Welcome to Thrace
Thrace is among Greece’s least visited areas, but it hides unique natural gems and cultural idiosyncrasies. In the north, the Rhodopi Mountains demarcate the Bulgarian border, and are home to the wonderful Pomak villages, whose minarets glisten on the rolling green hills. Eastward, towards the Turkish border, significant migratory bird populations stop at the Dadia Forest Reserve and the Evros Delta on the Aegean, delighting nature- and bird-loving travellers.
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Thrace activities
4-Night Bulgaria from Sofia: Bansko and Plovdiv
Day 1:Arrival in Sofia. Transfer from the airport to the hotel. Free time. Overnight in the hotelDay 2:Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Bansko. Take a walking tour of Bansko, a world-famous mountain resort within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Pirin National Park. Free time. Overnight in the hotel.Day 3:Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Plovdiv.Plovdiv, the second biggest city of Bulgaria, is considered to be one of the oldest settlements of Europe, with more than 7,000 years of history. Plovdiv is situated on the crossroads between the West and the East, amid the fertile plain of Thrace, where history and modernity go hand in hand. The city is home of the remains of the Ancient Roman Empire – the Roman Stadium, Roman Forum and the Amphitheatre. The Old Town of Plovdiv, situated on the three hills of the ancient Trimontium, with its houses from the National Revival period (18-19th century) is proclaimed an architectural open air museum. The tour offers visit to some of the main landmarks of Bulgaria from Thracian times, trough the Roman Empire period, the national revival, till the modern age.Day 4:Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Sofia. Afternoon tour “Sofia Food, Heritage and Culture tour” from 3pm till 6pm. Free time.During this tour, you'll explore the rest of the sights in the Sofia center like National Theater, ex Royal Palace, Presidency, St. George Rotunda, the place named The Small Jerusalem with orthodox St. Petka church, Banya Bashi mosque, The Synagogue and the Catholic Church St. Josef. We will visit the biggest indoor market Central Hali, will ride the newest underground in Europe and will taste fantastic Bulgarian wine with traditional Bulgarian meat pieces called meze, you will taste also the fantastic Shopska Salad and typical Bulgarian cold soup tarator.Overnight in the hotel.Day 5:Transfer from your hotel to the airport.
5-Day Christian Tour all over Greece following the footsteps of Apostle Paul
ItineraryDay 1: CHRISTIAN TOUR IN ATEHNS & ANCIENT CORINTH - DELPHIStop At: Acropolis, Athens, AtticaCHRISTIAN TOUR IN ATEHNS: We will pick you up from your hotel (or cruise ship) at 08.30 to start the brilliant Christian tour in Athens. We will visit Acropolis, The ancient Agora which was the heart of Athens in antiquity and the meeting point of Saint Paul with the first followers of Christianity in Athens. The next step will be the "Mars Hill", where Apostle Paul proclaimed the word of the Christian God to the Athenian philosophers. We will have the next stop at coastal district of Palaio Faliro This is the area where St Paul arrived with the escort of Beroes after his departure from Veroia and Thessaloniki. Of course, in combination with our Christian tour we will have a panoramic city tour in Athens (The temple of Zeus, Panathinaikos Stadium, Parliament, Presidential Guards, Athens Trilogy etc).Duration: 4 hoursStop At: Corinth Canal, Corinth, Corinthia Region, PeloponneseIn continue driving along the mainland coast to Peloponnese, we will have our first stop, 1 hour later, at the Canal of Corinth (6 km length and 80m height). Rest and Photo tour thereDuration: 15 minutesStop At: Ancient Corinth (Archaia Korinthos), Corinth, Corinthia Region, PeloponneseWe continue to reach at Ancient Corinth which was one of his beloved cities of Saint Paul. We will have the chance to visit the Ancient Market and the Bema of Apostle Paul, and we will walk at the same paths that Apostle of Nations walked and preached hundreds of years earlier. We will visit the commercial town of Corinth and The Apostolos Pavlos (Apostle Paul) metropolitan church, on the street of the same name, which founded by Apostle Paul around 51-52 AD. Next stop will be at 'Kechrias