Excursion to the Balkans

BULGARIA & ROMANIA with

14 Days/ 12 Nights June 7-20, 2019

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Program outline: Day 1: Fri, June 7 Leave USA for Sofia, Bulgaria

Day 2: Sat, June 8 Arrival in Sofia / Sofia

Day 3: Sun, June 9 Sofia sightseeing / Sofia

Day 4: Mon, June 10 Sofia sightseeing / Sofia

Day 5: Tue, June 11 Rila Monastery - Plovdiv / Plovdiv

Day 6: Wed, June 12 Plovdiv sightseeing / Plovdiv

Day 7: Thu, June 13 “Valley of Thracian Kings” / Veliko Tarnovo

Day 8: Fri, June 14 Veliko Tarnovo - Ruse - Bucharest / Bucharest

Day 9: Sat, June 15 Sightseeing in Bucharest / Bucharest

Day 10: Sun, June 16 Sibiu - Sibiel / Sibiu

Day 11: Mon, June 17 Sibiu - Sighisoara / Sighisoara

Day 12: Tue, June 18 Brasov sightseeing / Brasov

Day 13: Wed, June 19 Bran Castle - Bucharest / Bucharest

Day 14: Thu, June 20 Departure

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Highlights:

• Boyana Church - Sofia

• Rila Monastery

• Roman Ruins of Plovdiv

• Ottoman Mosques

• Bachkovo Monastery

• “Valley of the Thracian Kings”

• Bucharest

• Glass Icon Museum of Sibiel

• Medieval City of Sighisoara

• Fairy Tale Town of Brasov

• Castle of “Dracula”

• Wine Tastings

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FLIGHTS

Suggested flights will be on Lufthansa:

June 7 Houston to Frankfurt LH 441 dep: 3:50 pm / arr: 8:35 am on June 8

June 8 Frankfurt to Sofia LH 1426 dep: 10:05 am / arr: 1:15 pm

June 20 Bucharest to Frankfurt LH 1423 dep: 6:10 am / arr: 7:40 am

June 20 Frankfurt to Houston LH 440 dep: 10:00 am / arr: 1:45 pm

The fare for listed flights is: $1619 per person, economy class including taxes, surcharges and fees,

as of September 27, 2018. Fare is based on availability. At these fare tickets may be non-refundable. Fares can increase substantially as we get close to departure date.

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INCLUDED SERVICES: 12 Nights hotel accommodation with daily breakfast. Lunches and dinners as given in the itinerary. Drinking water during all included meals. English speaking professional tour guide(s). Transportation by AC vehicle & driver Arrival and departure transfers - only for suggested flight arrival & departures. Two small bottles of water per person per day on the bus everyday. All entry fees to places mentioned in the itinerary. Two wine tastings as given in the itinerary. Porterage at hotels. Tips for included meals and accommodation.

NOT INCLUDED: International airfare - given separately. Drinks with included meals, except tea or coffee for breakfast. Gratuities for guides & drivers. Personal expenditures like phone calls, laundry, medical expenses. Travel insurance (can be provided on request.)

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ACCOMMODATIONS

Sofia Intercontinental Hotel https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/sofia/sofco/hoteldetail

Plovdiv Holiday Inn https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/plovdiv/pdvhi/hoteldetail

Veliko Tarnovo Bolyarski Hotel http://www.bolyarski.com/en

Bucharest Radisson Blu https://www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-bucharest

Sibiu Ramada Hotel https://ramadasibiu.ro/

Sighisoara Mercure Binderbubi https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-B1A9-mercure-sighisoara-binderbubi-hotel-spa/index.shtml

Brasov Aro Palace https://aro-palace.ro/?lang=en

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Program DetailsDay 1: Fri, June 7 Leave USA

Day 2: Sat, June 8 Sofia, Bulgaria Upon arrival in Sofia, we will be transferred to our centrally located hotel, within a walking distance to all main sites in the town.

Sofia was founded 2,500 years ago. Over the centuries, it has been given several names - Serdica , Sredetz and the remains of the old cities can still be viewed today. Because of its strategic location in the middle of Balkans for a while it had been selected for a new capital of the Roman Empire. Near Sofia is the Boyana church, one of the most valuable memorials of Bulgarian and European culture. The church has frescoes, acclaimed by specialists as “the best examples of Eastern medieval art during its twelve century history”.

