City Tour of Sofia, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Boyana church
Full day exploring Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria. We will discover a city with 7000 years of long history, concentrating on numerous cultural and historic monuments from different periods. We will visit Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the St. George Rotunda from the 4th century, the St.Sofia Basilica, the ruins of the ancient city Serdica.
Further we drive to Boyana Church, located on the outskirts of Sofia,
The church consists of three buildings. The Eastern Church was built in the 10th century, 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.
Another dinner in a local restaurant in Sofia and overnight.

SOFIA – RILA MONASTERY- Bansko
This morning we transfer to the Rila Monastery from the 10th century, one of UNESCO World Heritage site, the largest and the most impressive Bulgarian monastery. We will have a tour of the monastery complex, church and museum with its lavish collection of precious old manuscripts, icons, jewelry, masterpieces of woodcarving, ethnographic exhibition of fabrics and carpets.
In the afternoon return transfer to Bansko, the best winter resort in Bulgaria with the longest ski runs and the richest cultural history. The town of Bansko is situated at the foot of the Pirin mountain. We spend the overnight in Banko, enjoying the beautiful nature.

Bansko – Plovdiv
Today we transfer towards 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.

Plovdiv – Bachkovo Monastery – Nessebar
This morning we transfer towards the town of Nessebar, a city located on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coas, and part of UNESCO heritage.
Along the way we stop to visit Bachkovo Monastery, from the 11th century, one of the richest galleries of traditional Bulgarian religious art with exquisite murals and medieval icons.
Arriving in Nessebar, we will take walk on the cobbled streets of the old town, lined with ruins such as Byzantine-era fortifications and baths, and providing panoramic sea views.
According to historical documents, Nessebar had 40 churches, but now are found only 23 of them.
The ruins of the 5th-century Church of St. Sofia include stone columns and large arched windows. The 11th-century Church of St. Stephen houses hundreds of mural paintings and a huge, richly decorated altarpiece.

Nessebar – Varna
Today we transfer to Varna, another seaside resort on Bulgaria’s Black Sea, next to the coastal resorts of Golden Sands, St. Konstantin and Albena. Varna is famous for the “Gold of Varna,” 6,000-year-old Thracian jewelry discovered in a necropolis, which is displayed inside the Archaeological Museum, along with Greek, Roman and Ottoman antiquities. We will visit the Archaeological Museum. We enjoy the visit in the city center, dinner and overnight in Varna.

Varna – Arbanassi – Veliko Tarnovo
This morning we drive towards Veliko Tarnovo, stoping first in the museum town of Arbanassi
We will visit the 15th century church of the Nativity and the Konstantsaliev’s house, an 18th century architectural masterpiece. Further we take a guided tour of Veliko Tarnovo, 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 Tarnovo. It is the former rezidence 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.
Dinner and overnight in Veliko Tarnovo.

Veliko Tarnovo – Sofia
2.5 hours return transfer to Sofia. Depending on the flight timing, we can spend another night in Sofia, or transfer directly to the airport for the return flight.