Day 1 – Sofia - Thessaloniki
Meeting at Sofia airport for morning flight from Tel Aviv. Departure to the famous Rila Monastery – the biggest and most picturesque Bulgarian monastery, founded in 10th c. A.D., nestled amidst the beauty of the Rila Mountains, included in the UNESCO List of World Heritage.
Continue south to the Greek border and the city of Thessaloniki. Upon arrival panoramic city tour by bus, followed by check-in, dinner and overnight at Imperial Plus 4* hotel or similar.

Day 2 – Thessaloniki – Vergina – Veria – Edessa - Thessaloniki
Morning drive to Vergina to visit Philip of Macedon's Tomb. You will learn everything about the first capital of the Macedonian Kingdom which used to be called "Aiges" in ancient times. Explore the fascinating royal tombs of King Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. Stroll Inside the magnificent palace, richly decorated with mosaics and visit the museum/tomb complex to admire the burial artefacts such as gold jewellery, weapons, religious objects and the Gold Larnax found at the grave containing the remains of King Philip II on display.
Continue to Veria for a short walk in the picturesque small streets - the second most significant town, after Aigai, during the blooming ancient Macedonian years and an important possession later for the Romans, too. Built on the foothills of Mt. Vermion and crossed by the River Tripotamo, Veria is famous also for the preaches of St. Paul the Apostle in the 1st AD and the fact that its citizens are among the first Christians in the Roman Empire. From the 11th to the 14th century it was the third most important city of the Byzantine Empire, after Constantinople (Istanbul) and Thessaloniki. Today, many Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches and a lot of museums can be seen in the city centre as well as the well-preserved 19th-century Synagogue in the Jewish quarter.
Drive on to Edessa, the city of waterfalls, plane trees and water nymphs, to enjoy the power of the water, including the famous Keranos, which drops 70m among plane trees that were seeded centuries hence. You’ll be spellbound as the magical mist enveloping the verdant park.
Back to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight. Optional – dinner at local taverna (extra supplement)


Day 3 – Thessaloniki – Meteora/Kalambaka
Morning guided city tour to see the iconic White Tower, Alexander Square, the Arch of Galerius, St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki Church, Hagia Sophia, the old Jewish Quarter and the Jewish Museum in Thessaloniki.
Leave for Kalambaka following the picturesque road through villages and natural reserves. Dinner and overnight at Famissi Eden 4* hotel or similar.

Day 4 – Meteora/Kalambaka – Halkidiki
Meteora - a visit to this holy spiritual location cannot be missed. You will be impressed by these spectacular rock formations hosting ancient monasteries built at astonishing heights up in the cliffs and by the legends behind these sacred places. Early morning guided tour of 2 Meteora monasteries.

Departure to Palios Panteleimonas traditional village and Litochoro village for coffee/lunch (if you wish we can have coffee in Palios Panteleimonas and lunch in Litochoro village, it depends on the time we want to spend). Proceed along the panoramic way admiring on our left the great Mount Olympus and on the right - the blue vastness of the Aegean Sea to Halkidiki - the most popular tourist destination in northern Greece, consisting of three small headlands, known as the three legs of Greece - Kassandra and Sithonia with their fabulous beaches of fine white sand and crystal-clear water, and the third - Mount Athos, a close monastic community where the entrance is allowed only to men and after a special permission. Accommodation, dinner and overnight at 5* hotel in Porto Caras.

Day 5 – Breakfast at hotel – day at leisure to enjoy the beach – dinner at hotel – overnight
Day 6 - Breakfast at hotel – transfer to port for Blue Lagoon full-day cruise boat trip – transfer back to Porto Caras
Day 7 - Breakfast at hotel – day at leisure to enjoy the beach – dinner at hotel – overnight
Day 8 – Halkidiki – Sandanski, Bulgaria
Breakfast followed by drive to the Bulgarian border. After the passing we will visit the smallest town in Bulgaria – Melnik, famous for the sandstone natural pyramids surrounding it and the special red wine maturing in the pyramid cellars. A walking tour to enjoy the scenery and a visit with tasting in the Museum of the wine. Proceed to Sandanski for accommodation, dinner and overnight in Park Hotel PIRIN 5* or similar.

Day 9 – Sandanski
Day at leisure to enjoy the luxurious SPA pampering in the hotel as well as a walk along the central pedestrian street of the town. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 10 - Sandanski – Bansko – Dolen – Dospat - Devin
Morning drive to Bansko – the famous ski resort at the foot of the Pirin Mountains, where we will have a walk in the old center to feel the authentic atmosphere of the National Revival Period.
Continue to the village of Dolen for a walk along the streets of the 19c. architectural reserve, and the town of Dospat where we will stop for pictures and fresh trout at the beautiful Dospat Dam – the highest in altitude and second in capacity in Bulgaria. Following the picturesque Rhodope road, in the evening we arrive in Devin and check in a SPA hotel Persenk 5* or similar. Dinner and overnight.
Day 11 - Day among Nature in the Rhodope Mountains
In the morning, we will take a half-day jeep tour through the spectacular Trigrad Gorge, visit the Devil’s throat karst cave, connected with the legend of Orpheus, continue with an off-road ride to the Eagle’s Eye outstanding view platform, and drive down to the beautiful Yagodina cave to admire its stalactites and stalacmites. Finish with a cookery lesson of how to prepare one of the traditional Bulgarian specialities - banitsa, a pastry with eggs, butter and Bulgarian white cheese. Tasting our produce together with ayryan – a yoghurt drink. Back to the hotel in Devin with a free time to enjoy its facilities and relax in the mineral pool or with a massage.
Day 12 – Devin – Bachkovo - Plovdiv
After breakfast, we continue to explore the Rhodope Mountains enjoying beautiful views on the way, as well as Shiroka Luka museum village and the Bride - eco path and breathtaking view. We proceed north to visit the second of importance monastery in Bulgaria - the Monastery of Bachkovo, where are the graves of the two Christian priests who saved the Bulgarian Jews. Free time to enjoy the picturesque local market.
Coming down to the Thracian plain, we arrive in Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria. Accommodation, dinner and overnight in Grand Hotel Plovdiv 4* or similar.
Day 13 – Plovdiv – Sofia
Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe, resting on seven hills, a blend of ancient cultures -Thracian, Roman, Bulgarian, Ottoman.
After breakfast we will visit the Synagogue in the former Jewish quarter and will explore the narrow winding cobble stone streets of Old Plovdiv, where we will see the Roman walls of the ancient Trimontsium, the Roman theatre, and the picturesque 18 c. and 19c. buildings. The sightseeing ends up at the lively pedestrian shopping street - the longest in Europe, where we can see the reconstructed Renaissance buildings, as well as the newly restored Roman stadium.
Free time for shopping and lunch.
Drive to the capital city of Sofia for dinner and overnight at Hotel Ramada 4* or similar.
Day 14 – Sofia
In the morning we start our walking guided tour of the most important sites of Sofia where we will see the remains of the Roman city, the King’s palace, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the St. Sofia Church, the Parliament building, the National Theater, the St. George Rotonda, the Central Baths, the second largest and one of the most magnificent Synagogues in Europe, etc.
After lunch break, drive up to the Vitosha Mountain, called “The Lungs of Sofia” and situated on the south outskirts of the city, where we will visit the natural phenomenon The Stone River (possibility of short trekking) and after that the viewpoint for a breath-taking panorama of Sofia.
Folklore dinner with show in a local restaurant.
Day 15 – Transfer to the airport