The decline of Sofia during the Turkish Ottoman Empire was followed by the rejuvenation after the Russian liberation in 1878, when Sofia was chosen as the capital of Bulgaria at the First National Constituent Assembly, and followed by a brisk and straight-forward period of construction.

Overnight in Sofia Meals: D

Day 3: Sun, June 9 Sofia After late breakfast in the morning, we will have a sightseeing in the capital city of Bulgaria which was born 7000 years ago in the green embrace of the Vitosha Mountain.

Monuments from Thracian, Roman, Bulgarian and Ottoman times give evidence to its rich and turbulent history. Among the most impressive sites are the Alexander Nevski Cathedral dominating the city, the Rotunda of St. George, which is the best preserved Byzantine

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building, ancient Serdica Archaeological Complex. We will also visit the archaeological museum. If we have time we'll visit the farmer's market.

We will have a welcome dinner at a nice local restaurant.

Overnight in Sofia Meals: B-L-D

Day 4: Mon, June 10 Sofia After breakfast, we will drive to the Boyana District to visit the Boyana Church, a UNESCO site and the Banya Bashi Mosque, which is a work of famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan. We will also visit the National Museum of History, which provides a comprehensive view on Bulgarian history from prehistoric to present times.

The Boyana Church is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church situated on the outskirts of Sofia, in the Boyana quarter. The east wing of the two-story church was originally constructed in the late 10th or early 11th century, then the central wing was added in the 13th century under the Second Bulgarian Empire, the whole building being finished with a further expansion to the west in the middle of the 19th century. A total of 89 scenes with 240 human images are depicted on the walls of the church.

Overnight in Sofia Meals: B-L-D

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Day 5: Tue, June 11 Sofia – Plovdiv This morning we will leave Sofia and drive to Rila Monastery – one of the greatest centers of scholarship and religion in Bulgaria during the National Revival Period.

After being founded in the middle of the 10th century, it played a key role in preserving Bulgarian culture and language. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. We will visit the monastery church with its amazing frescoes, painted by the finest Bulgarian artists from 19th c. and the monastery museum.

After our visit, we will continue to Plovdiv.

Plovdiv is an ancient city built around seven hills, in southern Bulgaria. Today, it is the second largest city of the country. The Roman-era Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis, which once seated around 6,000, now hosts opera and concerts. Plovdiv is the oldest continuously-inhabited city in Europe. The first Thracian settlement on Nebet hill has been dated back to 6000 BC.

Overnight in Plovdiv Meals: B-L-D

Day 6: Wed, June 12 Plovdiv We will enjoy the atmosphere of the millennial town with its Roman ruins (the Forum, The Theater ), the Friday Mosque, one of the oldest Ottoman mosques in the Balkans, dating back to late 14th century, the pearl of the old town, Klianti House from the 19th century, Ethnographic Museum, beautiful Revival period churches and nearby Bachkovo Monastery with an ossuary decorated with 11th century Byzantine period frescoes and a refectory with very elaborate 17th century murals.

Today we will also visit a winery and enjoy tasting local wine.

Overnight in Plovdiv Meals: B-L-D

Day 7: Thu, June 13 Plovdiv – Veliko Tarnovo After breakfast, we will leave Plovdiv and drive to Kazanlak. This area is known as the “Valley of the Thracian Kings”.

We will have the chance to see the replica of the old Thracian beehive Tomb of Kazanlak, listed as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. This tomb is dated back to 4-3 c. BC and keeps the best preserved frescoes from that period in the Bulgarian lands. We will also visit the local history museum, exhibiting some of the golden treasures excavated in the area.

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This area is also known as the “Valley of the Roses”. We will have a culinary demonstration; local women dressed in national costumes will sing national songs and show us how the famous Bulgarian yoghurt and “banitsa-cheese bread” is prepared.

On our way, we will also visit the memorial church in the village of Shipka with its onion-shaped gilded domes. We will then cross the Balkan mountain and head to the town of Veliko Tarnovo.

A town with very rich history, Veliko Tarnovo was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire and has long traditions in the culture of Bulgaria. The city is rich in museums and historical sites, combined with vivacious night life propelled by the students in one of the largest universities in Bulgaria.

Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo Meals: B-L-D

Day 8: Fri, June 14 Veliko Tarnovo – Bucharest, Romania After breakfast, we will visit Tsarevets Hill in Veliko Tarnovo before driving to Ruse. The inescapable symbol of Veliko Tarnovo, this reconstructed fortress dominates the skyline and is one of Bulgaria's most beloved monuments.

