Meet the Thracians

ref. no EUTR-1

 

Following in the Thracian Footsteps

6 nights / 7 days

Guaranteed departure dates:

2011

October – 3.10; 24.10

November – 7.11; 14.11

2012

January – 23.01

February – 20.02

March – 19.03

April – 11.04; 23.04

May – 7.05; 14.05; 21.05; 28.05

 

1 day – Arrival at Sofia Airport. Transfer to hotel 4**** (HTL Cristal palace). Short panoramic tour of Sofia with a guide in English including a visit to the Archaeological Museum.

 The capital city combines harmonically its past, present and future with its motto “Growing but never olding”. During the walking tour in the central part of our capital, you will see the buildings - St.Nedelya church, the Synagogue, the Banya Bashi Mosque, St. George Rotunda – one of the oldest still active churches, not only in Bulgaria but in Europe, The National Drama Theatre – the most prestigious and oldest theatre in the country with its beautiful facade, National Art Gallery, which has a rich collection of works by Bulgarian artists and a lot of medieval icons, The Russian Church “St.Nikola”, The Parliament building, the Bulgarian Academy Of Sciences building, the monument of the Russian Tsar Liberator Alexander II, The University of Sofia “St. Kliment Ohridski” – the oldest and the most respected university in Bulgaria, St. Sofia church – one of the symbols of Sofia and also very old Christian church and St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral - one of the biggest Eastern Orthodox churches in the Balkans, which was built as a memorial temple for the dead Russian soldiers and officers during the Russo-Turkish war and which has become one of the symbols of our capital.

Dinner at restaurant “Vodenitsata”, Dragalevtsi – national cuisine and folklore program (in warm weather you can have dinner in the garden – fire dances).

Menu (example set): shepherd’s salad, pepper byurek; Chicken Shashlik filled with steamed potatoes with dill and garlic; homemade cake; mineral water; garlic bread. Transfer to the restaurant and then to the hotel.

 

2 day – After breakfast – Visit of the National Museum of History and Boyana church (one of the sites included in the list of the World Heritage of UNESCO).

Travel for Ruse and the Thracian tomb near Sveshtari (420 km).Stop for lunch at restaurant “Navesa” in the center of the city of Pleven. Menu (example set): traditional Bulgarian soup “Bob chorba” ; moussaka and salad; puff with chocolate glaze; bread; mineral water.

Consideration of the Thracian-Hellenistic tomb – located 2.5 km from Sveshtari village on the high Ginina mound. This is a royal tomb – buried here is the Getic ruler Dromihet. It consists of a corridor and three square chambers. This tomb is registered in the UNESCO list of World Heritage. Overnight in Ruse – hotel Best Western Bistra and Galina 4****. Dinner at the hotel. Menu (example set): “Meshana” salad; steak and “Kebapche” with garnish; water; bread; grape.

 

3 day – After breakfast – a short bus trip in Ruse and then departure to Veliko Turnovo (120 km) – the medieval capital of Bulgaria. Accommodation in the hotel. Tour of the city where ancient history and modern life merge and create one of the most important tourist destinations in the country. The city is located in the central part of northern Bulgaria on the banks of Yantra River which winds around the hills looking for a way to touch Danube. There are preserved buildings from the late eighteenth and nineteenth century, showing the specific architecture of the area. Some of them were built by the famous self taught Bulgarian architect Kolyo Ficheto. During the Second Bulgarian kingdom (XII-XIV c.) Veiko Turnovo was the capital of Bulgaria and on Trapezitsa and Tsarevets hills can be seen remains of palaces, churches and houses. From this period there are also saved parts from interesting churches and monasteries such as St. Peter and Paul and Holy Forty Martyrs Church.

 Lunch in the center of Turnovo – “Ethno” restaurant. Menu (example set): peeled tomatoes salad, roasted peppers, fresh cheese and stained yoghurt; pork kavarma on plate; flan with pumpkin; mineral water and bread.

 Trip to the architectural reserve of Arbanassi, located 10 km from Veliko Turnovo . In this village occurred in during the Middle Ages were preserved houses of the wealthy families of the merchants and the Church of Nativity with many valuable paintings from the XVII century. Dinner and overnight in hotel Win Palace 4**** in Arbanassi. Menu (example set): salad; pork fillet with melted cheese; banitsa; apple strudel; bread; mineral water.

 

4 ден – After breakfast departure to Kazanlak. (110 km). Visiting of the Kazanlak tomb and the Iskra Historical Museum (one of the oldest and richest regional museums in Bulgaria); It stores over 50 000 original exhibits, here exposed are the latest gold, silver and bronze artifacts from the Thracian tombs-temples in the region.  In the Kazanlak region are many ancient archeological sites and this is the reason why the Valley of Roses is called the Valley of Thracian rulers.

Thracian tomb in Kazanlak is built with a round cupola and is part of large necropolis. It is dated at the end of IVc. BC. It is in the UNESCO list of World Heritage.

Its world popularity the tomb due to its unique murals in the hall and dome space. Lunch in restaurant “Chiflika” – it is located in the Ethnographic complex in Kazanlak. Menu (example set): garden salad, Bayraktarov kebab, baklava, bread, mineral water.

