Your customized itinerary
World Media Systems – Bulgaria
The following itinerary is a working document and is subject to change (revised 9/16/2024).
March 7, 2025 | Program Begins
Friday ■ Flight departs for Sofia – Arranged by WorldStrides.
Meals Included Departure Flights – Quote only – Subject to Change
Per airline
Flight # Origin Destination Departure Arrival
LH 8802 Newark (EWR) Frankfurt (FRA) 10:00 p.m. 11:50 a.m. +1
LH1430 Frankfurt (FRA) Sofia (SOF) 2:35 p.m. 5:50 p.m.
March 8 | Program Begins
Saturday Welcome to Sofia! This little-known Balkan capital is a true diamond in the rough, just
waiting to be discovered. From its onion-domed churches and Ottoman mosques to the
Meals Included recently unveiled 2000-year-old Roman ruins, there are treasures to be found at every turn!
Per airline
Dinner ■ Participants are responsible for their own transportation to their accommodations.
Sofia Accommodations ■ Check-in to your accommodations or store luggage if check-in is unavailable.
Rila Hotel or similar (1 of 8) ■ In the afternoon, make your way to an orientation. – No local staff or transportation
included.
Class Orientation
Content sourced by The Pennsylvania State University
No meeting space included
■ In the evening, meet with local staff in the lobby of your accommodations and receive
your public transportation pass – 7-day public transportation pass estimate included.
■ Taste the local cuisine with a group Welcome Dinner – Local staff and public
transportation included.
2
March 9 | Sofia
Sunday ■ Make your way to today’s engagements – Half day local staff and public transportation
included.
Meals Included
Breakfast Walking Tour of Sofia (Guided)
Join your guide on a walking tour through the city’s historic streets! Some sites may include
Sofia Accommodations Sveta Nedelya Church, Statue of Sofia, Church of St.Petka, Largo Square and Roman
Rila Hotel or similar (2 of 8) Ancient Ruins, Banya Bashi Mosque, Sofia Synangogue, Former Public Bath (current
Museum of Sofia), Hote mineral water springs, Council of Ministers, Former Communist
Party HQ, Presidency, Parliament, National Art Gallery (Former King's Palace), City garden
and National Theatre Ivan Vazov, Russian Church, St.Sophia Basilica, Alexander Nevsky
Cathedral. – No entrance fees included, sites viewed from outside only
■ Break for lunch on own.
■ Continue to next visit.
The Red Flat Experience (Self-Guided)
A downtown apartment in Sofia, which is designed to teleport you back to the 1980’s. You
will immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the last decade of the Cold War while listening to
the stories covering the everyday activities, work, school, fun and games, dreams and
aspirations of a regular Bulgarian family back in the day. You are not just welcome, but
encouraged to explore and play with the objects you will see in their home and will get a
comprehensive picture of life in socialist Bulgaria. – Entrance fees included
Please Note: The Red Flat Experience operates on a timed entry system. Exact entry time
will be determined closer to departure.
■ Break for dinner on own then return to your accommodations for the evening.
Free Afternoon Activities
Unexpected extra time? Talk with your program leader about
visiting one of the following free sites in the great city of Sofia!
(Be sure to check opening hours if applicable!)
› St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral
› Saint Nikolas Russian Church
› The Rotunda Church of St. George
› Boyana Waterfall
› Borisoca Gradina Park
› Zhenski Pazar Women’s Market
3
March 10 | Day Trip: Rila Monastery & Surrounding Towns
Monday ■ Early this morning, make your way to today’s engagements – Full day local staff and
private transportation included.
Meals Included
Breakfast Coach: Approximately 2 hours
Lunch
Rila Monastery (Guided)
Sofia Accommodations A perfect day trip out of Sofia, combining spectacular scenery with history and culture. On
Rila Hotel or similar (3 of 8) the UNESCO World Heritage list and tucked away in the Rila mountains at 1150m above
sea level, the Rila monastery was founded in the 10th century by the followers of the hermit
monk St. John of Rila. The monastery became a powerful spiritual centre in the Middle Ages
and kept alive the Bulgarian national spirit during the Ottoman rule. The Monastery is the
undisputed crown jewel of Bulgarian tourism and the country’s most important cultural and
religious center. Each year it welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors, tourists and
pilgrims, alike. From the outside, it maintains its fortress-like appearance but once through
the main gate, the visitor finds himself in a spacious cobbled courtyard surrounded by
enchanting rows of balconies with a church in the centre. All of this is against the splendid
natural backdrop of the Rila mountains. Unlike most churches built under Ottoman rule, this
one is outwardly ornate, and the exterior arcades depict religious scenes in bright colours.
Visitors are free to wander around the monastery, which still functions as such to date.
