Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
Day 1
Arrival at Sofia Airport and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. Dinner.
Day 2
Breakfast. Departure to Melnik. A walk around the city’s main attractions. Visit to the Kordopulova House, the biggest Bulgarian Revival House in the history of Bulgaria. It was built in 1754 with unique interior and exterior, with exquisite taste, preserving the best traditions of production and storage of Bulgarian red wine. It consists of four floors, two of which are made of stone, and a wine cellar. The 150-meter underground wine storage tunnel is carved into the rock and can hold up to 300 tons of wine, with special channels and ventilation systems for the proper storage of wine. A visit to the Museum of Wine, located in the center of Melnik. It features an authentic collection of tools, vessels, equipment and technology for wine and brandy production, as well as a collection of ancient photographs and mosaics. Wines are produced in an authentic Melnik recipe and technology. Departure to Sandanski. Accommodation. Dinner. Overnight.
Day 3
Breakfast. A visit to the Archaeological Museum, founded in 1936. This is one of the archeological museums in Bulgaria, specialized in the field of ancient archeology. It contains a unique collection of Roman gravestone marble sculpture (from the 1-3 century) – the largest in Bulgaria, rare in Europe and typical only for this region. It also has a rich collection of mosaics from the Early Christian period (4-6 century) with an area of over 350 sq.m. The walking tour continues with a visit to the Archaeological Park with a newly built early Christian temple and a complex of adjacent monuments of national importance from the 4th to 6th centuries. Created within the framework of the project „Sandanski – the dawn of early Christianity“ under Operational Program „Regional Development 2007-2013“. It has an area of 1600 sq. m. and consists of three sites under which restoration interventions and construction and repair works have been carried out: „The Episcopal Basilica“, „Basilica of Bishop John“ and Baptistery (Baptismal Site). Restoration of preserved frescoes from the temples under a project funded by the American Science Center in Sofia. Free time for SPA treatments. Dinner. Overnight..
Day 4 – 5
Breakfast. Free time for SPA treatments. Dinner. Overnight.
Day 6
Breakfast. Departure to Sofia. Walking tour across the central part of Sofia, introducing the main sights of the capital.
A visit to the Presidency courtyard and the Rotunda St. George, which is one of the oldest architectural monuments in Sofia and the only one building in the city preserved up to the roof dated back to the Roman Empire.
The tour passes along the Cathedral “St. Nedelya” – one of the spiritual beauties of the capital and a bearer of a centuries-old tradition. The newly discovered Ancient complex “Serdika” is going to be visited afterwards. The greatest attraction is the main street of ancient town Serdika – named Dekumanus Maksimus, which authentic pavement is almost entirely preserved. Three underground levels form an outdoor underground museum that shows three separate neighborhoods. Under the glass dome, an art space is created for concerts and productions.
Next is a visit of the Church „St. Nikolay„, built in 1907 – 1914, designed by the Russian architect M. Preobrazhenski. In the crypt of the temple is the tomb of St. Seraphim Sobolev, who was officially canonized on 25 and 26 February 2016 by the Russian and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
The St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, considered as the symbol of the Bulgarian capital is going to be visited next. The Cathedral was built in honor of the Russian Emperor Alexander II, whose army in 1878 liberates Bulgaria from the five centuries of Ottoman domination. Its construction began in 1904 and ended eight years later. The temple’s interior is unique and impresses with magnificent marble decoration and frescoes.
A visit to the National Museum of History. Emphasis is given to Hall 2, where the peak achievements of the Thracian culture during the 6th century BC are presented. – 4th century BC. The centerpiece of the shop is the showcase of the famous Panagyurishte gold treasure, a magnificent work of goldsmiths from the early Hellenistic epoch. Special attention is paid to Hall 3, dedicated to the history and culture of Bulgarian lands during the Middle Ages.
The next object to be visited is Boyana Church „St. Nicola and Panteleymon“, which is located at the foothills of Vitosha Mountain in Boyana district. It is one of the few medieval monuments of Christian art that had come to our day. The church is part of the 100 National Tourist Sites and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.
Send off the group. Transfer to Sofia airport. Flight.
