The Complete Bulgaria Tour 

10 Days Customized Tour Around Bulgaria

Discover the beauty of Bulgaria with this 10 days custom round tour.  The program of the Bulgaria round tour is example and can be changed at any time. It’s combine history + wine tasting + nature sights + UNESCO sight + culture and is good for any time of the year. If you have something in mind I can include it in the program at any time.

We can easily tailor this tour around your dates and interests – and send you a free, personalized quote.
Let us know if you would like to start and finish in different cities, add or remove an attraction, add a day for rest.

You choose the places and the pace.

 

At a Glance

  • Total Distance: 2013 km
  •  Tour Duration: 10 Days/ 9 Nights
  •  Best period: All year
  •  Price:  Depends on your personal needs and preferences

Highlights

  • The tour combine famous historical, cultural and nature sights, wine and food tasting, UNESCO sights, beach side and local life
  • Visit 4 sights listed in the UNESCO heritage list
  • City tours, light hiking and driving through the most beautiful parts of Bulgaria
  • Get closer to the local life by meeting local people, taste traditional food and travel off the beaten path
  • We promise that you will fall in love with our country

The Complete Bulgaria Tour 10-Day Itinerary:

We can easily tailor this tour around your dates and interests – and send you a free, personalized quote.
Let us know if you would like to start and finish in different cities, add or remove an attraction, add a day for rest.

 


You choose the places and the pace!

Detailed Program

DAY 1: SOFIA

Sofia
→ Airport transfer to your hotel OR pick up from your hotel
→ Walking city tour in the morning (2-3 hours)
Visit the: St. Nedelya square; Nedelya church; St Sofia Monument; St. Petka Church; The old Serdika Ruins; The mineral springs; The council of ministers; The Rotunda “Saint George”; The Presidency; The mosque “Banya Bashi”; The National archaeology museum (not going inside); The National Bank of Bulgaria; Knyaz Alexander Battenberg Square; The King’s palace; The Russian church; St. Sofia Church; The National Theater; The Monument of the “unknown soldier”; The Alexander Nevski Memorial Church; The city garden.
→ Free time in Sofia at the afternoon

Overnight in Sofia

DAY 2: SEVEN RILA LAKES

Rila Lakes The second day of our tour in Bulgaria we will devote ourselves to the nature and the world famous Seven Rila Lakes, situated in the highest mountain in the Balkan Peninsula – Rila. Light hiking, fresh air, sun and smell of herbs are the things which most accurately describe this day.

→ Departure early in the morning. (08:00)
→ Transfer to the beginning of the Seven Rila lakes  (1:30-2:00 hours)
→ Taking a chair lift or SUV to the upper lift station.
→ Three – four hours hiking around the Seven Rila lakes
→ Going down with a lift or SUV
→ Transfer to Sapareva Banya (30-40 min)

Overnight in Sapareva Banya

DAY 3: RILA MONASTERY AND MELNIK

Rila Monastery
Visit to the most important Bulgarian cultural and historical sight – the Rila Monastery. We then continue to Melnik – the smallest town in Bulgaria, which is also known as the country’s wine capital. In the late afternoon, we visit a local winery and taste five different types of wine from the region.

→ Depart from Sapareva Banya after breakfast
→ Transfer to the Rila monastery (1-1:30 hours)
→ Guided tour of the monastery
Visit the Rila Monastery museum and complex
→ Transfer to Melnik (the smallest city in Bulgaria a.k.a. The Bulgarian Capital of Wine) (2 hours)
Sightseeing and wine tasting in local winery (optional)

Overnight in Melnik

DAY 4: WEST RHODOPE MOUNTAINS

Kovachevitsa
We spend the next day discovering the authentic Bulgarian villages of Kovachevitsa and Leshten, but before that will visit the 3rd big monastery in Bulgaria – Rozhen monastery. On the way we’ll take a short walk in the forest around the village of Kovachevitsa. In the evening we’ll enjoy traditional Bulgarian cuisine and homemade drinks. We’ll spend the night in a traditional house and enjoy homemade local food.

