The Melnik Wine Experience

4 days

Melnik makes up the stunning corner of southwestern Bulgaria, just a short distance from capital city Sofia. It makes up the country's most celebrated wine region, known for its distinctive bottles favoured by Winston Churchill.

Trip Highlights

  • Sit back and relax with private return airport transfers

  • Three-night stay in a five-star luxury boutique family estate - junior suite, with a bottle of wine included in the room

  • Welcome wine tasting at the estate, combined with traditional local ham and appetizers

  • Full-day private wine tour in the Melnik region, including a visit and tasting at three wine estates

  • Unwind with lunch in a typical Bulgarian restaurant

  • Guided day tour to the incredible Rozhen Monastery and beguiling Melnik Sand Pyramids -- optional hike is possible (please ask for details)

from $1,016 per person

This is a guide price based on two people travelling together and sharing a room. Flights are not included.


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Trip details

Day 1

Own travel arrangements into the Greek city of Thessaloniki, where you will relax with private transfers to your opulent boutique hotel, surrounded by vineyards and mountaintops, within the historic Melnik wine region. Here you’ll revel in beautiful natural landscapes, luxurious spa facilities, thermal springs, and an impressive wine collection.

This evening, enjoy a deliciously picturesque meal in the comfort of your hotel (not included), sampling the terroir cuisine which uses ingredients from the owners’ own farm, along with fresh fish from neighbouring Greece.

Day 2

Explore the region and learn about the wines with a full-day private tour in the Melnik and Struma Valley vineyards alongside your chauffeur guide. In the morning, you will have the opportunity to visit a couple of the region’s most esteemed estates where the views are as stunning as the wines are promising. Behold the future of Bulgarian wines; the region is known for producing the unique Broad Leave Melnik grape variety, which you will be able to taste many times over! Next, enjoy a wonderful three-course local lunch with accompanying wine before heading to your final visit and tasting at a boutique family-run winery.

Day 3

Today you will enjoy a guided tour of the magically serene Rozhen Monastery, nestled among the Melnik Earth Pyramids. Here you will explore the relics of ancient Byzantine Bulgaria, which are embedded in the walls and art of this ancient construction. The pyramids are equally a real sight to see and a fascination worldwide given their geological phenomena.

In the afternoon, you have the option to hike through these famous sand pyramids, known to keen geologists as hoodoos, and marvel at the beautiful flora and fauna, as well as gaze out unto stunning views.

Your chauffeur guide will return you to your hotel where you are free to relax in one of the hotel’s many pools, thermal springs, indulge in a spa treatment, or simply make use of the steam room.

Day 4

On the final day, spend the morning relaxing in the beautiful thermal spring and exquisite spa facilities or continue to explore the vineyard’s gorgeous surrounding area before being chauffeured back to the airport for your evening flight home.

Option to extend this trip with a stay in Kavala in Northern Greece. Please ask for details.

All of the holidays we create are completely tailor-made to you

This sample itinerary is intended to give you a flavour of what we can do.

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“Thanks for taking the time and trouble to call. You really have set the standard by which we compare all other companies!! Thank you so much for organising a fantastic itinerary with such an interesting and varied range of stop-overs. We are already starting to think about next year’s trip to France so would welcome any suggestions.”

Hilary Alder

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