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Tour Program: Day 1
• Brief tour of Sofia
• 9.00 Stroll through the center of Sofia with brief stops at the following locations:
o Sveta Nedelija (The geographical center of Sofia) o Rotunda of St. George (The oldest building in Sofia, from the third century. Destroyed by the Huns and rebuilt by Justinian. It has remarkable frescoes), adjoining the ruins of the Roman city ... o Mosque and Roman baths (By sixteenth century architect Sinan, who also built the Blue Mosque in Istanbul) o Russian Church of St. Nicholas (very charming) o Byzantine church of Santa Sofia (The old church which gives its name to the city) o Aleksander Nevski Cathedral o Then the highlight of the morning:
• 13.00 Depart for Koprivstica • 15.00 Arrive in Koprivstica (A beautiful village nestled in the mountains. The Balkan museum, Stara Planina, which has remained completely intact since the nineteenth century; the Bulgarian renaissance) • Return to Sofia 19:00 – 20:00 • 20 00 - 21.00 Dinner
• 9.30 Bojana Church (UNESCO site. A tiny chapel from the year 1259 which hosts beautiful frescoes that are a precursor to the Italian Renaissance) • 10.00 National History Museum. The best of Bulgarian art: the treasures of Valcitran, Panaguriste and Rogozen. Often they are on display around the world and therefore not always available, however it is worth the visit for some incredible items that are permanently on display. It is a summary of the history of Bulgaria. It is on display in a architecturally pompous building that reflects a measure of bad taste common to all dictatorships. • 11.00 A visit to the monastery of Dragalevci, the oldest in Bulgaria • 12.00 Departure for Rila Monestary • 13.00 lunch (Possibly with freshly caught trout) • 15.30 Arrival at the Rila Monastery (The Bulgarian “San Pietro” – a UNESCO heritage site. It is a true gem in a breathtakingly natural environment). We have a lot of time because they say that the best is at sunset ... • 20.00 dinner
• 9.00 Departure for Plovdiv • 10.30 Arrival in Plovdiv (Filippopoli the ancient Greek, then Roman Trimontiun)
o Optional: A climb to Nebet Tepe, one of the three hills of the Roman Trimontium with impressive views and lunch • 15.30 A visit to the Monastery of Backovo, founded in 1083 and rebuilt several times. It is the second largest in Bulgaria and is famous for the frescoes in the nearby Sveta Troika Church from the fourteenth century. • 17.30 Depart for Sofia • 20.00 Dinner
• Walk around Sofia • Departing to the airport. |
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