Ancient Treasures of Bulgaria

Join our archaeology tour and discover the most valuable and remarkable historical sites of Bulgaria, such as the necropolis of Varna, Perperikon, the Thracian and Roman civilizations. An exciting trip for every archaeology lover!
Located at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, today's Bulgaria has preserved unique remains from different eras and cultures that represent an important part of the history of today's Europe.

 

D1 Sofia
Arrival at Sofia International Airport. Transfer to the hotel.
Dinner and overnight stay in Sofia.

D2 Sofia – Plovdiv – Stara Zagora (260 km)
Drive from Sofia to Plovdiv, one of the oldest cities in Europe and former European Capital of Culture (2019). Visit to ancient Plovdiv, the Roman stadium, the ancient theatre (in operation since the 2nd century), visit to the Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis and the fantastic mosaics from Roman times.
Drive to Stara Zagora (old Beroe). Dinner and overnight stay in Stara Zagora.

D3 Stara Zagora – Perperikon – Kardjali ( 130 km)
Visit the historical museum of Stara Zagora, which was built on an authentic Roman road from Augusta Trayana. It preserves the remains of an ancient forum complex (2nd-4th century), a late antique residential building with mosaics (4th century) and a late antique public building with mosaics (4th-6th century).
Continue south to the ancient sanctuary city of Perperikon and visit this amazing site, an active archaeological site that still reveals secrets from antiquity. Lunch on the road.
Dinner and overnight in Kardjali.

D4 Kardjali – Aleksandrovo – Poromie (300 km)
In the morning, visit the Thracian tomb of Aleksandrovo (IV century BC). It was designed for the burial of an unknown Thracian ruler and is one of the masterpieces of Thracian culture, an invaluable source of information about Thracian reality and daily life. Visit to the replica of the tomb and drive to the Black Sea coast with its fantastic remains of ancient civilizations.
Visit to the Thracian tomb of Pomorie, with architecture specific to this region. Walk in the monastery of St. George in Pomorie and dinner in the region.
Overnight stay in Pomorie.

D5 Nessebar – Byala – Varna (100 km)
Visit to Nessebar (UNESCO), the town of the “forty churches”, situated on a picturesque peninsula in the Black Sea. Originally a Thracian settlement, it became a Greek colony in the 6th century BC. Nessebar was one of the first places in the world to start producing coins (5th century BC). Today you will find remains from different eras – Roman and mediaeval walls, Byzantine and Bulgarian churches and houses from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Take a walk in the remains of the fortress of St. Atanasii in Byala and learn more about the old colonial towns.
Drive to Varna, dinner and overnight in Varna.
 

D6 Varna – Madara – Sveshtari – Ruse (250 km)
Varna is not only the maritime capital of Bulgaria, but also home to the oldest gold treasure in the world, found in Varna Necopolis. The necropolis is dated to between 4600 and 4200 BC and is considered one of the most important prehistoric sites in world history.
Continue to the Madara Horseman (UNESCO), a unique relief from the early years of the founding of the Bulgarian state (8th century), which is unparalleled in Europe as an extraordinary work of art.
Drive to the Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari (3rd century BC). This masterpiece of the Thracian culture of the Getes reflects the basic structural principles of Thracian cult buildings, the realisation of signs of the Hellenistic and Hyperborean world.
Dinner and overnight stay in Ruse on the Danube.

D7 Ruse – Novae – Nicopolis Ad Istrum – Veliko Tarnovo (180 km)
Tour of Ruse and visit to the remains of the Danube Limes – Roman military fort along the Danube. Drive to Novae Fortress, which was part of the defences along the Danube and is one of the few excavated and publicly accessible sites.
Continue to Nicopolis Ad Istrum (City of Victory on the Danube) – a Roman and early Byzantine city founded in the 2nd century by Marc Ulpius Trayan in honour of his victory over the Dacians. The rich architecture and sculptures are similar to those of the ancient cities of Ephesus, Milletus and Palmyra and bear witness to Trayan's intentions to build a magnificent city. Today, the ancient city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Continue to Veliko Tarnovo. Dinner and overnight stay in Veliko Tarnovo.
 

D8 Veliko Tarnovo – Kazanlak – Panaguyrishte (230 km)
Visit to Veliko Tarnovo, the capital of the second Bulgarian kingdom. Continue over the Balkan Mountains to Kazanlak, the centre of the Odrysian Kingdom, also known as the Valley of the Thracian Kings. For centuries, the region was a preferred burial place for the Odrysian nobility. Visit to the Thracian tomb of Kazanlak (UNESCO), followed by a visit to the Historical Museum, where artefacts found in the area are kept. Continue to Panaguyrishte and visit the Thracian gold treasure found in the region – the most famous surviving artefacts of the Thracian culture.
Dinner and overnight stay in Panaguyrishte.
 

D9 Panaguyrishte – Sofia (100 km)
Drive to Sofia and visit the Bulgarian capital: the remains of the ancient walls of Serdika, the Parliament, the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevski, the Basilica of St. Sophia, the Presidency, the Rotonda of St. George (4th century), the Bania Bashi Mosque, the Church of St. Nedelya, the Vitosha pedestrian zone.
Dinner and overnight stay in Sofia.
 

D10 Sofia / Departure
Departure from Sofia International Airport.

 

Included in the price:

> 9 nights in 3*/4* accommodation
> 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 9 dinners
> Round trip transfer from/to Sofia International Airport
> Transportation by comfortable bus
> Sightseeing tours and visits according to the programme
> English-speaking tour guide accompanying the group
> Taxes

Not included in the price:

> Flights and travel insurance
> Drinks
> Services and visits not listed in the program
> Gratuities and personal expenses