Explore and experience Bulgaria on a mysterious journey in the Thracian Valley.
Yakata and Western Thrace wine tour
Day 1.
Arrival to Sofia. Group transfer from Sofia airport at 14:00 to Todoroff Wine & Spa Hotel in Brestovitsa – a village located just outside Plovdiv in the so-called Yakata (the Collar) area. Check-in. Winery show-around by onsite oenologist followed by a wine tasting. Time for SPA and relaxation, including a possibility for wine SPA and wine-based beauty procedures. Organised dinner in Todoroff’s restaurant.
Meals included: Dinner
Accommodation: Todoroff Wine & Spa Hotel (4 stars)
Day 2.
Breakfast. Transfer to Villa Yustina in the village of Ustina. Visit to vineyards. Winery show-around by onsite winemaker followed by tasting of five wines. Lunch. Visit to The Red Church – a partially preserved early christian basilica close to the town of Perushtitsa. Transfer to Todoroff Wine & SPA Hotel. Overnight.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Todoroff Wine & Spa Hotel (4 stars)
Day 3.
Breakfast at Todoroff. Transfer to Landmark Creek Hotel in Plovdiv. Check-in. Guided tour of Plovdiv and Old Plovdiv. Free time including time for lunch. Transfer to Dragomir Wine Cellar in Plovdiv. Show-around and wine tasting accompanied by appetizers. Free time in the evening.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Landmark Creek Hotel (4 stars)
Day 4.
Breakfast at hotel. Today, we visit Asen’s fortress and Bachkovo monastery. We will have lunch in a local restaurant close to Bachkovo. On the way back to Plovdiv, we stop at the charming Starata Izba (the Old Cellar) for a show around and wine tasting session with the manager of the cellar.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Landmark Creek Hotel (4 stars)
Day 5.
After breakfast, we make our way to Bessa Valley Winery. Here we will tour the winery and taste the splendid wines produced here. Return to Plovdiv. Tonight marks our last night together. In order to celebrate and commemorate this tour, a wine pairing dinner* will be held at Enoteca Bendida Wine Restaurant.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner*
Accommodation: Landmark Creek Hotel (4 stars)
*if the booking is for a group smaller than 3 persons, the wine-paired dinner will be replaced with an additional tasting + lunch
Day 6.
Breakfast. Departure for Sofia airport or Sofia centre at 10:00 from Landmark Creek Hotel
Included in the price of the Yakata and Western Thrace wine tour:
✓ Airport group pickup on Day 1 at 14:00
✓ Airport group drop-off on Day 6 to either Sofia airport or Sofia centre
✓ All ground transportation with a minivan included in the tour’s itinerary
✓ 2 nights at Todoroff Wine & SPA Hotel (4 stars) in Brestovitza
✓ 3 nights at Landmark Creek Hotel (4 stars) in Plovdiv
✓ Tasting of 5 wines at Todoroff Wine Cellar, including appetizers and water
✓ Dinner at Todoroff Wine Cellar
✓ Tasting of 5 wines at Villa Yustina
✓ Lunch at Villa Yustina
✓ Entrance to The Red Church by Perushtitsa
✓ Guided tour of Plovdiv
✓ Wine tasting at Dragomir Wine Cellar, including appetizers and water
✓ Visit and entrance fees, where applicable, to Bachkovo Monastery and Assen’s Fortress
✓ Lunch in or around Bachkovo
✓ Wine tasting at Starata Izba Parvenetz
✓ Wine tasting at Bessa Valley, including appetizers and water
✓ Farewell dinner on Day 5
✓ Breakfast on all days except for Day 1
✓ Tour leader from Bulgaria Wine Tours
✓ Guided tours of wineries by onsite winemaker
✓ Tour operator insurance from HDI Insurance in case of non-provision of services
Not included in the tour price:
- Flight tickets
- Private transfers
- Meals and beverages not mentioned in the tour description
- Travel and medical insurance (please, consult your insurance provider)
- Visa fees, if applicable
- Extras and incidentials
- Tips
During the Yakata and Western Thrace wine tour we will visit the following wineries:
Todoroff Wine Cellar
Todoroff is a winery situated in the village of Brestovitza – one of the most famous wine producing villages in Bulgaria, as well as the place with one of the highest concentrations of wine cellars in the country. The modern winery Todoroff is the first boutique winery in Bulgaria and is a successor of a prestigious winery dating back to 1945. Todoroff emphasizes on the relationship between wine and art and in this way embodies the spirit of its current owner – Ivan Todoroff who is originally an artist. The modern winery also includes the first wine SPA in Bulgaria and boasts to be the pioneer of wine tourism in the country. At Todoroff, you will submerge into the artsy atmosphere, rich history and quality wines produced here.