Departure to the town of Shipka and visiting one of the biggest Thracian complexes in the Ostrusha mound. It covers an area of 100 sq.m. It consists of 5 rectangural and one circular room. The tomb is unique in the layout of the ceiling – relief painting ornaments, figures, floral oranaments and portraits.

 After that – visit of Golyamata Kosmatka – in this mound is hidden one of the largest and richest Thracian tomb. It is dated from the end of 5^th century BC. This is a three chamber tomb with a total length of 26 m. In the first chamber was found a horse burial, the second appears to be empty and the third – a symbolic burial.

 Trip to Stara Zagora’s Mineral Spa. Dinner and overnight in hotel 4**** in Stara Zagora’s Mineral Spa (Spa hotel Kalista 4**** or Spa hotel Izvor 4**** - depending on the ability of particular dates). Menu (example set): tomato salad; grilled peppers and cheese; grilled pork steak with aromatic herbs and risotto with mushrooms; chocolate cake with ice-cream; bread; mineral water.

 

5 day – After breakfast trip to Karanovska mound (45 km). The mound is located in the foot of Surnena mountain. It is 13 meters high, 250m long and 150m wide. This is one of the fully explored mounds in Bulgaria. Revealed are 7 layers – Karanovo I and II – Early Neolithic, Karanovo III – Middle Neolithic, Karanovo IV – Late Neolithic, Karanovo V – Early Chalcolithic, Karanovo VI – Late Chalcolithic and Karanovo VII – Early Bronze Age. The periodization of the mound is determinant not only for Bulgaria, but for the whole Southeast Europe.

Trip to Alexandrovo village (85 km) to visit the tomb of Alexander – dated from 4^th century BC. . Belonged to a Thracian king or noble aristocrat. The tomb impresses with its unique frescoes. It has a 10 meter corridor, an entrance hall and round beehive-like chamber. Two frieze are painted – the upper frieze with hunting scenes, and the bottom one – feast .

Trip to the Thracian tomb near Mezek village (70 km), located in the foot of Eastern Rhodore Mountains. Lunch at complex “General” in Mezek. Menu (example set): “ball” soup, moussaka, a piece of banitsa, kartalak – grilled bread, mineral water.

 View of the Thracian tomb in Maltepe mound, 1km from the village. Dated from 4^th century BC.

 Back to the Stara Zagora’s Mineral Spa in the hotel (105 km). Dinner and overnight. Menu (example set): “Shopska” salad, chicken calzone with aromatic potatoes with thyme and rosemary, tiramisu, bread, mineral water.

 

6 day – Breakfast. Trip to Kurdzhali (120 km). View of Perperikon (22 km) – located in Eastern Rhodope Mountains on area of 13sq.m. This is archaeological complex, consisting of large megalithic sanctuary, ancient monuments and medieval fortress. Serious arguments prove that this is the famous sanctuary of Dionysus, the Thracian tribes Satri. Along with that of Apollo at Delphi, the sanctuary at Perperikon is one of the two most important oracles in ancient times.

Trip to Tatul village (50 km) – only 200 meters from the village, in the area “Kayabasha” was discovered one of the most interesting and valuable monuments of the Bulgarian lands – the first Thracian temple above ground.

This rock sanctuary is composed of different incisions – a rock in the shape of pyramid contains two sarcophagi, altars, grooves, recesses and steps. On the top is a rock tomb with ovoid shape and a square hole in the roof. One of the most famous Bulgarian archaeologists Nikolay Ovcharov is sure that in the sanctuary is the grave of the mythic singer Orpheus.

Lunch in restaurant, which is situated on the Kurdzhali dam – the restaurant of boutique hotel The Kurdzhali Dam. Menu (example set): fish soup, salad with grilled vegetables, grilled carp or catfish with steamed potatoes, bread, mineral water, homemade cake.

Trip to Starosel through Plovdiv (145 km). View of the Thracian tomb in Starosel.

The Thracian cult temple in Chetinyova Mound is the largest Thracian royal mausoleum complex found so far. It impresses with its magnificent temple wall (krepis) of stone blocks, parade staircase with corridor and religious site. The entrance is lined with plates with plastic and colourful decoration.The inner room is a huge round dome chamber with semi-pillars and flower ornaments.

Degustation of 3 wines in the cellar of Starosel with walk and talk about secrets of wine.

Trip to Plovdiv (50 km). Dinner in the hotel restaurant and overnight in Plovdiv (hotel Hebros – boutique hotel 4****). Menu (example set): salad, beef steak with mushrooms, steamed potatoes with dill, cream caramel with pumpkin, mineral water, bread.

 

7 day – After breakfast transfer to Sofia Airport for departure.

 

The price includes:

• Transfers airport-hotel-airport;

• Transport – by van;

• 1 night/breakfast in Sofia;

• 2 nights/breakfast in hotel 4**** in Stara Zagora’s Mineral Spa;

• 1 night/breakfast in Plovdiv;

• 1 night/breakfast in Arbanasi;

• 1 night/breakfast in Ruse;

• 6 dinners under the program;

• 5 lunches under the program;

• Entrance fees for all sites under the program;

• Licensed tour guide in English all the time;

• Medical insurance for each person (10 000 EUR)

• Maintenance of the driver.