Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arbanasi

   • Arrive at Sofia airport and transfer to the architectural reserve of Arbanasi village and St. Virgin Mary monastery, where we stay the next two days. 

   • Dinner in a traditional Bulgarian restaurant (mehana).

2. Day 2: Transfiguration Monastery to Hotnitsa Waterfall to Veliko Tarnovo

   • Start with a visit to the picturesque Transfiguration monastery near Veliko Tarnovo. 
   • Get on the bikes and reach the beautiful Hotnitsa waterfall and eco-trail. 
   • After a short walk, continue biking near Hotnista gorge to the main road to Sofia. 
   • Get in the car for a short transfer and start biking again to Buria (Storm) village, among beautiful hilly landscapes with nice views of Dryanovo rock cliffs. 
   • Finish cycling near Dryanovo town. 
   • Go for sightseeing in Veliko Tarnovo and have transferred back to St. Virgin Mary monastery in Arbanasi. 

   Cycling distance: 34 km

3. Day 3: Merdanski Monastery to Kapinovo Monastery

   • Transfer to Dragizhevo village and start biking. 
   • En-route, pass by Merdanski Monastery and continue in the direction to Plakovo and Kapinovo monastery. 
   • Stay overnight in the peaceful Kapinovo monastery and enjoy dinner in the lovely monastery yard. 

   Cycling distance: 33 km (or 53km with possible extension)

4. Day 4: Kilifarevo Monastery to Dryanovo Monastery

   • After a short transfer, start cycling through the villages Plakovo, Golemanite, and Natsovtsi to Kilifarevo monastery. 
   • After lunch and a visit to the monastery, continue with a short but challenging ascent to Ialovo village. 
   • Cycle along Dryanovska River to Dryanovo town. 
   • From there, transfer to Dryanovo monastery for an overnight stay. 
     • Optional visit to the nearby Bacho Kiro cave. 

   Cycling distance: 34 km

5. Day 5: Bojentsi Architectural Reserve to Tryavna

   • In the morning, have a short transfer and then start cycling up and down to Bojentsi village and spend some time sightseeing. 
   • After a short transfer back, start cycling before Tsareva Livadia village on isolated village roads to the National revival town of Tryavna, where we stay overnight. 

   Cycling distance: 35 km

6. Day 6: Gabrovo to Etura open air museum to Sokolski Monastery

   • Cycling from Tryavna up to a mountain pass and then downhill to Gabrovo. 
   • The next stop is the open-air ethnographic museum of Etura. Its 18th-19th-century water-driven machinery, crafts, and lifestyle come alive before the eyes of the visitors. 
   • From here, there are four more kilometres to the picturesque Sokolski Monastery and cycling back to Etura, where we stay overnight. 

   Cycling distance: 28 km

7. Day 7: Shipka Monument to Shipka Monastery to Plovdiv

   • After breakfast in Gabrovo town in typical Bulgarian pastry, transfer to the historic Shipka pass and memorial. 
   • Get on the bikes for a 10 km up/down ride in the beautiful beech forest to the historic Buzludza area. 
   • A supreme downhill ride on the Southern slopes of the mountains awaits us. 
   • Continue biking to Shipka town and visit the richly decorated Shipka monastery and church. 
   • Transfer to Plovdiv, where we stay overnight. 

   Cycling distance: 30 km

8. Day 8: Departure

   • After breakfast, transfer to Sofia or Plovdiv Airport for departure.