→ Transfer to Rozhen monastery after breakfast
→ Explore the monastery complex with beautiful views of Pirin and Rhodope mountains.
→ Transfer to Rhodope mountains (2 hours)
→ Visit traditional mountain villages Leshten and Kovachevitsa and meet local people on the way
→ Try Bulgarian homemade jam and delicious local food
Transfer to Dospat Dam (1:30 hours)
→ Free time at the afternoon for walk or relax

Overnight in a hotel Dospat area with lake view

DAY 5: EAST RHODOPE MOUNTAINS

Rhodope moutains
This day you will visit the East part of Rhodope mountains. the city of Smolyan, Pamporovo resort and the villages of Shiroka Laka, Momchilovtsi and Smilyan. This day there is a possibility for different workshops as cooking class, herb picking, yogurt making etc. If you are interested in workshops and activities let us know and we will organize it for you.

→ Transfer to Smolyan area (1:30 – 2 hours)
Visit a local farm and traditional villages with possibility for different workshops and activities according to your interests.

Overnight in a house in the mountain

DAY 6: BACHKOVO MONASTERY AND PLOVDIV

PlovdivDeparture to Plovdiv – the must see city in South Bulgaria, winner of the title of European Capital of Culture for 2019. Before that we’ll pass the medieval Asen’s fortress and Bachkovo monastery , located in Rhodope Mountains. Then we will have a walk through the old city of Plovdiv, some of the old houses, the mosque and the ancient theater. After the Plovdiv city tour we’ll have free time to discover the city on our own.

→ Depart after breakfast
→ Transfer to Bachkovo monastery ( 1.5-2 hours)
→ Explore the 2nd big monastery in Bulgaria
→ Transfer to Plovdiv, The European Capital of Culture (40 min)
→ Walking city tour of Plovdiv
Visit The Old Town (dating from the 19th century); the exterior of the Ethnographic museum; Balabanov house; the Ancient theatre of Philippopolis; the Ancient stadium of Philipopolis; the St. Constantin and Elena church; the Djumaya Mosque and square; the building of the Regional Historical Museum; Saint Ludvik Cathedral; the Agara (Marketplace); the famous main pedestrian street; “The Trap” neighbourhood and Nebet Tepe.
→ Free time in Plovdiv in the afternoon

Overnight in Plovdiv

DAY 7: KOPRIVSHTITSA AND KAZANLAK (ROSE VALLEY)

KoprivshtitsaOur multi-day tour around Bulgaria will continue with visiting the city of Koprivshtitsa, famous with the traditional architecture, and after lunch you’ll drive through the rose valley and the city of Kazanlak, (best time for the roses is in May and June) and the Thracian Tomb.

→ Depart from Plovdiv after breakfast
→ Transfer to Koprivshtitsa mountain village (2 hours)
→ Walking city tour of Koprivshtitsa
Visit the exterior of Dimcho Debelyanov house, Uspenie Bogorodichno Church, the first Bulgarian school from 1843, The Forestry House, the exterior of the Georgi Benkovski House, the library, Todor Kableshkov’s house from the outside, the liberation square and the “First Gun” bridge.
→ Stop for lunch in traditional Bulgarian restaurant
→ Transfer to Kazanlak (The Rose Valley)(1.5 hours)
→ Visit the Russian memorial church, the Thracian tomb “Golayma Kosmatka” and a local rose oil distillery
→ Free time in Kazanlak for dinner

Overnight in SPA hotel in Kazanlak area

DAY 8: SOZOPOL AND NESSEBAR

NessebarThis day will continue to the Black sea coast when you will have the opportunities for many beach activities, exploring hidden beaches or just relax under the umbrella with a cocktail in hand. After Lunch will continue to the old coastal town listed in the UNESCO heritage list – the amazing Nessebar. 

