Itinerary Map
CLICK HERE to view itinerary map
Highlights
- Visit the Vitosha Mountains
- Walking tour of Sofia
- Visit the UNESCO-listed Rila monastery
- Visit the thermal springs town of Sandanski
- Dolno Drahlishte Village with traditional Bulgarian cooking class
- Visit the House of Master Valyan the famous 18th-century Bulgarian painter and woodcarver
- Visit to Carpet Factory - the only one in Bulgaria to make giant carpets
- Traditional Bulgarian Cooking Class
- Walking tour of the Old Town of Plovdiv including the Antique Theatre in Plovdiv
- Visit to 11th Century Bachkovo Monastery
- Visit the famous Rose oil distillery used by Givenchy, Bvlgari, Chanel & Estee Lauder
- Visit Karlovo with lace making and wood carving demonstration
- Visit the Etara open-air museum
- Visit Ruse known as "Little Vienna" on the banks of the Danube River
- A spectacular drive through the Carpathian Mountains in Romania
- Visit Cozia Monastery built in 1388
- Visit and enjoy a traditional meal with a peasant family
- Walking tour of Alba Lulia and the impressive Vauban-style fortress
- Visit the Spectacular Salina Turda Salt Mine
- City tour of the medieval city of Sibiu
- Visit the UNESCO-fortified church of Biertan
- Visit to the abandoned village of Viscri and learn about it's restoration project
- Visit a local peasant's home for jam-tasting
- City tour of Brasov including the narrowest street in Romania
- Visit to Bran Castle in Transylvania - evoking tales of the legend of Dracula
- Visit Peles Castle the summer residence of the Royal Family
- City tour of Bucharest known as "Little Paris"
- Visit the Ceausescu Mansion the former residence of Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu
Inclusions
Fully escorted by a Sisterhood Tour Hostess who is on hand to assist with making your holiday a memorable one.
Return economy airfares and taxes from Melbourne to Sofia / Bucharest (other cities and classes of travel available on request)
Comfortable 4-star accommodation with private facilities
Specialist guides at each destination
All transportation as detailed in our itinerary
All sightseeing and activities as detailed in our itinerary
All meals as detailed in our itinerary
Willing to share option (subject to availability)
Meet and greet prior to departure via Zoom
Friends for company!
Notice
Moderate Fitness Rating - A moderate level of fitness will be required for these tours due to the length and/or overall physicality of our tour itinerary. You can expect to walk more than 10,000 steps daily on more challenging terrain and longer periods. You must be capable of boarding and disembarking coaches, trains and boats unaided and at times handle your luggage. For more information on our physical ratings please click here
Please visit smartraveller.gov.au for all country information and updates.
Local tipping is appreciated in both Romania and Bulgaria. Sisterhood Womens Travel tipping system involves passengers contributing to a kitty which is paid to the tour hostess at the beginning of the tour who then distributes it to service providers on your behalf. The estimated amount for your tour is USD150 and this will be confirmed in your final documentation.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Thursday 10 July 2025
Melbourne - Sofia, Bulgaria (in-flight meals)
Welcome to Sisterhood Womens Travel.
Meet your Tour Hostess and fellow travellers at the Melbourne Airport for our flight to Sofia.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the inflight entertainment as we head towards our next adventure.
Day 2 - Friday 11 July 2025
Sofia (D)
Welcome to Bulgaria!
Upon arrival in Sofia, we transfer from the airport to our hotel with a panoramic tour of the Bulgarian capital before check-in and the remainder of the day at leisure.
Welcome dinner tonight in a traditional Bulgarian restaurant.
Overnight: Rosslyn Central Park Hotel, Sofia (or similar)
Day 3 - Saturday 12 July 2025
Sofia (B)
Today, we enjoy a walking tour around Sofia. It is an 8500-year-old city called “My Rome” built by the emperor Constantine the Great. Visit the most fascinating places of interest: the forum of Ancient Serdica (the city's old name) with the newest archeological discoveries from Roman times, which are exhibited next to the Bulgarian presidency. We'll walk down the famous Yellow Brick Road and see the historical center with great architecture and full of bars, restaurants,
and gardens.
