12.06.2015 – La Cenerentola – Ghioachino Rossini

In the summer Sofia Opera House to organize impressive open air performances in the park of the Military academy in Sofia. Those stupendous performances leave unforgettable memories among opera lovers.

The program includes 7 nights on HB basis – 3 nights in Sofia, 1 night in Plovdiv, 1 night in Kazanlak, 2 nights in Veliko Tarnovo or Arbanassi; transfer with an air-conditioned minivan, minibus or coach; English speaking guide throughout the entire trip.

PROGRAMME
Day 1 - 11.06.2015 (THURSDAY): Arrival at Sofia airport. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay in Sofia.

Day 2 - 12.06.2015 (FRIDAY): Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of Sofia – St. Nedelya Cathedral, St. George Rotunda, Banya Bashi Mosque, Sofia synagogue – the largest synagogue on the Balkan peninsula, the Presidency and the seat of the Government, Ivan Vazov National Theater, the former Royal Palace, Russian Church of St. Nicolas, St. Sophia Church, St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, National Assembly Square with the monument of the Russian tsar Alexander II named “Tsar Liberator”, Sofia University and National Library. Visit to the National Museum of History and the Boyana Church. In the Museum a visitor will be able to see the most impressive Thracian treasures, found on the territory of modern day Bulgaria: the Panagyurishte and Rogosen gold treasures, the treasures from Borovo, Kralevo, Letnica, as well as multiple gold burial artefacts, found in different Thracian burial complexes, most famous of which are those found in the Mogilan burial chamber near Vratsa. Here a visitor can also see finest gold objects found in the Neolithic necropolis of Varna (around the 4th millenium B.C.). That exhibition shows the greatest moments In Bulgarian history. The Boyana Church is included in the UNESCO List of World Cultural Heritage and has preserved frescoes of an unknown artist, which date back to the year 1259. The frescoes impress with the spirituality and expressiveness of their images, created 7 years before the birth of Giotto di Bondone, considered to be the first Renaissance artist. Time at leisure in Sofia in the afternoon. Dinner. 20h00 – visit to a performance of “La Cenerentola” in the park of the Military Academy in Sofia. Overnight stay in Sofia.
Useful links:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/cities/view.html?lid=657&cid=72
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/world_heritage/boyana_church
http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomingbulgaria/sets/72157626139590239/
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/culture.html

Day 3 - 13.06.2015 (SATURDAY): Breakfast. Departure to Rila Monastery - the largest monastery in Bulgaria, founded in the 10th century by the monk and hermit St. John of Rila, patron and protector of Bulgaria. The monastery served as the center for cultural and spiritual life of the Bulgarian people, during the centuries of foreign enslavement. Visit to the monastery, the main church and the monastery museum. Departure to Plovdiv – one of Europe’s most ancient cities, older than Athens, Rome and Constantinople. Arrival. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay in Plovdiv.
Useful links:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/places_of_interest/Monasteries/Rila_Monastery/index.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomingbulgaria/sets/72157626152993899/

Day 4 - 14.06.2015 (SUNDAY): Breakfast. Sightseeing of Plovdiv – a tour of the old town, which consists of one of the most spectacular ensembles of town houses from the period of the Bulgarian National Revival (middle of the 18th century until the end of the 19th century). Visit to the Saints Constantine and Helena Church, Roman Theatre. Visit of the Ethnographic Museum offering a wide range of objects from furniture and jewellery to traditional handicrafts and housed in an exceptional house built in 1847 by the Greek merchant Argir Koyumdjiuglu. Visit of the museum of Zlatyu Boyadzhiev – one of the most eminent Bulgarian postwar painters. Departure to Kazanlak. Arrival. Dinner. Overnight stay in Kazanlak.
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/cities/view.html?lid=636&cid=72
http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomingbulgaria/sets/72157626474926586/

