Treasures Of The Balkans & Transylvania
| Resort: | The Balkans |
| Operator: | Cosmos |
| Destination: | Bulgaria |
| Price From: | £1511.00 |
OverviewDiscover the treasures of the Balkans on this vacation through Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Visit the capitalsBudapest, Belgrade, Sofia, Bucharestas well as some of the fascinating towns and cities along the way. Discover Novi Sad, famous for its citadel; Plovdiv, with its picturesque old town centre; Veliko Trnovo, Bulgarias capital during the Middle Ages; and Sinaia, a lovely ski resort town. Explore Brasov, a charming Transylvanian town featuring Saxon walls and bastions and an expansive square surrounded by Baroque architecture and the Gothic Black Church. Sighisoara is one of Romanias prettiest towns with 11 medieval towers within the city walls, cobblestone streets, ancient houses, and churches. Visit Sofias Boyana Church, a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Plovdivs Roman Amphitheatre, one of the worlds best-preserved ancient theatres, and Arbanassis Church of the Nativity, built in 1637 and housing an outstanding collection of frescoes. Rila Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a history dating back 10 centuries. Marvel at Peles Castle, a masterpiece of German neo-renaissance architecture built in the 1880s and nestled at the foot of the mountains. It is considered one of the most stunning and romantic European castles. In Bucharest, visit the open-air Village Museum, showcasing traditional village life with a collection of traditional farmhouses, cottages, wind and watermills, and artisans workshops from all parts of the country. Last, but not least, visit Bran Castle, built in 1377 with imposing towers and turrets, and once inhabited by Vlad the Impalerthe Count who gave Bran Stoker the inspiration for his novels character, the vampire known as Dracula. This Balkans and Transylvania tour is designed for value-minded, savvy travel lovers. Its a once-in-a-lifetime vacation!  ItineraryDAY 1 ARRIVE IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARYCheck into your hotel. Take advantage of the CosmosGO app to visit Budapest at leisure. In the early evening, meet your Tour Director and travel companions. DAY 2 BUDAPESTBudapest is a treasure trove of architectural wonders, from Gothic to Baroque and Neoclassical to Art Nouveau, but also full of history and other surprises, such as delicious food and wines, as well as a multitude of spa establishments built on top of natural hot springs. The Danube River divides the old city in two, making it even more spectacular. Discover all of this and more during the guided city tour. DAY 3 BUDAPEST – NOVI SAD, SERBIA – BELGRADETravel to Serbia. Stop in Novi Sad, capital of the province, built on the banks of the Danube River and famous for its Petrovaradin Citadel, the fortress featuring the iconic clock tower with the reversed clock. Continue to Belgrade and discover the capital of Serbia on a guided city sightseeing tour. DAY 4 BELGRADE – SOFIA, BULGARIACross the border into Bulgaria to arrive in the capital city of Sofia. Join a Local Guide for a city tour that includes the Parliament building, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Boyana Church, a medieval Bulgarian orthodox church listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the National Theater, and St. Sofia Church. DAY 5 SOFIA. EXCURSION TO RILA MONASTERYThis morning, discover Rila Monastery, located inside a nature park and featuring vibrant frescoes. Its checkered history goes back to Ivan Rilski, the hermit who founded it in 927. During the long Turkish rule over the country, the monastery became a beacon of Bulgarian culture. DAY 6 SOFIA – PLOVDIV – VELIKO TRNOVOHead eastwards to Plovdiv, Bulgarias second-largest city, located along the banks of the Maritsa River. Stop here to visit the charming Old Town and the Roman amphitheatre. Journey northwards through fine scenery over the Stara Planina Mountains to Veliko Trnovo.
DAY 7 VELIKO TRNOVO – BUCHAREST, ROMANIAToday, time to see some of the highlights of Veliko Trnovo, located on the Yantra River. During the Middle Ages, it was Bulgarias capital, and still retains some of its most attractive medieval features. Visit nearby Arbanassi, world famous for its house design, a cross between a dwelling and a fortress. The village is known as an architectural and historic reserve and was at one time the summer residence of Bulgarian kings. One of the highlights of the visit is the Church of Nativity, built in 1637. Carry on north to Rousse and cross the Danube to reach Bucharest. DAY 8 BUCHARESTFlower-festooned parks, gardens, and wide boulevards shaded by century-old trees contribute to Bucharests beauty. The highlight of the included sightseeing tour is a visit to the open-air Village Museum, a unique collection of traditional farmhouses, cottages, windmills, watermills, and artisans workshops from all parts of the country. Your Local Guide will show you other places of interest, including the Government Victoria Palace, the Royal Palace, and the Savings Palace. There is also an optional afternoon visit to the massive Romanian Parliament, known as the Peoples ‘Palace. DAY 9 BUCHAREST – SINAIA – BRASOVTravel to Sinaia in the Prahova Valley. This is a lovely ski resort, almost 3,300 feet above sea level. While in Sinaia, there will be time to visit the Sinaia Monastery and Peles Castle, considered among the most romantic castles in the world. Only a few more miles and you reach Brasov, a lovely medieval town famous for its town square filled with Baroque architecture and outdoor cafs. DAY 10 BRASOVTransylvania is commonly associated with vampires due to the influence of Bram Stokers 1897 novel Dracula, and all the subsequent books and many films the tale has inspired. This morning, depart for Bran and visit the legendary Dracula castle. It was built in 1377 and inhabited by the Wallachian prince, Vlad the Impaler, also known as Dracula. In the afternoon, a walking orientation of the Old Town of Brasov includes a visit to the Black Church, followed by leisure time. DAY 11 BRASOV – SIGHISOARA – CLUJ – -NAPOCAStop in Sighisoara, a medieval town with 11 towers within the city walls surrounding cobblestone streets, ancient houses, and churchesone of Romanias prettiest towns. Legend has it that it is also the birthplace of the notorious Vlad (Dracula). Continue to Cluj-Napoca, the film capital of Romania. DAY 12 CLUJ-NAPOCA – BUDAPEST, HUNGARYCross the border at Oradea into Hungary and return to Budapest. DAY 13 BUDAPESTYour vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
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