EXPLORE BULGARIA: THRACIAN TOMBS & ROCK SANCTUARIES
Holiday Itinerary
Day 1: From Bulgaria's capital city Sofia we transfer east through the Sredna Gora Mountains and then across the Thracian Plain to Asenovgrad, a small town nestled in at the foot of the Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains. Our accommodation for the night is a beautifully restored 19th century town house.
Day 2: We start the day with a visit to the Asenova Krepost, a medieval fortress with a beautiful church perched precariously on the rocks at the entrance to the Chepelarska gorge. We then set off south-east into the Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains, and having crossed the Kitka Pass, break off from the main road to follow a rough and winding country lane that leads us through a stunningly beautiful mountain landscape of rugged volcanic outcrops. This wild region is studded here and there by tiny remote hamlets that lie seemingly forgotten by time and the modern world. The route is a photographer’s dream, and we will make regular pauses to enable pictures to be taken and the landscape to be appreciated. Eventually we drop down into the Borovitsa Valley, much favoured by Black Stork (Ciconia nigra), European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) and Rose-coloured Starling (Sturnus roseus), as well as a host of other interesting birds. Here we will set off on foot to search out a unique recently discovered cave known as “The Rock Womb”. This remarkably shaped cleft in the rocks leads into a cave chamber resembling a womb. It is believed to have been an important sacred site for the Thracians and was no doubt connected with an even earlier Mother-Goddess cult. It takes about an hour’s steep climb on a rough and rocky path to reach the rock massif, and then an exciting scramble up into the cave itself with the aid of a makeshift wooden ladder and the trunk of a tree! Finally, resuming our journey, we make our way on through the regional centre of Kurdzhali to the small sleepy town of Momchilgrad, where we will spend the next two nights in a hotel located in a hillside park above the town.
Day 3: A short drive east from Momchilgrad brings us to the tiny village of Tatul, nowadays famed for a rock sanctuary which is currently the focus of major archaeological investigations. It is thought to date from around the 2nd millennium BC, and is believed to have been the tomb of an extremely important Thracian leader who was deified after his death. The ritual of burying leaders over ground in a rock sarcophagus on the top of a hill (as opposed to inside a burial mound) is extremely rare, and ancient literary sources mention only two people who were buried in this way, one was King Rhesus of Thrace and the other was Orpheus. So the intriguing question the archaeologists are trying to answer is if this was in fact the tomb of Orpheus, as local tradition has always maintained! Having visited the archaeological site, we make our way east into the Krumovitsa Valley which we follow north towards its confluence with the river Arda and the eastern end of the “Studen Kladenets” reservoir. This particular region is internationally recognised for its exceptionally rich biodiversity, being one of the most important places in Europe for butterflies, reptiles and birds of prey. Not surprisingly, the region is the centre of a major long-term conservation project, and we will spend the rest of the day here enjoying nature walks and birdwatching in what is a key feeding area for rare birds such Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) and Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus).
Day 4: Leaving Momchilgrad, we make our way north via Kurdzhali to Perperikon, a large rock sanctuary that is currently undergoing some of the most important archaeological excavations on the Balkan Peninsula. This mighty rock settlement comprises an acropolis, temples, fortress and dwellings. Its origins have been shown to date back 8000 years to the late Neolithic Age, after which it was then inhabited by a succession of Thracians, Romans, Goths, Byzantines and Bulgarians. Most intriguing of all is the growing archaeological evidence that this site may actually have been the renowned sanctuary of Dionysius which was frequently mentioned by ancient authors, but which has so far has eluded discovery by archaeologists. According to the ancient texts, the temple of Dionysius was visited by Alexander the Great, who was informed by its oracle that he would go on to rule the world. Later, Gaius Octavius came to this temple to ask the fate of his unborn baby, and was told it would achieve great things; indeed the baby grew up to become the Emperor Octavian Augustus. Resuming our journey north, we make our way via Kamennite Gubi (The Stone Mushrooms), an amazing collection of naturally weathered toadstool-shaped rocks. We then drive up into the Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains’s Gradishte massif, where we will be based for the next two nights in a tiny remote hamlet. Our accommodation is a complex of beautifully restored stone cottages offering breath-taking mountain views.
Day 5: We spend the day walking on the Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountain's rugged Gradishte massif. We start by making our way to Belintash, another unique rock sanctuary which is believed to have served as an ancient astronomical observatory for the region’s Thracian tribes. The surface of the rock outcrop, reached by ascending a metal ladder, has been carved with a curious collection of cisterns, circles and grooves, some of which are said to represent a map of stars. Descending from the rocks, we thread our way steeply down through a couple of tiny hamlets into the valley of the Sushitsa river. This we then plan to follow on downstream, before returning to our base for a second night.
Day 6: Saying goodbye to the Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains, we head north across the broad expanse of the Thracian Plain, making our way to the vibrant city of Plovdiv where we will stop off for some sightseeing in the beautiful old part of town with its Thracian fortress, impressive Roman amphitheatre, and network of cobbled streets threading between ornate timbered mansions. After lunch, we resume our journey across the Thracian Plain, and then pass through the Sredna Gora Mountains into the Valley of Roses. Here we will visit a royal residence belonging to Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, heir to the Bulgarian throne and former Prime Minister, and have the privilege to enjoy a wine-tasting session specially arranged there in conjunction with a local vineyard. A short drive then takes us to Hisarya, a pleasant spa town whose numerous curative mineral springs have been renowned since Thracian times. Here we will spend the night in one of the leading spa hotels, having the opportunity to relax and revitalize ourselves in its mineral water swimming pool.
Day 7: Prising ourselves away from the pampering, we make our way to the nearby village of Starosel, where we will visit an enormous 5th century BC temple-tomb complex which is believed to have been the burial place of King Sitalkes, one of the greatest Thracian kings. Finally, leaving the magic and mysteries of ancient Thrace behind us, we drive west to Sofia, the modern-day Bulgarian capital where we will have a chance for some sightseeing and where we will spend our final night.
Day 8: The tour ends in the Bulgarian capital city Sofia.