Your journey begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to Sofia.

Breakfast (in flight), Dinner

Once touching ground in Sofia, a Go Ahead representative will escort you to your hotel. Settle in and get ready to clink glasses with your fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.

Breakfast

St. George Rotunda, St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral icon collection

Compact yet cosmopolitan, Sofia is one of the European Union’s newest and most walkable capitals. With a local leading the way, pass the parliament building, Viennese-style royal palace and the restored national theater, stopping along the way to admire the golden Ottoman domes that distinguish Sofia’s skyline. Amid a cluster of modern buildings, step into the city’s oldest structure, the St. George Rotunda. Enter the Aleksander Nevski Cathedral, home to Bulgaria’s best-kept collection of religious icons. And continue your journey to the Hagia Sophia, a Byzantine cathedral decorated in some of the country’s oldest mosaics. The afternoon is free to wander away to make your own discoveries.

Breakfast, Dinner

Tsarevets Fortress

This morning drive to Veliko Tarnovo, a city set against the Yantra River. With a local guide, you’ll encounter scores of ancient ruins and crumbling fortresses that lend the city an old-world feel. Meander among the Samovodska Charshi district’s high stone walls, balconied homes and narrow, cobbled streets. Further your exploration at Tsarevets Fortress, once a citadel, now a relic of the city’s storied past. Recount your favorite sights at tonight’s dinner.

Breakfast, Dinner

At the foot of the Trapezitsa and Tsarevets hills, just outside Veliko Tarnovo’s medieval fortifications, discover one last sight: the Church of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki. After admiring the medieval church, it’s on to Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. On your way, stop to behold the Madara Rider, an ancient stone carving. Later, in Shumen, enjoy some free time for lunch. Be sure to quench your thirst with some Shumensko Pivo, the city’s local brew, or explore its communist memorials. After the day’s travels, relax in Varna at an included dinner.

Breakfast

The choices for filling your free day in Varna are endless. Stroll along the maritime city’s ambling beach or take a dip in the crystalline blue waters. Spend an afternoon exploring the pedestrian promenade or soak in more sun at Primorski Park. If you’d like, join an excursion to the coastal village of Balchik and the Kap Kaliakra peninsula for stunning cliffside views of the Black Sea and a visit to a Romanian queen’s summer villa and botanical gardens. Cap off your evening with an optional dinner, showcasing Bulgarian folk dance and traditional music.

Optional Excursions

Taste of Tradition: Bulgarian Music & Dinner $99* pp

Folk traditions continue to meld generations upon generations of Bulgarians. Over dinner, sit back and savor the distinctive songs and dances belonging to the local people. The country’s music is known for it’s asymmetrical rhythms (called Bulgarian rhythms), in which musical timing is broken unevenly over longer and shorter beats. Your dinner will take place either in Varna or along the Golden Sands, a resort-town renowned for its swath of gorgeous villas.

Optional Excursions

Coastal Beauty: Balchik & Kap Kaliakra $99* pp

Further your exploration of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, discovering what makes this region one of the most sought-after by Europeans. On your way to the coastal village of Balchik, you’ll encounter stunning seascapes. Cliffside views, sprawling beaches and an amazing diversity of sea birds will mark your journey to the small harbor town. Once there, you’ll visit the summer villa and botanical gardens of the Romanian Queen Maria, built in the early 20th century. After Balchik, continue on to Kap Kaliakra, a rocky peninsula jutting out into the Black Sea. From there, you’ll visit the museum and see the remnants of a medieval fortress. Then, seal the day with a scenic drive, traveling back along the coast to Varna.

Breakfast, Dinner

Say goodbye to Bulgaria as you journey to Bucharest. Along the way, stop in Silistra, where you’ll have free time to savor your last Bulgarian meal and explore the historical city’s rare ruins. (Please note: Some groups may stop in Rousse instead of Silistra.) Afterward, cross the Danube River. From there, make your way to Bucharest, arriving in time for an included dinner.

