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ITINERARY
Tour Pace
This tour has a well balanced pace with two night stays in Istanbul, Bucharest, Sofia and Athens; and overnights in Burgas, Mangalia and Kalambaka. The driving days are well planned with frequent stops for both refreshment and photo opportunities.
DAY 1 – MON – ISTANBUL
Welcome to Turkey! On arrival at Istanbul Airport, there are complimentary transfers to the tour hotel. Settle in and relax, or start exploring the wonders of this glorious city, uniquely located on two continents! Later, we meet our Tour Director and fellow passengers for a Welcome Drink. Hotel: Point.
DAY 2 – TUE – ISTANBUL SIGHTSEEING
Our sightseeing today reveals the glory of the city, ancient and modern. We visit the Cathedral of St Sophia, its daring domed architecture unique in the Byzantine world. Now on to the nearby Blue Mosque to see its six soaring minarets and vibrant blue and green tiled interior. We continue to Topkapi Palace, where the private palaces of the Sultans have been transformed into a series of glorious museums. We conclude our tour at the grand Bazaar where there are more than 4,000 shops, cafés and tea houses. Tonight we enjoy a Highlight Dinner with traditional entertainment! (Buffet breakfast, Speciality Highlight Dinner)
DAY 3 – WED – ISTANBUL – BURGAS
Leaving Istanbul, we head west towards Bulgaria before following the shores of the Black Sea to the resort town of Burgas. Hotel: Bulgaria. (Buffet breakfast, Three or four course table d'hote or buffet style dinner)
DAY 4 – THU – BURGAS – MANGALIA
We stop at Nesebar this morning, a delightful cluster of wooden fishing cottages and ancient churches separated from the mainland by a narrow isthmus. Further on up the coast we continue to the pretty seaside town of Balchik which has long attracted artists with its white-washed cottages and seascapes. Balchik is perhaps most famous for the 'Quiet Nest', the summer palace of Queen Marie of Romania and the delightful terraced gardens. After time to explore, we cross the Roumanian border to our hotel in the seaside spa town of Mangalia. Hotel: President. (Buffet breakfast, Three or four course table d'hote or buffet style dinner)
DAY 5 – FRI – MANGALIA – BUCHAREST
Our orientation tour of Constanta shows us the historical monuments and ancient ruins before we leave the Black Sea and head westwards and cross the Danube as we head towards the Romanian capital, Bucharest. On arrival our sightseeing tour shows us the Old Princely Court, established by Prince Vlad the Impaler, the old commercial area of Lipscani and the immense Parliament Palace. Then on to our hotel. Hotel: Grand Plaza. (Buffet breakfast, Three or four course table d'hote or buffet style dinner)
DAY 6 – SAT – BRAN CASTLE EXCURSION
This morning we head north from Bucharest to the Prahova Valley which we follow to the elegant alpine resort of Sinaia, nestling beneath the Transylvanian Alps. Now imagine a horse and carriage careering up a wet mountainous road – thunder and lightning illuminating the imposing medieval castle guarding the Transylvanian border! We discover if this popular image of Dracula's castle is true, or, like the vampire story itself, only a myth, as we visit Bran Castle said to be the inspiration for Bram Stoker's book. Later we visit the medieval town of Brasov before returning to Bucharest. (Buffet breakfast, Three or four course table d'hote or buffet style dinner)
DAY 7 – SUN – BUCHAREST – SOFIA
We cross the Danube at Ruse and continue to the one time capital of Bulgaria, Velika Turnovo, whose houses cling to the cliffs of the River Yantra. Then we cross the Balkan Mountains and make our way to Sofia along the Valley of the Roses, magically transformed with breath-taking blooms in May and early June. Hotel: Hilton. (Buffet breakfast, Three or four course table d'hote or buffet style dinner)
DAY 8 – MON – SOFIA – RILA MONASTERY
Our sightseeing this morning shows us the St Sofia Church across the square from the golden domed St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the archeological complex, dominated by St George's Church. Then we head southwards from Sofia for an included excursion to the magnificent Rila Monastery, the most important symbol of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. (Buffet breakfast, Three or four course table d'hote or buffet style dinner)
DAY 9 – TUE – SOFIA – KALAMBAKA
Following the valley of the River Struma we head south into Greece. Now across the plains of Thessaly to Kalambaka. Before reaching our hotel we visit the remarkable, centuries-old monasteries at Meteora, with their precarious cliff-top settings, where early Christians once worshipped. Hotel: Divani. (Buffet breakfast, Three or four course table d'hote or buffet style dinner)
DAY 10 – WED – KALAMBAKA – ATHENS
We drive south through the centre of classical Greek civilisation with its ancient ruins and intricate mythology, towards Delphi. Here we see the dominating Temple of Apollo, site of the legendary Oracle of Antiquity, with Mount Parnassus rearing high above. Finally, we reach our destination, Athens, 'City of the Gods' and centre of early civilisation. Hotel: Metropolitan. (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 11 – THU – ATHENS SIGHTSEEING
Our sightseeing tour this morning delves deep into the glorious history of Athens. The main highlight is the visit to the Acropolis where we admire the Parthenon, built in honour of the goddess Athena; then we are shown the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian's Arch. This afternoon we have time to explore this ancient but lively city (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 12 – FRI – ATHENS
Our tour ends today with a transfer to the airport. (Buffet breakfast)
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