DAY 1

Arrival at Sofia International Airport.

Depending on the arrival time:

City tour of central area or free time.
The city tour usually starts from Alexander Nevski Cathedral, then continue to St. Sophia church,  along the Yellow square and with a view to all emblematic buildings around it, to the Presidency, St. George Rotunda and end with a nice walk along Vitoshka Pedestrian street to the National Palace of Culture.

After this don’t forget to visit on the outskirts of Sofia, to visit the Boyana Church; an UNESCO Heritage

Night spent in Sofia.

DAY 2 

We move south to Bansko at the foothills of the Pirin Mountains.

Stob Pyramids

Sortez de l'autoroute en direction de Stob et vous verrez bientôt les montagnes rose-orange sur votre gauche au loin.

Even now the Pyramids are a tiny spot but don’t worry,  that is just an illusion. Navigate through the somewhat deserted village of Stob and arrive at the bottom of the foothills of the Rila Mountains. Walk for 35 minutes on the winding path, which will lead you, the higher you get, to a breathtaking panoramic view.

Rila Monastery

Hidden in the deep valley of the river Rilska and between the forests of the surrounding National Park, the Rila Monastery rises majestically in front of you!Founded in the 10th century by the holy hermit Saint Ivan Rilski, it has become the most famous monastery in Bulgaria and as such is considered the Treasure of Bulgaria.

Il est considéré non seulement comme le plus célèbre, mais aussi comme l'un des plus anciens, des plus grands monastères et de ceux qui fonctionnent encore, bref, comme la fierté nationale bulgare, qui, selon ses habitants, représente la force d'une nation.

Avec la préservation de sa foi, de ses traditions et de son écriture cyrillique, il n'est pas étonnant qu'elle ait été reconnue comme un site du patrimoine mondial de l'UNESCO en 1983.

Two nights in Bansko

DAY 3

Bansko

Bansko is a town at the foot of the Pirin Mountains, which are part of Pirin National Park, in southwest Bulgaria. It’s a gateway to numerous ski and snowboard slopes on Todorka Peak, including the challenging Tomba run. Footpaths cross the park’s craggy alpine landscape, home to bears and wolves. The park is also known for the high-altitude Vihren Peak, with forested ridges and striking glacial lakes.

When you have a chance visit he temple “Holy Trinity” which is situated in the center of Bansko and it is one of the symbols of the resort. Besides being one of the most visited attractions of the town, the temple is one of the largest in Bulgaria.

Fish your own “catch of the day” for lunch.

Horse riding in the mountains

Dancing Bear Parc, “nursery home” for bears

Rafting

DAY 4

Today we travel through the very southern part of the central Rhodopes to discovers the phenomenas of the Trigrad Gorge.

Yagodinska Cave

It is the pearl of Bulgaria’s cave world. The cave is named after the nearby village of Yagodina in the Rhodopi Mountains. The Yagodina Cave is a labyrinthine cave with several floors and offers a spectacle of incredibly beautiful caves.

With 10.5 km it is the longest in the mountain range and there is a specially lit path for tourists, of which 360 m has been made suitable for the disabled.

L'œil de l'aigle

After the magical Yagodinska Caves, we have an appointment for Eagles’ Eye. You will drive through the so-called Buynovo Gorge, the longest gorge in Bulgaria.

The cliffs on both sides of the gorge rise up to hundreds of meters. The narrowest gorge between the cliffs is called “The Wolfs’ Leap”; locals say the wolves would jump into the gorge during the winter to attack the sheep cages.

In addition to caves, the river has carved other interesting formations into the marble cliff. Not far from the Yagodinska cave there is a natural bridge, and close to the bridge is the beautiful Praskolo waterfall. The overwhelming beauty of the Buynovo Gorge can be appreciated from “a bird’s eye view”, thanks to the Eagle’s Eye.

Garez votre voiture et laissez la jeep réservée vous emmener vers les hauteurs. Vous vous retrouverez sur une plate-forme métallique construite sur la falaise abrupte du pic Saint Iliya, à 1 563 mètres d'altitude, avec une vue impressionnante sur toute la région.