Next, we will head to the outskirts of Sofia and visit Boyana Church in the foothills of Vitosha Mountain - a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church that is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, because of its frescoes from 1259.
With the remainder of the day at leisure.
Dinner at leisure tonight
Overnight: Rosslyn Central Park Hotel, Sofia (or similar)
Day 4 - Sunday 13 July 2025
Sofia – Rila Monastery – Sandanski (B, L, D)
After breakfast we depart for the Rila Monastery - the biggest Bulgarian spiritual center since the Middle Ages nowadays, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and located in a picturesque mountain area.
The Rila Monastery has а rich collection of icons and wall paintings. Its museum keeps a real treasure: a wooden cross of just 81 cm in height, carved with 104 religious scenes and 650 figures. Enjoy a delicious local fresh trout in a local restaurant.
After we visit the monastery, we will head to Pirin mountain, followed by Sandanski - the warmest town in Bulgaria where the cultural heritage is all around and the warm thermal water springs keep up with the town’s temperature.
Accommodation, dinner, and overnight in Sandanski.
Overnight: Park Hotel Pirin, Sandanski (or similar)
Day 5 - Monday 14 July 2025
Melnik – Dolno Draglishte – Bansko (B, L D)
After breakfast, we check out and head off towards Melnik - the town of the sand pyramids. The town is an architectural reserve and 96 of its buildings are cultural monuments. With a population of about 385, it is the smallest town in Bulgaria, retaining its city status today for historical reasons. Melnik is also famous for its red wines.
Next, we take off for Dolno Draglishte village, where we will visit a rural house for a cooking class to prepare some traditional Bulgarian meals for lunch. During the preparation, the inspired local grannies will entertain us. They have plenty of funny stories from their lives to tell; they will sing some folklore songs and welcome you to dress yourselves in traditional Bulgarian costumes.
In the afternoon we will reach Bansko – a beautiful mountain resort.
Accommodation, dinner, and overnight in Bansko.
Overnight: Hotel Regnum Ski & Spa Bankso (or similar)
Day 76- Tuesday 15 July 2025
Bansko – Kostandovo – Plovdiv (B, D)
After breakfast, we will take a short walk in the historical part of the city with a visit to the house of Master Velyan – a famous Bulgarian painter and woodcarver from the 18th century.
Then driving along the beautiful mountains, we will reach a one-of-a-kind place in Bulgaria - a visit to the only carpet factory in the country, producing giant carpets, whose clients are world celebrities such as Queen Elizabeth II, Mick Jagger, etc. Take a look at the process of making this unique carpet and if you want, you can order one for yourselves to have at home.
We continue to Plovdiv, also known as the “City of the Seven Hills’’ and is the oldest city in Europe still existing today. Today Plovdiv is a cultural centre of Bulgaria and was selected as the European Capital of Culture for 2019.
Accommodation in a hotel in the heart of the city and enjoy dinner this evening at a local restaurant,
Overnight: Double Tree by Hilton, Plovdiv (or similar)
Day 7 - Wednesday 16 July 2025
Plovdiv – Bachkovo monastery - Plovdiv (B, D)
After our breakfast, we head out to explore the wonders of the city with a walking tour of the Old Town of Plovdiv. The spirit is visible throughout and impresses with the houses and museums of the Revival period like the Ethnographical Museum; the Ancient Theatre, which still stands today back from the Roman period and is used today for great events and concerts, the Bishop’s Basilica with great mosaics on 2-floors, the Fortress walls, the oldest church in the city – “St. Constantine and Helena”, etc. We will also see the Muslim temple Dzhoumaya Mosque and the Roman Stadium on the main street of Plovdiv.
In the afternoon we take our last visit of the day to Bachkovo monastery - Founded in the 11th century by two Georgian brothers, this is the second-largest Bulgarian Monastery after the Rila Monastery. There are extremely valuable frescos of biblical subjects from the 16th century in the monastery. The Icon of the Virgin Mary, the patron saint of the monastery, is considered miraculous.
