Buzludzha And Kings, 9 Hours

Buzludzha and Kings, 9 Hours, 9 hours, rated 4.8 across 5 traveller reviews.

Overview

Nine hours out of Plovdiv, three eras in one loop. The Green Valleys day trip heads first to the Buzludzha Monument, the UFO-shaped building the communist regime built to commemorate an event of 1891. State functions were once held inside, under Lenin and Marx posters and a red star set into the ceiling. Today it stands abandoned, and the listing calls it one of the best abandoned places on Earth.

The middle of the day shifts several thousand years further back. In the Valley of the Thracian Kings the group visits the tomb of Seuthes III, king of the Odrysian Kingdom of Thrace from 331 BC to 300 BC and founder of the nearby city of Seuthopolis. The afternoon is spent at the Architectural and Ethnographic Complex Damascena in the Rose Valley, where the stories turn to Orpheus and to rose oil, which Bulgaria produces at a quality declared the highest in the world. It takes 30 roses for a single drop, and between 3,000 and 4,000 kg of flowers for one kilogram of first-rate oil. The first distillation in Bulgaria dates to the 17th century. There is free time at a store selling homemade rose products.

Pickup in Plovdiv is included and the tour runs in English. Bring comfortable clothes. Meals and personal expenses are not covered, and entry tickets for the tomb and for Damascena are not included in the price.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Pickup in PlovdivThe tour starts with pickup in Plovdiv. Total time on the road and at stops is 9 hours.
2. Buzludzha MonumentTravel out to the UFO-shaped Buzludzha Monument, built by the communist regime to commemorate an event in 1891, and explore the abandoned structure.
3. Tomb of Seuthes IIIVisit the tomb in the Valley of the Thracian Kings. Entry ticket is an extra cost.
4. Damascena complexIn the afternoon, visit the Architectural and Ethnographic Complex Damascena in the Rose Valley. Entry ticket is an extra cost.
5. Rose oil storeFree time to browse the store with homemade products made from roses.
6. Return to PlovdivThe day finishes back in Plovdiv at the end of the 9 hours.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points worth knowing before booking this day trip.

• Entry fees extra. Two entry tickets are not in the tour price: 3 euros for the tomb of Seuthes III and 10 euros for Damascena. Meals and personal spending are also excluded.
• What to wear. The listing asks for comfortable clothes. That is the only clothing guidance given, so plan around a long day with several stops.
• Long day out. This is a 9-hour tour covering Plovdiv, Buzludzha, a Thracian tomb and the Rose Valley in one day. One reviewer said the itinerary is great and that they learned a lot about the country and the region.
• Guides praised. Reviewers mention the driver-guide in positive terms. One called theirs the best, and another described a really nice guide who taught them a lot about the country and the region.
• Souvenir stop. Damascena includes free time at a store selling homemade products made from roses. This is a chance to pick up local rose products at the end of the afternoon.
• No alcohol. Alcohol and drugs are not allowed on the tour. Plan any celebration for after the return to Plovdiv.

Common issues. The main cost to plan for is entry tickets, which are not included: 3 euros for the tomb of Seuthes III and 10 euros for Damascena, plus meals. One reviewer reported a van problem on the scheduled day and said the operator offered them a tour only for their party on another day instead, and they still got their tour. The day is long, at 9 hours, so it may not suit travellers who want a short outing.

Common Questions