Shiroka Laka

Shiroka Laka is located on your route in the Rhodopi, Mountains, 16 km from Pamporovo. Laka is old Bulgarian for curve, or meander.

Fondé au 17ème siècle, il est aujourd'hui l'une des nombreuses destinations touristiques populaires. Le village a heureusement conservé son architecture de l'époque du renouveau bulgare, ainsi que sa culture musicale. La beauté du paysage et la richesse de l'histoire garantissent un souvenir durable.

Accommodation in Pamporovo

DAY 5

Through the magic Rhodopi mountains to Plovdiv, a hidden gem

Des ponts merveilleux

Au plus profond des majestueuses montagnes de Rodhopi, se trouve une destination magnifique appelée les Ponts Merveilleux (Chudnite Mostove). Il s'agit de l'un des phénomènes naturels les plus attrayants et les plus impressionnants d'Europe.

Les ponts ont été formés par la force érosive de la rivière autrefois inondée, qui a érodé la dalle de marbre pour en faire une grotte d'eau profonde. Le plafond s'est effondré, créant ainsi de majestueux ponts de marbre. En fait, les arches de marbre des Ponts Merveilleux relient les rives de la rivière Dalbok Dol (Gorge profonde). Il y a mille ans, une grotte dans le lit de la rivière s'est effondrée après un tremblement de terre. Au fil des siècles, la rivière a emporté les gravats et les magnifiques ponts sont apparus.

Monastère de Bachkovo

Le monastère de Bachkovo est situé au nord des monts Rhodopi, non loin de la ville d'Assenovgrad. Fondé au XIe siècle par deux frères géorgiens, aristocrates au service de l'armée byzantine, il est l'un des plus anciens monastères de tous les Balkans et l'un des dix autres sites du patrimoine mondial de l'Unesco en Bulgarie. Il est lié à trois cultures : la culture byzantine, l'ancienne culture géorgienne et la culture bulgare.

Le monastère de Bachkovo est le deuxième plus grand monastère de Bulgarie et est magnifiquement situé sur une corniche à droite de la vallée de la rivière Chepelarska. Le complexe monastique s'étend sur près de 8000 m² et se situe à environ 440 mètres au-dessus du niveau de la mer. Il comprend deux grandes cours et quatre églises.

La forteresse d'Asen

Asen’s Fort is an important stop on the most popular religious and cultural routes through the Rhodopi Mountains. Asen’s Fortress is a medieval fortress and a strong reminder of Bulgaria’s glorious past.

La forteresse existe depuis l'époque des Thraces, 3000 ans avant J.-C. et a été agrandie, fortifiée et nommée par le tsar Ivan Asenin en 1231, pendant son règne.

The panoramic views from the fortress of Asen are astonishing. It was for this reason that the fortress of Asen is located on this steep rocky hill and has been rebuilt over the centuries.

Plovdiv

Plovdiv is said to be one of the oldest living cities in Europe.
It was originally built on seven hills, now there are only six: one was mined centuries ago for the construction of the city.
With its long history and architectural heritage, Plovdiv’s old town has acquired UNESCO protected heritage status, and has been given the official designation of “Architecture and Historical Reserve”.
As such, it was not surprisingly chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2019. Because of its charm, Plovdiv is compared to other beautiful and historic cities and is called the Bulgarian Florence or Paris of the Balkans.

Accommodation in Plovdiv

DAY 6

The ancient city of Nessebar is located on a rocky peninsula jutting into the Black Sea and is one of the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bulgaria.

The small peninsula is connected to the mainland by an artificial isthmus, which translated from ancient Greek means “a narrow strip of land connecting two parts”.

If you walk down the narrow isthmus, you can see that it will be a wonderful day trip. As you cross the narrow strip of land, a wooden windmill welcomes you to this ancient town hidden behind the remains of the walls of a Roman fortress.Often called the ‘Jewel of the Black Sea’, ancient Nessebar is over 3000 years old and was once a Thracian settlement known as Mesembria.

Varna

Varna est la troisième plus grande ville de Bulgarie. C'est une ville portuaire sur la mer Noire et une résidence d'été pour tout le monde, de la noblesse bulgare aux jeunes vacanciers. Les personnes de tous âges trouveront ici quelque chose à leur goût.

