Sofia & Southern Bulgaria

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SOFIA & SOUTHERN BULGARIA

A VinTASTIC 8-DAY WINE TOUR

This tour from Sofia takes you to the wineries of Assenovgrad, Damianitsa, Brezovo and Chirpan, some of which specialise in indigenous grapes such as Mavrud and Melnik Broad Vine, as well as the popular international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. You travel south from the capital, Sofia, to the beautiful Rila, Pirin and Rhodope Mountains, and visit the magnificent monasteries of Rila and Bachkovo, both on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The homelier delights of Rozhen Monastery and the small mountain towns of Bansko and Koprivshtitsa will, together with your experience of Bulgarian wine and food, give you a taste of the real Bulgaria.
Itinerary

Day 1 Travel by scheduled flight to Sofia. Dinner at a restaurant which offers many varieties of Bulgarian wine. Overnight stay.

Day 2 Sightseeing tour of Sofia, before travelling south along the Struma valley to the stunning Rila Monastery. Lunch of the local speciality, fresh trout. Afternoon drive to Sandanski Hotel where you may wish to sample the spa facilities, or just relax in the indoor or outdoor swimming pools.

(Sofia-Rila 120 kms. Rila-Sandanski 100 kms.)

Day 3 After a stroll round Sandanski, visit Damianitsa winery, producer of the famous Melnik wine, said to be one of Winston Churchill's favourites. Continue to Melnik for a winetasting and lunch in the Melnik tavern. Drive through vineyards to Rozhen, with its picturesque monastery, noted for its woodcarvings. Dinner in the former Presidential Residence at Sandanski.

(Sandanski-Melnik 20 kms.)

Day 4 Morning drive through tobacco-growing areas to Bansko, a small museum-town enclosed by three mountain ranges. Lunch in Bansko. In the afternoon continue to Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second city, your base for the next three nights. Dinner in the courtyard restaurant of your hotel.

(Sandanski-Bansko 90 kms. Bansko-Plovdiv 160 kms.)

Day 5 Morning sightseeing tour of the Old Town, before driving to Chirpan for a winetasting including some sparkling wines and accompanied by snacks. Continue to Brezovo for a winetasting, before returning to Plovdiv Old Town for dinner.

(Plovdiv-Chirpan 50 kms. Chirpan-Brezovo 35 kms. Brezovo-Plovdiv 40 kms.)

Day 6 Morning visit to Bachkovo Monastery in the beautiful Rhodope

Mountains, followed by a tour of Assenovgrad Winery, the producer of Mavrud wines. Winetasting with snacks. Afternoon at leisure in Plovdiv. Dinner in the Old Town.

(Plovdiv-Bachkovo 30 kms. Bachkovo-Assenovgrad 10 kms. Assenovgrad-Plovdiv 20 kms.)

Day 7 Morning drive via Hissarya, where you can sample the famous mineral water. Continue through the Valley of the Roses, a spectacular sight in May and June, to Karlovo. Enjoy a tasting of brandies and Karlovo Misket, the local wine, with a snack lunch. In the afternoon drive through the beautiful Sredna Gora Mountains to unforgettable Koprivshtitsa, for some sightseeing in this town full of well-preserved 19^th Century National Revival houses. Return to Sofia for your Farewell Dinner and final overnight stay.

(Plovdiv-Karlovo 60 kms. Karlovo-Koprivshtitsa 60kms. Koprivshtitsa-Sofia 100 kms.)

Day 8 Departure on scheduled flight to London.

Price: TBA