Dear World Travelers:

Ever loyal to our commitment to make you part of magnificent cultures and help you befriend open-minded people, we have included in our program an in-depth cultural tour of Bulgaria. Always part of the cradle of European Civilization, Bulgaria has nonetheless remained relatively unknown to Americans. Our discovery trip through the charming towns and millennia-old cities of Bulgaria will introduce you to interesting people excited to share the secrets of their country.

Since you may only make one trip to Bulgaria, we want to make it as memorable as possible. Therefore we have a full program with many extras. Enjoy excellent accommodations including the Arbanassi Palace, formerly the Bulgarian president’s home. Also stay at the Euxinograd Residence, formerly the summer palace of the Bulgarian kings. Our private coach and driver will be at your disposal and you’ll have your luggage handled without a care.

Some of the special features that distinguish this exciting cultural program are a private choir concert in an Orthodox Church where you can almost see the music swirl in the vaulted ceilings; a spectacular private folklore performance of music and dance; and performances of musicians to accompany some of the meals. Oh yes, the meals! Dine sumptuously at the Hunting Lodge of Euxinograd Palace and at Efrosina’s 250-year old mansion, a private residence visited by invitation only to diplomats, nobility and distinguished guests such as you! We’ll savor great food and wine. Whether it is a beef and vegetable stew, slow-cooked in a traditional ceramic pot, or an elegant fish entrée, all our meals will be accompanied by award-winning Bulgarian wines and pure spring water for which Bulgaria is famous.

Bulgaria’s past, present and future are forever marked by the country’s strategic location at the crossroads of major civilizations: between Classical Greek, Imperial Rome and majestic Byzantium. Lesser-known societies also flourished and became centers of admiration for historians, archeologists and the general public interested in the origins of European culture. Bulgaria proudly preserves the remnants of the Thracian, Macedonian and Celtic civilizations.

Together we’ll discover the enchanting land of Orpheus (the magical musician of antiquity), Dionysus (the God of Wine), and the rebellious Spartacus. With this trip, we’ll have the pleasure of immersing ourselves in these well- and lesser-known cultures. Forget the myth that former communist states are gray and drab. The country fairly bursts with color. In Varna we’ll see the world’s first gold treasures and the Gold Treasures of the Thracian Kings. We’ll discover how the majestic faces of the Bulgarian Emperors on the frescos in the Boyana Church were predecessors of the Renaissance. We’ll marvel at the artistic wealth of the Eastern Orthodox churches and monasteries. The visual backdrops of our journey will be the majestic castles in Veliko Turnovo, a Roman amphitheater in Plovdiv, and Greek colonnades. They break forth from an idyllic landscape and modern cityscapes. The Bulgarians invariably find a friendly way to share their culture with us. We can always learn something new and exciting from one another.

We’ll gladly assist with air arrangements from your home city and provide extensive preparation material including a study packet. Please join our small group of no more than 15 travelers led by our highly acclaimed guide, Luba Boyanin, and enjoy the charm of the Seven Wonders of Bulgaria!

Gwen Erwood
President, Travel Concepts International

By Rossitza Ohridska-Olson
Written exclusively for the patrons of Serious Traveler

Seven monuments and churches, preserving the spirit of a millennia history on the lands of Bulgaria, are included in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage list. They are part of a larger legacy encompassing several civilizations and cultures with significant importance for the humanity. Witnesses of the Thracian, Greek, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Bulgarian past, these seven wonders stand as pillars of artistic continuity between history and present.

The Ivanovo Monasteries
The rock-cut monasteries of Ivanovo are an integral part of the large monastery complex of “St. Michael the Archangel”, an exceptional spiritual and literary center of Bulgarian medieval art. Carved high in the rocks above the Lom River gorge, this cluster of churches, chapels and monasteries shines with beautifully painted frescos dating back to the 12th through the 17th centuries. The Ivanovo monasteries once had 40 churches and housed more than 300 monks in cave-like monastic cells. Now the complex is a cultural monument preserving unique examples of 14th century Bulgarian and Byzantine art.

The Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari
With its unique architecture and lavish decoration, the Sveshtari tomb is among the most prominent Thracian tombs ever built. It was discovered in 1982 as part of an ancient religious centre erected by the Thracians in 4th century BC. Along the walls of the main chamber, there are ten sculptured female figures (caryatids) with raised hands, wearing dresses in the form of inverted lotus flowers. The half-moon shaped space (lunette) at the back wall is decorated with a fresco depicting a rider looking at a goddess offering him a crown. This unfinished mural scene is interpreted as heroization or investiture and highlights the royal character of the Sveshtari Tomb.

The Madara Rider
The Madara Rider (Horseman) is a unique bas-relief dating back to the early middle ages. Carved into the rock onto an almost vertical cliff during the early 8th century, the monument depicts a majestic horse and a rider. The rider is thrusting a spear into a lion lying at his horse’s feet. A dog is running behind the horse. This incredible rock carving is a wonderful example of medieval art in Bulgaria. The scene symbolically depicts a military triumph during the times of the First Bulgarian Empire. Art historians also connect the relief with the ancient tradition of portraying the Thracian Horseman.

The Ancient City of Nessebar
Nessebar is one of the smallest towns on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, but at the same time one of the most beautiful and charming ones. Originally a Thracian settlement known as Menebria, founded in the 2nd millennium BC, the town was colonized by Dorians from Megara at the beginning of the 6th century BC. Remains from the Hellenistic period include an acropolis, a temple of Apollo, and an agora. The walls that formed part of the Greek fortifications can still be seen.

From the 5th century onwards Nessebar was one of the most important strongholds of the Byzantine Empire. The Bulgarian ruler Khan Krum captured the city in 812. Between the 9th and the 14th centuries, Nessebar often altered its adherence to Bulgaria or Byzantium, without loosing its affluence. Unfortunately, these centuries of prosperity ended with the Crusaders’ conquest in 1366.

The antique monuments of Nessebar, its Byzantine churches and 19th century houses not only transformed the town in one of the most charming places in Bulgaria, but also gave it its status as a town-museum.

The Thracian Tomb of Kazanluk
Discovered by in 1944, the Thracian Tomb of Kazanluk was the first one to reveal the secrets of an entire succession of cult tomb sites, sanctuaries, burials and towns in the heart of the Odryssian Kingdom, now known as the Valley of the Thracian Kings. Inside, the tomb is covered by magnificent frescos, illustrating the ideas and beliefs of the Thracians. The paintings in the tomb provide priceless knowledge about the people who created this masterpiece. Military victories, royal celebrations and sacred Orphic rites decorate the tomb. Almost perfectly preserved twenty-five centuries after their creation, the frescos of the Thracian Tomb of Kazanluk continue impress the admirers of the best Hellenistic art.

The Rila Monastery
Founded in the 10th century, the Rila Monastery is the most famous of all Bulgarian Christian Orthodox monuments. It was originally built on the top of an older cult complex. Its first location, at 3300 feet above sea level, was near to the current compound. The monastery went through several destructions and rebuilding cycles during three and a half centuries. In 1335 Stefan Dragolov, a Bulgarian nobleman, financed the construction of monks’ quarters, a small church and a defense tower. Only the tower survives today from these 14th century buildings. In the 19th century it was converted into a clock tower that stands in the middle of the Monastery courtyard.

The rest of the Rila Monastery was built at the beginning of the 19th century, thanks to the efforts of local Bulgarians, who contributed money and iconography. The main church of the Monastery, The Nativity of the Virgin Mary, was built in 1838 and decorated with astonishing frescoes covering both the inside and outside walls. Amazing woodcarvings in the style of the Samokov School serve as altar display for marvelous icons.

The Boyana Church
The Boyana Church, built in three periods (10th, 13th and 19th centuries) owes its world fame mainly to its frescoes painted in 1259. These frescoes form a second layer over paintings from earlier centuries and represent one of the most complete and well-preserved examples of the Veliko Turnovo Art School.

The portraits of the patrons of the church, Sebastocrator Kaloyan and his wife Desislava, are considered as precursors of the Renaissance art that emerged in Italy a century later. The frescoes are an artistic bridge between Byzantine Art and the Italian Quattrocento.