Port. Around 52 AD, Apostle Paul arrived from Athens to Corinth. He stayed in Corinth for eighteen months, establishing and consolidating the Church of Corinth. Then, from Kechrias port, his next journey began .Our first day finished in Delphi for overnightDuration: 2 hoursMeals included: • DinnerAccommodation included: Overnight in Delphi in 3* star hotel or 4* star hotelDay 2: DELPHI – MONASTERY OF SAINT LOUKAS - VEROIA – VERGINA – THESSALONIKIStop At: Delphi Ruins, Delphi, Phocis Region, Central Greece08.30pick you up from your hotel have the element visit at the area of Delphi, the Temple of Apollon, Delphi Museum. The next visit will be at the wonderful Byzantine Monastery of St. Loukas. The Monastery of Saint Loukas is an 11th century monastery and it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. You will have lunch at the traditional tavernaDuration: 2 hoursStop At: Vima Apostolou Pavlou, Veroia, Imathia Region, Central MacedoniaGo ahead to reach at the beautiful town of Veroia at Northwestern Greece. We visit the church of Apostle Paul and the made of marble ''Vima of Apostle Paul'', the place Paul preached to the people of one of his beloved towns for many days. Duration: 1 hourStop At: Museum of the Royal Tombs of Aigai (Vergina), Vergina, Imathia Region, Central MacedoniaWe continue to the Ancient town of Vergina and to the King's tombs, one of them of Alexander the Great father and ex-king, and we finally arrive at. Check in at your hotel. Thessaloniki for overnight. Duration: 2 hoursMeals included: • DinnerAccommodation included: Overnight in Thessaloniki in 3*star or 4* star hotelsDay 3: THESSALONIKI - NEA FOKEA - FILIPPOI - KAVALAStop At: The Castle of Kavala, Kavala, Kavala Region, East Macedonia and ThraceAfter breakfast, we leave Thessaloniki to reach at the small town of Nea Fokea, and the ''Agiasma of St. Paul'', that is an underground corridor ends to a chamber where St. Paul was hidden when people of Thessaloniki was running after him. Next visit will be at Filippoi, where St, Paul preached his first evangelical sermon and baptized the first Christians in Europe! Visit the ''Baptismal'' site, where Lydia baptized as the first European woman, and the secret crypt where Paul was prisoned in. Finally, we visit Acropolis of Filippoi, visit the theatre, Basilica and the prison were Apostle Paul and Silas where thrown. Continue into the modern city of Kavala the "ancient Neapolis" where Paul accompanied by Silas, Luke and Timothy, first set foot in Europe, have lunch in the town of KavalaDuration: 8 hoursMeals included: • DinnerAccommodation included: Overnight in Thessaloniki in 3*star or 4* star hotelsDay 4: KAVALA – CHURCHES IN THESSALONIKI – METEORA Stop At: Thessaloniki Zoo, Agios Pavlos, Thessaloniki Region, Central MacedoniaAfter your breakfast we leave from Kavala to reach in Thessaloniki. We explore Thessaloniki, where Paul preached and wrote two epistles during the winters of 49-50 AD to the Ancient Thessalonians. See the ramparts of the city: the triumphal Arch of Galerius, built in 303 AD, at the Via Egnatia. The Rotonda is one of the most imposing monuments of Thessaloniki. Visits to St. Demetrius Basilica at the most important part of the temple, is the underground ancient “Crypt”. According to the Christian Tradition, the saint was imprisoned here and died in 303 A.D. The Acheiropoietos Church - a gem of devotion: The Acheiropoietos Church owes its name to an icon of the Virgin Mary, (‘Acheiropoietos’ meaning "made not by human hands "), which was kept in the church. It is one of the first churches of Christianity, founded sometime between 450 and 475 AD. Also we will have a special visit at the Vlatades Monastery that said that Apostle Paul stopped there to drink some water that's why called “Apostle Paul’s Holy Water", Believers from all over the world worship the space of Holy Water and enjoy the magnificent panoramic view to Thermaikos Gulf & Thessaloniki. In the same area there is also the Orthodox Church of St. Paul. We will divining through the central Greece to reach in Meteora for Overnight Duration: 8 hoursMeals included: • DinnerAccommodation included: Overnight in Thessaloniki in 3*star or 4* star hotelsDay 5: METEORA – ATHENSStop At: Meteora, Kastraki, Kalambaka, Trikala Region, Thessaly09.00 our driver pick you up from your hotel and we will visit the BYZANTINE MONASTERIES of