→ Depart from Kazanlak after breakfast
→ Transfer to Sozopol (2.5 hours)
Free time for beach activities and relax
→ Transfer to Nessebar after lunch  (1.5 hours)
→ Walking city tour of Nessebar old town
Visit the Nessebar Archaelogical museum, the “Hagia Sophia” church, the church of Christ Pantocrator; the church of St Stephen, the church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, the church of St John Aliturgetos.
→ Free time in Nessebar for dinner

Overnight in Nessebar

DAY 9: KALIAKRA CAPE, BALCHIK AND VARNA

Kaliakra Once we have seen the most interesting sights in the southern coast we will head north. We will pass Varna, where will come back later for the night, Balchik and the northernmost point of our tour around Bulgaria – Kaliakra cape. For lunch we’ll visit the mussel farm on our way back to Varna, where we’ll spend the night.
→ Transfer to the Kaliakra cape in the morning (3 hours)
→ Explore the beautiful landmark
Visit a local snail farm and have free time for lunch
→ Transfer to Balchik (30 min)
→ Visit the Balchik Palace
→ Transfer to Varna (40min)
→ Free time in Varna to explore the Sea Garden, The port, The main shopping street ad the Pedestrian area

Overnight in Varna

DAY 10: VELIKO TARNOVO AND BACK TO SOFIA

Veliko Tarnovo→ Transfer Veliko Tarnovo after breakfast  (3 hours)
→ Visit the Tsarevets fortress and the craft street of Veliko Tarnovo
Transfer to Sofia (3 hours)
→ Free time in the afternoon for walk, relax and packing.

Overnight in Sofia // END OF THE TOUR

The tour can finish with a drop off at any location in Sofia or with airport transfer on the next day. Send your requirements now, and we will build the most convenient program around your travel plans. 

We promise that in the end of this tour Round Bulgaria you will fall in truly love with it and won’t want to leave it!

The price of the 10 days tour around Bulgaria depends on your personal preferences for accommodation. Please, send us your inquiries for the price, if you are coming with more than 5 people, different drop on / drop off location or another sight you want be included in your tour around Bulgaria and we’ll calculate the price which will suit your needs.

We can also recommend you accommodation in Sofia and in all locations mentioned in the 10days Bulgaria tour. Just tell us what kind of hotels do you prefer.
 
If you have any questions about the locations, cities or sight we’ll visit during this Bulgaria round tour do not hesitate to send your questions using the form below. 
 
There are options for different kind of experience you can have as fun workshop about how to knit Rhodope slippers, rugs, cloths, etc.; Traditional pottery or woodcarving, traditional dances, cheese and yogurt factories, folk festivals, wine holidays and many others. If you are interested in that kind of experience I can include it in the program. If you are also interested in adventures, extreme sports or anything else please, let us know as well.

Benefits

  • Private tour/Maximum flexibility
  • Friendly local tour guide
  • Pick-up/ Drop off from/to the airport upon request
  • No Hidden Charges
  • Option for many local workshops

Includes

  • Transfer with a private vehicle
  • All transportation costs along the route, fuel, VAT and parking fees
  • Licensed local tour guide and driver
  • Drop on and drop off from the airport to the hotel

Excludes

  • Accommodation (can be arranged upon request)
  • Entrances for the museums, and other sights
  • Food and drinks
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Personal expenses

Good to Know

    • Two of the days we’ll have a short walks in the mountain, so don’t forget to take a warm clothing, even if you come in the summer. The weather in the mountain may change in seconds.
    • Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, comfortable shoes and clothes are recommended.
    • Don’t forget your camera

More multi-day Bulgaria itineraries

Essence of Bulgaria: 48-Hour Adventure
2-Day Bulgaria Tour Itinerary. Visit Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo and the Rose Valley

