From Bucharest: Explore the Best of Bulgaria: Veliko Tarnovo, Plovdiv, Sofia & Ruse

The trip starts early in the morning when our guide will pick you up from the hotel in Bucharest to the foothills of the Balkan Mountains. Your first stop in Bulgaria will be close to the border, at the 15th-century Basarbovo Monastery - the only one active rock monastery in Bulgaria.

From Basarabovo, we will take you straight to Veliko Tarnovo, the impressive settlement that was once the medieval capital of Bulgaria, today a charming city offering spectacular views and attracting tourists from all over the world.

You will spend the night in a 4-star hotel and continue your amazing adventure in Bulgaria the next day.

After breakfast, you will set off to Plovdiv, visiting Open Air Ethnographic Museum “Etar” on the way. The museum has an area of around 7 ha and contains a total of 50 objects, including water installations and houses with craftsmen's workshops attached. The complex's goal is to illustrate the architecture, way of life and economy of Gabrovo and the region during the Bulgarian National Revival.

Plovdiv is the European Capital of Culture 2019, situated just in the heart of the Thracian valley. During the walking city tour, you will pass near some interesting sights from the Roman times - the Roman stadium, the Amphitheatre, the Pharmacy and 2 of the most prominent houses of Hindliyan and Balabanov, architectural treasures from The Bulgarian Revival period.

Overnight at a 4* hotel in Plovdiv.

After breakfast, you will depart to Sofia. Bulgaria’s capital and the biggest city. It is often overlooked by visitors, even though it is definitely a place to put on your travel bucket list. Sofia is a modern vibrant city, with many onion-domed churches, mosques and monuments dating back to the soviet times that create an eclectic, exotic atmosphere. It is also home to Bulgaria’s best museums, galleries, restaurants and clubs.

Your guide will present the main highlights in a half-day city tour and you will have the rest of the day for enjoying Sofia on yourself.

The night will be spent at a centrally located hotel in Sofia.

In the morning, you will set off for Bucharest visiting one more magnificent city on the way, Ruse, nicknamed as “Little Vienna”. There are dozens of buildings which have European heritage labels and we will marvel at them during a walking tour. The sights will only convince you that Ruse was called the most European city in Bulgaria for a reason.

The tour will end in a relaxing walk near the majestic Danube River. It not only gives the city its romantic look but also defines Ruse as a significant transport, logistics, business and cultural centre of Bulgaria.

Return to Bucharest in the evening, drop-off at your accommodation.