Bulgaria Folk Music and Dance Tour

Escorted 15-day / 14-night Tour

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

• Stay in the capital city of Sofia. Enjoy opera and concert performances. Visit the National Conservatory, the National High Scholl of Ballet and Folk Dance. Attend informal lectures on Bulgarian music, given by university professors and professionals.
• Visit the world–famous Rila Monastery, an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and listen to Orthodox liturgical church music.
• Enjoy the gorgeous mountains of Bulgaria and hear the legends of mythical Orpheus, who is believed to have lived in these lands!
• Listen to a world-famous folk singer and meet with high school students in authentic folklore. Try your skills in learning to dance Bulgarian ‘khoro’ and ‘ratchenitsa’, and play folk instruments!
• Stroll in the ancient city of Plovdiv. Attend an opera performance, staged in the 2nd century Roman amphitheater, and visit the Academy of Arts and Dance
• Relax in the coastal city of Varna, the venue of the annual music festival.
• Explore remarkable historical landmarks in the spectacular coastal town of Nessebur, a World Heritage Site, and in the impressive old capital city of Veliko Turnovo.
• Listen to a comprehensive lecture on Traditional Bulgarian Crafts in the Etura unique open-air ethnographical museum.
• Enjoy the gorgeous scenery when crossing the historical Shipka Pass in the Balkan Range Mountains.
• Walk and sightsee in the town-museum of Koprivshtitsa, venue of the Grand National Genuine Folklore Festival, held every 5 years!
• Taste delicious local cuisine and famous Bulgarian wines!

Itinerary: Sofia / 3 nights /- drive to Bansko / 2 nights / - drive to Pamporovo / 2 nights /-drive to Plovdiv /2 nights/-drive to Varna / 2 nights /-drive to Veliko Tarnovo / 2 nights /- drive to Sofia / 1 nights /

Day 1
Afternoon arrival at Sofia Airport. Transfer to your hotel and check in for 3 nights.

Day 2: Sofia
Morning:
Introductory lecture on Bulgarian Music and Dance.
Sightseeing tour in downtown Sofia, incl. a visit to the National Ethnographical Museum
Afternoon:
Visit to the National Conservatory and meet with faculty and students. Many of the world famous Bulgarian opera singers have graduated from that school.
Evening: Attend a performance in the National Opera (subjected to actual schedule).

Day 3: Sofia
Morning:
Visit St. Alexander Nevski Memorial Church and listen to liturgical Orthodox singing.
Visit the National High School of Ballet and Folk Dance for a Folk Dancing Lesson.
Afternoon:
Visit to the National Museum of History
Free time in town.
Day 4 : Transfer Day: Sofia – Bansko in the Pirin Mountains (140 miles)
En route:
Visit to the world-famous Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Afternoon arrival and check in at your hotel for two nights.

Day 5: Bansko
Morning:
Sightseeing tour in this picturesque town-museum.
Meet with local musicians and singers and listen to the typical for the region sound and rhythm.
Afternoon:
Free time in town
Optional: drive and hike in gorgeous Mt. Pirin, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Natural Sit

Day 6: Transfer day: Bansko – Pamporovo in the Rhodope Mt. (120 miles)
En route:
- Visit the High School of Folk Instruments and Music in the village of Shiroka Laka to meet with faculty and students, and for another Folk Music Lesson.
Afternoon arrival and check in at your hotel for two nights.
Lunch en route. Dinner in the hotel.

Day 7: Pamporovo resort

Morning:
Walking tour in the mountain to enjoy gorgeous scenery and listen to legends about mythical Orpheus, who is believed to have lived in the area. Learn about the mystery of the Rodopean song. The pentatonics is the basis of the Rhodope songs – there are five basic tones. The heart of the Rhodope folklore melody is the local pentatonic. The song from the Rhodopes is related to the pentagram of Orpheus. Due to pentatonics there are people who find cosmic elements in Rhodopes’ song. The song “Delyo Haidutin” performed by the Rhodopean singer Valya Balkanska is on the Voyager shuttle as part of the heritage humanity sent to the outer space to contact other civilizations in the Universe.

Day 8 : Transfer day: Pamporovo resort – Plovdiv (50 miles/
En route:
Visit the famous Bachkovo Monastery.
Arrival and check in at your hotel for two nights.
Afternoon:
Sightseeing tour of the ancient city of Plovdiv.

Day 9: Plovdiv
Morning:
Visit the Academy of Arts and Dance and meet with faculty and students.
Afternoon:
Free in town.

Day 10: Transfer day: Plovdiv - Varna on the Black Sea Coast (250 miles)
En route:
Visit to the ancient coastal town of Nessebur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Afternoon arrival and check in at your hotel for two nights.

Day 11: Varna
Walking sightseeing tour in downtown area, incl. the fabulous Archaeological Museum, famous for the ‘Oldest Gold in Europe’ collection.
 Day 12: Transfer day: Varna – Veliko Turnovo (140 miles)
En route:
Visit the Madara Horseman rock-relief, an UNESCO World Heritage Site and the famous mosque in the town of Shumen.
Arrival and check in at your hotel for two nights.

Day 13: Veliko Turnovo
All day in Veliko Tarnovo
Sightseeing tour of the old capital city of Bulgaria in the 12th – 14th centuries.t. Visit the the nearby historical village of Arbanassi: the medieval Tsarevets Fortress; early monasteries and churches; Museum of the First Bulgarian Constitution (adopted in 1879); National Revival (19th century) houses. Free time to stroll around in a traditional artisan area of national arts and crafts.

Day 14: Transfer day: Veliko Turnovo – Sofia (180 miles)
En route:
Lecture on Traditional Bulgarian Crafts in the Etura open-air ethnographic museum.
Stop for sightseeing at the historical Shipka Pass, famous for the epic battles during the Russo – Turkish War for the Independence of Bulgaria in 1877-88.
Sightsee in the town–museum of Koprivshtitsa, venue of the Grand National Genuine Folklore Festival, held every 5 years.

Day 15
Morning: Free time in town for last minute shopping, sightseeing, etc.
Transfer to the airport for departure. End of program.

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