ONE-DAY TRIPS (Sofia Guesthouse)
(sample itineraries)
1. Sofia
Description: Sofia is the second oldest city in Europe, founded 7,000 years ago by the Thracian tribe Serdi. Later, Sofia was the capital of the Roman province of Inner Dacia in 29 A.D. Through the ages, the city played role as an important trading center in the Byzantine and Bulgarian Empires. Under Ottoman rule, Sofia was the center of Rumelia province. Sofia became the capital of restored Bulgaria in 1879, with a population of only 20,000. Today many streets, buildings, parks, and even whole neighbourhoods preserve the architectural style from the turn of the century.
The trip starts with sightseeing on foot of the city of Sofia comprising visits to some of the most interesting sites in the town: the National Library, Sofia University, The Parliament, The St. Alexander Nevsky Patriarchal Cathedral, the National Theatre, St Sofia Church, Sofia's oldest building - St George Rotunda (from the 3rd C), The houses of the Council of Ministers, presidency and the former communist party headquarters, the ruins of the ancient city of Serdika (dating from the 5th-6th C) etc.
Trek duration (walking only): 3-4 hours
Best period: all year
Price is total for up to 8 ppl and includes guidance throughout the trip; the price excludes entrance fees, meals, drinks and other things of personal use).
Sofia Trip - 39 Euro - up to 8 people
2. Dragoman Marsh & Chepun Hill
Description: Located some 35 km to the north-west of the city of Sofia, Dragoman Marsh is placed in the lowering between the hills Chepan and Three Ears. It is a part of the heterogeneous complex comprising marshes, wet meadows and karst heights in the NW corner of the field of Sofia - places, very famous in the near past with their phenomenal diversity of plants and animals. Currently Dragoman Marsh is the only one of its kind karst marsh left in Bulgaria. Due to its position the marsh is an important stop-over along the Balkans' migratory route "Via Aristotelis". Endangered species of flora and fauna could be observed from the educational facilities (observation tour, wooden bridge etc.), built and maintained by the NGO "Balkani Wildlife Society.
After transfer to the marsh (about 1 h) we take a short walk among the education facilities - the observation tower and the wooden bridge. There we have a talk about the past and the present of the marsh and the wetlands in general, about their wildlife and their merits for the eco-tourism in recent times. If during migration period (autumn/spring) we may see part of the field work, carried out by scientists in the area - catching and ringing birds, taking measurements and blood samples, counting migrating birds etc. In the afternoon we have a walk to Chepun Hill (1204 m a.s.l.) and the Thracian sanctuary on the top of the hill, providing terrific view over the Dragoman Marsh and the surrounding territories. The Chepun hill is like an open-air botanical garden - there are many interesting plants there (even few endemic species), flowering during spring and summer.
Trek duration (walking only): 2-3 hours
Best period: April - September
Price is total for up to 8 ppl and includes private transfer by bus to the marsh, guidance throughout the trip and donation for the environmental activities in the area; the price excludes meals, drinks and other things of personal use.
3. Vitosha Mountains & "Cherni vryh" Peak
Description: Sofia is situated at the foothills of Vitosha Mountain. Being also the oldest Nature Park on the Balkan Peninsula, Vitosha has two nature reserves. Millions of tourists visit it to discover and admire its inspiring landscape, flora and fauna.
After transfer to Dragalevtsi we take the chair lift to "Goli vryh" Peak. Then we head through the plateau area of Vitosha Mountains, heading to "Cherni vryh" Peak (2290 m a.s.l.). There we make a short rest trying the local tea, produced from many species of fragrant mountain herbs. Then we turn back.
Trek duration (walking only): 4 hours
Best period: June-October
Price is total for up to 8 ppl and includes private transfer by bus to the lift station and guidance throughout the trip; the price excludes meals/drinks, lift tickets and other things of personal use.
