Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 — 17.12.2026
Departure from Sofia at 20:00 from Serdika Bus Station.
20:30 — departure from Ihtiman, Motel Ihtiman complex.
20:50 — departure from Pazardzhik, Shell petrol station.
21:45 — departure from Plovdiv, OMV petrol station next to the Sankt Peterburg Hotel.
23:45 — departure from Haskovo.
Overnight journey.
Return transfers to Sofia from Sandanski, Blagoevgrad, Kyustendil, Dupnitsa and Pernik are available for an additional charge.
Day 2 — 18.12.2026
Arrival in Istanbul in the morning and hotel check-in.
If rooms are available on arrival, guests are accommodated immediately. Otherwise check-in is after 14:00.
At 07:30, optional panoramic tour of Istanbul with a local Bulgarian-speaking guide, for an additional charge. Sights include the Blue Mosque (exterior), Hippodrome Square with its three obelisks and the Byzantine basilica Hagia Sophia (exterior). Visit to the Bulgarian Iron Church of St Stephen and Topkapı Sarayı (exterior).
At 15:15, visit to “Turkuazoo” Aquarium at Aqua Florya Istanbul. Walk among over 20 thousand species of marine life, including 5 tiger sharks. This visit is optional and costs extra; aquarium admission is not included. Those not wishing to visit the aquarium can enjoy the mall's branded shops and restaurants.
Or an optional visit, at an additional charge, to the Sapphire skyscraper.
Described as Europe's tallest residential building and Turkey's first ecological building, Sapphire stands in Istanbul's Levent 4 district. Completed at the end of 2009, it rises 64 floors and has 174 apartments of 22 different types, ranging from 120 to 1100 sq. m. Besides residences, the complex contains a shopping centre of 34 thousand sq. m, a golf course, fitness centre, spa with swimming pool and public areas. On the top floor there is a panoramic observation deck with a restaurant and 4D cinema. You can ascend to the deck for an incredible 360-degree view of the city and Bosphorus. The experience can be complemented by SkyRIDE, an amazing 4D simulation of a helicopter flight over Istanbul. The sky bar offers exceptional views with a cup of aromatic Turkish coffee among the clouds.
At 19:00, optional evening coach tour “Istanbul by Night”, for an additional charge: Kennedy Avenue, Sarayburnu, Sirkeci harbour, Fener district and the sacred Eyüp district, home to one of the most visited mosques, Eyüp Mosque. Ascend towards Pierre Loti Café for breathtaking panoramic views. Free time for a coffee break and photographs.
Overnight stay.
Day 3 — 19.12.2026
Breakfast.
At 10:00, optional Bosphorus boat trip with a Bulgarian-speaking guide, for an additional charge. The excursion starts from Eminönü or Kabataş harbour. The boat follows the European shore as far as the second Bosphorus bridge and returns along the Asian shore. During the cruise you will see filming locations from popular Turkish television series such as “1001 Nights”, “Pearl” and “Falling Leaves”.
At 16:00, optional visit to Ataşehir on Istanbul's Asian side, home to WATERGARDEN İSTANBUL, for an additional charge. Everything is centred on the magnificent Show Pool: exceptional choreography of dazzling water, light, laser, music and fire shows, restaurants and cafés. Covering 5 thousand square metres in the heart of Watergarden Istanbul, the show pool is described as Europe's “largest and most advanced”. Overnight stay.
Day 4 — 20.12.2026
Breakfast. Hotel check-out.
Departure for Edirne and a city sightseeing tour. Walk around the city and visit Selimiye Mosque, the most impressive creation of the unmatched Turkish architect Mimar Sinan. Departure for Bulgaria. Arrival in Sofia late in the evening.