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2 days
Daily Tour
Unlimited
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This itinerary is tailor-made for people who want to experience more than the common tourist when visiting Plovdiv and the region. This is why we take you beyond the Old Town and main pedestrian street of the city, showing you spots that locals love but foreign visitors hardly ever get to.
We include some sights outside of Plovdiv, too, to make your perception of the region complete. And, of course, we top it all with a visit to a nearby village where we meet a local family of retired teachers who are now keen farmers.
Morning departure from Sofia.
Upon arrival to Plovdiv a short coffee break for refreshments and first impressions of the city centre. We then set off in direction of the famous Old Town. Sightseeing last approximately 3 hours and includes our hand-picked highlights.
Views of the major Roman sites – the Forum, the Odeon, the Stadium, the Ancient Theatre, Hissar Kapiya.
A walk through some of the emblematic cobbled streets where rich merchants were living in 18th-19th century.
Visit to the Ethnographic Museum OR Hindlyan House (depending on the day of the week) – marvel at the beauty and sumptuousness of the rich interiors.
Visit to a traditional craft workshop (ceramics, weaving, woodcarving – venue can change depending on the day of the week).
Panoramic views of Plovdiv from Nebet hill.
Visit to a shop of a local distillery for rose oil – get to know the secrets behind the “Bulgarian liquid gold”.
Tasting of traditional Bulgarians liquors.
An insight into Kapana – the new bohemian district of Plovdiv, known for its artsy graffiti.
Free time for lunch and further exploration in downtown Plovdiv.
In the afternoon we take you for a visit to the latest site of Roman history restored and adapted for visitors – the Bishop’s Basilica. Much bigger than any other ancient church discovered in Bulgaria so far, it features stunning mosaics. Afterwards we take a peep into the neighbouring Catholic church “St. Ludwick” where the beautiful marble sarcophagus of Princess Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma can be seen.
To finish off our day in Plovdiv in a leisurely way, we take you to the Hill of Liberators (Bunardzhika Hill). From beside the gigantic statue of a Soviet soldier, typical memory of Communist past, there are amazing views onto much of Plovdiv, bathing in soft afternoon light.
Check-in at a hotel for one night.
The evening remains at leisure for dinner, walking around downtown and enjoying the vibes of Plovdiv by night. Some evenings in summer there is a free sound and lights show at the fountains in the central Tsar Simeon park – ask your guide for advice!
For anyone interested in a different take on Plovdiv’s labels, we offer the option of visiting the microbrewery of the oldest beer brand in Bulgaria (not included in the package price). There is a tour onsite, accompanied with beer tasting – snacks included. It is a thousand times better than simply drinking the regular brew at common restaurants! This option is offered in late afternoon/early evening only. Since there is a restaurant onsite where the brewery is, you may choose to stay longer and have your dinner there.
Breakfast and check-out.
Our itinerary today takes us south of Plovdiv, into the Rodopimountain. It is known for its tasty forest berries, abundance of medicinal herbs and multitude of thermal springs.
We make a stop just after Asenovgrad town to admire the beautiful views of the Thracian plain from Asenova fortress. The fortress served to watch over the road leading in direction to the Aegean Sea and to stop any unwanted attackers on their way to Plovdiv. Little is left from this medieval fortress itself, save for a small church perched on top of the steep cliffs right above the road. A short walk up steps above the church leads to the highest point of the fortress. On a clear day from here one can see as far north as the Balkan mountain.
Next we will take a return hike of approximately 2 hours to Slivodolskopadalo waterfall. It is 50 metres high and the trail leading there is very nice as it goes upstream and crosses multiple cascades with many picturesque spots along the way.
Lunch is included today and comes shortly after we return to our vehicle from the waterfall hike. Few kilometres away, in Bachkovo village, there live Dimitar and Maria who are both retired teachers. Nowadays they are passionate farmers who grow a big diversity of fruit and vegetableswith much love. They follow biodynamics and will readily show you around and share with you their experience and knowledge! Their home-made lunch is 100% organic!
In the afternoon we visit the second largest Orthodox monastery in the country – Bachkovo monastery. It is located a couple of minutes’ drive from Dimitar’s house and farm in Bachkovo village. We enjoy seeing the beautiful frescoes of three different churches together with the Refectory – one of the few places in Bulgaria where the family tree of Jesus can be seen painted. Time at leisure to take pictures and to check out the stalls of the market by the monastery where souvenirs, jams, honey, herbs, Turkish delight and many other items are sold at affordable prices.
Our final drive is straight back to Sofia, arriving in the evening. End of services upon arrival back to the capital.
