European Turkey Burgas - Edirne - Keshan - Erikli - Enos - Gallipoli - Troy - Canakkale - Vize - Cave

Dupnitsa - Kirklareli – Burgas 7 days – 6 nights

1st day Burgas - Edirne Departure from Burgas at 08.00 h. Picture-taking pause in the village of Brashlyan – the pearl of Strandzha Mountain – a combination of glorious past, beautiful nature and authentic architecture. This rebellious place was immortalized in the anthem of the Preobrazhene (Transfiguration) rebels – “Yasen mesets vech izgryava (“A clear moon is now rising”) A visit to the religious school and a typical house in Strandzha. 76 of the houses were declared monuments of culture. A short stay in the nearby small town of Malko Turnovo with an opportunity to visit any of the three museums: an archaeological, a historical and a natural museum (by choice), and the two temples: the Orthodox temple of “Assumption” and the East Catholic temple of “Holy Trinity”.

Crossing the border with the Republic of Turkey.

Free time for lunch and a walk in the central part of Kirklareli (Lozengrad).

After about an hour and a quarter we arrive in Edirne, the capital of Eastern Thrace. This city has always been very important. The Thracians called it Uskudama. It was the first capital of their Odrysian kingdom. The victorious Roman legions entered the city some time before the new era began. Emperor Hadrian erected a new city on the site of the ancient settlement and gave it his own name – Adrianople. Periods of prosperity and decline followed. During the Middle Ages Byzantium and Bulgaria repeatedly fought for the city. The Ottoman Turks conquered it in 1369. It was their capital until the fall of Constantinople in 1453, but even after that it functioned as a second capital of their vast empire. Many sultans preferred to rule the empire from Edirne. Between 1700 and 1750 it was the fourth largest city in Europe with a population of 350 thousand people. Edirne and the surrounding areas have witnessed more than 15 major battles and sieges since ancient times. The Bulgarian warriors won many great victories here. As early as the eighth century Khan Kardam defeated a large Byzantine army near its walls. Khan Krum conquered the city in 813. In September 914 Tsar Simeon entered the city triumphantly and in 921, after a siege, Edirne surrendered to Simeon again and was integrated in the territory of Bulgaria. On 15 August 1002 Tsar Samuil conquered the city and plundered it. The battle of Adrianople on 14 April 1205 is, however, especially important for the European history! In that battle Tsar Kaloyan defeated the heavily armed army of knights of the Latin Empire and captured its emperor Baldwin I. To honour that victory the citizens of Edirne raised Bulgarian flags over the fort.

Very important for the recent history is the siege of Edirne during the Balkan War (1912-1913). The Station of Karaach was the first city bombed from the air with a strategic objective in world history. The bombing was made by a Bulgarian plane on 29 October 1912. On 13 March 1913 the fortress, considered by many Western military specialists to be impregnable, was conquered with an irresistible assault of the victorious Bulgarian troops! Today we celebrate this date as a day of Thrace. The central square of the modern city is surrounded by three imperial mosques - the Selimiye Mosque, the Uc Serefeli Mosque and the oldest mosque Talat Pasha Bulvari. We begin our tour of the greatest pride of Edirne – the Selimiye Mosque.

According to some it surpasses even the Saint Sofia Church in beauty and impressiveness! It is recognized as one of the highest achievements of Islamic architecture. The temple was designed by the famous Mimar Sinan (1490 - 1588), a chief architect of several sultans, who left behind about 400 mosques, bridges, madrassas, hammams, aqueducts, fountains, etc. The Selimiye Mosque is a supreme achievement in his work. According to legend the architect was inspired for this masterpiece while watching his mother’s hair. Thus he made the wonderful tangles of all 384 narrow windows of the mosque similar to her braids. The dome of the Selimiye Mosque is 44 meters high and 32 meters in diameter. It is erected on 8 marble columns. The Mosque of Selim II has ideal proportions and is of the rotunda type without supports in the interior. Its 70-meter minarets are an exquisite and integral part of the architectural silhouette of the building and are tallest in Turkey with their 70 meters of height. The original mosque had 1,000 windows, but then one window was bricked up because of the belief that 999 is a magic number, and because its pronunciation in Turkish sounded grander than the pronunciation of the word for 1000. After a short break we head to the Bulgarian church of Saint Martyr George.

