Bus Tour to 3 Balkan countries
(Macedonia, including both Bulgarian and Greek Macedonia)
(5 nights in Bulgaria, 3 nights in Macedonia, and 3 nights in Greece):
11 nights/12 days, half board
A special circular tour departing from Sofia, into Macedonia, through northern Greece and back to Sofia. A trip to 3 regions in 3 different countries, which all are part of historical Macedonia. An extensive trip that passes through varied landscapes, crosses mountains, valleys and rivers and reaches some impressive natural phenomena sites of caves, waterfalls and lakes. A trip presenting of a rich history and ancient cultures vis-a-vis an interesting present and contemporary culture. We shall visit cities, towns and villages and get to know different people and different lifestyles, while all throughout the trip we’ll also get to learn the history of the Jewish communities in these provinces.
Note: closed groups can be arranged to have this trip to include only 2 countries in less days and in any combination possible, such as: Bulgaria-Greece, Bulgaria-Macedonia, Macedonia-Greece and further added sites such as Meteora in Greece, etc.)
Itineraries
Day 1 – Sofia (Bulgaria)
Morning meeting in Sofia. After an early check at the Hotel in Sofia we will go on an easy tour through Sophia town center, the tour will include the beautiful major sites in Bulgaria capital: The Alexander Nievski cathedral, Saint Sophia Chapel, Holocaust Statues Garden The National Theater, the King’s Palace, the President residence, the rotunda, antiques from the Roman/Byzantine era, the Turkish bath, the indoor market and the synagogue. The tour also includes lunch. In the afternoon we’ll be given free time which everyone can spend as per their own choice on resting and/or visiting museums and/or bathing in the pool and/or enjoying treatments at the hotel. In the evening we will go out to experience a Bulgarian celebration at a local authentic folklore club hosting a singer and musicians, Balkan dances (even us) and a Bulgarian dinner fit for a king.
Day 2 – Sofia-Kiustndil- Skopje (Macedonia)
After breakfast we’ll take a bus and drive south west towards Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. On the way we’ll make a stop in the charming town of Kiustendil, in which we will visit the House of Dimitar Peshev, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament during World War II. After passing the Gioasbo border crossing between Bulgaria and Macedonia we’ll travel through mountains, forests and rivers and through the picturesque towns of Kariba, Palenque and Kumanovo until we reach Skopje, which we all mostly remember due to the enormous earthquake which destroyed it 50 years ago. We will get organized in the hotel, and enjoy our dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3 – Skopje – Tetovo- Mabrovo nature reserve – Strogovo ridge – Strogeh – Ochrid
After breakfast we will go on a hike through the Old City and the colorful market of the capital of Macedonia. We’ll see the monument of Mother Theresa, a stone bridge from the Turkish period, an Ottoman market street, a hammam which was converted into a museum and the new statues of Alexander the Great, King Samuil, Arch of Triumph and more. We will visit the Skopje Holocaust Museum. After the visit we will drive to the Jewel of Macedonia – Ochrid, through the town of Tetovo, the Mabrovo nature reserve known for its beautiful lakes and scenic landscapes, the Stopover ridge villages and the picturesque town of Struga, located on both sides of the Czerny Drin River (The “Black River”). We will reach Ohrid – “Jerusalem of the Balkans” and get organized at the Hotel, after dinner, anyone who will still have the strength for that can take a stroll through the beautiful pedestrian street of Ohrid.
Day 4 – Ohrid and its surroundings
This day will be dedicated to Ohrid and its surroundings, we will visit the old quarter with its surrounding walls, gates and towers, we will tour the pedestrian street of the city and its holy ancient sites – Saint Sophia Chapel, the ancient Roman theater, King Samuil’s fortress, the tomb of Saint Clement the patron saint of the town, and the Fortress of Philipos (Alexander’s father) built in the 4th century BC. In the second part of the day we’ll drive toward the Albanian border, to the ancient Church of “St. Nahum” and its peacocks, which is one of the 365 churches that Ohrid hosted in the 10th century, the prehistoric museum on the water and the Biljana springs. We shall also enjoy the beauty of the city and the lake scenery at sunset and in the evening we’ll enjoy this bustling tourist town. Overnight we’ll stay in our Ohrid hotel again.
