Grand Tour of ROMANIA & BULGARIA • Bucharest – Sighisoara – Veliko Tarnovo – Sofia – Plovdiv
Highlights
Featuring: BUCHAREST – TRANSILVANIA – SOFIA – PLOVDIV
- Walk through Bucharest, the “Little Paris of the East”
- Feel the chills on your skin in Transylvania
- Walk through Sighisoara, the birthplace of Dracula
- Explore the cultural treasures of the Sofia
- Entrer the Street of Crafts in Veliko Tarnovo
- Admire Plovdiv, European Capital of Culture of 2019
Included
- Individual / FIT & Groups suggested Tour
- Accommodation at Ignas Tour’s Selected Hotels
- Transportation by Private Bus/Minibus/Car *
- Official Tour Guides during the City Tours *
- Entrance Tickets and Food & Wine Tastings *
* (according to the program – if mentioned)
from €
SUGGESTED ITINERARY
| Day 1: BUCHAREST Arrival transfer from airport to hotel. Accommodation. Overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 2: BUCHAREST Breakfast and be ready for an extraordinary walking tour of Bucharest. Meeting with your Tour Guide at the Revolution Square and then you will proceed to Cotroceni Quarter for its representative architecture, a guided tour of the Palace of the Parliament and of the main avenues. Lunch on your own. free time in the afternoon for individual visits and shopping. Dinner on your own. Overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 3: BUCHAREST – SNAGOV – SINAIA – BRASOV – BRAN CASTLE – SIGHIŞOARA Breakfast and departure to Sinaia to visit Snagov Monastery and Peles Castle, Sinaia Monastery. In Snagov Monastery it is believed that Vlad the Impaler (the son of Vlad Dracul) was buried. The monastery was built strategically in the middle of Lake Snagov, on the island of the same name. Inside is the largest medieval wall painting in a Romanian church, built in the 16th century. In Snagov Monastery it is believed that Vlad the Impaler (the son of Vlad Dracul) was buried. The monastery was built strategically in the middle of Lake Snagov, on the island of the same name. Inside is the largest medieval wall painting in a Romanian church, built in the 16th century. Continue then to Brasov, one of the most beautiful multicultural cities of our country, located in Transylvania. Once you arrived in this area, lunch on your own. In the afternoon visit of Dracula Castle. The castle was built in 1377 to safeguard the trading route between Transylvania and Wallachia, enlarged and restored a few times to become a royal residence in the 1920s. In the late afternoon, let’s continue to the next stop: Sighişoara. Dinner on your own and overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 4: SIGHIŞOARA – BISTRITA – CLUJ NAPOCA Breakfast and be ready for an extraordinary walking tour of Sighişoara, known as “The Pearl of Transylvania”. The city was developed by the German settlers as of late 12th century. It stands on a network of tunnels and catacombs and, according to one version of the myth; this is where the Pied Piper brought the children of Hamelin after their ungrateful parents refused to pay him his due. Your walking tour includes the two squares of the Citadel (Upper Town), the Scholars’ Staircase, the House with Antler, the Tower with Clock (climb up for a great view), the Torture Chamber and the Weapon Museum. Sighișoara is the place where the Vlad the Impaler Dracula was born in 1431. The Birthplace is one of the main tourist attractions. After the visiti we will continue to Bistrita. Among the sites that bind to the myth of Dracula can not miss the town of Bistrita, in the northern part of Transylvania, where the writer Bram Stroker spent the night at the protagonist of the novel Jonathan Harker before continuing his journey to the castle of Dracula. Lunch on your own during the itinerary. Enjoy a special walking tour in this quaint city is situated in Southern Bohemia and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Situated on the Vltava River, the town is dominated by the 13th century Castle, which has both Renaissance and Baroque elements and also offers a splendid view of the town below. There are many cafés and restaurants to stop and relax in while visiting this picture-perfect Bohemian town. In the late afternoon, let’s continue to the next stop of our itinerary: Cluj Napoca. Dinner on your own and overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 5: CLUJ NAPOCA – BUCHAREST Breakfast and be ready for an extraordinary walking tour of Cluj Napoca the former capital of Transylvania and one of the important university centers of the country. Enjoy a special guided tour, including St Michael’s Cathedral, the Fellner & Helmer Opera House as well as the City Hall and Old Center. Lunch on your own and in the afternoon free time for individual visits and shopping before going back to Bucharest. Dinner on your own and overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 6: BUCHAREST – VARNA Breakfast and departure to Varna, the pearl of the Bulgarian seaside. Accommodation at your hotel, free time in Varna and lunch on your own. In the afternoon, enjoy a tour of Varna with a local Tour Guide including its most famous places of interest – the Sea Garden, The Roman