8-Day Balkan Mountain Road Bike Tour with Monasteries and Villages

• Arrival at Sofia/Plovdiv airport and transfer to Sofia/Plovdiv for accommodation.

• The early transfer brings us to Yablanitsa town, where the cycling starts. 

• We pass through town and then continue to Malak Izvor village, which is a starting point for a challenging 5 km uphill ride to Glozhene Monastery. 

• Having visited the monastery, you go downhill the same way and continue further to the scenic Teteven town. Here you can have a short stop for a walk and visit of the local history museum and church and a short bike and hike to a nearby eco-trail with 2 beautiful waterfalls. 

• Then you continue cycling to Ribaritsa village where we stay for the night. 

Cycling distance: 70 km

• Ascent from Ribaritsa village to the highest point for the day - Bogoi pass (1185m). 
• From this pass, the road goes all the way down to the town of Troyan, passing through the village of Shipkovo, where you can take a refreshing bath in the mineral water swimming pools. 
• After lunch in Troyan town centre, we visit The Pottery and Craft Exhibition "Oreshaka" nearby and the famous Troyan monastery. We spend the night in Apriltsii village.  

Cycling distance: 74 km

• Cycling on isolated village roads from Apriltsi to Gabrovo. 
• En route, you pass by numerous small villages set in green landscapes and river valleys, visit Batoshevo monastery and have lunch in a local village pub. 
• Nunnery and possible visit of  Batoshevo monastery. 
• After an ascent followed by a nice downhill ride, you reach Gabrovo town and continue to the "Etura"- an open-air ethnographic museum, as well as the beautiful Sokolski Monastery. 

We stay overnight nearby Etura. 

Cycling distance: 55 km

• You get on the supporting vehicle and start cycling from Gabrovo. 
• After an ascent followed by a descent, you arrive in Tryavna. There you can spend some time sightseeing and lunch in the center of this beautiful National Revival town. 
• Ups and downs through open terrain will lead you to the final stop for today - Bozhentsi architectural reserve. 

Cycling distance: 52 km

• Having visited by car the Dryanovo monastery in the morning, you start cycling from the turning for Yalovo village. 
• Kilifarevo Monastery is very close. 
• We make a short stop here and continue to the town of Elena, passing by the blue waters of Iovkovtsi dam.

Cycling distance: 48 km

• From Elena, we continue cycling to the last point of the trip – Arbanasi architectural reserve. 
• The landscape includes meadows, pastures, cultivation lands, shrubby hills, and a beautiful plateau over Veliko Tarnovo. 
• After some free time for rest and walks among the old houses of Arbanasi, we go for a lunch and sightseeing tour in Veliko Turnovo - the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. 
• In the afternoon, you will be transferred to Sofia or Plovdiv for an overnight stay.

Cycling distance: 43 km

• Transfer to airport. 

• Departure.