4. Rila Monastery
Description: Rila Monastery is situated at a height of 1150 meters a.s.l. in Rila Mountains. Behind the 20-metre high walls lie impressive monastery buildings, a church and a chapel with valuable murals. The most impressive monument from the Bulgarian National Revival period rises amidst the rugged beauty of the Rila Mountain, just 120 km southwards from Sofia. Having survived the times with the self-confidence of the most zealous guard of the Bulgarian spirit and language, it still fascinates present-day visitor with the pure and harmonious line of the buildings' exquisite colonnades, arches and vaults, spacious rooms richly decorated with murals and fretwork. The monastery's most treasured historic and artistic monuments include the 14th century Hrelyo Tower, the five-domed Birth of the Blessed Virgin Church and the original monastery kitchen from the 19th century. The monastery also houses a rich museum collection of valuable old manuscripts and documents, charters and icons, an ethnographic exhibition of fabrics, jewelry, carpets and wrought iron objects, and a library containing more than 16,000 books. Destroyed by fire at the beginning of the 19th century, the complex was rebuilt between 1834 and 1862. Nowadays Rila Monastery is the biggest and most important symbol of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
In the morning we have a transfer of about 2 h to get to Rila Monastery. There we have guided walk among the monastery wall, visiting the museum and the other sites of interest.
Trek duration (walking only): 0,5 hours
Best period: all year
Price is total for up to 8 ppl and includes private transfer by bus to the monastery and guidance throughout the trip; the price excludes meals and drinks, things of personal use, museum tickets and other taxes for visitors.
5. Rila Mountains & Musala Peak (2925 m.)
Description: The Rila Mountains are the highest ones not only on The Balkan Peninsula but also in South East Europe with mount Musala - 2925 m a.s.l. It occupies the prestigious 6th place in the European "classification", preceded by Caucasus, the Alps, Sierra Nevada, the Pyrenees and the Etna volcano. Many of the tops here are close to 3000 m a.s.l. Rila (an old Slavic word, meaning "Water Mountain") looks like a rough sea of mountain ridges and peaks, deep gorges and 150 crystal clear lakes. A big part of the National Park is under the protection of UNESCO.
Early transfer will bring us to Borovets (1350 m a.s.l.). Borovets is the oldest international and one of the most popular mountain resorts in Bulgaria. There we take the gondola lift to Yastrebets. The path now goes within the Dwarf Pine massifs towards the highest in altitude in Bulgaria Musala hut (2389 m a.s.l.; about 1,5 hours trek). The jagged form of Mount Musala could be enjoyed during the whole time. From Musala hut we need two more hours to climb the peak, going by the Musalenski lakes and the "Icy lake" refuge in between. The view from the very top is really breath-taking - one could spot many other peaks of Rila Mountains, the marble edges of Pirin Mountains, Vitosha and Sredna Gora Mountains, the green summits of the Rodopi Mountains and not the least the long body of the Balkan Mountains. We make a little rest here before going back to Yastrebets and further with the gondola-lift to Borovets, where the bus waits to take us back to Sofia.
Trek duration (walking only): 5-6 hours
Best period: June/July-October
Price is total for up to 8 ppl and includes private transfer by bus to Borovets and guidance throughout the trip; the price excludes meals and drinks, things of personal use and lift tickets.
6. Koprivshtitsa
Description: The town of Koprivshtitsa is located at 1060 m a.s.l. some 110 km south-east of Sofia. Koprivshtitsa is a town-museum and unique settlement in Bulgaria, which has preserved in compactness over 250 patterns of the Revival Period architecture.
Koprivshtitsa originated as a settlement during the 14 th century. The Revival Period houses with colorful courtyards, surrounded with high stone walls and gates, the disorderly built curved and narrow cobblestone little streets and plots and the numerous stone fountain contribute to the attractiveness of the little town. Many of these houses are turned into museums. One of these museums is the Oslekov's House. It is the most famous architectural, ethnographic site in the town, ownership of a rich merchant from Koprivshtitsa in the middle of the 19 th century. Another place of interest is the church "St. Nikolai" and the "Mausoleum - Ossuary - 20 th April" devoted to those who died during the April Uprising.
Morning transfer (1,5 h) will bring us to Koprivshtitsa. There we make sightseeing trip and get back to Sofia later in the afternoon.
Trek duration (walking only): 2-3 hours
Best period: all year
Price is total fo