14-Day Bulgarian Highlights with a Local

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After breakfast, you will head to the famous Rila monastery which is located not very far from Sofia. Featuring Baroque arcaded balconies and standing 1,147 metres up in the mountains, the Rila Monastery was the first and largest monastery in Bulgaria. From here, you will continue on to Sapareva Banya, where you will stay overnight. The little town is known for its hot mineral water with healing properties. It has the only active hot geiser in the Balkans.

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This is a huge highlight for every traveller and is a must when visiting Bulgaria. Today after breakfast, you will head off for the Seven Rila Lakes hike around the mountains. This is a beautiful spot, with stunning views and the perfect way to spend your day. You will spend the full day outdoors and the hike takes around five hours, it is moderately difficult. You'll begin at the bottom lake and work your way up to the seventh one. En-route, you will stop for a picnic lunch.

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After breakfast, you'll check out of the hotel and head off to your next destination, Trigrad, where you will stay in a local homestay. Here, you can expect a fascinating and very enjoyable cultural experience. En-route, you will stop at Lake Dospat and Yagodina cave. Lake Dospat is one of the most magnificent places in Bulgaria, it's water beautifully reflects the pine-covered Rhodope mountains which surround it. Yagodina Cave is the third-longest cave in the country.

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After breakfast, you'll head out for a scenic hike in the Rhodope Mountains. Make sure you have your hiking boots with you, this walk is steep in a few places and challenging in others! After hiking the Devil's Path, you'll enjoy a picnic lunch before heading to the Eagle's Eye Viewpoint for a panoramic view over the Rhodopes, Pirin and the Rila mountains. The viewpoint sits at 1,563 metres above sea level. Your late afternoon and evening are free to enjoy as you wish.

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After breakfast, you will depart for Plovdiv, your next destination on this journey. En route, you will make two fantastic stops: the first is at the very popular Bachkovo Monastery. There is a great market just beside the monastery so you can also get a little shopping done. From there, you will head to well-preserved ruins of Asen's Fortress which is nestled in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains on a high rocky ridge. In the afternoon, you'll arrive in Plovdiv.

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This morning, after breakfast at the hotel, you'll go on a special guided tour of Plovdiv Old Town. You will learn about Bulgarian traditions, hear some amazing stories and will pick up some interesting facts. Plovdiv's cobbled streets will take you on a journey back in time, to the Roman era. After your tour, you'll have the rest of the afternoon and evening to spend as you wish in Plovdiv. Your guide can provide you with recommendations of where to eat and what to see.

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Leaving Plovdiv in the morning, you'll spend the day enjoying some pretty amazing sights. You will tour the stone city of Perperikon, together with the impressive surrounding rock formations. You will also stop at a local bee farm before arriving in Haskovo, where you will stay overnight. In the evening, it is recommended to spend some time in one of the local pubs where you can enjoy local music and traditional food.

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The day will start with a visit to a Thracian Tomb where you will learn all about the ancient Thracian civilisation. Then, you'll move on to a Russian-designed church, a national monument which stands at the top of a hill and has a stunning panoramic view. In the late afternoon, you will finally arrive in the famous Veliko Tarnovo. Your evening is free, but it is recommended that you head to the castle to catch the light show.

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Today, you have the whole day free to relax and explore Veliko Tarnovo. This is a stunning historical town, full of beautiful architecture and historical sites. How you spend the day is up to you, but it is recommended that you pay a visit to the Tsarevets Fortress. The fortress sits in the centre of Veliko Tarnovo perched on a hill and is arguably one of the most visited sites in Bulgaria. The neighbouring town of Arbanasi is also extremely interesting and well worth a trip.

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Today is the day you finally make it to the beach! You will depart from Veliko Tarnovo in the morning and then will travel for around three hours towards the coast. Once you have checked into your hotel in Varna, you will be free and can either hit the beach or stroll through the town. Don't tire yourself out too much though, there are plenty of amazing restaurants and bars that you don't want to miss out on in Varna.

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Today you will head off with your driver to see the famous Madar Horse Rider and the Museum of Cyrillic Alphabet not far from Varna. The Yard of the Cyrillic Alphabet was established to honour the Cyrillic alphabet, which nearly 300 million people worldwide use today, and Bulgaria's contribution to it. This will be a relaxed day trip and you will have lots of free time in the afternoon to continue exploring Varna and visit the Roman Baths.

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Today you'll travel to Ruse from Varna stopping at interesting places along the way. Your first stop will be at a Rock Monastery; they are scattered around the small town of Provadia. Each formation has legends attached to it. From here, you will head to your next stop which will include a scenic boat ride on the Danube River. Your final stop for the day will be in Ruse where you will spend the final night of your tour.