8-Day Itinerary To Travel The Historical Remains Of Bulgaria

Day 1 - Arrival in Bulgaria

Welcome to Sofia, the capital and the largest city of Bulgaria. Meet your guide and get a private transfer to the citys downtown to reach your hotel. Spend the evening at your leisure, walking around the neighborhood, return to your hotel and savor your first Bulgarian cuisine.

Day 2 - Travel Around Sofia

Start with an immersive guided walking tour of the city center. From Roman ruins and fourth-century churches to majestic works of modern architecture, youll be amazed by Sofia's different sides. After lunch, head to the Museum of Socialist Art to explore some statues and monuments restored from scrapyards around the country. The museum is the home to an extensive collection of political artwork and paintings. Returning to the city center, walk through Sofias "Borisova Gradina" park; pass through the Russian Embassy and Hotel Moskva, the Astronomical Observatory, and the Fraternal Barrow: a Socialist-realist memorial complex that watches impressively over the park. Finally, reach the capital's outstanding communism-themed restaurant for dinner and drinks.

Day 3 - The Old Mountains

Your private guide will meet you in the morning and take you to the Banner of Peace memorial complex to ring the ornamental bells hanging from this impressive Brutalist monument. Next, drive into the foothills of the Balkan Mountains. 

Stop at the city of Koprivshtitsa to learn about a local revolutionary hero, followed by a special lunch with local cuisine. In the afternoon, youll arrive at the highest point of our destinations this week, where you see the Arch of Liberty, a large monument located at an altitude of 1,520 meters in the Beklemeto Pass.

 In the evening, reach Troyan, famous for its fine wines and brandy. After checking into a luxurious hotel here, visit a Bulgarian sommelier for a curated wine-tasting session.

Day 4 - The Medieval Capital

Today, drive to Bulgarias medieval capital Veliko Tarnovo on a three-hour drive, with stops at several impressive monuments. Visit the Preobrazhenski Monastery. 

The monastery, built in the 11th century, still stands despite religious oppression and climactic landslides. Explore the Old Town area with its hopper markets, craft workshops, and the historic Tsarevets Fortress. In the evening, have a lavish dinner with an inspiring river valley view and check into your state-of-the-art hotel.

Day 5 - Founders of the Bulgarian State

After breakfast, your private guide will drive you to Shumen (a two-hour drive) to visit the Monument of the Bulgarian State. This area is home to a sizable Armenian community, and for lunch, stop at their local cultural center to enjoy a traditional Armenian feast. Targeting the Black Sea, travel east to Varna and visit the impressive Monument to the Bulgarian-Soviet Friendship. After settling into the hotel for the night, take a walk along the beach and end the day with cocktails and a seafood dinner at the shore.

Day 6 - The Black Sea

Today, have some free time after breakfast. You could explore the city, view the Roman baths, visit the museum and look at the world's oldest gold jewelry. Then, relax on the beach. For lunch, take Turkish cuisine as part of culinary training. After lunch, hit the road again, driving south along the Black Sea coast. Arriving in the calm port city of Burgas, review some essential communist-era memorial sites before reaching your cozy hotel.

Day 7 - Buzludzha

Today, hop on a two-hours private ride to visit the Monument of the Bulgarian-Soviet Friendship. Traveling west, arrive again at the excellent memorial complex "Defenders of Stara Zagora. Todays lunch is a lovely meal at a rural watering hole; an old-style Mehana finished with folk instruments, taxidermy, and framed portraits of communist leaders. Reach the Buzludzha Memorial House, where you will learn the complex history of the monument, the reasons for its present decline, and new progress toward a potential preservation plan. Check into your hotel for dinner and overnight rest.

Day 8 - Departure

After breakfast, get a private transfer to Varna airport to catch your flight home, with memories of beautiful Bulgaria still vivid.