Often overlooked, this picturesque country boasts one of the most enchanting histories in Europe, dating back over 13 centuries. Bulgaria will charm travelers with its delightful old-world villages, colorful medieval monasteries, royal palaces, ancient churches, captivating cities, lush forests, national treasures and welcoming people. Experience its vibrant culture, unique customs and time honored traditions as you travel through Sofia, Belogradchik, Vratsa, Veliko Tarnovo and Tryavna accompanied by a private expert Guide and Driver. Explore Belogradchik, which literally means "small white town," famous for its unique and impressive rock formations and the legendary Belogradchik Fortress. Sample delicious Bulgarian wine or beer in Chiprovtsiis, a small town with strong Ottoman roots founded in the Late Middle Ages. Tour Veliko Turnovo - the medieval capital of Bulgaria. Take in its numerous historical highlights and visit a bustling market. Travel to Tryana where you’ll stare in awe at the magnificent architecture and famous Bulgarian woodcarvings. Immerse yourself in the culture of this fascinating country on a tour of the Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex, an open-air museum. It presents Bulgarian customs, culture, craftsmanship, architecture, way of life and economy during the Bulgarian National Revival. Enjoy a scenic walking tour of Sofia along some of the oldest streets stopping to see the many highlights of this ancient city.

Nearly bursting with historical, cultural and traditional highlights, this private guided tour of Bulgaria is sure to please any intellectual adventurer or history enthusiast.

Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria, located at the foot of the mountain massif Vitosha. One of the oldest cities in Europe, the history of Serdica-Sredets-Sofia can be traced back some 7000 years. The well preserved town walls date back before the 7th century BC, when Thracians established their city next to the most important and highly respected mineral spring, still functioning today. Sofia has had several names in the different periods of its existence, and remnants of the city's millenary history can still be seen today alongside modern landmarks.

Meet your driver for a private airport transfer with vehicle and driver.

Kensington Tours donates a portion of proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities.

Nestled right in the heart of Sofia, the Lozenetz Hotel (3*) is close to the finest shopping, dinner and entertainment that Sofia has to offer. At the Lozenetz Hotel you will be in the middle of everything and yet away from it all. The hotel is located near the National Palace of Culture, Vitosha Boulevard and is just a short drive from Sofia International Airport. Luxury and comfort combine with impeccable service to ensure an unforgettable stay.

Overnight at Lozenetz (3*).

Meet your driver for a private airport transfer with vehicle and driver.

Overnight at Lozenetz (3*).

Belograchik is a town in northwestern Bulgaria in the Vidin Province. Belogradchik, which literally means "small white town," is situated in the foothills of the Balkan Mountains just east of the Serbian border and about 50 km south of the Danube River. The town is famous for its unique and impressive rock formations, the Belogradchik Rocks, which cover an area of 90 square kilometers and reach up to 200 meters in height. The town is a popular tourist destination. Important landmarks are the mediaeval Belogradchik Fortress and the Belogradchik Rocks.

Enjoy a full day tour to Belogradchik located in northwestern Bulgaria, the Vidin Province. Belogradchik, which literally means "small white town," is situated in the foothills of the Balkan Mountains just east of the Serbian border and about 50 km south of the Danube River. The town is famous for its unique and impressive rock formations, the Belogradchik Rocks, which cover an area of 90 square kilometers and reach up to 200 meters in height. The town is a popular tourist destination. Important landmarks are the mediaeval Belogradchik Fortress and the Belogradchik Rocks.

Skalite Hotel (4*) is located in the central part of Belogradchik with amazing view to the unique Belograd rock. The hotel has 18 single rooms and 4 double rooms, 21 studios, 3 apartments and 2 VIP apartments. The hotel has a restaurant with a Winter and Summer garden, winery, wine saloon, and bar. The SPA center includes an indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, fitness, massage, solarium, Pearl bath with tangent, sauna, aroma and dry steam-bath.

Overnight at Skalite (4*).

