Tours Bulgaria
The Yellow Tour
This tour is quite an experience for the nature and history lovers. You’ll have the chance to travel across the mysterious and beautiful Rhodopi Mountains, rich of natural and cultural phenomena.
Feel the spirit of Orpheus, the legendary Thracian ruler and singer, and the energy of Perperikon – the ancient religious and fortune-telling center. You’ll return home thrilled and inspired.
Program by days
First day: arrival to Sofia (folk-style dinner)
Second day: Sofia - Brestovitza – Plovdiv
Third day: Bachkovo Monastery – Pamporovo - Devin
Forth day: Smolyan – Kardjali - Perperikon
Fifth day: Hissar - Kazanlak
Sixth day: Koprivshtitza – Sofia - departure
Highlights of the tour
Sofia – the Bulgarian capital has much to offer with its well-preserved ancient history and modern spirit.
The walking tour along the central part introduces: Saint Nedelya Church, Saint George Rotonda, National Drama Theatre, National Fine Arts Gallery, Saint Nicolas Russian Church, the Parliament and Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral with its crypt.
Along the way to Plovdiv, we’ll make a brief romantic escape into the village of Brestovitza to have lunch with Bulgarian wines tasting in authentic winery guided by a sommelier that would show the process of wine preparation. The village has preserved memories of its rich history, of Bulgarian traditions, wonderful surrounding nature, and the famous Brestovitza wine.
Plovdiv is a 3000-years-old city, one of the most ancient cities in Bulgaria and in Europe. It was a city 200 years before Rome was founded; it was standing on its six hills before Troy and Mycenae and after their destruction; it remembers the foundation of Athens and Constantinople.
The Old City District shows all European civilizations starting with the very first one in the frame of typical Bulgarian architecture of 18th and 19th centuries. The most important architectural sites are the Roman Amphitheatre, the Roman Bath and Pretorium, Roman mosaics, Ethnographic Museum, the houses of Balabanov and Hindliyan and many others.
Bachkovo Monastery is the second biggest monastery in Bulgaria. The monastery is unique for preserving wonderful frescos from different historical periods and artistic styles. 11th century mural paintings in the Cemetery Church are the most valuable.
The road follows Rhodopi Mountain gorges and graceful slopes and we reach Pamporovo – the most famous skiing resort in Bulgaria. It is situated on 1650 m over the sea level in the foot of Snezanka Peak – with its soft fresh air leaving sweet taste in one’s mouth and crystal bells clang in one’s ears. There are many national and international competitions on down hill and slalom, ski running, ski orientation, biathlon, etc. held annually in the resort.
The road crosses Shiroka Laka village – an architectural reserve wonderful as Rhodopi rug, where a Folk Singing and Folk Dancing College is situated – and ends up in the city of Devin.
The region of Devin is rich on natural landmarks and phenomena, which together with the soft mountain climate, magic-working mineral springs and the big number of sunny days turn the city into attractive tourist destination.
Spectacular Trigrad Gorge is close to Devin, and is flanked by walls rising to 250m. One of the most popular sites at the gorge is Devil’s Throat Cave which formed when layers of the mountain collapsed. From here, we’ll travel through a manmade tunnel to see the highest underground waterfalls in Europe which cascade 42m into the abyss below. Nearby are the famous Yagodinska and Haramiiska caves. There are over 150 other caves in the region and the area is popular with rock climbers.
The city of Smolyan is situated in the most beautiful part of Rhodopi Mountain on the place of Ezerovo village, which has disappeared. In Smolyan we’ll see the biggest Planetarium in Bulgaria with astronomic observatory.
The star of the tour is the rock city of Perperikon, situated 15 km from Kardjali in the Rhodopi Mountain. Perperikon was founded most probably as a sanctuary about 8000 years ago. The city consists of four main parts constructed in New Stone Age. There are thousands of altar niches and many tombs, as well as a system of drains, cut out in the rock. Later the Sanctuary of Dionysus was carved and turned to be one of the two most important religious and fortune-telling centers in the Ancient World together with the one in Delphi. Even nowadays Perperikon is still a sacred place filling the visitor with strong positive energy.
Hissar is an ancient city founded in the 5th millennium B.C. nearby Hissar mineral springs. The city is known for its rich heritage of Thracian and Roman archeological pieces and spots: Roman bath, Roman tomb with beautiful floor mosaic resembling a colorful carpet, amphitheatre with semicircle arena and a fortress wall protecting the city.
We visit the village of Starosel situated within 20 km from Hissar. In the year 2000 close to Starosel Thracian Religious Temple from 5th – 4th century B.C. was discovered. This is the biggest Thracian royal complex in Southeastern Europe. Rich royal burial with numerous golden and silver jewels and painted pottery show the importance of the tomb for its time.
The city of Kazanlak is situated in the pretty Rose Valley, the valley of roses and Thracian kings, hidden in the foot of Stara Planina and Sredna Gora Mountains. The oleaginous rose has been brought from India through Syria and Turkey and has found all favorable conditions for its growth. Much more about its history and application, you will learn in the Museum of the Rose.
The Kazanlak Tomb (4th – 3rd century B.C.) was found 60 years ago. It’s a unique aesthetic and artistic work, a masterpiece of the Thracian creative spirit. This monument is the only one of its kind anywhere in the world. The exceptionally well preserved frescos and the original condition of the structure reveal the remarkable evolution and high level of culture and pictorial art in Hellenistic Thrace.
The tomb is included into UNESCO’s List of World Cultural and Historic Heritage.
Koprivshtitza is a museum 19th century town, the cradle of famous Bulgarian poets and teachers. Scrolling along the cobbled streets, you can feel the national spirit, the heroism of the national liberation fight and the romanticism and beauty of powerful Stara Planina Mountain nature. Koprivshtitza is known for its numerous stone fountains and bridges.
