TRAVELING BACK IN TIME – VELINGRAD

VELINGRAD (The museum of History) – TSÉPINA – DÓRKOVO – KOSTÁNDOVO – 

NARROW GAUGE TRAIN (until AVRAMOVO) – YÚNDOLA

Price

The price include: Air-conditioned VAN, Guide, lunch, entrance fees

BEGINNING – 8,30 

THE HISTORY MUSEUM OF VELINGRAD

At 8:30 am from the hotel we head towards the Velingrad Historical Museum. The museum has four permanent exhibitions. The ethnographic exhibition “The mountain – a cozy home” shows the traditional costumes of different religious communities, which live in the region of Chépino.

Here is the largest collection of Easter eggs. Is demonstrated the typical tradition of the region of Chépino of painting Easter eggs with pen and wax. You can also see painted eggs from other parts of Bulgaria, as well from Central and Eastern Europe.

The memorial exhibition “Vela Peeva” tells the life of the young Bulgarian partisan, who died in 1944, fighting against the State government and its pro-German politics during World War II. Now she is the patron of Velingrad.

The last exhibition in the museum is dedicated to the world-famous opera singer Nikolay Gyaurov (1929-2004), born in Velingrad.

THE NARROW GAUGE TRAIN (from VELINGRAD to AVRÁMOVO)

After visiting the History museum  the bus will take us to the train station in Velingrad, to live the romance, comparable to “travel back in time”, with the only narrow gauge train in Bulgaria, wide only 76 centimeters. It is an exceptional tourist attraction. We will have a memorable trip about an hour. But, what hour! Our way passes through mountainous landscapes of breathtaking beauty, through picturesque places and many tunnels; through an exotic curve, which turns in a specific way, called “The eight”. In this railway is located the highest train station of the Balkans – Avramovo (at the altitude of 1267 m above sea level). There we will get off. The train is very slow, but it is funny!

The narrow gauge train line Septemvri – Dobrinishte is included in the European Railway Timetable Guide, issued by the German Railways (DB), which presents the most interesting railways in Europe.

YÚNDOLA

At the Avramovo train station the bus will be waiting for us, and will take us to another attraction, preserved from the past – the unique out-of-doors market in the center of Yúndola. Every day the colorful and picturesque market attracts many visitors. People stop to see the outdoor stands, filled with nature gifts – herbs, mushrooms, berries and others. The vendors of organic products give the guarantee that everything is their own production – beans, potatoes, cottage cheese, butter, yogurt, etc.

KOSTÁNDOVO

Our next stop is the town of Kostandovo. The surrounding hills are covered with pinewoods and pastures. Nearby there are three mineral springs. These characteristics give the local nature a special charm.

Kostandovo is known first and foremost for the HEMUS carpet factory, whose motto is “Real comfort and quality at real prices.” This motto comes from the list of customers of the company, which has decorated with handmade carpets the homes of a large part of the European elite: palaces and private mansions; In addition – public buildings and museums. In the last 15 years Hemus has imposed Bulgarian quality on the European market. About the precision of this carpet art have written: Interiors United Kingdom, Architectural Digest, Houses and Gardens and many others.

HEMUS is the leader in Europe in the preservation of the know-how for the carpet reproduction by hand.

HEMUS predominates in a unique and special niche. The company is positioned in a prestige market that requires an engineering precision in the stage of preparation of the carpets.

Over 12,600 square meters of hand-woven carpets went out of here to the palaces and houses of prominent figures in Britain. The technology of making carpets is absolutely authentic. Each operation is done by hand. In some carpets are used more than 100 different colors, which determine their high price.

The carpets of Kostandovo become true ambassadors of Bulgaria.

LUNCH

Then we will go to eat in the tavern of the “RUMINIKA” eco-village complex, near the neighboring village Dorkovo. The menu is typical of the Rhodopes region. Traditional dishes and specialties will make you suck your fingers. The Chef will satisfy all your wishes.

DÓRKOVO – THE PLIOCENE PARK

After lunch we head to Dorkovo village. First we are going to visit the remarkable local church ¨Sveti Ilia¨ (“St. Elias”).

Then we will return five million years back in time – in the lost world of mastodons. In Dorkovo there is an interesting museum of natural science, called “The Pliocene Park.” In it are presented the findings of the Pliocene era, found in the area “KOKALITE” (“THE BONES”), near the village. The deposit is the largest, known to paleontologists, stacking of bones – more than 30 species of animals – in one place. More than 600 bones have been found on 15 m2 of surface. This is the second largest paleontological exhibition in Europe. Nature in the region during the Pliocene is represented by a diorama of the landscape, long 10 meters, called “The fauna and nature in the neighborhoods of Dorkovo and the Balkans five million years ago.” Is installed also a sound system, which reproduces the voices of the animals.

THE FORTRESS TSÉPINA

After the “Lost World of Mastodons” we will head to the Middle Ages – we will visit the nearby Bulgarian medieval fortress Tsépina, built between the 11th and 13th centuries.

Tsépina is an archaeological monument of national importance. It is a medieval walled city, the seat of the despot Aleksiy Slav, the nephew of Tsar Kaloyan (early 13th century). The walls surrounded the territory with a surface of 25 acres. At the highest point of the hill stood the citadel – the Castle of the despot. During the excavations have been discovered water storage tanks, residential buildings, two medieval churches, pieces of wall paintings, parts of marble cladding, and two reliefs with images of the apostles Peter and Paul. The castle of the despot was surrounded by walls with a thickness of 1.6 m.

END OF THE EXCURSION – at 16.30 we sit on the bus, and will be at the hotel approximately at 17.00.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]