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New! Classic Bulgaria Rail Tour
 September
4-12, 2010
Land tour from $1559.00
Bulgaria is a Balkan country with spectacular mountains and a
coastline on the Black Sea. It was part of the Ottoman Empire for nearly
500 years, although the country’s Orthodox traditions remained strong
during this long occupation. Bulgaria is filled with ancient man-made
wonders and stunning natural scenery. Join us on a rail-based tour around
the central region, visiting the best of the unspoiled ancient and
cultural sights. There have been many improvements in Bulgaria since the
collapse of Communism, and it now is a member of the European Union.
We tour the country using the comfortable trains of the Bulgarian
Railways. Spectacular mountains rise along these lines. We ride both
contemporary trains and two scenic narrow gauge railways. Sightseeing is
included in
Sofia, Veliko Turnovo,
Plovdiv and
Bansko. We’ll explore castles
and ancient monasteries, traverse the rugged Iskar Gorge, and climb from
sea-level to over 4180 feet in Rhodopes Mountains.
This is a cooperative tour with our British partners at
PTG Tours and is escorted by their excellent tour manager Marian Mathews.
The option exists to join the tour in Sofia on Day One or to fly with the
English group round-trip from London. See the pricing information below
for the cost to join in London.
A special feature of this tour is that there is no
extra charge for singles! Complete details, as supplied by PTG
Tours, follow. All aboard!
 Optional
Pre-tour Travel Day, Friday, September 3 Flights leave the USA today for
Sofia. Optionally, you can fly to London Gatwick Airport to join the
PTG group there on the morning of September 4. Please note that an extra
night in London may be required to assure arrival into Gatwick early
enough to join the PTG group if you choose to travel via London.
Day One, Saturday, September 4 (D) Arrive Sofia.
Flights arrive in
Sofia today. Accommodations are included for two nights in Sofia at
the Five Star
Hotel Anel. If you come with the PTG group from London, transfers are
included. If you come individually, you need to take a taxi to the hotel.
The fare should not exceed $10. Cabs are booked at the airport at the
“Supertrans” desk, which has English-speaking staff. We have a welcome
dinner at the hotel this evening.
Day Two, Sunday, September 5 (B,D) Full day in Sofia.
Today is a free sightseeing day in Sofia, with time to explore this
fascinating city and to travel on the many tram routes. This evening we
enjoy a folklore show with dinner.
 Day
Three, Monday, September 6 (B,D) Iskar River Gorge; Cherepishki Monastery.
We have a morning trip on a slow electric passenger train along the Iskar
river gorge. (If we have a large group, we will travel on a steam
hauled special train.) We visit the
Cherepishki Monastery,
which was founded in the 14th century and is picturesquely located on the
right bank of Iskar River. This place feels very far away from the modern
world. We continue by normal electric train to
Veliko Tornovo for our two-night stay at the Four Star
Grand Hotel Yantra.
Day Four, Tuesday, September 7 (B,D) Tour Veliko
Turnovo, the Medieval capital of Bulgaria. We enjoy a full day to
independently explore Veliko Turnovo,
the Medieval Capital city of Bulgaria. Touring could include the
Tsarevets Royal Hill, with its mighty fortress; the Baldwin Tower
(erected by the leader of the 4th crusade); or a visit to Samovodska
Charshia to shop for local crafts. We also visit the
Arbanassi museum village, located on a hill above the city.
 Day
Five, Wednesday, September 8 (B,D) Cross central Balkan Range; see the
Rose Valley; Thracian Tombs. We depart by train to Kazanluk, crossing
one of the most beautiful parts of the Central Balkan Range. We arrive in
the center of the Rose Valley, also known as the valley of the Thracian
Kings. We explore the unique rose products industry here. Once 75% of the
world’s rose attar was produced in Bulgaria, and the roses should be in
full bloom. Later we visit one of the ancient
Thracian tombs
that dot the region. In late afternoon we continue by train to
Plovdiv for a two night stay at
the Four Star Dedeman
Trimontium Princess Hotel.
 Day
Six, Thursday, September 9 (B,D) Tour Plovdiv. We enjoy a full day in
the Plovdiv area today. Plovdiv has a history going back over 6,000 years
and was once the capital city of Philip II of Macedonia (the father of
Alexander the Great). We can visit the Old Plovdiv architectural site with
the Roman Amphitheatre, St. Constantine and Helena Church, and the
Hindlian House. This afternoon we experience a local wine tasting at a
boutique wine cellar in nearby Brestovitsa village.
Day Seven, Friday, September 10 (B,D) Spectacular
narrow-gauge train to Bansko. We ride a morning regular service train
to Septemvri and transfer to the narrow-gauge line to Bansko, which is one
of the most scenic routes in Europe. Our ride takes us from Septemvri via
Velingrad, Avramovi Kolibi, and Jakoruda to
Bansko. The total duration of
the journey is about five hours. The Septemvri station was constructed in
1870 by Baron Hirsch. He was a 19th century German entrepreneur who began
a grandiose project to construct a network consisting of 2,500 kilometers
(about 1500 miles) of railway lines in the Turkish-occupied Balkans.
Avramovi Kolibi is the highest railway station in Bulgaria at 1267m (about
4180 feet) above sea level. The line crosses one of the most beautiful
parts of the Rhodopes Mountains, traversing 15 tunnels and the Mesta river
valley. In late afternoon we arrive in Bansko, a beautifully preserved
town that evokes a living museum of old Bulgaria. Dinner tonight includes
a folklore performance at a typical Bansko mehana (café). Our hotel
tonight is the Three Star
Molerite Hotel
 Day
Eight, Saturday, September 11 (B,D) Bansko; Rila Monastery; scenic trip to
Sofia. This morning we have a short trip on the narrow-gauge railway
from Bansko to Dobrinishte. From Dobrinishte we take the scenic road back
down to Sofia. Enroute we visit the
Rila
Monastery. Rila is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the largest
monastery in Bulgaria. We have an evening arrival back into Sofia for our
Farewell Dinner at the hotel. Once again we stay at the Five Star Hotel
Anel.
Day Nine, Sunday, September 12 (B) Tour ends. The
tour ends today. As noted above, you have the option to fly directly back
to North America or to travel with the PTG group to London Gatwick. Once
again, an extra post-tour night may be required at London Gatwick for
participants who travel that direction in order to connect through to
North America.
 TOUR
PRICES include all services as noted above from arrival at the hotel in
Sofia on Day One through arrival back in Sofia on Day Eight. This includes
hotels, meals and admissions as shown above, rail and coach fares,
transfers, luggage handling, and tour manager services. Not included are
air travel, other meals, and items of a personal nature such as alcoholic
beverages and souvenirs.
Prices are based on exchange rates in effect as of December 31, 2009 and
are subject to change until fully paid. (Note: There is no single
supplement on this tour!)
$1559.00 per person, single or double occupancy
Optional Price to join at London Gatwick
This includes all services noted above, plus air with the PTG group
round-trip from London Gatwick to Sofia, Bulgaria and airport/hotel
arrival and departure transfers in Sofia. Air from North America to London
and return is not included.
$1779.00 per person, single or double occupancy
Conditions and Booking Information (the fine
print)
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