Meteora, that are included on the UNESCO world heritage monument list. Having our first stop at The Holy Monastery of Great Meteoro which is the biggest and oldest one of all. It was called the monastery that was "suspended in the air" (Meteoro), because of the formation of the gigantic rock on top of which it was built. Our second visit is to the great monastery of St. Stephan. The Monastery of St. Stephan, which is a small church built in the 16th century and decorated in 1545. Duration: 8 hoursStop At: Thermopylae Museum, Thermopylae, Phthiotis Region, Central GreeceWe leave from Meteora and after a short stop at Thermopiles where there is the statue of Leonidas as a memorial the battle of the 300 Spartans against thousands of Persian soldiers of the Persian Empire, we will reach in Athens. Drop off at your hotel in Athens Duration: 20 minutesNo meals included on this day.No accommodation included on this day.
Private Day Trip to Plovdiv
ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this productStop At: Plovdiv Old Town, Plovdiv, Plovdiv ProvinceIn Plovdiv the tourists will explore the old town with its 19- century Revival houses, walk to the top of the hill, see the ancient Roman theater and stadium, as well as the main pedestrian street- all of this accompanied with a guided tour. Duration: 4 hours
Plovdiv Sightseeing Private Tour
Plovdiv (population: 338 000) is the second largest city in Bulgaria, considered by most people as the most beautiful Bulgarian town. Situated at 160 m. a. s. l., Plovdiv is an important administrative centre in Southern Bulgaria, as well as the largest and most important city of the historical region of Thrace, famous for its ancient and diverse culture and millenary history. Plovdiv is 150 km away from the capital Sofia and only 75 km from the international ski resort Pamporovo. Plovdiv is regarded as the gate to the beautiful Rhodope Mountains which are few kilometers away, as most people who head for the mountains choose it as their starting point. The city is located on both banks of the Maritsa River in the central part of the Upper Thracian Lowlands. Plovdiv is particularly known, like Rome, for its seven hills, one of which has been destroyed. A couple of key thoroughfares cross the city, including the one connecting Sofia and Europe with Istanbul and Asia, as well as the one between Sofia and Bourgas (Black sea coast). The Plovdiv International Fair, the first in the country since 1892, is the largest fair in Southeastern Europe, gathering companies from all over the world on an exhibition area of 95 000 sq. m.Plovdiv is an eternal town. The foundations of the town on the seven hills by the ancient Maritza River were laid some 8 000 years ago. Plovdiv is older than Rome, Athens and Constantinople. The city is of the same age as Troy and Mycenae. According to some sources this is the second oldest European city and the oldest still living city in Europe. Plovdiv is all in one: a Thracian and classical Greek polis, the pride of Philip of Macedonia, the capital of Thrace under the Roman Empire, a centre of Byzantinism, a stronghold of the Bulgarians, a dream of the crusaders, a magnificent, wealthy and most important city. Plovdiv’s motto is: “Ancient and eternal”. In 1999 Plovdiv was supporting European capital of culture. In September 2014 Plovdiv was chosen to be the European capital of culture in 2019.On this sightseeing tour visit the most impressive landmarks in town like The Old Plovdiv - an architectural and historical reserve, situated on the Three Hills. Here picturesque houses of the National Revival period stand close to ruins from antiquity and Bulgarian Renaissance churches. The Roman Theatre from II century that we discover on our way has been restored and is being used even today for different performances and festivals. The walk continues down to the partly uncovered Roman Stadium and the 14-th century Djumaia Mosque. At the end stroll along the long and lovely main pedestrian commercial street with many cafes and shops to feel the unique laid back atmosphere of this spectacular city.Tour duration: 2.5 hours
Kazanlak - Rose Valley - Valley of the Thracian Kings - Private Day Tour from Plovdiv
