Tour to Bachkovo Monastery and Asen’s Fortress from Plovdiv

Highlights

• Amazing view from Asen’s Fortress
• Bachkovo Monastery is the second largest monastery in Bulgaria

All about the trip

From Plovdiv, we will head towards the Rhodope Mountains passing through the pretty town of Asenovgrad. Nearby, we will see the remarkable remains of King Ivan Asen’s Fortress, a wise ruler of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. There we find an ancient church dating to the 13th century with authentic pieces of iconography. At the top of the fortress, we can enjoy an awesome 360 degrees panorama all over the Rhodope Mountains, Asenovgrad town, the Thracian Valley and the imposing Balkan Range with its highest Botev Peak in the far distance.

Next, we go deeper to the lovely Rhodope Mountains towards the picturesque Bachkovo Monastery. The cloister is the second largest in Bulgaria, founded in 1083 and one of the most sacred places in Bulgarian history. Inside the monastery, we will visit the main church of the Virgin Mary built in 1604 where a rare icon of Saint Mary from 11-12th century AD is being kept. According to the legend and the big number of healed people, this remarkable icon is believed to be miraculous. Connected to the Virgin Mary church we will see the Archangels church dating to the 12th century. Another jewel in the complex which has been preserved are colorful murals from 1643. Together with the Doomsday fresco, we can admire the images of prophets, saint-monks, ancient philosophers and writers such as Socrates, Aristotle, Plato and many more. The panoramic mural painting on the outside wall of the refectory represents a bird’s eye view of the monastery with the surrounding buildings from 1807. This is the biggest scenic mural on the Balkan peninsula. In the second monastery yard, we will finally visit Saint Nikola church built between 1834 and 1837.

Optionally, for the nature enthusiasts, we continue the tour with a short and easy walk in the Red wall nature reserve nearby Bachkovo Monastery where we will discover a beautiful waterfall, green meadows, and lush forests. We may even reach the end of the canyon where we find a peaceful chapel built around a sacred well with holy water and a old plane trees.

What is included in the price

• English speaking tour guide
• Plovdiv hotel pick-up and drop-off
• Parking fee

What is not included in the price

• Insurance
• Asen’s Fortress entrance fee (1€ students and elderly, 2€ adults),
• Bachkovo Monastery refectory entrance fee (3 €)
• Snacks and drinks

Instructions

Please show up at the meeting point 15 minutes before the scheduled time.

This activity is organised by Plovdiv Trips LTD, Makariopolski Str. 13, Plovdiv, 4000, Bulgaria, +359 889 424 576, info@plovdivtrips.com.