Bulgaria is one of the few remaining exotic destinations in Europe, because it boasts of sublime beaches, lovely churches, mountains, as well as a unique combination of architectural styles in each of its cities and towns. We will visit Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, Arbanassi, Varna, Golden Sands, Nessebar and Plovdiv.

Departure by Wizzair flight to Sofia at 7:45am arriving at 10:40am Group must be at the airport at 5:45am. On our arrival in Sofia we will check‑in at the hotel and go to the centre before dinner.

Today we will have an early breakfast, as we have to leave Sofia with the luggage to our first destination - Veliko Tarnovo. On our arrival we will check-in and have a half day walking tour of this old Bulgarian capital, with a rich history and many landmarks. We will visit the historical hill Tsarevets with the fortress, the Patriarchal church and the Emperor Baldwin’s Tower. We will walk along the old Trade Street ‘Samovodska Charshia’ where you will have the opportunity to buy handmade souvenirs. We will spend the night here. After dinner the evening is free.

After our breakfast, we shall proceed to another destination - Varna. On our way we will first stop in Arbanasi, known for the rich history and large number of historical monuments, such as the 17th and 18th century churches. The Nativity Church is the oldest church in Arbanassi built during the 15th century. Nearly every inch of the vaulted interior is covered in paintings and frescoes dating back to the 17th century. Not far away from Varna we will take a glimpse of the monument of Shumen dedicated to the 1300th anniversary of the establishment of the Bulgarian state. It is built on the edge of the Shumen plateau and can be seen from the highway.

After breakfast we will go for a walking tour of Varna. Varna is a port city and seaside resort on Bulgaria’s side of the Black Sea. It is famous for the ‘Gold of Varna’, 6,000-year-old Thracian jewellery discovered in a necropolis, which is displayed inside the Archaeological Museum, along with Greek, Roman and Ottoman antiquities. A visit to this museum is optional. Afternoon is free.

We have selected 3 other beautiful sites on the Black Sea for today to make this tour unique, a one of a kind; Cape Kalikara, Balchik and last but not least Golden Sands. Cape Kalikara is one of the most beautiful and historic Capes in Europe. It is a nature reserve, where dolphins, cormorants and pinnipeds can be observed. There are 3 main legends about the Cape and we will discover them together. Balchik is a small, pretty town and fishing port huddled below white-chalk cliffs, it’s a low-key holiday spot, often called ‘The White City’. It has very simple restaurants serving very good food. We will have some free time here before we head to Golden Sands. Golden Sands was Bulgaria’s first international resort and was once the largest resort along the Black Sea coast. It occupies a gentle, sloping forest by the area’s greatest asset – a 4km strip of soft, golden sand; hence the name.

We will leave Varna after breakfast with our luggage and head to Plovdiv, the town which we will visit on our way is Nessebar. The old town of this village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Often referred to as the ‘Pearl of the Black Sea’, Nessebar is a rich city-museum defined by more than three millennia of everchanging history. On our arrival to Plovdiv we will check-in, have some time to rest and attend to a folklore night which will include dinner.

Today we will visit Plovdiv, it has a strong claim to being the oldest continually inhabited city in Europe. While it’s hard to summarize 6,000 years of visible history, an obvious highlight is the enormous partially unearthed Roman Stadium below the main street built around 90 AD when the city was an important Roman frontier town called Philippopolis. As recently as the 1970s, nobody knew that it was lying dormant beneath one of Plovdiv’s hills, but after a landslide uncovered it, it was expertly restored to its former magnificence. Plovdiv has Europe’s longest vehicle-free pedestrian zone. We will also visit the Bohemian quarter called ‘The Trap’. Today the area is a labyrinthine sprawl of hipster cafes, flower shops and jazz bars.

All good things, unfortunately, come to an end! We will leave early to Sofia. Departure on Wizz Air is at 6:10am from Sofia. Expected arrival in Malta is at 7:10am.