Day 5 Ohrid – Bitola – Eddesa
After breakfast we’ll head on to the north of Greece. Before crossing the border to Greece we will visit Bitola, a medieval town built on the ruins of the Greek city of Harkliah, and which is currently the second largest city in Macedonia. After the tour of the city we shall head on to Greece – through the Nikki border crossing a and heading to Edessa the town of waterfalls. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6- Edessa – Veria – Vergina -Thessaloniki
Breakfast and visit to the town of Edessa – the City of Falls, situated on a cliff overlooking the Thessaly plain, with its typical main square and giant plane trees. We shall watch the falls and anyone who would also wish to walk the path behind the waterfall could do so as well. We will continue and travel to the city of Ria, situated on the foothills of the Hormion Mountains. After the tour we will travel to the village of Vergina, hosting the complete, impressive and exciting tomb of Philip, the father of Alexander the Great. Veregina is the first capital of ancient Macedonia and the site in which archaeologists found the Macedonian Emblem – a sun with 16 rays known as the star of Veregina. After this visit we will drive to Thessaloniki. Arriving and getting organized at the hotel. Dinner at the tavern with Greek music. Overnight stay.
Day 7 – Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki is the second largest city of in Greece after Athens and it is totally different from it, much more cosmopolitan and richer. Its Jewish history is also fascinating and it spreads over centuries as we shall see on our tour in the city. After breakfast we will go for a walking tour through this special city named after the sister of Alexander the Great – Archaeological Museum, the beach and the round white tower, which is the symbol of the city, the remains of the tombs, the synagogue and the Jewish Museum (provided it is open), the Aristotle square and the Citadel above the city that offers a delightful view of the city. We’ll be given time to visit the markets of Modiano and Valali. Greek dinner at the tavern with the sounds of bouzouki and drinking ouzo. Overnight stay at our hotel.
Day 8 – Thessaloniki – Melnik- Sandanski- Bansko
After breakfast we’ll travel to the Macedonian region of Bulgaria (Optional visit to the antiques of Pele in Greece) through the Kolta border crossing. In Bulgaria – a visit to Melnik – The smallest town in Bulgaria – a walking tour through Melnik, known for its wines, we will visit the House of the Lord and get to know the phenomenon of the “pyramids”, typical to South Pirin. We shall travel north (if there’s time we shall also visit a therapeutic hot-spring and mud site) to the City of Sandanski (named after the Macedonian hero who fought the Ottomans), which is also the birthplace of the proud slave Spartacus. We shall drive along the Stromal River to Bansko, Bulgaria’s leading ski town. At Bansko we’ll visit a 200-years old family hotel that was restored, where we’ll enjoy a traditional dinner to the sounds of the musicians of the hotel restaurant.
Day 9 – Bansko- Pirin Ridge – Gotche Delchev – Dospat-Devin Lake
After breakfast and a short tour of Bansko town center, we will climb up the granite Pirin ridge, towering to a height of almost three thousand meters, ride an open cable car is to the summit of the Zezbbug and take (optional) an easy hike through the magical alpine scenery of mountain lakes at an altitude of 2000 meters or more. We shall reach the town of Guca Delchev (named after the Macedonian commander during the uprising of 1876) and climb to the village of Delchev situated within a spectacular scenery located 600 meters above the city, offering a relatively new tourist site that recreates the unique Bulgarian construction and tradition. From Delchev we will continue eastward to the Rhodope ridge, which constitutes the border between Greece and Bulgaria, visit the living habitat of the Gypsies and learn their unique story, drive through the villages to Lake Dosfat, and after taking a coffee break, continue on our way to Devin, pass through the local villages and visit the karstic portion of the Rhodope ridge. We’ll stay overnight at the spa hotel in the town of Devin, the mineral water source of Bulgaria, and have our dinner at the hotel restaurant.
