Ancient Macedonia

Arrive in Sofia, Bulgaria's capital. Sofia has a long history which can be seen in the onion-domed churches, Ottoman mosques, Roman ruins and old Soviet monuments. However, it is largely modern and youthful with a wealth of museums, art galleries, cafes and restaurants. For those arriving on time our Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Sofia at any time. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Sofia Airport (SOF), which is about 30 minutes' drive from the city centre. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your Leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. If your flight arrives earlier in the day or you're extending your stay by a night, perhaps you might choose to visit the Archaeological Museum where there are Thracian, Roman and medieval artefacts on display in a former mosque dating from 1496. Or perhaps the Museum of Socialist Art where you'll find many of the items removed from around the country when the Soviet era came to an end such as unwanted statues of Lenin, the red star from Sofia's Party House and footage from old propaganda films. There are also the ancient ruins of Serdica, which were discovered during the building of a new metro station. Now partially excavated you can see a small section of eight streets, an early Christian church and a bathhouse from this old Roman city. A short distance from Sofia is the beautiful Vitosha Nature Park with a number of hiking routes up Vitosha Mountain and it is also home to the working Dragalevtsi Monastery, which is probably the oldest of its kind in the country. It contains colourful murals and is renowned as being one of the hiding places of the anti-Turkish rebel leader Vasil Levski. This evening you'll have your first chance to sample the local cuisine. Food in Bulgaria tends to be hearty and made from fresh local produce and dinner usually starts with a salad such as 'shopska salata' consisting of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and white cheese. Other specialities include 'kebapche' small and spicy minced meat rolls and 'surmi' stuffed cabbage or vine leafs. Both red and white wines are popular, as is the local brandy 'rakia' or the aniseed spirit 'mastika'.

We start our day with a guided walking tour of Sofia where we visit the neo-Byzantine Alexander Nevski Cathedral, which was built to commemorate the 200,000 Russian soldiers who died fighting for Bulgaria's independence. Along the way we will also see the synagogue, Presidential Palace and Saint Sofia's Church. After our walk we have free time for lunch before we leave the city and drive to the border with North Macedonia and on to the Saint Joakim Osogovski Monastery. This well preserved historic monastery is nestled amongst the picturesque hillside forests and this is where we spend the night. The drive today will take us around three hours in total. Founded in the 12th century the monastery became a place of worship for both Christians and Muslims, situated as it was on the main route to Constantinople (modern day Istanbul). We will see the brightly coloured 18th century frescoes before settling in to our unique accommodation.

This morning we drive to the charming historical Roman mining town of Kratovo, located in the crater of an extinct volcano. A local guide will take us down the winding cobbled narrow streets and show us the main sights of this small town, known for its Ottoman towers and high stone bridges which cross the deep ravine which divides the town in two. We will also have the opportunity to sample a homemade lunch, which will often be accompanied by traditional music played on a sheepskin bagpipe, before we drive on to Skopje, North Macedonia's capital. This afternoon we will go on a guided walking tour of Skopje including Fortress Kale, the Church of Saint Spas and the old Turkish bazaar, which is the largest and most well preserved in south-east Europe. In 1963 a huge earthquake rocked the city and destroyed an estimated 75%, but it is still rich in historic culture and Ottoman heritage. Skopje has been used a pawn in many wars, including World War II and many empires have ruled over the city, all having influenced the architecture, religion and traditions. Despite the turbulent and sometimes violent history, Skopje is now a peaceful city where residents are free to practice all religions, the main faiths being Macedonian Orthodox and Islam. The city boasts many beautiful churches and mosques, although you'll notice mostly minarets on the skyline due to a historic law that was enforced by the Turks stating Christian buildings could not be taller than mosques. This evening you are free to have dinner. A popular Macedonian dish is 'turlitava', a meat and vegetable stew baked in a terracotta pot. 'Ravanija' is a traditional dessert which originates from when the country was under Turkish rule; it's a type of cake with a sherbet top. Macedonian wine is a popular choice with red being the more dominate option; usually made using the Vranec grape or sometimes Stanusina Crna, which is indigenous to the country.