the village of Sveshtari, this 3rd century BC Thracian tomb reflects the fundamental structural principles of Thracian cult buildings. The tomb has a unique architectural decor, with polychrome half-human, half-plant caryatids and painted murals. The 10 female figures carved in high relief on the walls of the central chamber and the decoration of the lunette in its vault are the only examples of this type found so far in the Thracian lands. It is a remarkable reminder of the culture of the Getes, a Thracian people who were in contact with the Hellenistic and Hyperborean worlds, according to ancient geographers. Afternoon in Varna. Dinner and overnight.

Varna
We spend a full day in Varna. The Varna culture belongs to the later Neolithic of northeastern Bulgaria, dated ca. 4400-4100 BC.
It is characterized by polychrome pottery and rich cemeteries, the most famous of which are Varna Necropolis, the eponymous site, and the Durankulak complex, which comprises the largest prehistoric cemetery in southeastern Europe, with an adjoining coeval Neolithic settlement (published) and an unpublished and incompletely excavated Chalcolithic settlement 294 graves have been found in the necropolis, many containing sophisticated examples of copper and gold metallurgy, pottery (about 600 pieces, including gold-painted ones), high-quality flint and obsidian blades, beads, and shells.
We spend the day visiting the Varna Necropolis and Varna Archaeology Museum. Dinner and overnight in Varna.

Varna- Nessebar, UNESCO Site- Karanovo Tell – Stara Zagora
This morning we visit the Ancient City of Nessebar, Situated on a rocky peninsula on the Black Sea.
The site of Nessebar has more than 3,000-year-old and was originally a Thracian settlement (Menebria). At the beginning of the 6th century BC, the city became a Greek colony. The city’s remains, which date mostly from the Hellenistic period, include the acropolis, a temple of Apollo, an agora and a wall from the Thracian fortifications. Among other monuments, the Stara Mitropolia Basilica and the fortress date from the Middle Ages, when this was one of the most important Byzantine towns on the west coast of the Black Sea. Wooden houses built in the 19th century are typical of the Black Sea architecture of the period.
We continue further to visit the Karanovo Tell, a settlement mound excavated in Karanovo. The hilltop settlement is constituted of 18 buildings, which housed some 100 inhabitants. The site was inhabited more or less continuously from the early 7th to the early 2nd millennia BC. The Karanovo culture served as the foundation of the East Balkan cultural sequence. The layers at Karanovo are employed as a chronological system for Balkans prehistory.
Further we reach the town of Stara Zagora, located in the heart of Bulgaria – at a place where the green hills of the Sredna Gora Mountain merge with the golden Thrace valley.
We visit the beautiful Regional Museum of History Stara Zagora- that keeps artifacts from prehistory archaeology, antique archaeology, medieval archaeology, Bulgaria 15th -19th century. The Neolithic Dwelling Museum, The Ancient Roman Forum Complex and late Antique Mosaics in Stara Zagora. Dinner and overnight in Stara Zagora.

Stara Zagora – Plovdiv
Today we transfer to Plovdiv, one of the most ancient cities in Europe and in the world. Sightseeing of the Old town of Plovdiv with National Revival architecture and excavations from Roman times. Visit of the ancient Roman theatre with impressive marble statues, decorative columns and arcades.
Dinner and overnight in Plovdiv.

Excursion to Hissarya and Kazanlak in the Rose Valley and the Valley of the Thracian Kings
This morning we take an excursion towards Hissar, a late Roman spa town, where we will see the remains of the fortifications and baths. Already during the second century AD, there were Roman baths here and at least one temple dedicated to the water nymphs.
Further we continue driving to Kazanlak in the Rose Valley and The Valley of The Thracian Kings.
The Kazanlak Valley is home of the exquisite Bulgarian rose oil, a well renowned world center for rose oil production. This area achieved another important recognition as the Valley of the Thracian Kings, due to the numerous amazing archaeological excavations of the Thracian epoch.
In the 4th and 3rd centuries BC the valley of Kazanlak was within the borders of the Thracian kingdom of Odrysae, ruled by Seuthes III. It played a vital role in the historic development of Thrace in the 4th century and during the early Hellenic age.
We visit the beautiful History Museum Iskra in Kazanlak, housing the latest breathtaking archaeological discoveries from the Valley of the Thracian kings: we see the bronze head of Seuthes III, King of Odryssoi, the founder of Seuthopolis. We will see incredibly beautiful gold wreath and many other gold and silver artifacts from 4th-3rd century BC.
We will visit the replica of The Kazanlak Thracian Tomb. It was the first cultural site in Bulgaria which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This mausoleum of 4th century B.C. was discovered in 1944. The style is typical of Thracian tombs from the 5th to 4th century B.C., with a vaulted entrance corridor and a chamber topped by a beehive dome.
Return transfer to Plovdiv for dinner and overnight.

Plovdiv – Sofia
Today we return to Sofia for the last overnight in Bulgaria. Along the way we visit Boyana Church
Located on the outskirts of Sofia, Boyana Church consists of three buildings. The Eastern Church was built in the 10th century, and then enlarged at the beginning of the 13th century by Sebastocrator Kaloyan, who ordered a second two storey building to be erected next to it. The frescoes in this second church, painted in 1259, make it one of the most important collections of medieval paintings. The ensemble is completed by a third church, built at the beginning of the 19th century. This site is one of the most complete and perfectly preserved monuments of east European medieval art.
Dinner and overnight in Sofia.

Sofia – Return Flight
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Sofia airport for the return flight.