Balkan Explorer

Our trip commences in the afternoon at the hotel in Sofia. Recommended arrival is before 3:00 pm as usually the group welcome meeting takes place at 3:30pm. After the welcome meeting, we go for an optional lunch at a nearby restaurant. After lunch, we have a guided walking tour around Sofia (approximately two hours) of the Bulgarian capital, which includes Sveta Nedelya Square, Independence Square with the St Sofia monument, excavated Roman ruins of the ancient Serdica, the Council of Ministers and the former House of the Communist Party, Rotunda of St George, the national theatre, the Russian Orthodox church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Bulgarian Parliament and the monument to the Tsar Liberator. Accommodation: Hotel Sofia Palace (or similar)

After breakfast, we begin our transfer towards the picturesque city of Melnik. En route we visit the Unesco-badged Boyana Church, a small medieval orthodox church in a suburb of Sofia. Despite the small size of the church, its frescoes are historically significant and part of an artistic movement that started the technique of illustrating biblical figures with emotions and placing them alongside local aristocracy. The second Unesco site we visit is Rila Monastery, one of the most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments in Bulgaria (approximately a two-hour transfer from Sofia). The combination of arcaded balconies, unique frescoes, gilded iconostasis, and fabulous mountain views make a visit to this 10th-century monastery extraordinary. Our leader reveals its history and there is plenty of time to explore with the option of lunch at one of the restaurants near the monastery complex. After food, we continue to Melnik, the smallest settlement in Bulgaria with city status, best known for its historic architecture. We have a quick visit to Kordopulova house, the biggest house from the Revival Period built in 1754 by the Kordopul family. Here we become familiar with old Melnik traditions and architecture. The rest of the day is free to explore. Accommodation: Hotel Melnik (or similar)

This morning, before we depart for North Macedonia, we visit Kordopulova house, the largest house from the Bulgarian Revival Period, built in 1754 by the Kordopulos family. Here we will become familiar with old Melnik traditions and architecture. We then head to the Strumica region of southeastern North Macedonia. After 1hr 30min, our first stop is the city of Strumica where we have a short walk around the centre and our first encounter with North Macedonian cuisine with lunch in a nice restaurant. In the afternoon, we move to the Tikvesh wine region, where we visit Stobi, the largest archaeological site in North Macedonia. The ancient city was first mentioned in 197 BCE but its history started some five centuries earlier, developing from a Paeonian town to the capital of the Roman province Macedonia Salutaris. The preserved buildings include a large theatre, luxurious palaces with fountains, ancient temples, and the oldest Christian church in the country. In the late afternoon, we check into our hotel-winery outside Demir Kapija and spend an evening tasting a selection of premium North Macedonian wines with dinner. Accommodation: Hotel Popova Kula (or similar)