Après avoir garé votre voiture près du port, vous trouverez un immense parc qui longe la côte et coupe la ville, le Sea Garden, un monument national d'architecture scénique.

Profitez d'une promenade tranquille le long des larges promenades et des parterres de fleurs et à l'ombre des palmiers et des arbres à feuilles caduques, il y a beaucoup à voir et à faire ici.

Accommodation in Sankt Contatine & Elena

Day 7,8, 9, 10

Relax enjoy the Sun, Cuisine and maybe Nightlife?

Day 11

Provadia, forteresse d'Ovech

La forteresse d'Ovech, autre lieu pittoresque avec une forteresse en pierre, est située à l'est de la ville de Provadia. Comme la région de Madara, elle est riche en formations naturelles uniques, telles que d'attrayantes grottes karstiques aériennes et souterraines. On y trouve également des dolines, des formations de vallée pittoresques sous forme de petits ravins et des corniches rocheuses inaccessibles.

The fortress, built on a ship-shaped plateau, has been called by different names over the centuries. The oldest is the Byzantine name Provat. Bulgarians called it Ovech which means “ram” in Bulgarian, while Turks called it Tash hisar (which means a stone fortress translated from Turkish). The fortress was inhabited successively by Thracians, Romans, Byzantines, Bulgarians and Turks.

Cavalier Madara

” Madara Horseman” a national historical-archaeological reserve is located only 15 km northeast of Shumen, and 75 km from Varna.

In a beautiful natural setting between towering cliffs, people have lived here since the dawn of man. The town of Madara was first inhabited in the Neolithic period (the late Stone Age).

Au fil des siècles, des sanctuaires rupestres, des palais, des ermitages et des monastères ont été construits ici. Plus de 150 grottes naturelles dans les rochers ont été utilisées comme telles. Aujourd'hui, on peut y voir des dizaines de monuments et d'objets de toutes les époques. Le monument le plus remarquable de la réserve de Madara est le relief unique en pierre connu sous le nom de cavalier de Madara.

Velik0 Tarnovo

Veliko Tarnovo Region is located between the Danube to the north and the Balkan Mountain to the south. Here are some of the most visited cultural and historical landmarks in Bulgaria and therefore tourism occupies a significant part of the region’s economy. 140 cultural monuments of national importance are located in the area and one of the reasons is Veliko Tarnovo, which was the capital of the Second Bulgarian State.
The churches, monasteries and houses built during the National Revival are the reason for the development of religious tourism. In addition to that, there are also cultural, hunting, spa, wine and rural tourism.

Accommodation in Veliko Tarnovo

Day 12

We move slowly back to Sofia

Zlatna Panega

About four kilometres from Lukovit is the eco trail Iskar-Panega. A small man-made tunnel gets you to the staircase leading to the river. This park, along the Panega river, is the first Geopark of the country. The term Geopark stands for to a sustainable park, which should advance protection of nature. Local people are involved in its development to stimulate the economy. With good paths, wooden bridges and plenty of places to rest, this is a pleasant and easy trail to follow. In the clip on the left side, you can see some impressions of my roadtrip to Lukovit and the Geopark Iskar-Panega.

Eyes of God

Prohodna Cave is one of the most famous and easily accessible caves in Bulgaria. It lies 2 km away from Karlukovo Village and 112 km away from Sofia.
The cave is a natural 262 m long rock bridge. It has two entrances – a big and a small one. A path beginning at the approximately 35 m-high small entrance crosses the cave and goes out through the big entrance (the biggest cave arch in Bulgaria – 45 m).
Prohodna Cave is naturally lit thanks to its large entrances and cave holes – natural holes on the ceiling. These cave holes are precisely what makes the cave unique. Situated next to each other and having similar almond-shaped forms, the cave holes bear striking resemblance to giant eyes that seem as if they are staring at the visitors. It is not by chance that local people sometimes refer to them as The Eyes of God. Seen from a specific angle, they even resemble a face that looks down.

Back to Sofia for last night before departure

Day 13, Departure