Bulgaria Nature Meet the Rhodopes

Arrival. Transfer to Plovdiv. Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast. Departure for the Red Wall Botanical Reserve. 38 classes of plants, included in the Red Book of Bulgaria are found in the reserve. 5 of them are categorized as plants “in danger” and the rest – as “rare”. Species, typical for Bulgaria – Marubium frivaldskyanum, Verbascum decorum and Chondrilla urimovii; species, typical for the Balkans – Tracheliim jacqunii, Scabiosa rhodopensis, Haberlea rhodopensis, Alkanna srtibrnyi, Onosma rhodopaea, Viola grisebachiana, Saxigraga ferdinandii-coburgi and Latheraea rhodopaea; rare species and species in danger: Morina persica, Valeriana montana, Daphne laureola, Daphne oleoides, Linum uninerve, Cypripedium calceolus and Goodyera repens. Lunch. Sightseeing tour of Bachkovo Monastery. Departure for Smolyan. Dinner and overnight in Smolyan.

Breakfast. Departure for the Red Wall Botanical Reserve. 38 classes of plants, included in the Red Book of Bulgaria are found in the reserve. 5 of them are categorized as plants “in danger” and the rest – as “rare”. Species, typical for Bulgaria – Marubium frivaldskyanum, Verbascum decorum and Chondrilla urimovii; species, typical for the Balkans – Tracheliim jacqunii, Scabiosa rhodopensis, Haberlea rhodopensis, Alkanna srtibrnyi, Onosma rhodopaea, Viola grisebachiana, Saxigraga ferdinandii-coburgi and Latheraea rhodopaea; rare species and species in danger: Morina persica, Valeriana montana, Daphne laureola, Daphne oleoides, Linum uninerve, Cypripedium calceolus and Goodyera repens. Lunch. Sightseeing tour of Bachkovo Monastery. Departure for Smolyan. Dinner and overnight in Smolyan.

Breakfast. Trip to Smolyan Lakes. Rare species in the district – Asplenium cuneifolium, Sparganium minimum. Carex limosa, Trollius europaeus, Aquilegia vulgaris, etc. Free time for lunch in the village of Momchilovtsi. Drive to Smolyan. Dinner and overnight in Smolyan.

Breakfast. Departure for the village of Trigrad. On the way – visit to Shiroka Laka. Sightseeing in the region of Trigrad Gorge and visit to the Devil’s Throat Cave. Lunch. Species, typical for Bulgaria – Secale rhodopaeum, Arenaria rhodopaea, Seseli rhodopaeum, Verbascum nobile and Veronica austriacasubsp. Tenuissima: species, typical for the Balkans – Sideritis scardica, Saxifraga ferdinandii-coburgii, Malcomia serbica and Aquilegia aurea; rare species and species in danger – Lepidotus inundata, Lilium jankae, Drosera rotundifolia and Corsuta muthioli. Free time in the village of Teshel. Accommodation in a family hotel in Trigrad or Devin. Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast. Departure for Beglika Reserve. On the way – visit to the village of Borino. Species, typical for Bulgaria – Geum rhodopaeum, Viola rhodopaea and Veronica rhodopaea, Spirea salicifolia, Ribes nigrum, Potentilla fruticosa, Potentilla palustris, Astragalus centralpinus, Pulmonaria mollissima, Soldanella carpatica. Lunch. Drive to Velingrad. Dinner and overnight in Velingrad.

Breakfast. Drive to Sofia. Visit to the Botanical Garden of Sofia University. Accommodation. Free time. In the evening- dinner at a traditional retaurant with music and dances. Overnight in Sofia.

Breakfast at the hotel. Half day sightseeing tour of Sofia. Lunch. Visit to Alexander Nevski Cathedral – one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in Europe, as well as one of Sofia’s symbols and a primary tourist attraction; the Rotunda St. George, the Church St. Sophia, built by emperor Justinian in the 6th century, the National Theatre, the former Royal Palace, today housing the National Revival Art Gallery and the Ethnographic Museum, the Presidency, etc. Transfer to the airport. Departure.