Day 1: Sofia

• Pick up at Sofia airport
• Overnight at Sofia

Day 2:  Perperikon Thracian Sanctuary

• Visit the ancient Thracian sanctuary city of Perperikon, located in the East Rhodope mountains of Bulgaria. The 3000 years old ancient Thracian sanctuary dedicated to the wine god Dionysus.
• Overnight at Black Sea coast beach side hotel.

More information:
New findings from Perperikon, an ancient center of Dionysus veneration: https://wildhunt.org/2024/09/new-findings-from-perperikon-an-ancient-center-of-dionysus-veneration.html

Day 3: Balgari village, Strandzha mountain 

• Participate in the fireside rituals (preparation of firedance) of moving the icons and consecrating them, a unique mixture of an ancient tradition and Orthodox Christianity.
• Trekking in Strandzha mountain - Eco-trail "In the kingdom of the Rhododendron ponticum”. Walk into an ancient mysterious forest survived since the ice age. You will discover an abundance of wild flora and medicinal plants with the mountain guide, some are unique to this area. 
• In the evening - Nestinari fire dancing in the village of Bulgari, part of the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.
• Overnight at Black Sea coast beach side hotel.
  

More information: 
Fire Dancing Festival (Nestinarstvo). The Mystical Bulgarian Firewalking Ritual Where Flame and Faith Intertwine: https://todaysfestival.net/en/festival/Bulgaria/Fire_Dancing_Festival%EF%BC%88Nestinarstvo%EF%BC%89

Day 4: Brashlyan village, Begliktash, Sozopol, Sunny Beach

• Walking tour in the ancient village and architectural reserve Brashlyan and presentation of a traditional folk ritual.
• Visit to the mysterious Thracian cult megalithic complex Begliktash, built in alignment with astronomical events, where sacred rituals to the Mother Earth goddess and Father Sun god were performed 3500 years ago.
• Overnight at Varna beach side Hotel

More information:
Begliktash – one of the largest ancient Thracian sanctuaries in Bulgaria: https://bnr.bg/en/post/101393454/begliktash-one-of-the-largest-ancient-thracian-sanctuaries-in-bulgaria

Day 5: Varna, Balchik, Cape Kaliakra

• Visit the Varna Archeological Museum, where the oldest gold artifacts of the world crafted by a mysterious ancient civilization is displayed (4600 - 4200BC).
• Visit Museum of Medical History in Varna. Discover the medicinal herbs garden, from ancient folk magic to modern medicine, and the mysterious ancient human adult skulls with frontal lobe fissure and elongated skulls from early bronze age (3000BC).
• Visit the Botanical Garden of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (former Summer Palace of a Romanian Queen), and put your plant identification skills to the test. 
• Wine tasting section at the award winning Queen's winery, a taste of Bulgarian wine making, the ancient gift of Dionysus.
• Visit Cape Kaliakra, capital of Thracian King Lysimachus, successor of Alexander the Great, husband of Queen Arsinoe II. Enjoy the stunning sunset overlooking the Black Sea.
• Overnight at Varna beach side Hotel
  

Day 6: Veliko Tarnovo, Plovdiv

• Visit Veliko Tarnovo, the capital of the medieval Bulgarian Empire. Walk back through time to the ancient craft street of Samovodsa bazaar and Renaissance village, the Arbanasi architectural reserve. 
• Visit the Buzludzha Shipka Monument, a stunning Soviet-era relic. Built in 1981 as a grand UFO-like dome to honor communist history, it's now a haunting, graffiti-covered ruin symbolizing Bulgaria's turbulent past. Visitors can explore its echoing halls, soaking in panoramic views of misty mountains and rose fields below.
• City tour of Plovdiv, one of the oldest cities in Europe: walk through the labyrinth of the Old Town, step into the luxurious villa of the richest rose oil trader from 1800s, visit the ancient Roman amphitheater and stadium, Kapana art district. 

Day 7: Rose Valley, Kazanlak

• Transfer to Rose Valley. "Rose picking" ritual in a village near Kazanlak, and see the demonstration of the traditional distillation of rose oil. You will be able to try some fresh rose water and drinks.
• Visit the Rose Museum in Kazanlak, where you will learn the history of rose oil trading and various types of roses.
• Festive parade of the rose queen.
• Overnight at a 5-star SPA hotel to enjoy the famous Bulgarian natural healing springs and unique treatments.

Day 8: Karlovo

• Visit to the Rose Oil Museum and Distillery - the only one in Bulgaria where part of the produced oil is made using the oldest technology known in Bulgaria.
• Transfer to Karlovo - visit to The Old Town, visit an old house of the Rose Oil producers family, tasting rose liqueur and rose jam.
• Private picnic at a rose field, enjoy a glass of refreshing rose drink and traditional bulgarian pastry, listen to the rose production story from a local farmer.  
• Visit a private botanical garden with over 500 species of plants at the foot of Stara planina mountain.
  
  

Day 9: Sofia

• Walking tour of Sofia - the Church of St. Sophia, the monument of St. Sophia, the Basilica of St. George, St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, The Palace National Art Gallery, Presidential building, time for gift shopping on Vitosha Street.
• Free time to explore the different museums or free guided tours in the capital city.

** Departure or join extended tour