Getting back into Plovdiv, we can enjoy our night in the bohemian quarter full of small cafes, restaurants, and bars.
Overnight: Double Tree by Hilton, Plovdiv (or similar)
Day 8 - Thursday 17 July 2025
Plovdiv – Karlovo - Rose oil distillery – Kazanlak (B, D)
After breakfast, we depart towards the Rose Valley and the Valley of Thracian Kings. En route, we will stop at the small and picturesque village of Staro Zhelezare to enjoy a walk amongst the town murals. Our next stop is Karlovo where we will visit the Ethnographic complex in the old town with the following activities included: coffee tasting on the sand with traditional delights, crafts demonstration – lace-making and wood carving, and demonstration for enteric oils distillation. We'll learn about local herbs and their curative properties and dress in traditional folklore costumes.
Next, we will visit a rose oil distillery where the hosts will show how the famous Bulgarian rose oil (used in many perfume companies like Givenchy, Bvlgari, Chanel, Estee Lauder, and more) is produced and you will see and smell the essential oils and rose water for yourself.
End the day in Kazanlak with a visit to one of the Thracian tombs in the Valley of the Thracian Kings.
Overnight: Kings Valley Medical & Spa Hotel Kazanlak (or similar)
Day 9 - Friday 18 July 2025
Kazanlak – Etara – Veliko Tarnovo (B, L, D)
After breakfast, we will set off for Etara, a unique open-air museum that showcases the lifestyle and occupations of local people in the 19th century. Here, we'll get a chance to enjoy hands-on experiences with traditional crafts made during the Revival period, and you can take your creations home as souvenirs.
Around lunch, we will arrive at a local house in the area of Veliko Tarnovo, where the welcoming hostess will teach us how to prepare traditional Bulgarian dishes – banitza and yoghurt, followed by a homemade lunch.
We continue to Veliko Tarnovo – the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. Visit the historical hill Tsarevets with the Fortress, the Patriarchal church, and Emperor Baldwin’s Tower. We also have free time to take a stroll along the old Trade Street – “Samovodska charshia”.
Dinner tonight at a local restaurant.
Overnight: Grand Hotel Yantra, Veliko Tarnovo (or similar)
Day 10 - Saturday 19 July 2025
Veliko Tarnovo – Ruse - Bucharest (B, D)
After breakfast we depart towards Ruse - the first Bulgarian city with a European appearance, also called the "little Vienna". The city is also the main Bulgarian port, located on the bank of the Danube River.
We then meet with our Romanian guide in Ruse. From here, we will cross the Danube and drive to Bucharest.
The remainder of the day is free with dinner at a nearby restaurant.
Overnight: Novotel Bucharest (or similar)
Day 11 - Sunday 20 July 2025
Bucharest – Cozia - Sibiu (B, D)
After breakfast, we will enjoy a city tour of Bucharest - discover the atmosphere of the “Little Paris” with its main attraction points: The Press House, the Kisselef Boulevard, The Arch of Triumph, the Victoriei Square, the Victoriei Street, the Revolution Square, the Cotroceni Palace, the Palace of the Parliament and other old streets like the Lipscani Street. Visit The Palace of Parliament –the second largest building by surface area in the world after the Pentagon in the USA.
In the afternoon we will drive to Transylvania, through the Carpathian Mountains to Sibiu and the Oltului Valley – the most spectacular river valley in Romania. We visit Cozia Monastery, built in 1388 and one of the country’s most valuable monuments of medieval architecture.
Dinner is included tonight.
Overnight: Boutique Hotel Art Hotel, Sibiu (or similar)
Day 12 - Monday 21 July 2025
Sibiu – Hunedoara – Sibiu (B, D)
After breakfast, we will enjoy a city tour of Sibiu (the European Cultural Capital in 2007 and the European Region of Gastronomy in 2019) to discover the secrets of this magnificent medieval city. We will visit the main cultural objectives like The Evangelical Church, the Liar’s Bridge, The Small Square with “the eyes of the city”, and The Big Square.