Thermae, The Cathedral and the Archaeological museum. The Sea Garden is the emblem of Varna, situated on an area of 85ha along the seaside line. There is a sun-dial representing a flying swan at the entrance of the sea garden. The Roman Thermae remains are located in the southeast part of the contemporary city of Varna. It was the biggest social building from the past discovered in Bulgaria till now. A lot of graphic drawings and inscriptions were found in the galleries. It was the biggest in the European part of the Roman Empire. The Varna Archaeological Museum keeps more than 100 000 objects-monuments of past epochs from Varna and region. The museum houses exhibits of the oldest gold treasure in Europe. Another pretty interesting landmark of Bulgaria’s “summer capital” is the lovely cathedral and the charming buildings clustered around the pedestrian main square. The beach is within walking distance but if you are into slightly more secluded locations then you can hop on a bus and head to any of the surrounding beaches. The city also has a diverse sports and cultural life. If you are a fan of the ballet, you need to come in July, when Varna hosts the annual International Ballet Competition. Dinner on your own and overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 7: VARNA – VELIKO TARNOVO – PLOVDIV Breakfast and departure to Veliko Tarnovo. Enjoy the whole day in Veliko Tarnovo. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon visit the city with your knowledgeable local Tour Guide, which will turn your tour into a lively mixture of history facts, modern urban culture, hidden places, graffiti meanings, not so known stories and legends, and all sorts of visiting tips. You will start with the rich heritage from the Middle Ages and the remains of the fortress, occupying Tsarevets hill at the edge of the town. It is still standing strong, being a silent witness of its history for over 15 centuries and remembering its glory past back from the time when the city was capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. The Tsarevets Fortress is enormous with its remains from around 400 houses, 18 churches, the royal palace, the execution rock and the Patriarchate church with its very alternative interior wallpaintings. The site itself offers a breathtaking view over the town of Veliko Tarnovo and the smooth meanders of Yantra river. You will continue with a walk down the main street to the former market quarter – Samovodska Charshiya. You will feel like you have just used a time machine back to the 1880s, because the houses along this street still keep the architectural style from the National Revival at its best. In the lower part of the street you can find numerous souvenir shops, restaurants and traditional workshops but the higher you go the more authentic the views are, getting you back to the old times. Transfer to the next city, Plovdiv. Dinner on your own and overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 8: PLOVDIV – SOFIA Breakfast and meeting with your tour Guide to start your tour of Plovdiv – the second largest city in Bulgaria. The city is one of the most ancient towns in Europe. Being almost a contemporary of Troy, Plovdiv is a town built upon layers of towns and a culture developed upon layers of cultures. It is a place where Thracian, Hellenic, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Bulgarian Revival art meet. The city is located on seven hills, just like Rome. Walking along narrow, paved streets full of art galleries and museums creates a pleasurable atmosphere. The Roman stadium is located in the middle of the main shopping street, and while only one part of it is visible (the rest is still underground), it’s still a very interesting site. A bit further uphill is the beautifully-preserved Roman theatre. It is still used for open-air performances such as concerts, opera, ballet, etc. A number of other Roman remains and mosaics can be seen all around the today’s Central Post Office, the excavations are still going. Plovdiv’s Old Town offers you a look to the pretty wellpreserved appearance of the town from the time back to 19th century, when rich Bulgarian, Greek and Armenian merchants built large houses with bay-windows over the cobbled streets. The best example is probably Kuyumdzhiev House, now hosting the Ethnographic Museum. Lunch on your own. Don’t miss to taste some local wine since Plovdiv and the region of the Thracian valley are proud to produce some excellent quality wines, especially the unique sort red wine – mavrud. Apart from offering archeological treasures, Plovdiv is one of the most culturally vibrant sites on the Balkans with a number of cultural festivals, full of art neighborhoods and cool bars. Plovdiv is scheduled to be European Capital of Culture in 2019 and it really deserves this title for its vibrant cultural buzz. September is when the energy bursts into a number of theatre, arts and music festivals, as well as the Night of Museums and Galleries, transforming the city into a lively art party, taking all night. In the afteroon transfer to the last city of our itinerary: Sofia. Accommodation at your hotel , dinner