Villa Yustina
Villa Yustina is located in the village of Ustina, about 25 km from Plovdiv. The name of the winery, as well as the village, originates from emperor Justinian I who was an emperor of the East Roman empire in the 1st century AD and who commissioned a fort to be built on the hills by the present village. Villa Yustina began its journey in the wine world in 2006 and soon after in 2011 its main oenologist received the price “Oenologist of the year”. Villa Yustina is a proud birthplace of one of the best cuvees of the local varieties Mavrud and Rubin. Villa Yustina will enchant you with warm hospitality, the beautiful vine park and other outdoor recreational possibilities and if you are lucky enough to meet the owner Milko Tsvetkov, you will also make a lifelong wine friend.
Dragomir
It is rare to find a wine estate in a big city, but Dragomir will surprise you in many ways. The winery is located in the southern part of the ancient city of Plovdiv – Bulgaria’s second largest city. Dragomir is more than a wine estate, it is a manifestation of the love for wine, but also for each other of the oenologists Nataliya and Konstantin. The winery is built in 2006 and not long after it received prestigious international recognition at Vinalies Internationales in Paris in 2010 and 2011. A unique feature of Dragomir is the digestive made from the local variety Mavrud. Dragomir offers elegance and class inside the borders of the city and it is a must see for any wine enthusiast who visits Plovdiv.
Starata Izba
Starata Izba (The Old Cellar) is a successor of the wine estate “Bojilov” from the end of the 19th century. The legend goes that the head of the Bojilov family found a gold treasure at the place where the winery is located and used it to build a wine estate. During the communist regime in Bulgaria the winery was also used as a residence for the party’s elite, which is evidenced in a section with preserved artifacts from that time. Today, the winery is renovated and equipped with modern wine-making equipment by its new owners at the turn of the 21st century. At Starata Izba one can take a step back in time and try the winery’s premium brand Merum – the name used by the Romans for the purest of wines.
Bessa Valley
Bessa Valley derives its name from the Thracian tribe Bessi – the most tumultuous of all Thracian tribes and the guardians of Zagreus’ (the Thracian God of Wine) temple. The area that the ancient Bessi inhabited was chosen by count Stephan von Neipperg to produce high quality red wines. The architecture of the winery itself follows the Thracian traditions and the name of the Enira brand is commemorative of the Thracian princess Enira whose unmatched beauty mesmerized locals and strangers alike. History repeats itself and Bessa Valley is yet another successful wine project in the long history of wine making in the Neipperg family, while Enira continues to enchant anyone it has contact with.
Price of the Yakata and Western Thrace wine tour:
- € 530 per person for a group of 6 persons (*)
- € 630 per person for a group of 4-5 persons
- € 800 per person for a group of 2-3 persons.
Contact us for a quotation for groups larger than 6 persons.
* Price per person is based on double occupancy e.g. two persons sharing a room
Payment:
A deposit of 30% of the total tour cost is required to be paid within 7 days of the invoice issue date.
The balance of the amount due to the Company must be paid no later than 45 days before departure.
In the event that the Client makes a booking within 45 days of departure of the tour, the full tour price must be paid up-front.
Please, refer to the Booking Terms & Conditions for detailed information about payment.
Arrival/Departure
- Group transfer on Day 1 is from Sofia airport to Todoroff Wine & Spa Hotel at 14:00. If you arrive in the early morning, you have the option of going into Sofia centre to explore.
- A representative from Bulgaria Wine Tours will be by the information desk between the Arrivals and Departures Halls at Sofia Airport, Terminal 2 starting from 13:30 on Day 1. The representative will have a Bulgaria Wine Tours sign.
- For arrivals at Sofia Airport Terminal 1, a representative from Bulgaria Wine Tours will meet you at the information desk in the main hall around 14:00. The representative will have a Bulgaria Wine Tours sign.
- Group transfer on Day 6 is just after breakfast – 10:00. You may be dropped off at Sofia airport or Sofia centre. Please inform us of your preference when you book.
- For late arrivals on Day 1 or early departures on Day 6, it is necessary to pre-book a private transfer or plan your arrival at the relevant location. We can assist you with that if you wish so.
- Transport time between Sofia airport and Todoroff Wine & SPA on Day 1 is about 2 hours.
- Transport time between Plovdiv and Sofia airport on Day 6 is about 1.5 hours.
Visa Requirements
- In general, EU citizens do not require visas to travel to Bulgaria. Citizens of some other countries also do not need visas to travel to Bulgaria. For visa requirements to enter Bulgaria, please consult the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at: http://www.mfa.bg/en/pages/109/index.html or the respective institutions in your country of residence.
Insurance
- You are encouraged to purchase travel and medical insurance at your own judgement.
Notes
- The tour does not require any special medical condition or fitness level. The tour does not involve intensive walking, hiking, or other physical effort apart from the normal efforts for sightseeing.
Additional services or surcharges
- Please contact us for prices and information on private transfers from Sofia Airport to Todoroff Hotel Wine & Spa complex and from Plovdiv to Sofia
- Single supplement: 95 EUR
For any questions, please contact us at: +359 888 487 113 or email: info@bulgariawinetours.com or contact us through the Facebook page – Bulgaria Wine Tours.
We are committed to making this tour a pleasant and memorable experience for you.
Enjoy Exploring! Enjoy Bulgaria!