Day 10 – Devin – Trigrad Canyon – Ygodina Canyon – Shiroka Luka – Bechkovo – Plovdiv
After breakfast we’ll spend half our day at the karstic portion of the Rhodope range, characterized by deep canyons, caves and so on. We’ll leave our large bus and continue our trip with mini-buses, due to the narrow, winding road. We’ll climb up to the Trigard Canyon, where we will visit a site hosting a unique natural phenomenon known as the “Devil’s Mouth” Cave, that is also known from Greek mythology. If there’s time we’ll also visit the adjacent Jagodina canyon. After lunch we will visit the town of Shiroka Leka, Bulgaria’s center of folk music, and learn about the moving story of Bulgarian Jewry during the Holocaust (we might visit the folklore high school at this town, depending on the season and on contribution to the school). We shall proceed northward on our way to Plovdiv (depending on time limits and the weather), where we’ll visit the Checkbo Monastery and the nearby market. Plovdiv is a beautiful city and is the second largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia. We’ll have our dinner at a local authentic and unique restaurant. If anyone will still be up for it, we could also have a short night tour through the old part of the city before going to sleep at our luxurious spa hotel.
Day 11 – Plovdiv- Hissaria- Starosel – Koprivstitza- Sofia
We’ll open our day with a walking tour at both the modern and the ancient center of Plovdiv (if we’ll hold the night tour we’ shall leave right after breakfast) and then say goodbye to this beautiful city and continue northward, while crossing the great Thracian plain and the “Serdana Gorda” ridge in the direction to the Balkan ridge (the Balkan’s distance is 550 km west to east) that crosses Bulgaria. We shall visit the town of Hiseria, with its surrounding Byzantine wall, known for its 22 mineral fountains used to cure almost all types of diseases since Roman times. From there we’ll head west along side roads towards Strosel to a Thracian archaeological compound surrounded by a 2500-year old and hosting temples, burial sites and more. After learning about the ancient Thracians and their unique culture, we’ll continue to the museum-village of “Kopribstitze”, the birthplace of the revolt against the Turks which led to the independence of Bulgaria. This village is known for its artists and unique houses. We will visit the picturesque village and enter at least one of its restored houses. After lunch we’ll drive to Sofia and reach it by the afternoon and arrive at the hotel in which we spent our first night, where anyone who wants to buy gifts and/or souvenirs and/or Bulgarian cheese can do so. We will celebrate our last night at a Bulgarian restaurant.
Day 12 – Sofia -Tel Aviv
In the morning, after breakfast, we’ll drive to the airport for our departure back home.
Note: There might be some changes in our route due to changes in flights or due to weather conditions, field considerations and guide decisions.
Terms and costs:
Accommodation.
Accommodation in all 11 nights will be in hotels (some are Spa hotels) of 3*(only2 nights) 4* and 5* ranking.
Transportation:
Modern, air-conditioned bus/midi-bus (at the canyons area we’ll drive in mini-buses due to the narrow passages).
Economy:
Dinners and breakfasts at the accommodation sites or at a nearby restaurant, lunches at a restaurant or in a picnic.
Price per passenger:
780 Euro per individual in a double occupancy room (calculated per 20 passengers)
Extra per passenger per single room accommodation – 180 Euro.
Price includes:
11-night hotel accommodation
Air conditioned bus/midi-bus + driver per the entire duration (including his expenses on economy and lodging).
Transfer from airport to hotel and from hotel to airport, as well as to the club in Sofia.
Economy – morning and evening.
Bulgarian folk club and 2 taverns in Greece.
Entrance to all the sites in the travel plan.
English / Russian / Dutch speaking guide
Picnic equipment (table + chairs + gas stove (including coffee, tea, etc.) + cooler and all that’s required).
Tips to local service providers.
Group meeting prior to departure.
Price excludes:
Flights
Lunches
Personal expenses
Tips to guides and porters
Medical + Cargo insurance
Changes in the prices of flights, airport taxes, etc.
* Red asterisk – required to fill in the details