Vratsa is a city in northwestern Bulgaria, at the foothills of the Balkan Mountains. It is the administrative centre of Vratsa Province. The city of Vratsa is a commercial and crafts centre and a railway junction. Vratsa accommodates textile, metal processing, chemical, and ceramics industries. It was an important administrative and garrison city under Ottoman rule (15th–19th century). The mountains and forests are suitable for development of different types of tourism — hunting and fishing, skiing, speleology, delta-gliding, photo-tourism, etc. Good opportunities exist for exercising different sport activities such as mountaineering, bicycle sport and for those who enjoy being thrilled can go for hanggliding and paragliding, or set out for carting, buggy and motocross racing tracks. Conditions are provided for rest and entertainment — children's and adults' swimming pools, water cycles, discos, bars, restaurants, excellent hotel facilities and good service. If you are a fervent admirer of winter sports you will be glad to hear that the rope lines near the Parshevitsa Chalet are working, and the skiing tracks are well maintained. There exist a Museum of History and an Ethnographic and Revival Complex.

Enjoy a full day tour to Chiprovtsiis a small town and municipality in northwestern Bulgaria, administratively part of Montana Province. It lies on the shores of the river Ogosta in the western Balkan Mountains, very close to the Bulgarian-Serbian border. A town of about 2,000 inhabitants, Chiprovtsi is the administrative centre of a municipality that also covers nine nearby villages. Chiprovtsi is thought to have been founded in the Late Middle Ages as a mining and metalsmithing centre. Attracting German ore miners who introduced Roman Catholicism to the area, the town grew in importance as a cultural, economic and religious centre of the Bulgarian Catholics and the entire Bulgarian northwest during the first few centuries of Ottoman rule. The apogee of this upsurge was the anti-Ottoman Chiprovtsi Uprising of 1688. After the suppression of the uprising, some of the town's population fled to Habsburg-ruled lands; those unable to flee were killed or enslaved by the Ottomans.

Chaika /Sea-Gull Hotel (3*) is situated at a distance of 500 m from the center of the Town of Vratsa, in the foot of the Balkan Mountain Range. It is along the way towards Ledenica Cave and close to the unique pass “Vratcata”. The Hotel houses three cozy rooms and two apartments. Facilities include a restaurant, summer garden, parking and there is a lake with boats that can be taken out by guests. All rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, telephone, cable TV, internet, bath-room and mini bar. The restaurant of the Hotel offers a wide variety of dishes from the modern world kitchen, as well as specialties from the Old Bulgarian kitchen.

Overnight at Chaika /Sea-Gull Hotel (3*).

Veliko Tarnovo is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Turnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists with its unique architecture. The old city is situated on three hills, Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora raising amidst the meanders of the Yantra. Tsarevets housed the palaces of the Bulgarian Emperors and the Patriarchate, as well as a number of administrative and residential edifices surrounded by thick walls. Trapezitsa was known for its many churches and as the main residence of the nobility. In the Middle Ages it was among the main European centres of culture and gave its name to the Tarnovo Artistic School of architecture, painting and literature. Veliko Tarnovo is an important administrative, economic, educational and cultural centre of Northern Bulgaria.

Enjoy a day trip to Veliko Turnovo - the medieval capital of Bulgaria. During a short tour of the city you will get familiarized with St Forty Martyrs Church dating back to the 13th century, and the Konak where the First National Assembly was held after the Liberation and where the Turnovo Constitution was ratified in 1879. Walk along the Samovodska Carshiya - a market street with houses, shops and workshops from the Revival Period. Continue your afternoon with Tsarevets - the fortified hill which for two centuries between 1185 and 1393 was the center of political and religious power in the Second Bulgarian Empire. View the remains of the Royal Palace, the Patriarchate and the city walls with the famous Baldwin Tower where Emperor Baldwin I was held prisoner by Tsar Kaloyan after the Battle of Adrianople in 1205.