It is located in the northeastern part of the city. Once here was one of the biggest Bulgarian neighborhoods. The foundations of the church were laid on 23 April 1880 and its construction was completed in the same year. It was built on an area of 320 m2 and represents a spacious three-nave pseudo-basilica with a high ceiling typical of the late Bulgarian Revival style. The services were performed initially in Greek, but under the pressure from the Bulgarian community that was quickly changed and the divine services began to be administered in Bulgarian language. Unfortunately, that period was followed by years of ruin. The church closed doors in 1951. No more services were performed and the building began to gradually fall apart. During that difficult time it was maintained on a voluntary basis by one of the few local descendants of Bulgarians – the patriot Philip Chakarak. The reconstructed temple was formally opened and consecrated by Neofit, the Metropolitan of Ruse, on 9 May 2004 in the presence of numerous Bulgarian and Turkish officials. At the end of the day we will have a nice walk to another architectural landmark of international importance. Several fine old bridges over the rivers of Maritsa, Tundzha and Arda have been preserved in Edirne and are still used. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner. Free time. Overnight stay. 2nd day: Edirne - Uzunkupru - Keshan – Erikli

After breakfast the programme in Edirne continues. We will visit the second Bulgarian church. The church of St. Konstantin and St. Helena is in the quarter of Kirishhane, in the southwest part of the city. It was built in 1869, on the eve of the establishment of the Bulgarian Exarchate, with funding from the Bulgarian community.

The church is a three-nave pseudo-basilica with a total floor space of 600 sq. m. The walls are a mix of stone and brickwork in the Orthodox architecture style of that time. Two rows of columns support the wooden ceiling and the roof, and the matronea are raised in two levels above the narthex in the west atrium. After the Balkan wars in 1912-1913 and the mass exodus of Bulgarians from Southeast and Aegean Thrace the church of St. Konstantin and St. Helena was left neglected and gradually began to crumble. It was repeatedly subjected to treasure hunting raids, and was burned and looted at the end of the 1980s. It was restored in 2008. In the Archaeological Museum of Edirne one can see treasures from Thracian and Roman times. A real Thracian dolmen is exhibited in the garden in front of the museum. The museum houses also a a beautiful collection of Islamic art. Other interesting landmarks in Edirne are the fortress wall built by the Romans with the well preserved Macedonian tower, the old station of Karaach (1890), today the rector’s office of Trakia University, and the prison tower from the Middle Ages also called the ‘Edirne Tower’. A symbol of the city is the historic Covered Bazaar. It was heavily damaged by fire three decades ago but today it is fully restored. It houses shops and craft workshops. We will finish the programme in this remarkable city with a visit to a less known but extremely interesting and original Museum of Health. The drugs here are the pleasant music and the murmur of the water.

Free time for lunch! Departure for Keshan. Our route passes through Uzunkupru, a small town in northwestern Turkey. Its population was mainly Bulgarian until the Balkan War in 1913. Today it is a municipality in the Edirne province. The town lies on the railway line from Sofia to Istanbul and on the Edirne – Izmir highway. Uzunkupru is also a crossing point of the Turkish-Greek border.

