Tuesday 7th to 

International flights are not included. We recommend that you depart from London Stansted at 07.25 with Ryanair flight FR1730 to Sofia. If taking a different flight, please make sure to arrive to Sofia by 13.00 on 07 October.

You will be met by a representative of Odysseia-In and transferred to your hotel. Once you’ve checked in, we’ll head out for a guided tour of the city where we will learn the history of Bulgaria, see the oldest building - Saint Georgi Rotunda church from the 4th century - and the gorgeous Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. During the tour, we will stop off for a light lunch for your first taste of Bulgarian food.

After our tour, we will head back to the hotel to get refreshed before going for dinner at a local restaurant known for its traditional dishes.

Overnight: Hotel Niky

Included meals: Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast, we will begin our exploration of Bulgaria. First stop is Aleko Mountain in Vitosha National Park where we will hike to Zlatnite Most (Golden Bridges). The stone river gets its name from the golden-coloured lichen that grows on the stones. For lunch, we will stop off at one of the mountain huts located on Vitosha mountain which is one of the symbols of Sofia. Today’s walk will be a relaxed one, mostly downhill, to discover the beauty of the oldest nature park in the Balkans that was formed as a result of volcanic activity.

The journey continues to one of many UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bulgaria - Rila Monastery. It is the biggest monastery in Bulgaria and has over a 1,000 years of history - it is one of the most important historical, cultural and architectural sites in the country. Named after the hermit Saint Ivan of Rila, the monastery preserved the culture of the country during Ottoman rule.

In the late afternoon we will arrive to Bansko, a beautiful, stone-built, alpine town at the foot of the snow-dusted Pirin Mountains, now a popular destination for winter sports. We will be able to explore the town more tomorrow

Dinner will take place in a nearby village of Gorno Draglishte with a night of folkloric entertainment at Deshka Guesthouse. Welcomed by Deshka and the ‘grannies’, you will learn about Bulgarian traditions and customs, as well as have the opportunity to try on traditional dress, followed by a folklore performance.

Overnight: Rahoff Hotel, Bansko

Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

After breakfast, we will be driven to the starting point for today’s hike. Pirin is included in the UNESCO’s ‘Man and the Biosphere’ programme because of the abundance and uniqueness of the flora and fauna. In July and August, you can even find Edelweiss - the symbol of alpinism - in the higher parts of the mountain.

Starting from Vihren hut, we will take the Banderitsa circuit which will take us through gorgeous mountain landscapes, and glacial lakes. Muratovo lake, also known as Juniper lake, is set at the base of the snowy Muratov peak that contrasts the green fauna surrounding it. Our hike will continue to the Banderishki Lakes from which we will be making out way back to the starting point. On the way, you will pass by one of Europe’s oldest trees, the 1,300 year old Baikushev’s pine - named after its discoverer, Kostadin Baikushev. After your hike, we will be able to have a short tour of the cobbled streets of Bansko and see more of this picturesque alpine town.

For lunch we will journey to Ribnovo village in the Rhodope Mountains. The locals, Pomaks, are Muslim Bulgarians (descendents of Bulgarian Christians who converted during the Ottoman period) and have fascinating wedding traditions, preserved from old Bulgarian customs and with Islamic influence. Here you can interact with the local people and find out about their culture. Women in the group will be able to get their faces painted as traditional brides of the area.

In the late afternoon, we continue to the fairytale village of Kovachevitsa, which has been chosen as the location for over 20 films. The group can decide either to spend the afternoon walking and photographing the streets and architecture distinctive to the area, or to hike above the village to watch the sunset.

Overnight: Kalinia guesthouse, Kovachevitsa

Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

After breakfast, we continue to Plovdiv, stopping on the way to visit the rug factory in Kostandovo which is well-known to the British Royal Family. The family-run factory also employs local people whose main income comes from farming and crafts, and whose rugs have made it to the floors of Versaille and Buckingham Palace.

After witnessing the craftsmanship of the rug makers, we continue our journey to a local winery - Zagreus Winery, named after the Thracian god of wine. Zagreus is a modern, organic winery with a complete production cycle from growing the grapes to bottling.

For lunch we’ll get to taste local appetisers accompanied by three different wines, followed by a workshop under the guidance of an expert, where we can blend a wine to our personal liking.

We head back to Plovdiv where you will have some free time before dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Hotel Ego, Plovdiv

Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

After breakfast, we will explore Plovdiv, visiting an ancient theatre from the 2nd century. Then continue our way to Dzhumaya Mosque, built in the 14th century, and walk through Old Town. Old Town is included in the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list and it combines architecture from antiquity, Middle Ages and Bulgarian revival periods. The painted facades date back to the 18th and 19th century and used to house and belong to wealthy merchants of the area.

Making our way to the Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis - also known as the Great Basilica - we’ll explore the ruins of a church from the 4th century from the ancient city of Philippopolis. Originally excavated in 1982, there is over 2,000 sq miles of well preserved mosaics.

Plovdiv is known for being the most artistic city in Bulgaria and is the ideal place to buy souvenirs and works of art. After our brief shopping spree, we will visit a local restaurant for lunch, followed by some hotel inspections.

Returning to Sofia, we continue with a few more hotel inspections before going to the farewell dinner - a chance to discuss your favourite parts of the trip and what surprised you most about the country.

Overnight: Sofia Palace Hotel

Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

After breakfast at the hotel, we will visit an icon restorer who will tell you all about the restoration and preservation of traditional Orthodox art. Bulgarian icons are distinctive in their use of bright colours. We will enjoy a light, home-cooked lunch prepared by his family. In the afternoon, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your international flight home.

International flights are not included. We recommend you the following flights with Ryanair:

Tue 07 October, STN - SOF 07.25 - 12.15. Flight FR1730

Sun 12 October, SOF - STN 18.25 - 19.50. Flight FR9962

• Transportation and accommodation, as stated in the itinerary

• Professional English-speaking guide throughout the programme

• All meals and activities as per the itinerary

• International flights

• Any relevant visa fees

• Alcoholic beverages

• Travel insurance

• Services & meals not mentioned as included

Our intention is to follow the above itinerary as closely as possible but please note that timings and specific excursions may be subject to local factors such as weather conditions.