Roundtrips are the best way to explore many of a country's
places of interest, accompanied by a guide for limited
time. Thus we provide the possibilities for visits to
some of the most famous Bulgarian specialties like the
Alexander Nevski Cathedral, Rila and Bachkovo monasteries,
historical monuments etc.
|
|
Historical excerpt
Bulgaria - an ancient land
 As
a state established by khan Asparoukh, Bulgaria has been
existing for more than 13 centuries. Thracians were the
first settlers in the Bulgarian lands and their civilisation
is evidenced by the numerous archaeological finds, uncovered
tombs, discovered gold and silver treasures. Testimonies
for the presence of life in the pre-historic ages have
been preserved in the best-preserved Neolithic housings
discovered world-wide - namely those off the town of Stara
Zagora, in the "Bacho Kiro" cave off the town
of Dryanovo and in the Magurata cave - close to the town
of Belogradchik.
Under the rule of Khan Tervel (700-718 AD), Bulgaria expanded
its territory and turned into a major political force.
Under Khan Kroum (803-814 AD) Bulgaria bordered with the
empire of Carl the Great to the west, and to the east
the Bulgarian troops reached the walls of Constantinople,
the capital of the Byzantine Empire. The reign of Tsar
Simeon I (893-927 AD) marked the "Golden Age of Bulgarian
Culture", and the territory of his state reached
the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea. During the reign of
Simeon's successors, Bulgaria was weakened by internal
struggles, the heresy of the priest Bogomil spread and
influenced the teachings of the Cathars and Albigenses
in Western Europe.
In 864 AD, during the rule of Prince Boris I Michail (852-889
AD), the Bulgarians adopted Christianity as their official
religion. This act abolished the ethnic differences between
Proto-Bulgarians and Slavs, and started building a unified
Bulgarian nation. After adopting Christianity, the influence
of the Byzantine Empire grew. This is evidenced by the
ossuary in the Bachkovo Monastery (1083 AD). Bulgarian
church music was created. From 1396 for nearly five centuries
 Bulgaria
was under Ottoman domination. The initial years were characterised
by sporadic and unorganised attempts to win freedom. Later
the appearance of the clandestine fighters, the "haydouts",
made the emergence of a well-organised national liberation
movement possible.
The formation of the Bulgarian nation and the development
of Bulgarian education started in the beginning of the
18th century. One impetus for this was the work of the
monk Paissii of Hilendar History of Slavs and Bulgarians,
written in 1762. The ideas of national freedom led to
the establishing of an autonomous Bulgarian national Church,
and to the flourishing of education and culture. Some
of the key figures during the Bulgarian National Revival
were Zachary Zograph, Nikolay Pavlovich, Stanislav Dospevski,
and many others. That period marked also the beginning
of the first amateur theatre performances.
As one of Europe's oldest states, Bulgaria offers a unique
combination of breathtaking natural beauties and historical
remains, spanning millennia's of social and cultural development.
|
|
OUR OFFER
 Our
unique roundtrip offers an inside view of the country's
history, culture and society managed by our experienced
staff around the country.
ROUNDTRIP BULGARIA - 8 days
Guaranteed departures for 2005:
June 18, July 16, August 6, September 10, October 8
Other days also possible upon request.
The sightseeing tour we offer differs from the other tours
at the tourist market. In order to save the long drive
to and from the Black Sea coast, we have chosen to fly
to Sofia. We have travelled widely and have found good
hotels with bath/toilet in beautiful historical towns
forming a well balanced mix between urban and country
environments, whilst preserving the major historical sites.
The group size is a maximum of 18 persons, which gives
a better chance of coming closer to the local people and
their everyday life. Bulgaria is known as the land of
magnificent monasteries. They are not only important historic
monuments, but are often beautifully situated in gorges
or at the foot of the mountains. Our tour takes us in
the Rila, the Pirin, the Rodopi, the Balkan Mountains
and to some of Bulgaria's most interesting monasteries:
Rila Monastery, Bachkovo Monastery, Rozhen Monastery etc.
 The
package includes guided visits to some of the most interesting
and characteristic places in Bulgaria. These are: Sofia
(the Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the St Sofia Church,
the St George Rotunda, the National Museum of History),
Rila and Rozhen Monasteries, Sandanski, Melnik (Kordopulov's
house), Bansko (St Teodor Tironund Stratilat Church),
Batak (Batak's Church), Plovdiv (the ancient fortress-wall,
the Roman forum and stadium), Bachkovo Monastery, Kazanluk
(the valley of  Roses),
Shipka Pass, Etura - open-air ethnographic museum, Veliko
Turnovo (Tsarevets fortress), the museum-town of Arbanassi,
Kilifarevo Monastery etc.
Extensions: Yes, Black Sea
This is a unique proposal, which gives tourists the opportunity
to stay in Bulgaria for one week more at the incredibly
low price! We can offer a great variety of means of accommodation
- from home stays (no meals) to 2, 3 and 4-star hotels
(BB or HB) on the Southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast:
- Sunny Beach - a big modern resort with hundreds
of hotels, cafes, pubs, casinos, water-sports facilities
etc.
- Nessebar, Sozopol - small towns (founded by the
ancient Greeks) with picturesque Old Quarters and a specific
atmosphere.
- Lozenets -a peaceful small village with a beautiful
beach. Only 4-5 km from the forests of the Strandzha Mountains
where you can go walking, biking or riding horses.
The price includes: transfer
from/to the airport and throughout the whole journey,
guiding according program, accommodation and boarding
mentioned (excluding alcohol drinks, cigarettes and
other personal expenses), VAT and all local taxes.
|
|
 ABOUT
US
Over the past 15 years we have specialized in providing
quality products in the f.i.t. travel area. In particular
active tourism and the exploration of not so known areas
on the borders of the well-known tourist destinations
is our speciality. Cultural, cycling, trekking, horse
riding and on request any other trip can be organized
with the quality assured by our in depth local experience.
Penguin Travel DMC Bulgaria is the branch of the Danish
company Penguin Travel, a licensed EU tour operator, based
in Denmark - A company with over 15 years of experience
in organizing guided group and f.i.t. tours to Bulgaria
and a number of other countries including Spain, Portugal,
Denmark, China, Mongolia, Iran and more.
Our staff at our offices in Denmark, Sweden, Bulgaria
& Mongolia with our wide network of experienced suppliers
will ensure the quality, safety, good value and  cost-effectiveness
of your tour programmes.
GENERAL CONDITIONS
Availability and pricing subject to change without notice
on behalf of Penguin Travel DMC.
On booking, payment of € 100 per PAX as deposit is
required for booking validity. Deposit payments are due
one week after booking request. Any outstanding balance
must be cleared four weeks before customers' arrival,
at latest.
|
|
| |