Its name comes from the Long Bridge (in Turkish: Uzun köprü) crossing Ergene River. It is a historic landmark and a symbol of the city. It was built between 1426 and 1443 by the eminent architect Muslihiddin by order of the Ottoman Sultan Murad II. The bridge made of cut stones has 174 arches, it is 1329 meters long and its width exceeds 6.80 m. Some of the arches have a pointed shape, others have a round shape. The old stone bridge of Uzunkupru is known as the longest stone bridge in Turkey. The picture-taking pause is mandatory! Then our route passes through endless rice fields. Free time for walks and shopping in Keshan, a small town and a big agricultural center! Dinner and stay for the night in the Romantic town of Erikli on the coast of the Aegean Seat! 3rd day: Erikli Free day! After breakfast time for the beach, for a walk and for rest. Eric is still an almost unknown Turkish resort. An exceptional future is lying ahead of this town. It has the third longest sandy beach in Turkey after those in Patara and Side. It is spread along the picturesque gulf of Saros in the northeastern part of the azure Aegean Sea. Its surroundings, covered with pine forests, are extremely beautiful! And it is not surprising that in Eastern Thrace they are called “Paradise Lost”. Dinner. Overnight stay. 4th Day: Erikli – Enos - National Park of Lake Gala - Erikli After breakfast – a day trip. We will visit a very interesting place! Modern day Enos (Enez in Turkish) is the successor of the great ancient city of Ainos founded by the Trojan hero Aeneas according to the legend. Many people have left a trace here! In different eras it was ruled by different people: Thracians, Persians, Greeks, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Genoese, Ottomans.... Unfortunately it has not been studied very well yet. According to Austrian archaeologists who work here Ainos is a place with exceptional future, it has greater potential than even the world-famous Ephesus. The ancient city is located on the southeastern bank of the Maritsa (Evros) just at the point where its waters flow into the Aegean Sea. In antiquity it was one of the most important ports in Eastern Thrace. It was mentioned in the works of Homer and Herodotus. Today the ruins of a medieval fortress built by the Genoese family Gattilusio rise on the remains of the ancient Acropolis. The Genoese family ruled the city from 1376 until its conquering by the armies of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in 1456. During the Balkan War (1912) Enos was occupied by the Bulgarian army. It is the endpoint of the line Midia - Enos, marking the territory that the Ottoman Empire ceded to Bulgaria according to the Peace Treaty of London. A few months later, with the Treaty of Bucharest in 1913 that boundary was adjusted and the city was returned to Turkey.

The preserved and restored Acropolis rises to a height of 25 meters above the level of the sea and the river. It reveals a magnificent view of the Aegean and the delta of Maritsa. The powerful impressive walls show who ruled here! Archaeologists have uncovered numerous cultural layers from different eras at their foot. However, the most representative and interesting is the church Hagia Sophia. Unfortunately, a large part of it has not yet been restored. Despite that, its beauty can still be noticed! Although was transformed into a mosque in 1456, its walls still boast splendid frescoes. Free time for lunch! Our tour of the sights of the ancient Ainos continues. We will see the mosaics of a Roman villa. We will walk along a Roman street. We will see numerous Hellenistic and Roman necropolis with monumental sarcophagi and tombstones. Very interesting is the mausoleum (a former Byzantine church) of the Ottoman admiral Has Yunus Bey and the picturesque Islamic cemetery next to it. Our tour will end at the Basilica of the King’s daughter. The origin of the name is a mystery. It is carved into a huge hill near the inner harbour near the beach and bears a striking similarity to the Great Metropolis in Nessebar. They were probably built at the same time – 6th century AD during the reign of Justinian the Great. It is huge in size (its length more than 30 m) and its construction plan was very distinctive. The water coming from the hill and the groundwater flow into the beautiful inner nympheum. The excavations have not finished yet. After so much ancient history it is time to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The National Park of Lake Gala has been a protected area for 11 years and covers an area of 15,000

acres. The beginning was modest. In 1991 only 5850 acres around the lake were included in the Nature Reserve. Later on, with the help of scientists – ecologists and biologists from the Thracian University in Edirne the whole area was given the status of a protected area and a National Park. Today the preservation of the environment, the birds and the aquatic life of the river and lakes Gala, Pamuklu and Small Gala takes a lot of hard work. The area is under the protection of the International Convention on the Protection of Wetlands of Europe and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey. Along with the mouth of the Maritsa River it is part of “Via Pontica” – the route of migratory birds passing along our coast as well. It is a favorite spot for ornithologists because of the wonderful opportunities for observation and study of birds’ habits. A long picture-taking pause and a pleasant walk in the wonderful nature!