The rose is one of the symbols of Bulgaria. The country produces the best rose oil in the world since 1664 when the first rose bushes were imported from Syria via Turkey. Now Bulgaria manufactures about 70% of all rose oil in the world. The Kazanlak rose is being grown in the notorious Rose Valley in Central Bulgaria where the unique climate conditions and soils are perfect for this remarkable plant. The Rose valley covers geographically the Valley of the Thracian Kings as well. Many impressive Thracian tombs, temples and sanctuaries with lots of golden, silver and bronze craftsman masterpieces inside them have been found on the territory of Bulgaria.Travelling through some rose bushes fields we arrive to the centre of Kazanlak town. The first stop for the day is the Rose Museum of Kazanlak which is the only one of its kind in the world and stores interesting exponents related to the rose-picking and rose-production in Bulgaria.Then proceed to the local historical museum which protects, examines and popularizes the entire rich historical heritage of the Kazanlak region, including all Thracian tombs and treasures from the Valley of the Thracian rulers.Next discover the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site – the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak which impresses the visitor with its unique frescoes from IV century B.C. The tomb consists of a narrow corridor and a round burial chamber with the famous paintings on the cupola. The Thracian tomb of Kazanlak is a unique aesthetic and artistic work, a masterpiece of the Thracian creative spirit. This monument is the only one of its kind anywhere in the world. The exceptionally well preserved frescos and the original condition of the structure reveal the remarkable evolution and high level of culture and pictorial art in Thrace.After lunch continue to the Thracian Tempe/tomb Golyama Kosmatka from V century B.C. About 20 gold objects were found in that tomb. Among them is a very precisely made golden wreath from oak leaves, a golden wine cup, golden heads of a goddess and a deer. A bronze man’s head was found in Golyama Kosmatka too. All findings impress with their marvelous workmanship and are valuable examples of art. They are exhibited in the historical museum of Kazanlak. Archaeologists believe they have found the tomb of the greatest Thracian king Seuthes III. The final stop for the day is the Shipka Memorial Church which is an outstanding Russian Orthodox temple built between 1885 and 1902 near Shipka town at the foothills of the Balkan Range. The Shipka Monument complex is dedicated to the Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian soldiers who died for the liberation of Bulgaria in the Russo - Turkish War from 1877-78. Trip duration: 7.5 hours
Visit Plovidv & Learn a Craft Tour
The day begins with a meeting with your guide. With his help you will have the opportunity to travel back in time and feel the old-centuries history of the city.During this walking tour you will go through a variety of eras, cultures, architectures. You will visit the Ethnographic Museum, where one can see, touch and feel tradition. And in order to feel the way people lived before technology, we will visit the street of crafts where we will see a demonstration of a 2 craft houses chosen by you.Higlights:Walking Tour Plovdiv : Ancient Plovdiv Architectural Reserve is a well-preserved complex where on a relatively small area visitors can take walks through different historical ages, see ancient buildings adapted to the modern way of life and feel the spirit of the town from the Bulgarian Revival Period.Street of Crafts : The Street of Crafts is a crafts market where one can explore typical for the Revival period workshops, have a tea or coffee, purchase herbs from a traditional drug-store, observe works of skillful craftsmen created in front of their eyes.There can be observed workshops in: ceramics, pottery, bakery, felting, glass engraving and painting, weaving and blacksmithery.Every visitor is able to see, or make by themselves, and purchase a souvenir from Plovdiv. Ethnographic museum :The rich collection represents the traditional culture of Thrace, the Rhodopes and the Sredna Gora mountains during the period of National Revival.Тhe choice to the visit for craft houses can be made between 1 workshop from each category: Category 1: - Flexible- Bakery- Doll making- Pottery Workshop- Drawing on glassCategory 2: - Art fabrics- Flexible- Drawing on ceramic products- Smithy workshop- Traditional musical instruments- Jewelry from crepe