on your own. Overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 9: SOFIA Breakfast and enjoy a tour of Sofia with a Tour Guide, who will take a great care for your company, providing interesting information and pleasurable approach. The tour will include the most interesting sites in the historical centre of the Bulgarian capital such as the largest Orthodox Church on the Balkan Peninsula – Alexander Nevski cathedral, “Ivan Vazov” National Theatre, The National Assembly, and The Central Baths, “Kliment Ohridski” University of Sofia, “St. Nikolai” Russian Church, “St. Nedelya” Church and others. You will be amazed to see the holy buildings of fourdifferent religions located together within a small area of 1 sq. km right in the heart of the historical city – a mosque, a synagogue, a catholic church and a couple of orthodox churches. They stand in their full beauty and architectural styles, creating a diverse and multireligious look of the Bulgarian capital – a proof that Bulgarians have always been tolerant to the people’s region, visions and self-consciousness. Lunch on your own to taste specialties like “Banitsa” (pastry with cheese and eggs), “Moussaka” (meat and potatoes delicious dish) and or “Shopska” salad. In the afternoon free time for individual visits. We sugggest the National Palace of Culture – an example of the typical socialist architecture in size, dimensions and style. The area around the building is a preferred place for people to meet and gather. Behind it is located another popular place – “The Lovers’ Bridge”. A lot of couples in love enjoy sitting on the bridge at sunset admiring the beautiful panorama of Vitosha Mountain, taking a look also at the various open-air exhibitions on the bridge. Dinner on your own. Overnight in Sofia. Meals: B |
| Day 10: SOFIA After breakfast transfer to Sofia Airport. Meals: B |
* The itinerary is on request and rates are subject to the availability of the hotels at the time of booking.
Prices are subject to change if travel occur during trade shows, bank holidays or special events and supplements may be applied.
Included Features
- Accommodation in Ignas Tour’s selected Hotels
- Itinerary Car, Minibus or Bus for the Itinerary (all included)
Not Included
- City Taxes – to be paid on spot
- Extra Tips
- Extra Expenses
- Everything not listed under “INCLUDED”
Ignas Tour Hotel Collection
| DAY | BUDGET | STANDARD | DELUXE | PREMIUM | ||
| 3* Hotels • City Area | 3* Hotels • City Center | 4* Hotels • City Area | 4* Hotels • City Center | |||
| Day 1 | Vienna | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | or Similar |
| Day 2 | Vienna | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | or Similar |
| Day 3 | Salzburg | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | or Similar |
| Day 4 | Salzburg | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | or Similar |
| Day 5 | Salzburg | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | or Similar |
| Day 6 | Innsbruck | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | or Similar |
| Day 7 | Innsbruck | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | or Similar |
| Day 8 | Innsbruck | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel *** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | Hotel **** www. .com | or Similar |
| Day 9 | / | / | / | / | / |
Prices
| Low Season: Jan – Jul – Aug – Dec | 40 pax | 30 pax | 20 pax | 10 pax | Suppl. SGL | Suppl. HB (*) | Suppl. FB (*) |
| BUDGET 3* Hotels • Area | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 |
| STANDARD 3* Hotels • Center | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 |
| DELUXE 4* Hotels • Area | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 |
| PREMIUM 4* Hotels • Center | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 |
| Mid Season: Feb – Mar – Oct – Nov | 40 pax | 30 pax | 20 pax | 10 pax | Suppl. SGL | Suppl. HB (*) | Suppl. FB (*) |
| BUDGET 3* Hotels • Area | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 |
| STANDARD 3* Hotels • Center | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 |
| DELUXE 4* Hotels • Area | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 |
| PREMIUM 4* Hotels • Center | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 |
| High Season: Apr – May – Jun – Sep | 40 pax | 30 pax | 20 pax | 10 pax | Suppl. SGL | Suppl. HB (*) | Suppl. FB (*) |
| BUDGET 3* Hotels • Area | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 |
| STANDARD 3* Hotels • Center | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 |
| DELUXE 4* Hotels • Area | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 |
| PREMIUM 4* Hotels • Center | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | € 000,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 | + € 00,00 |
Rates are Commissionable to Travel Agencies & Tour Operators
Rates Per Person / Per Package in 1/2 DBL Room / BB
Upgrades & Supplements on the BASIS PACKAGE rates – Rates Per Person / Per Package
Free Of Charge 1/21 Paying Pax (1st in SGL, 2nd in ½ DBL)
(*) Suppl. HB & FB – 3-Course Menu(s) – Drinks are not included
** also available “without Transportation” option