Panorama Hotel (4*) is located on the central street in Veliko Tarnovo. It has 24 double rooms, 3 single rooms and 5 apartments, all with central air conditional system, TV, telephone, high speed internet, mini-bar, electronically lock system, bathroom with tab and hairdryer. Some of the accommodations have a balcony. The hotel also has an inhouse restaurant complete with a piano bar as well as a spa centre which includes a Jacuzzi, sauna, steam bath. Various masssages are also available.

Overnight at Panorama (4*) .

Tryavna is a town in central Bulgaria, situated in the north slopes of the Balkan range, on the Tryavna river valley, near Gabrovo. It is famous for its textile industry and typical National Revival architecture, featuring 140 cultural monuments, museums and expositions.

Enjoy a private tour of Tryana town with private vehicle and driver-guide. People call it the house with suns on the ceilings that never set. This is a splendid example of the Tryavna architecture of the early Revival period built between 1804 and 1808 by the Master Dimitar Oshanetsa and his willing helper Ivan Bochukovetsa. In 1808 they made a bet on who was going to carve better ornaments on the ceiling. It took them six months to do it. Both works were magnificent enough to rival and the men had to share the bet. The beauty of these superb samples of woodcarving remains unsurpassed till now. There is a museum, the only one of its kind in the country, which uniquely displays the art of carving. It preserves a fine collection of the works of the well known Master Gancho Marangozov, including hand-carved pieces and wood sculptures of famous Bulgarian khans and tsars together with reliefs of prominent figures of the Bulgarian National Revival.

The Kalina Palace (4*) offers 122 comfortable double rooms, 10 superior rooms, 10 studios and 5 suites. The rooms are equipped with mini bar, telephone, safe deposit box, WiFi internet connection, television and air-conditioning. The hotel has an onsite restaurant and a lobby bar. For your comfort the hotel offers a swimming pool, room service, laundry and ironing, parking lot and garage.

Overnight at Kalina Palace (4*).

Enjoy a private guided tour with your own chauffeur driven vehicle and Guide as you explore the Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex. This open-air museum showcases the Bulgarian customs, culture and craftsmanship. It spans over an area of 7 ha and contains a total of 50 objects, including water installations and houses with craftsmen's workshops attached. As a whole, the complex's goal is to illustrate the architecture, way of life and economy of Gabrovo and the region during the Bulgarian National Revival. The museum's construction started in 1963 under the direction and project of Lazar Donkov. The pre-existing Karadzheyka water-mill, built around 1780, was thoroughly reconstructed, with the other objects being constructed later. The complex was opened on 7 September 1964 and proclaimed a national park in 1967, as well as a monument of culture in 1971. The park features typical Bulgarian revival houses with two floors, bay windows, a clock tower, and a beautifully decorated house by Saakov.

Overnight at Kalina Palace (4*).

Enjoy a transfer from Tyravna to Sofia with a private vehicle and English speaking Driver-Guide.

Enjoy a walking tour with your private Guide along the main important tourist attractions from Sofia and view the Roman walls of ancient Serdika, St. George Rotunda, one of the oldest fully preserved churches in Europe dating from 4th century AD. Also see the most important religious buildings such as the Mosque, the Synagogue, St. Joseph Catholic church and the Orthodox churches of St. Nedelya, St. Petka, St. Sophia, the Russian Church and St Alexander Nevski Cathedral - cathedral church of the Patriarch of Bulgaria and one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in the world. Admire the former Royal Palace, the National Theatre, the Mineral Baths, the Parliament, the statue of Tsar Liberator, and the Sofia University. End your private tour with a visit to the Crypt of St Alexander Nevski Cathedral with the best collection of icons in Bulgaria.

Nestled right in the heart of Sofia, the Lozenetz Hotel (3*) is close to the finest shopping, dinner and entertainment that Sofia has to offer. At the Lozenetz Hotel you will be in the middle of everything and yet away from it all. The hotel is located near the National Palace of Culture, Vitosha Boulevard and is just a short drive from Sofia International Airport. Luxury and comfort combine with impeccable service to ensure an unforgettable stay.

Overnight at Lozenetz (3*).

Meet your driver for a private airport transfer with vehicle and driver.

Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport) (standard).