Bulgaria & Romania: Frescoes & Fortresses

• Accommodations, as noted in the itinerary.
• Most meals, as noted in the itinerary: 15 breakfasts, 14 lunches and 12 dinners.
• Restaurant tips for included meals.
• Services of experienced, English-speaking local guides, drivers and other staff, including a MIR Tour Manager.
• Arrival/departure airport transfers. MIR will arrange for all travelers to be met on arrival and seen off on departure whether we make your airfare arrangements or not, provided you arrive and depart on the tour start/end dates in the tour start/end cities.
• Ground transportation throughout itinerary by private coach or minibus (size of vehicle depends on group size).
• Guided sightseeing tours and entrance fees as outlined in itinerary.
• Special events, excursions and cultural performances per the itinerary.
• Baggage handling where available.
• Gratuities to local guides, drivers, porters and other service personnel.
• Assistance booking your custom flight arrangements (on request; please note that international airfare is not included in the land tour cost).
• Complete pre-departure electronic document that includes detailed packing suggestions, reading list links, country-specific information, maps, travel tips and more.
• Electronic final update bulletin, with any late news, updates and important information.

• Internal airfare (internal airfare is quoted separately and is subject to change by airlines).
• International airfare or taxes/fuel surcharges.
• Meals not specified as included in the itinerary.
• Single supplement charge, if requested or required.
• Items of a personal nature (phone calls, email, laundry, alcohol, excess baggage, etc).
• Gratuities to Tour Manager.
• Visa/passport fees or airport departure fees if required. (Note: no visas are required for U.S. passport holders).
• Expenses incurred as a result of delay, modification or extension of a tour due to causes beyond MIR’s control.
• Travel and trip cancellation insurance.

Level 2: Moderate

This small group tour features long days walking and standing while touring, some long days in the touring vehicle, and some surfaces that may present walking challenges for those with limited mobility. Only those fit to travel and who accept the local conditions should consider joining this program.

Travelers must be able to walk one to two miles a day, keeping up with fellow travelers. Long days in the touring vehicle may cause driving after dark and late-in-the day arrivals in the next destination city. While touring on foot, footing can be an issue and travelers should be able to negotiate cobblestones, uneven surfaces (possibly steep and/or wet), and deal with situations without handrails or ramps. Some attractions are only accessible via steep staircases. Museums and some hotels may not have elevators.

Past travelers have also encountered challenges with plumbing, bureaucratic service, variety of locally available foods, and availability and quality of public restrooms.

Accommodations are planned to be roughly four-star properties, though some smaller properties may not align with a star-rating system and accommodations in smaller towns may not have the same amenities as those in the larger cities.