Tour Itinerary
- 23 Nights
- 3 Sofia
- 2 Plovdiv
- 1 Kazanlak
- 1 Veliko Tarnovo
- 2 Bucharest
- 3 Poiana Brasov
- 3 Bucovinian Monasteries
- 1 Cluj Napoca
- 1 Szeged
- 2 Budapest
- 4 Vienna
Commences Sofia 04 May and ends Vienna 27 May 2019
Tour Highlights
- The Bulgarian capital, Sofia, as well as the icons of the Rila Monastery and some local folklore
- Bulgarian Plovdiv with its Roman theatre and mediaeval old town
- The quaint old Bulgarian capital of Veliko Tarnovo together with the scenic Valley of the Roses, historic Thracian tombs and the dramatic Spika Pass
- The icons of the Romanian capital, Bucharest
- The spectacular scenery of Transylvania
- The fascinating UNESCO World Heritage painted monasteries of Bucovinia
- The Roman site of Cluj Napoca
- The Great Hungarian Plain
- The icons of the Hungarian capital, Budapest
Tour Overview
This exciting program explores a fascinating and largely unexplored corner of Europe from the Balkans to the Danube and concluding in the golden city of Vienna. Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary have sometimes shared and sometimes been divided by a rich and a turbulent history from Roman, Byzantine, Slavic and Ottoman influences. In recent times, Bulgaria and Romania in particular have been largely hidden from our view behind that great Iron Curtain that cut Europe into two. However, each of these countries has a rich and diverse culture with some of Europe’s outstanding scenery and unspoiled towns and villages. They are countries all undergoing great changes but, for a short while, still offering us a unique insight into the time capsule of their past.
We start our program in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, before discovering Wallachia and Transylvania in modern day Bulgaria and Romania and the Great Plains and Danube Valley of Hungary and Austria. We study the Ottoman threat to this region and great Hapsburg cities but also the rise of nationalism in the 19th century and the events leading up to the Great War and the complex and tragic history of this region in the 20th century.
We explore the fascinating and very different cities of the region from Sofia to Bucharest and Budapest, as well as the Neo-Classical splendours of Vienna. Our program also allows us to discover some the rugged and unspoiled Romanian, Bulgarian and Hungarian countryside, as we visit UNESCO preserved mediaeval towns and monasteries, fascinating painted churches, fortified castles and quintessential villages.
Tour Inclusions
- 23 nights en-suite hotel accommodation
- Typical local breakfast and lunch or dinner daily
- Touring by comfortable and modern coach
- Transport, field trips and excursions as indicated
- Services of a Program Leader
- Applicable entry fees and services of local guides
- Gratuities and necessary tips
- Detailed Program Information Booklet
Moderate
This program includes places which can only be explored on foot and where walking tours may be a little longer and not always on the flat. Accommodation may have some stairs and or have some rooms which may involve some walking to access.
All our programs naturally involve some walking in order to discover better the places visited and, although we arrange porterage where this is available, participants are expected to be able to handle their own bags. Our program leaders will always try to make as much of the program as possible available for those who find walking longer distances, uphill or down steps difficult but, in same places, this cannot always be avoided.
If you have any concerns at all about your level of fitness, please do not hesitate to talk to us and discuss further with the experts who know the particular demands of each program.
Follow these simple steps to secure your place on one of our unique tours:
- Select the program or programs you are interested in joining and make a note of the program code that appears next to the program price (eg: GCTAD14).
- Access the Golden Compass booking form here.
- Complete the details you have available (we understand your flights and travel insurance details may not be confirmed when you make your booking).
- Print and sign your form, then simply scan and email your form direct to info@goldencompasstours.co.nz. If you prefer you can fax your form to +44 (0) 1494 431 144, or post it to our New Zealand postal address at:
Golden Compass, P O Box 3452 Shortland St. Auckland 1140, New Zealand.
Please note we require a deposit of NZD500 per person per program with the full balance for each tour being due 70 days prior to the start of your program or programs in the UK, Europe, North Africa or Asia.
Once the deposit payment has been taken you will then be sent your confirmation letter either by email or post (as you prefer). An invoice for the balance will be issued to you 12 weeks prior to the departure of your first tour or tours. Full payment by MasterCard, Visa or electronic bank transfer is required 70 days prior to the start of your tour.
If you need any assistance please call our Freephone number on 0800 132 385.