Other points of interest include Hrelyo's tower, next to the church, the only original building
dating back to 1335, the monastery kitchen with its huge, vaulted chimney and the museum,
for which a fee is charged. – Entrance fees included
■ Board your coach and continue to next visit.
■ Break for lunch in Forest Nook – Lunch included.
■ After lunch, return to your coach and continue to your next stop.
Melnik (Self-Guided)
Enjoy some free time to explore Melnik! – No entrance fees required.
■ Board your coach and continue to next visit.
Rupite (Self-Guided)
Enjoy some free time to explore Rupite! – No entrance fees required.
■ After visit, board your coach and return to Sofia.
■ Break for a late dinner on own then return to your accommodations for the evening.
4
March 11 | Sofia
Tuesday ■ Make your way to today’s engagements – No local staff. Public transportation included.
Meals Included Museum of Communist Art (Self-Guided)
Breakfast
The Museum of Socialist Art in Sofia, Bulgaria, offers a fascinating glimpse into the country's
communist past through a collection of statues, artifacts, and artworks. Located in a former
Sofia Accommodations
headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party, the museum showcases monumental
Rila Hotel or similar (4 of 8)
socialist realist sculptures and propaganda pieces that once adorned public spaces across
Bulgaria. It provides visitors with an insightful journey into the ideology and aesthetics of
Bulgaria's communist era. – Entrance fees included.
■ Break for lunch on own.
■ Continue to next visit.
Boyana Film Studio Tour (Guided)
Boyana Film Studio, situated in Sofia, Bulgaria, is renowned for its contribution to Eastern
European and international cinema. It has been a significant hub for film production since its
founding in 1962, offering state-of-the-art facilities and services for filmmakers from around
the world. – Entrance included.
■ Break for dinner on own then return to your accommodations for the evening.
March 12 | Sofia
Wednesday ■ Make your way to today’s engagements – No local staff. Public transportation included.
Optional: Full day private transportation priced separately.
Meals Included
Breakfast Boyana Church (Guided)
Boyana Church officially because a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979 and ever since
Sofia Accommodations has been experienced by many visitors. Located on the outskirts of Sofia, this 10th Century
Rila Hotel or similar (5 of 8) church consists of three buildings each with their own historical significance. – Entrance fee
included.
Please Note: Boyana Church operates on a timed entry system. Exact entry time will be
determined closer to departure.
■ Break for lunch on own.
■ Continue to next visit via public transportation.
National History Museum (Guided)
The National History Museum in Sofia, Bulgaria, is the country's largest museum dedicated
to Bulgarian history and culture. Housed in the former residence of Bulgaria's last
communist leader, the museum's extensive collection spans artifacts from prehistoric times
to the present day, including Thracian treasures, medieval art, and ethnographic exhibits. It
offers visitors a comprehensive overview of Bulgaria's rich historical heritage and its
evolution through various periods and civilizations. – Entrance fees included.
■ Break for dinner on own then return to your accommodations for the evening.
5
March 13 | Sofia
Thursday ■ Make your way to today’s engagements – No local staff. Public transportation included.
Meals Included Media Visit
Breakfast Arranged by The Pennsylvania State University
Sofia Accommodations ■ Break for lunch on own.
Rila Hotel or similar (6 of 8) ■ Continue to next visit.
Media Visit
Arranged by The Pennsylvania State University
■ Break for dinner on own then return to your accommodations for the evening.
March 14 | Sofia
Friday ■ Make your way to today’s engagements – No local staff. Public transportation included.
Meals Included Media Visit
Breakfast Arranged by The Pennsylvania State University
Sofia Accommodations ■ Break for lunch on own.
Rila Hotel or similar (7 of 8) ■ Continue to next visit.
Media Visit
Arranged by The Pennsylvania State University
■ Break for dinner on own then return to your accommodations for the evening.
March 15 | Sofia
Saturday ■ Spend the day at your leisure to explore the city.
■ Experience the tastes of the culture on your own or with your friends for lunch.
Meals Included
Breakfast ■ In the evening, make your way to dinner on foot.
Dinner ■ Reflect on your experiences with a group Farewell Dinner at Hadjidraganovi Izbi or
similar – Local staff included.
Sofia Accommodations
Rila Hotel or similar (8 of 8)
March 16 | Program Ends
Sunday ■ Participants are responsible for their own transportation to the airport.
Meals Included ■ Flights return home – Arranged by WorldStrides.
Breakfast
Return Flights – Quote only – Subject to Change
Flight # Origin Destination Departure Arrival
LH1427 Sofia (SOF) Frankfurt (FRA) 1:50 p.m. 3:30 p.m.
LH8803 Frankfurt (FRA) Newark (EWR) 5:15 p.m. 9:30 p.m.
