9 Days Bulgaria, Greece & Macedonia on a Motorbike

Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome

Stop At: Sofia International Airport
This is your meet and greet day. Your guide will meet you at the airport (Please provide us with the flight details) and transfer you to the hotel. You will receive the rented bikes if there are such. If the time allows you will have guided walk in Sofia’s city center. After that, you will have welcome dinner in a local traditional restaurant.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Dinner: Traditional Bulgarian Welcome dinner
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 2: The Cultural Capital of Europe 2019

Stop At: Hisarya
We will start our tour on one of the most popular scenic moto road in Bulgaria. It is right next to the Central Balkan mountain. After a couple of hours, we will reach our first stop, where you will have a guided visit of ancient "Diocletianopolis". The town is still an active SPA resort with well preserved Roman remains, where we will have our lunch.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Plovdiv Old Town, Plovdiv, Plovdiv Province
Our final destination is Plovdiv, the cultural capital of Europe for 2019th, where we will overnight. After checking in the hotel you will have guided walking tour of the historical part of the oldest cities in Europe. Heritage from all periods is preserved around the cobblestone streets. The main highlights we will visit are: Revival period wealthy houses, Roman Theater, early 20th-century pharmacy, Medieval remains and fortifications, Roman stadium, 14th-century beautiful mosque and many more. For the evening we recommend the area called "The Trap", full of bars, restaurants and craft shops.
Riding time for the day approximately 5 hours / ~350 km.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: 3* hotel in the Old part of Plovdiv

Day 3: Trigrad Gorge

Stop At: Bachkovo Monastery, Bachkovo, Plovdiv Province
After breakfast, we will keep our course South. We will visit a Medieval fortress, on a top of a cliff, giving a nice view of the area. Then the second biggest monastery in Bulgaria – Bachkovo monastery. It was established in 11 century by Georgian, very close to the Imperial power of the Byzantine empire. This place is also important for the history of the Jewish community in Bulgaria, because the main figures, responsible for saving them during the Second World War are buried there.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Trigradsko Gorge
After a guided visit of those pleases we will head toward Trigrad. It is situated in the heart of the Rhodope mountain. We will pass through amazing mountain roads and gorge. We will overnight there, enjoying the local cosine and traditions.
Riding time for the day approximately 5 hours / ~260 km.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: 3* hotel in Trigrad

Day 4: Reaching Greece

Stop At: Kavala
After breakfast, we will continue towards Greece on nice mountain roads. We will avoid as much as we can highways for a better experience. We will pass through many Greek villages. Our final destination is the city of Kavala. It has a fortress on the seaside and one of the best preserved Roman Aqueduct. We will overnight in the town. We can have great dinner at the marina.
Riding time for the day approximately 5 hours / ~345 km.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: 3* hotel in Kavala, Greece

Day 5: Thessaloniki

Stop At: Museum of the Royal Tombs of Aigai (Vergina), Vergina, Imathia Region, Central Macedonia
In the morning we will start our journey west. Our first visit will be in the tomb of Philp II, father of Alexander the Great. The tomb is very close to Pela, the capital of the Macedonian dynasty and it is part of a big ancient necropolis. You will have guided visit of the historical site.
Duration: 4 hours

Stop At: Thessaloniki
After this, we will go a bit back and enter Thessaloniki, the second biggest city in Greece. We will check in the hotel there, leave the bikes and enjoy the city’s center. The main highlights are: The white tower, the Roman terms, Roman arch, the Medieval town, and a big, rich archaeological museum.
Note: Thessaloniki is famous for its nightlife.
Riding time for the day approximately 4 hours / 260 km.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: 3* hotel in Thessaloniki

Day 6: Meteora

Stop At: Meteora, Kastraki, Kalambaka, Trikala Region, Thessaly
Our main objective for the day will be to reach Meteora, one of the most sacred Christian place with a very unique nature. There a many monastery complexes, situated high on cliffs. The exact date of the establishment of the monasteries is unknown. By the late 11th and early 12th centuries, a rudimentary monastic state had formed called the Skete of Stagoi and was centered around the still-standing church of Theotokos. By the end of the 12th century, an ascetic community had flocked to Meteora and expanded its size.
We will visit some of the most important monasteries and churches, which despite the history will give an amazing views. We will overnight in the area.
Riding time for the day approximately 4 hours / ~280km.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Meteora area

Day 7: Reaching Macedonia

Stop At: Ohrid
In the morning we will start our trip to Macedonia. We will ride on beautiful roads and reach Ohrid, where you will have a guided tour of the historical part of the city. It is the second city in the country, but for sure the most beautiful and preserved. We will ride around the huge Ohrid Lake. In the evening you will have traditional Balkan dinner in the old part of Ohrid, enjoying the surrounding nature. We will overnight there.
Riding time for the day approximately 5 hours / ~290km.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: 3* hotel in Ohrid

Day 8: Exploring Skopje

Stop At: Skopje Fortress Kale, Skopje, Skopje Region
After breakfast, we will start our journey to the capital of Macedonia – Skopje. Before we get there we will stop to one of the most beautiful natural parks in Europe – Matka. We will spend some time there. Also, if you like, you can rent a small boat and enjoy the nature. You can reach a cave and some medieval Bulgarian monasteries. After that, we will ride to the city of Skopje and have a guided walk in the historical center. It is a unique place, which will give you an interesting conception of Balkan reality. Also, the central part is separated in tho parts - the old and the modern. The old is very oriental and has the typical "suk".
Overnight in the city.
Riding time for the day approximately 3 hours / ~180km.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: 3* hotel in Skopje

Day 9: Back to Sofia

Stop At: Rila Monastery, Rila, Sofia Region
This is the last day of your guided tour. In the morning we will start our return journey to Sofia. On the way we will stop at one UNESCO site in Bulgaria – Rila monastery – the biggest on the Balkan Peninsula. It is still an active one and monks are still living there. The history of the place could be tracked in the 10th century. You will have guided visit of the complex. Our lunch will be there. You will be able to try the local specialties, the most famous of them is the fresh trout fish.
Duration: 4 hours

Stop At: Center
After that, we will ride to Sofia. You will return the rented bikes and check in the hotel (if your flight is on that day we will transfer you the airport directly. If you depart the next day, also airport transfer is included).
Riding time for the day approximately 5 hours / ~340km.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.