Dinner and overnight stay in Erikli. 5th Day: Erikli – Gallipoli – Lapseki – Troy – Canakkale - Erikli After breakfast – a day trip. Today we will visit the battlefields of two great battles. They took place more than 30 centuies apart. In the winter of 1915 thousands of troops began landing on the narrow beaches of the Gallipoli Peninsula that controls the access to the Dardanelles. The Entente Forces included British, Irish, French, Indians, Gurkhas, Canadians however this epic event is mostly associated with the Australian-New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). Nearly 130,000 people from both sides lost their lives in the ensuing battles with the Ottoman

Empire. In Turkey, the event is known as the Battle of Canakkale. It is one of the bloodiest in World War One.

Every year, on 25 April, thousands of people from different nationalities honour the memory of those who died. There are no more living veterans, but the commemoration is attended by their relatives and heirs. The Australian Prime Minister and his New Zealand counterpart, as well as Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, and his son Prince Harry are regular participants in the ceremony. We will see the huge memorial complex. The exhibition is stunning! The battles are recreated in an incredible way. The unique effects create the impression that the war takes place around you. The rumble is terrifying. Projectiles explode. Bullets whistle. Blood is shed. Fear is everywhere but the battle goes on! The Turks won this battle and built a memorial. A huge, majestic and very unusual memorial. There are countless monuments dedicated to the victory around the world. But this one is different! There is no triumph from the winning of the battle! No sound of fanfares and applause! There is only sorrow, pain, worship and honour for the victims. And to all the victims! Own and foreign! The spirit of reconciliation reigns here. That is the covenant of Ataturk! “Heroes! You, who shed their blood far from their homeland, you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and Mehmets to us. You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries! Wipe away your tears! Your children are now in our hearts as well. If they rest on our land, they have become our sons as well.” Free time for lunch in modern day Gelibolu. A pleasant walk along the Dardanelles, the strait connecting the Marmara and the Aegean Sea and separating Europe from Asia.

We will cross the strait with the ferry to Lapseki at the same place where in 1190 the crusader army under the leadership of Frederick Barbarossa (Red Beard), a German king and an Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, was transferred to Asia Minor. Today Lapseki is a little nice town, famous for its sour cherries and the sour cherry festival. A large Bulgarian colony settled in the town in the early 19th century and lived there until 1914 when it emigrated permanently to Bulgaria.

After about an hour we will be facing the gates of the legendary Troy (on UNESCO’s List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage!). Many ancient cities were built on this important place during different ages. Located right at the entrance of the Dardanelles, they controlled the trade with the ports in the Marmara and the Black Sea. Troy I was founded in 3000 years BC. The city, described in the epic poem The Iliad by Homer, is probably Troy VII. The remains indicate that it was destroyed at the end of the 13th century BC as a result of a war. We will dedicate the next two hours to consider the Greater Troy. Unfortunately, time has left its mark We will dedicate the next two hours to visit the Greater Troy. Unfortunately, time has left its mark. At the end of the day we have free time in Canakkale, a beautiful city that is still the master of the straits and that has resisted the brutal attacks of the army of the Entente during World War One. We cross the Dardanelles again, but this time from Asia towards Europe.

Dinner and overnight stay in Erikli. 6th Day – a half-day tour on a ship to see the surroundings of Erikli After breakfast we head to the port. Saros Bay is located in the most northeastern part of the Aegean Sea between Gallipoli Peninsula and the mouth of Maritsa River. Far from the industrialized areas, it is exceptionally clean, beautiful and picturesque, with sandy beaches and azure sea water. The favorable sea currents make it very suitable for diving, windsurfing, fishing and other water sports. It is inhabited by over 243 species of fish and other aquatic animals and therefore it looks like a natural aquarium. In 1970, the world famous oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau visited it with his ship ‘Calypso’ and called it ‘the northern Red Sea’. Indeed, something very interesting happened in 2001. New fish species typical of the Red Sea appeared in Saros Bay. One of them is ‘ANTHIAS’, a red and yellow fish, with a crescent shaped tail. The other is ‘ZEBRA’ – a black fish with white stripes. This news quickly spread and made Saros even more interesting. Our walk will continue until 13.00 h and will come to an end with a delicious fish lunch on board.

