Centre-based walking holiday in Bulgaria

Arriving in Sofia this evening we transfer from the capital to the beautiful scenery of the Rodopi Mountains, close to the Greek border. We will be based in the village of Ezerovo, lying in the shadow of the fascinating Orpheus Rocks. With over 3000 years of history this area is considered to be one of the cradles of European civilization and has, over the intervening centuries, been inhabited by Thracians, Romans and Ottoman Turks. Believed to be the birthplace of the mythical Orpheus, today its fame lies more in its clean mountain air and mountain scenery.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Dinner

Our first full morning here sees us hiking up into the hills above the village after breakfast. We climb to a viewpoint above Ezerovo. The place is called Nevestata and means the bride. The whole valley is beyond us; rock formations, pine forests and settlements build up the panorama! From Nevestata we descend to a mountain road and continue on to the village of Levochevo through flower meadows. Here we get an opportunity to introduce ourselves with the local culture while chatting and observing the people there.Returning to our hotel later this afternoon there is time to relax before dinner, or perhaps enjoy a stroll in the nearby countryside. During dinner this evening we will have a chance to taste local specialties. (Total hike approx. 3.5hrs)

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

The Arda River is the largest in the Rodopi, flowing 241 km across the region. Driving out to the river valley today we hike along mountain roads still used by shepherds and goats. The area is rich in fauna, with some 34 species, including wolves, foxes and deer represented. The Rodopi Mountains are some of the oldest in Bulgaria, covering an area of nearly 15,000sq km, and their location in the southeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula has produced a temperate climate that is ideal for the development of tourism. Hike on old mountain roads and paths to the springs of Arda River near “the no mans land” (former border zone between Bulgaria and Greece). Included BBQ picnic lunch, prepared by local people. We learn from them more about the initiatives for developing a new product in this region: active vacations all year round. We will spend some time with the people and perhaps they have a surprise for us? Then we return to Ezerovo to enjoy some more of our hosts delicious home cooked fare. (Total hike approx 3.5hrs)

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

This pleasant morning hike sees us walking the hills above Gela. Although inhabited for the past three millennia, the area still exudes a feeling of tranquil isolation and life seems to continue at a pace very much out of sorts with the outside world. The region is also home to a number of rare plants and animals. In the fields the local people continue a rural tradition that has survived the centuries, as they tend to their herds, the silence of the slopes only broken by the occasional cowbells. Surely we will find a beautiful place for a lunch break. In the afternoon en route back to Ezerovo we shall stop at the architectural heritage village of Shiroka Luka. The houses have roofs covered with huge slates and the stone bridges are very romantic. The center is dotted with small cafés and shops. Drive back to Ezerovo. (Total hike approx 4.5hrs)

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we drive to Smolyan and hike the area of the Orpheus Rocks and waterfalls. We walk along a nature trail and admire the waterfalls, pristine forest and panorama. The legend of Orpheus is one of the most famous of the Greek myths. The son of Calliope and Apollo, Orpheus was a great musician and poet, whose songs were believed to be able to charm the wild beasts and even inanimate objects. One of the famed Argonauts, Orpheus sailed with Jason on his legendary voyage and legend has it that it was his music that saved them from the destructive charm of the Sirens. When Orpheus’s wife Eurydice was killed by a serpent’s bite he descended into Hell to try and bring her back. It is said that his music charmed even Hades itself and was allowed to return to the surface with his wife. Unfortunately it was under the condition that he didn’t look back, a condition he failed to meet and so his wife was returned to the netherworld. Orpheus was inconsolable and became something of a hermit, spurning the company of others. Eventually his life was ended at the hands of a group of Ciconian Maenads, devotees of Dionysus, who literally tore him to pieces. It is said that his head continued to sing as it floated down the rivers and sea, finally coming to rest on the isle of Lesbos. This afternoon we spend time in the town of Smolyan, to visit the museum of history, which contains an excellent ethnographic exhibition. From here we return to Ezerovo. (Total hike approx 3hrs)

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

Today we experience the spectacular landscape of two canyons. Beginning with a transfer to Yagodinska Cave we visit this cave. Regarded as the ‘pearl in the crown’ of the Rodopi Mountains, the cave is part of the karst landscape of the Buynovsko Gorge. Some 10 km long and 5 stories deep it is a network of labyrinths and chasms, filled with stalactites and strange formations that resemble crocodiles and elephants, even Snow White and the 7 Dwarves! From the village of Yagodina we hike to Trigrad, following a mountain track through alpine meadows with stunning views across the surrounding landscape. Originally believed to have been founded from three earlier settlements, hence its name, Trigrad village is a rare commodity in this day and age, where Christian and Muslim cultures and traditions live side by side in an apparently easy alliance. We will take lunch with a local family, before exploring the magnificent gorge and its great cave. Trigrad Gorge runs for some 2-3km along the Trigradska River, an imposing fissure with sheer marble sides rising 250m above the river. The region boasts more than 150 caves, of which the greatest is the famous ‘Devil’s Throat’. Believed to be the place where Orpheus descended into Hades to rescue his beloved Euridika, the cave leads into a massiveunderground chamber large enough to accommodate the Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia. It also contains one of the highest underground waterfalls in Europe (42m). After our visit we shall return to Ezerovo for the evening. (Total hike approx 2.5hrs)

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Leaving Ezerovo for the last time this morning, we head back towards Sofia. En route we stop at the Bachkovo Monastery and its church, which is the second largest in the country. Founded by a Byzantine Georgian, a general in the army of Alexis I in 1083, it is considered by many to be one of Bulgaria’s most prominent monastic sites. The original monastery has had a turbulent history, suffering repeated desecration at the hands of the Ottomans during the 14th century, but the frescoes that survived are excellent examples of the medieval art. The monastery also features the Church of the Archangel, which dates from the 12th century and contains paintings by the artist Zachari Zograf.

From the monastery we drive to Plovdiv which is the second biggest town in Bulgaria also known as the cultural capital of the country. It is one of the oldest European town contemporary to Troya and Mikena. There are well preserved artefacts of the Bulgarian Revival architecture and a variety of archaeological memorials from Thracian, Romanian and Medieval times. From here we continue our journey to Sofia which is our last stop. In the evening here we will take a short walk through the streets of this most enigmatic of cities. Also one of the oldest settlements in Europe, Sofia is an eclectic mix of architectural styles where the ancient monuments rub shoulders with modem-day edifices of cosmopolitan city life and over 250 historic landmarks and architectural monuments blend in with the city's modern skyline.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

Included meals: Breakfast