Later we will drive to Hunedoara to visit the spectacular medieval castle, where also the movie Ghost Rider 3 was made.
In the afternoon we drive to Sibiel, where we are invited for a traditional dinner with a peasant family.
After dinner transfer back to Sibiu.
Overnight: Boutique Hotel Art Hotel, Sibiu (or similar)
Day 13 - Tuesday 22 July 2025
. Sibiu – Alba Iulia – Salina Turda - Sibiu ( B, L, D)
This morning we travel to Alba Iulia where we will enjoy a Walking tour, we will learn about the history of the impressive fortress in Vauban style which was originally a Roman fort. Then we will visit the spectacular salt mine in Salina Turda. Later we enjoy lunch and wine tasting near the salt mine. Then we travel back to Sibiu.
Dinner is included tonight.
Overnight: Boutique Hotel Art Hotel, Sibiu (or similar)
Day 14 - Wednesday 23 July 2025
Sighisoara – Biertan – Sighisoara (B, L, D)
After breakfast we travel to Biertan - one of the most important Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, having been on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites since 1993. Visit the Biertan fortified church which was the see of the Lutheran Evangelical Bishop in Transylvania between 1572 and 1867 and has one of the largest Saxon populations in the region.
Sighisoara, the only inhabited citadel in South-Eastern Europe, is part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. On a tour of the magnificent, still inhabited, citadel we visit the main cultural objectives: The Clock Tower; the birth house of Vlad the Impaler; and the Stag House. We will climb the 177 steps of the Covered Staircase until we arrive at the Church on the Hill.
Dinner is included tonight.
Overnight: Mercure Sighisoara Binderbubi Hotel Spa (or similar)
Day 15 - Thursday 24 July 2025
Sighisoara – Crit- Viscri – Braşov (B, L, D)
Today, we drive around the area of the Saxon village Viscri, one of the most beautiful villages in Transylvania, here we will find out more about the "Mihai Eminesu Trust" and its restoration project. Viscri is an abandoned village that has been brought back to life.
We also have a chance to visit a local family for jam tasting before moving on to Brasov where we will have a city tour of the middle-aged city inside the Carpathian Arch, we visit the main tourist features including the Council Hall, the Black Church, the 14th century St. Saint Nicholas Church, the Schei quarter and the Rope Street (the narrowest street in Romania).
Overnight: Hotel Aro Palace, Braşov (or similar)
Day 16 - Friday 25 July 2025
Braşov – Bran – Sinaia – Bucharest (B, D)
This morning, we depart to Bran village, where the world-famous Dracula Castle is located. The castle was built in 1377 to safeguard the trading route between Transylvania and Wallachia, enlarged and restored a few times to become a royal residence in the 1920s under Queen Marie of Romania. Nowadays, Bran Castle is the most visited castle in Romania and is known, all over the world, as Dracula`s Castle.
The Royal Family`s favorite city (Sinaia) will be our next destination and is the gateway to wild nature in Romania. We visit the mountain resort known also as "The Pearl of the Carpathian“. This place impresses everyone with the beauty of its landscapes, guarding a treasure of Romanian history: The Peles Castle, used as a summer residence for the royal family, this monument represents a symbol of elegance and nobility.
Later we visit „"Primaverii Palace” or „Ceausescu Mansion” (originally for a quarter of a century (1965-1989) the private residence of Nicolae and Elena Ceauşescu and their children, Nicu, Zoia, and Valentin).
Later, we drive back to Bucharest with dinner tonight at a local restaurant.
Overnight: Novotel Bucharest (or similar)
Day 18 - Saturday 26 July 2025
Bucharest - Home (B, meals in flight)
After breakfast we will be transferred to the Airport Otopeni for our flight home.
Sit back, relax and reminisce about great times shared with new friends.
Day 20 - Sunday 27 July 2025
Welcome home
Thank you for joining us for our latest adventure.
We look forward to welcoming you back.