Bulgaria Tours
Bulgaria Fly-drive Holiday 2012
Highlights: 9 day tour
This fly-drive holiday in Bulgaria is a favourite amongst our clients who want to extensively discover this fascinating country and will take you through high passes and verdant valleys, tobacco fields and historical towns.
Price from: £620 pp
On this fly-drive holiday it is possible to drive through the Shipka Pass. This area was once the scene of a series of battles between the Russians and the Ottoman Empire in the late 1800s. Nowadays this road, north of Shipka, connects the towns of Gabrovo and Kazanlak. Despite a challenging mountain route, there are spectacular views over the valleys below.
We have based this itinerary on good 3 star hotels and group A car hire. We can also quote for 4/5 hotels and upgrades to larger cars.
Price Includes:
Return flights in economy class with British Airways direct from London Heathrow. All airport and security charges. Accommodation in 3/4 star hotels with breakfast. Meals as specified (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner). Car hire in group A including CDW, theft protection, unlimited mileage and all taxes.
Price Excludes:
Refundable deposit of 200 Euros will be taken on collection of the car, Satnav £6 per day - this needs to be booked prior to departure.
Notes:
Single room supplement: £140
Price per sole traveller: £880
9 Day Itinerary
Fly to Sofia, pick up car at airport and drive to hotel in Sofia. Check-in to Lion Hotel or similar for overnight stay.
Drive to Melnik (180 kilometres)and stop at what is possibly Bulgaria's most famous landmark, Rila Monastery. Drive through green forests to this remarkable site, which is very important to the Bulgarians and played a key role during the centuries of Turkish rule, helping to keep traditional religion and culture alive. Try the delicious trout in one of the restaurants in the surrounding area and arrive in Melnik, where you can sample the renowned red wine. Check-in at Hotel Boliarka or similar for overnight stay. (B)
Drive to Plovdiv (200 kilometres) via Rozhen Monastery and admire the ancient murals and stained-glass windows. Continue to Plovdiv and check-in at Hotel Seven Hills or similar for 2 nights. (B)
Explore the Old Town with its mix of Roman remains, Byzantine churches and national revival examples and savour the oriental sweetmeats and sip slivovica, a tasty plum brandy. (B)
Drive to Tryavna (140 kilometres) via Kazanlak and through fields of roses, the trademark of this area, so-called the Valley of Roses. You can also visit a distillery that produces various rose oil products. It is worthwhile stopping at Etar, south of Gabrovo, a fascinating open-air museum, which has recreated life in Bulgaria during the 18th and 19th centuries. here, you can watch arts and crafts being produced, listen to live folk music and taste traditional food. Continue to Tryavna, a charming small town with unique Renaissance architecture set in beautiful countryside. Check-in to hotel for overnight stay. (B)
Drive to Veliko Turnovo (85 kilometres) via Shipka Pass. Stop at Shipka Monastery and visit Dryanovo Monastery with its wonderful views en route. Arrive Veliko Turnovo and check-in to Hotel Gurko or similar for 2 nights. (B)
This morning,take time to tour this historical town built over a series of precipitous hills divided by deep gorges and overlooked by the massive, medieval Tsarevets fortress complex. Arbanassi is a pretty village with more than 90 churches, old houses and the magnificent Nativity Church. It is located approximately 7KM from Veliko Turnovo and is the perfect place to buy hand-made embroidery. (B)
Drive to Sofia (295 kilometres) via Troyan Monastery and Koprivshtitsa where you can rediscover traditions and folklore of old Bulgaria. Check-in to Lion Hotel or similar for overnight stay. (B)
Morning at leisure before driving to airport and drop off car. Fly to the UK. (B)