On our way back to Erikli we will stop at the picturesque village of Chamladzha. In Bulgarian its name means ‘a village of pines’ and it is no accident. Although it is near the sea, the surrounding hills are covered with a dense pine forest. Its old name is Grabuna. Until 1925 there were Greeks living here. Legend has it that in the late 14th century the nearby monastery sheltered and gave food to the hordes of Sultan Bayezid I Yildirim (the Thunderbolt). In gratitude the monastery was promised protection forever. It lasted more than five centuries until the Angora (Ankara) Agreement (1925) according to which the Greeks had to leave the area forever. Their longstanding presence is still evident on the façades of the houses and the village church that was transformed into a mosque. Particularly interesting is the village museum, housed in the former Greek school. The huge stone building shelters valuable ethnographic, historical and archaeological collections. Especially mysterious are the strange garments of the participants in the

pagan mysteries organized by the local population. There is a very interesting Thracian sanctuary near the village but unfortunately it is not prepared for visits.

Dinner and overnight stay in Erikli. 7th Day Erikli – Keshan – Vize – Dupnitsa Cave – Lozengrad – Burgas After breakfast depart for the homeland. Opportunity to shop at KIPA – Keshan. According to those who are well informed it is cheaper here compared to Lozengrad and the assortment is more diverse. We will take to the border a new, unknown, but very interesting route. We will pass through Southern Strandzha, the native land of our ancestors. Many of the residents of Burgas are descendants of refugees from this area, but they barely know the area! Although it is very close to us, Southern Strandzha remains completely unknown. Travelling to Istanbul in a hurry or focused on the endless haggling we overlook its amazing natural and historical landmarks. And how wrong we are! Now we will show you some of them. First we will visit Vize. The town is nestled in the southeastern slopes of the Strandzha Mountain. Its ancient name is Buzas or Bizia. Chroniclers mention it for the first time in the 5th century BC. At the end of the 1st century BC, during the Sapei dynasty, it became the capital of the Thracian Odrysian kingdom. One of its rulers Rhoemetalces II began in 12th BC the construction of a huge palace. The Turkish archaeologists have explored a small part of its ruins. The east Thracian mounds housing more than 40 tombs belong to that period. In 45 AD Vize was already in the hands of the Romans. They built strong fortress walls with watchtowers, a forum, an amphitheater and churches some time later. As part of the

Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) the town was popular with the names Vizon, Viza and Vizia. Our next stop is the cave of Dupnitsa. Besides being the longest cave in whole of Turkey (more than 3 kilometers), it is also incredibly beautiful! It was formed 200 million years ago. Time and the almighty nature have created unique wonders in that cave. For that reason the whole cave was declared a natural site with the highest level of protection! Especially remarkable is the central cave hall – 150 m long and 60 m wide – with amazing acoustics!

This remarkable work of nature is only 6 km to the southwest of the village of Sarpkyoy and about 10 kilometers to the west of the town of Demirkyoy. Its old name is Small Samokov. It was famous for its monasteries and skilled blacksmiths! Its Bulgarian past is obviously still remembered. In Turkish ‘demir’ means iron. Dupnitsa Cave continues to be linked with Bulgaria. It is the source of the Rezovska River. Its downstream part forms part of the border between Bulgaria and Turkey. Here our programme comes to an end! Final shopping for gifts, baklava, halva, detergents and whatever else you want in Lozengrad (Kirklareli)! In the evening – in Burgas again! Price: 350,00 BGN with minimum number of participants - 35! The price includes:

- transport a comfortable licensed tourist bus - all border and road tolls including the ferryboat charge in both directions - 6 nights with breakfast and dinners in 3* and 4* hotels - tourist programmes in all sites! - a licensed Turkish guide in Bulgarian language - medical insurance with assistance - a guide from a travel agency The price does not include: - all lunches - entry fees for all sites and the lift in Pergamum Payment conditions: - until 3 weeks - 50% of the amount and a photocopy of the first page of the international passport having at least 6 months’ validity after end of the excursion. Important: The seats in the bus will be allocated in the order of registration! - until 3 days - final payment and signing a contract for an organized tourist trip Period for notification in case the trip will not take place when the minimum number of tourists (35) has not been reached – 7 days before the date of departure