BEBALKAN
Choir Tour Proposal
Bulgaria is known for its rich musical tradition, in a one-of-a-kind choir tour and I prepared especially for choirs who want to spend a week together, explore Balkan music and singing and participate in local festivals, we discover Bulgaria’s wonderful singing and playing traditions, folklore and natural landscapes, wine and dancing. We will travel in the mountainous areas and stay in authentic village guesthouses, be accompanied by a musician, participate in local festivals and cultural events and meet different choir and bands, every day another group with a variety of styles and compositions of authentic Bulgarian singing.
Bulgaria is known for its rich musical tradition, in a one-of-a-kind choir tour you will discover Bulgaria’s wonderful singing and music traditions, alongside folklore, natural landscapes, wine and dancing. We will travel in the mountainous areas and stay at authentic village guesthouses, in order to meet the real Bulgaria, just before it disappears. Every day we will meet with a local singing group in a variety of styles and compositions, choirs of authentic Bulgarian singing, performances by grandmothers in the villages who sing from the throat in the tradition of “Bulgarian voice” (you can also learn), female and male ensembles, polyphonic singing from Macedonia and unusual rhythms from the Sofia area.
The uniqueness of the itinerary is that it was prepared by three experts in their fields, Uri Hartman, the long-time producer of the Israeli opera, Asen Marinov, one of the leading guitar players in Bulgaria and the leader of an ethnic music group of world music, Zeev Ben-Arie, an expert on the Balkans and world Cultures (PhD). The tour is suitable for choirs who want to travel together, enjoy some good time, meet with the local musical traditions and participate in cultural and local musical events. If and when possible we combine in the itinerary local festivals. The group is accompanied at all times by a local musician and player. the itinerary is flexible and can be adjusted to your needs.
1300€
per person
in a group of 6-10 people
1200€
per person
in a group of 10-15 people
1100€
per person
in a group of 15-24 people
*Supplement for a single person in room: 150€
DAY 1
Mount Musala and the Ibaski Baba’s
The tour will start in Sofia and from there we will drive to the highest mountain in the Balkans, go up with a closed cable car and enjoy the breathtaking views, after a short walk in nature to the alpine lakes below the summit of mount Musala, we will go down and head towards the village of Raduil to Bebalkan guesthouse (it is possible to stay in hotel instead). In the evening we will meet with the first local coir – the Ibarski baba’s, that won international awards.
DAY 2
Singing grandfathers, Lakes and Rivers
In the morning we go to Iskar gorge and walk the wooden bridges trail over the river, at noon we will meet a group of singing grandfathers in the village of Beli Iskar, we will continue to Samokov and the Iskar lake, and return to Raduil in the evening for an experience of Bulgarian dance in the restaurant
DAY 3
Cultural events in sofia
In the morning we will go to Sofia, visit the art galleries, the historical museum at the foot of Mount Vitosha with the golden treasures of the Thracians, and the churches of Alexander Nevsky and Sveti Nadla, we will spend time in the pedestrian street of Vitosha, and in the evening we will participate in a cultural event – a concert, an opera, or a local performance. And only then return for a night in Raduil
DAY 4
Bansko Macedonian Singing and Rila Monastery
Each region of Bulgaria has different music and musical instruments, a different tradition of singing and folklore, in the morning we will go to the Rila Monastery, the most beautiful site in the Balkans, we will walk in the beautiful valley between the springs and streams, including the meadows of Kiril, afterwards we will continue to Bansko which is the center of Macedonian music in bulgaria, meet with A local musical group in one of the taverns, walk the ancient streets and participate in cultural events (if any), overnight in the Bansko area
DAY 5
Rhodope Mountains
In the morning we will drive to the beautiful lake Dospat of the Rhodope Mountains, these are wonderful and different mountains with 50 shades of green, cliff scenery, magnificent blossoms, wonderful lakes and huge canyons. After Dospat we will head to Trigard Canyon, climb down the Devil’s Throat Cave, the place from which Orpheus descended to the underworld, and have dinner in trigrad with a local singing group, women singing from the throat, overnight in Trigard and the surrounding area.
DAY 6
Bagpipe in shiroka Luka
The day will start with a visit to Shiroka Luka, a small picturesque where there is a school for Bagpipe playing, the only one of its kind in the Balkans, we will meet with a Bagpipe maker and musicians from the village, and continue to the town of Devin and the Devin canyon, which has a beautiful track with wooden bridges hanging over the water, if time permits we will visit the Yagodina canyon as well and return to Trigrad.
DAY 7
Sofia
This is a full day! we will start it by driving the beautiful mountain roads through the mountain lakes to the lake of Batak and the spa city of Velingrad, from there we will continue to Sofia for a performance of the Asen Marinov combination, these are the musicians that accompany us on our tours. the tour will end in the evening in one of the jazz clubs of Sofia, where the performance and dinner will take place
The itinerary can be changed according to your wishes and needs. we will try to include in it local festivals according to the dates
The price includes: transportations, 6 nights in good local guesthouses; Half board, 6 performances of local groups, Good English speaking Bulgarian guide and musicians from Asen Marinoiv Music group; 1 cable cars; entry fees; 1 cultural event.
The price does not include: Flights; Drinks other than water at meals; Lunch, Mandatory medical insurance; all else that is not included