Wine and Wellness near Plovdiv

About

This tour immerses you in the culture of Bulgaria with wine degustations interspersed with tours of Plovdiv and the surrounding region. Enjoy a week filled with exquisite wine, gourmet food and attentive service in the luxurious wineries of Bulgaria’s wine capital. Immerse yourself in the tranquility of Starosel winery’s SPA and wellness center. Explore the city of Plovdiv and visit historic locations where you’ll see remnants of bygone eras that have withstood the test of time.

Highlights

• Taste the best wines produced in Bulgaria in some of its acclaimed wineries

• Get into the spirit of Bulgaria’s winemaking tradition at Yustina Winery

• Enjoy a wine degustation at Starosel Winery, built in the style of a Thracian tomb

• Visit nearby historical locations such as the Starosel Thracian Tomb and the Roman Wall of Hisarya

• Spend a day at Todoroff Winery, the first ever boutique winery in Bulgaria – delicious wine, great service and luxury all rolled into one

• Get a taste of great wine at the atmospheric and gorgeously designed Midalidare Estate, the perfect place for a romantic getaway

• Benefit from the expertise of a sommelier

• Explore Plovdiv’s top attractions

• Go on a short trip to the Rhodope mountains and see Bachkovo Monastery – the second largest monastery in Bulgaria

 Description

Day 1

Pick up from Sofia Airport. Bus transfer to the city of Plovdiv, located 1h30min away. You’ll have time to settle into your hotel and unwind, after which we’ll meet up for dinner at a traditional Bulgarian restaurant, where we’ll try local dishes and enjoy a folk performance.

Overnight in Plovdiv.

Day 2

This day is dedicated to exploring the city of Plovdiv – 2019 European Capital of Culture. After that, we’ll head towards Yustina Winery for our first wine tasting.

We’ll start with a visit to the Old Town – a historical and architectural reserve known for its buildings in the style of the Bulgarian Revival Period, ancient Roman and Thracian ruins, various monuments and landmarks, all perfectly illustrating the complicated history that has shaped this city into the Plovdiv of today. We’ll visit its most famous and noteworthy landmarks, including the Balabanov and Hindliyan Houses, the Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum, and, of course, the crown jewel of this city – the Ancient Roman Theatre.

We’ll stop for lunch at a traditional restaurant around noon.

After the Old Town, we’ll go down to the Main Shopping Street to see the ancient Roman Stadium and its uncovered northern part, which is open to visitors.

Next is Kapana (i.e. “the Trap”) – Plovdiv’s famed art corner, made up of a labyrinth of intertwining streets lined with modern art stores, stylish little cafes, building walls colorfully painted by talented street artists and constantly changing pieces of modern art scattered around every corner.

After exploring Plovdiv, we’ll be transported by bus to Yustina Winery in the Rhodope Mountains. We’ll start with a guided tour of the vineyard and the farm of Villa Yustina, along with a brief description of its terroir, grape varieties and history of the region. After that, we’ll go on a walk around the winery and visit the enoteca, where we’ll learn about the history of Villa Yustina. After our tour we’ll enjoy a degustation of fine wines accompanied by appetizers and water.

Overnight in Plovdiv.

Day 3

We’ll start the day after breakfast, with a trip to Bachkovo Monastery, only half an hour away from Plovdiv. It is located in the Rhodopes, and the forest-covered highs and lows of the mountainscape are breathtaking all year round.

The “Assumption of Holy Virgin” Bachkovo monastery is the second largest in Bulgaria. The cobbled road leading up to the monastery is lined with market stalls selling trinkets, folk craft, homemade jam, honey and spices. It was founded all the way back in the 11th century. In the cathedral, there is an icon from 1311 known as the Miracle Working Icon of the Holy Virgin. The area around the monastery has several traditional Bulgarian restaurants where we can sit down for lunch and try more dishes from the local cuisine.

Our next stop is Todoroff Winery – the first ever boutique wine cellar in Bulgaria. It offers a unique selection of wines for wine lovers and collectors to enjoy. Established in 2001, it paved the way for the changes in winemaking and the development of wine culture in Bulgaria. It focuses on production of small batches of high-quality red and white wines, perfect technology control and preliminary quality analysis of the raw material, as well as an individual approach to each client. The experience of tasting their delicious wine is further enhanced by the diligent service and beautiful décor.

After the degustation, we will visit the Red Church, one of the oldest Christian temples found in Bulgaria. It dates back to the 5th century AD and gets its name from the Roman bricks and the red mortar used for its construction. It is believed that the temple was known for the healing relics of a Christian martyr who died to establish the faith in these lands back in the day. Overnight at Todoroff Boutique Winery.

Day 4

On this day, we’ll enjoy a wine tasting at the Starosel winery. We’ll also visit the Starosel Thracian Tomb and the town of Hisarya. The town of Hisarya is one of the oldest and most popular balneological resorts in Bulgaria. Its history dates back to the Neolithic era. This town’s biggest attraction is its ancient Roman fortress wall, with a length of 2327 meters and a height of 13 meters. Hisarya’s wall remains remarkably intact to this day. It curves through and around the town, and its most famous section is the so-called “Camels” – its southern gate, which up until its restoration stood split in two like the humps of a camel.

Most of the other archeological discoveries uncovered are concentrated in and around "Momina Sulza" park. Hisarya’s thermae, built on an area of 3000 square metres, are today amongst the few preserved thermae in the Balkans. Some of them are intact almost up to their roofs. Three hundred metres south of the fortified city there is a Roman family tomb. Its original structure is preserved and it is accessible to visitors. It is notable for its long corridor, burial chamber and colorful floor mosaic.

Starosel is home to the oldest Thracian complex with a mausoleum found in Bulgaria. It dates back to the end of 5th century BC. We’ll see the ancient ruins and learn about their history.

After our walk around the temple complex, we’ll attend a wine degustation at Starosel Winery. The enologists and winemakers from this wine cellar follow the tradition of the ancient Thracians who passed down onto us the art of winemaking, thus keeping their technique alive. The wine tasting will take place in the wine cellar, which is built and decorated in the style of a Thracian tomb. We’ll try a selection of 3 wines, complemented with appetizers and mineral water.

Starosel winery is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing afternoon. It has its own SPA center, warm mineral water swimming pool and loungers. Peacocks roam the winery’s grounds, adding an additional element of beauty to a complex that is already a work of art.

Overnight in Plovdiv.

Day 5

On this day we’ll visit Midalidare Estate – a deluxe wine complex unparalleled in its tranquil atmosphere and attention to detail. Away from the bustling city, hidden in the mountains, it exists in a realm of its own, where you can focus entirely on relaxing and enjoying your stay in nature. The staff is diligent and dedicated wholly to providing you with a pleasant experience.

The stylish design, faithful to the Provencal architecture that inspired it, and the artfully arranged and maintained grounds ensure that a weekend spent at Midalidare is a weekend spent surrounded by nothing but beauty.

Visitors can rent bicycles and explore the grounds and the surrounding area. The estate has a fully equipped gym, SPA center and tennis court.

With its genuine Bulgarian wine, produced in its very own wine cellar, Midalidare Complex is one of the best places in Bulgaria for wine tasting. Here, you have the opportunity to witness the wine-making process first-hand.

Overnight at Midalidare Estate.

Day 6

Departure for Sofia Airport.