Day 5 - 15.06.2015 (MONDAY): Breakfast. Visit of Kazanlak – the city of artists, roses and Thracian kings. Visit to Iskra Museum of History (the most recently discovered gold, silver and bronze findings from the Thracian mounds are on display in the new treasury). Visit to the Art gallery. Kazanlak is place of birth of many famous Bulgarian artists like Dechko Uzunov, Nenko Balkanski, Ivan Milev, Chudomir etc. The local Art museum is one of the oldest and richest in the country and is home to extremely valuable collection of icons from XVIII – XIX centuries, as well as a remarkable collection of paintings and sculptures from Stancho Lisichev, Tsanko Lavrenov, Vladimir Dimitrov – “The Master”, Dechko Uzunov, Zlatyu Boyadzhiev, Ivan Lazarov, Dimitar Kazakov – “Neron”, Toma Trifonski, Anton Antonov etc. Visit to the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak. The tomb is part of a great Thracian necropolis that dates back to the 4th century BC. It has been part of the UNESCO List of World Cultural Heritage since 1979. Visit to the Kazanlak Rose Museum, which has unique exhibits relevant to the production of rose oil from the year 1660 until today. Time ate leisure. Departure to Veliko Tarnovo or Arbanassi. Arrival. Overnight stay in Veliko Tarnovo or Arbanassi.
Useful link:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/cities/view.html?lid=614&cid=72


Day 6 - 16.06.2015 (TUESDAY): Breakfast. Sightseeing in Veliko Tarnovo – Tsarevets hill, Samovodska Charshia. A visit to the historical village of Arbanasi - the Konstantsaliev’s House – one of the biggest and most lavishly decorated houses of the Bulgarian National Revival and at the Church of the Nativity of Christ, the oldest church in Arbanasi, unique with its frescoes. Return to Veliko Tarnovo. Dinner. Possibility to attend the “Sound and Light” show on Tsarevets hill (additional payment). Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo or Arbanassi.
Useful links:
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/cities/view.html?lid=603&cid=72
http://www.incomingbulgaria.com/i.php/places_of_interest/Arbanasi/index.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomingbulgaria/sets/72157626154308937/

Day 7 - 17.06.2015 (WEDNESDAY): Breakfast. Departure to Sofia. Arrival. Accommodation in the hotel. In the afternoon - Visit of the National Art Gallery – a museum of art and sculpture, which holds pieces of Bulgaria’s most famous artists from the 19th and 20th century - Yaroslav Veshin, Vladimir Dimitrov-the Master, Zlatio Boyadzhiev, Dechko Uzunov, Nenko Balkanski, Vera Nedkova, Ivan Nenov, Bencho Obreshkov, Vasil Zahariev, George Papazov, Svetlin Rusev and many more. Overnight stay in Sofia.

Day 8 - 18.06.2015 (THURSDAY): Breakfast. Transfer to Sofia airport. Departure.

Price per person in double room:
Group 10/15 pax – 499 EUR
Group 16/20 pax – 459 EUR
Group 21/25 pax – 446 EUR
Group 26/30 pax – 425 EUR
Group 31/35 pax – 396 EUR
Group 36/40 pax – 386 EUR
Group 41/45 pax – 369 EUR
Single supplement – 103 EUR



Price includes:
•3 nights in Sofia, 1 night in Plovdiv, 1 night in Kazanlak, 2 nights in Veliko Tarnovo or Arbanassi in 3 or 4 star hotels;
•All transfers and transport with a luxurious coach;
•English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Greek or Turkish speaking guide throughout the entire trip;
•All entrance fees for museums, listed in the program (National Museum of History, Boyana Church and National Art Gallery in Sofia; the Rila monastery museum; Saints Constantine and Helena Church, Roman Theater, the Regional Ethnographic Museum and the museum of Zlatyu Boyadzjiev in Plovdiv; the Iskra museum of history, the art gallery, the Thracian tomb and the rose museum in Kazanlak; Tsarevets hill in Veliko Tarnovo; Konstantsaliev’s House and the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Arbanasi)
•for 20 paying pax - 1 free of charge

Price of a ticket for the performances of Sofia Opera house – from 15 to 40 EUR per person per performance depending on the performance, on the places and on the moment of the reservation.