Breakfast

Village museum

Bucharest is an eclectic capital. On your guided tour, you’ll see a range of one-of-a-kind architecture taking inspiration from the Art Deco to Bauhaus to Neo-classical eras. Take in classical buildings on Victory Street, the city’s oldest boulevard. Admire the ornate Triumphal Arch, lavish Savings Bank and Ceausescu’s grandiose palace, constructed under communist regime. Continue through historic and distinctive squares, making your way to the Village Museum. The outdoor museum is the largest of its kind, and allows a glimpse into Romanian village life and folk traditions. The rest of the day is yours to explore on your own or join an optional excursion to take a look inside Ceausescu’s palace.

Optional Excursions

Ceausescu’s Palace $59* pp

Step inside the world’s second largest building (the Pentagon takes first place). Describing Ceausescu’s Palace as ornate would be a complete understatement; this magnificent structure is just one you’ll have to see to believe. Between the beginning of construction in the early 80’s and completion in the 90’s, Ceausescu demolished multiple neighborhoods to contruct this momument to his communist regime. The building is now used for multiple purposes, including housing two chambers of Romanian Parliament, meetings, conferences, exhibitions and even concerts.

Breakfast, Dinner

Brukenthal art museum, Lutheran Evangelical Cathedral

Travel into the heart of Transylvania to Sibiu. Traditionally, vampires have been Transylvania’s claim to fame, but slowly and steadily, the region is gaining acclaim for its culturally rich cities. Take Sibiu for example. It was recently designated the EU’s “Capital of Culture” for reasons that will become apparent to you on your guided tour. Begin in the old town, taking in the towering gates and walls that partially enclose the city. Next, enter the Lutheran Cathedral, a breathtaking example of Gothic architecture. Cross the cast-iron Liar’s Bridge, so-called because of the words of young lovers who met here. Traipse through the magnificent Huet Square and its mix of Gothic buildings. Gaze at the impressive collection of European, Romanian and Contemporary art at the Brukenthal National Museum. And finally, join your fellow travelers for dinner. Be sure to complement your meal with a glass of wine—Romania is one of the world’s top ten producers.

Breakfast

Sibiu has something for every type of traveler. Fill your free day exploring its churches, sprawl out in its public parks or wander along its cobbled pedestrian plazas. If you want to experience the medieval Saxon villages synonymous with Dracula, opt for our Medieval Transylvania excursion to Sighisoara and the fortified church of Biertan.

Optional Excursions

Medieval Transylvania $99* pp

Want to see where Dracula was born? Travel deep inside the heart of Transylvania and discover the medieval towns made famous by Vlad Tepes. First, you’ll stop in the town of Biertan, a Unesco World Heritage site, to visit a fortified Saxon church. Built in the 14th century, the church is both Romania’s largest and best preserved. Then, in the citadel town of Sighisoara, explore the old city, which has remained largely unchanged since the 17th century. Continue your explorations through the village streets, stopping at City Council Square, the City Museum and Clock Tower before heading back to Sibiu. Please note: travel time is approximately two hours each way.

Breakfast

Black church, St. Nicholas Church, Museum of 1st Romanian School, Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle)

It’s a complete necessity—you can’t leave Transylvania without visiting the legendary Bran Castle. With the Carpathian Mountains as your backdrop, make your way to medieval Brasov for a walking tour of the city’s historic center, narrow alleyways, stone walls and towering Gothic churches. Enter the Black Church, St. Nicholas Church and the 1st Romanian School. On your way back to Sibiu, stop in Bran for a guided tour of “Dracula’s Castle.”

Breakfast, Dinner

Peles Palace

Depart Sibiu for Bucharest, stopping en route in Sinaia to discover Peles Castle. Once the summer home to King Carol I, this palace’s decadence is perfectly in tact. Explore its parlors, suites and salons (look out for the Gustav Klimt paintings) on your guided tour. Then, take in some fresh mountain air before departing for Bucharest, where you’ll savor a farewell dinner.

Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)

Your adventure draws to a close this morning as you head to the airport to board your flight home.