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Located on the right bank of the Danube, opposite the Romanian city of Giurgiu, Ruse is the fifth largest city of Bulgaria is the most significant Bulgarian river port. Often called “the Little Vienna” for its 19th- and 20th century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, Ruse is the birthplace of the Nobel laureate in Literature Elias Canetti and the world-famous writer Michael Arlen.

Then we will cross the border into Romania and drive to Bucharest.

Overnight in Bucharest Meals: B-L-D

Day 9: Sat, June 15 Bucharest Romania's capital city is dynamic and energetic. Once known as the “Little Paris of the East”, it continues to redefine itself, merging its storied history with a modern identity. Between dreary Communist-era apartment blocks are Byzantine buildings, centuries old churches and Art Nouveau mansions that stand out as the survivors of earthquakes, war and communism. There are pristine city parks, excellent museums and gritty yet charming lanes that weave through the Old Town.

After breakfast, we will visit the Bucharest highlights including the Romanian Peasant Museum, Village Museum and Romanian National Art Museum.

Overnight in Bucharest Meals: B-L-D

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Day 10: Sun, June 16 Bucharest - Sibiu After breakfast, we will drive towards Sibiu, once the richest town in Transylvania. En route, we will visit Cozia Monastery, built between 1386 and 1388. The fortified cloister is the only one in Byzantine style preserved in Romania. Some of its original frescoes from 1390 are still well preserved.

We will continue to Sibiel, a traditional village close to Sibiu, where we will have a chance to visit the fantastic Glass Icon Museum. In the village we will also have a hearty traditional Romanian dinner. Then to Sibiu for overnight.

Overnight in Sibiu Meals: B-L-D

Day 11: Mon, June 17 Sibiu - Sighisoara In the morning, we will enjoy a walking tour in Sibiu, one of the most important cultural centers of Romania and was designated the European Capital of Culture for the year 2007, along with the city of Luxembourg.

During the tour, we will see the Huet Square, the Large Square, the Evangelical Cathedral and the Liars' Bridge.

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Then we will drive to Sighisoara, the best preserved medieval city in South-Eastern Europe. This walled city with cobbled streets, colorful buildings, and a pedestrian-friendly Old Town is a delightful place to be. We will visit the Clock Tower Museum. The tower was built in the 14th century and expanded 200 years later. It remains the prettiest sight in town, offering a magnificent panorama from the top. The views are a good reason to visit, as the museum inside.

Overnight: Sighisoara Meals: B-L-D

Day 12: Tue, June 18 Sighisoara - Brasov After breakfast, we will drive to Brasov.

Brasov is a fairy tale town founded in the 13th century by the Teutonic Knights on an ancient Dacian site and settled by the Saxons as one of the seven walled citadels. The location of the city at the intersection of trade routes linking the Ottoman Empire and western Europe, together with certain tax exemptions, allowed Saxon merchants to obtain considerable wealth and exert a strong political influence in the region.

We will enjoy a city tour of Brasov starting with the famous Black Church, the largest gothic church in Romania. Then we will visit St Nicholas Church, a true architectural masterpiece, a mix of Byzantine, baroque and gothic styles. On the grounds of the church, we will also visit the First Romanian School Museum which was one of the leading learning centers of the Romanian people for centuries. The museum hosts a compelling legacy; more than 4,000 rare books and several hundred rare documents, the oldest Bible (printed on goat's skin) and much more.

Overnight in Brasov Meals: B-L-D

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Day 13: Wed, June 19 Brasov - Bucharest After breakfast, we will drive to Bran to visit the castle made famous by Bram Stoker's novel as the residence of the vampire count, Dracula. Narrow winding stairways lead through some 60 timbered rooms, many connected by underground passages which house collections of furniture, weapons and armor dating from 14th to the 19th centuries.

Then we will drive on to Sinaia, one of the most beautiful mountain resorts in Romania nestled at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains, and will have a sparkling wine tasting at the Azuga Wine Cellar. Then we will continue to the Peles Castle, a masterpiece of German new-Renaissance architecture, which served as the summer residence of the former Romanian Royal family until 1947.

At the end of our visits, we will continue to Bucharest.

Overnight in Bucharest Meals: B-L-D

Day 14: Thu, June 20 Departure We will be transferred to the airport for our return flight.

Meals: B