The Bulgaria Long Weekend Tour
3 DAYS BULGARIA TOUR #1: Rila monastery – Melnik – Plovdiv – The Rose Valley
3 DAYS BULGARIA TOUR #2: Sofia – Veliko Tarnovo – The Rose Valley – Plovdiv

4 Historic Towns in 4 Days
4-day private tour in Bulgaria including Rila monastery, Melnik, Plovdiv, Koprivshtitsa, Kazanlak and Veliko Tarnovo

5 Day Private Bulgaria Tour
5 DAYS BULGARIA TOUR #1: Essential Bulgaria: Unveiling the Best in a 5-Day Adventure
5 DAYS BULGARIA TOUR #2: Bulgaria Tour Including the Black Sea Coast

One Week Bulgaria Exploration
7 DAYS BULGARIA TOUR #1: A Journey through Rich Heritage

10 Day Bulgaria Tour Itinerary – The Complete Tour
Explore Bulgaria in 10 days and dive into the local life and traditions

14 Day Bulgaria Tour Itinerary – The Ultimate Tour
Know Bulgaria in Details – 14 days itinerary

Balkan tours including Bulgaria:

28 Days Grand Balkan Tour
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – Nоrth Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania – Montenegro – Croatia –
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Slovenia

Complete Balkan Tour: 21 Days around the Balkans
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – Nоrth Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania – Montenegro – Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Slovenia

East Balkans Exploration: 21 Day Balkan Tour
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – North Macedonia – Kosovo  – Albania 

Pan-Balkan Discovery: A 16-Day Expedition Across 8 Cultural Treasures
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – Nоrth Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania – Montenegro – Bosnia and Herzegovina

Balkan Panorama: A 16-Day Balkan Expedition
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – Nоrth Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania>

A Cultural Journey Across Five Balkan Nations – 14 Days Balkan Tour 
Bosnia – Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – North Macedonia

Timeless Balkans: 14-Day Balkan Tour Exploring Ancient Roots and Modern Charms
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria

Balkan Panorama: A Comprehensive 14-Day Tour of the Balkans
Bosnia – Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – North Macedonia – Kosovo

Bulgarian and Romanian Tapestry: A 10-Day Adventure
Bulgaria – Romania

Balkan Trio Adventure: A 10-Day Journey in Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria

Jewels of the Balkans: A 10-Day Treasure Hunt of History and Nature
Romania – Bulgaria – North Macedonia – Kosovо – Albania

Four Nations Escape: 8 Days of Cultural Discovery
Bulgaria – Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania

A Weeklong Eastern European Tapestry – 8 Day Balkan Tour
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria

All Balkan tours
Take a look at our complete list of Balkan private tours

    RECEIVE A PRICE ESTIMATE

    More about the landmarks you will visit during the 10 day Bulgaria Tour 

    Sofia, Bulgaria

    Sofia welcomes as the capital of the country, located in the valley of the same name, framed by mountains rising majestically a short distance around. The Vitosha mountain is the most popular spot for outings and winter sports. It rises to the south of Sofia, and its peak Cherni Vruh is a popular target for avid hikers. The other mountainous hills belong to the Balkan Range, to the north, and the Lyulin mountain, to the west. Another peculiarity of the terrain is the combination of four Iskar river terraces which are the site of location of the capital.

    Diversity is further added by the Iskar river which has two tributaries, Perlovska and Vladayska, and the mineral springs in several spots, in the Ovcha Kupel, Gorna Banya, Knyazhevo and Pancharevo. The conditions in and around Sofia offer opportunities for diverse activities, hiking, winter sports, spa treatment, touring the city’s sights and landmarks.

    Plovdiv, Bulgaria

    For comfortable vacations Plovdiv offers upscale accommodation with diverse facilities and creature comforts. Touring the city enriches everyone. History and modern life are intertwined, and concomitantly with the hurried pace of life archeological monuments reveal the city’s rich millennial past. The temples of Plovdiv, its museums, and the old city part are grounds to immerse in to feel its past and learn about the life and culture of those distant times. 

    For fans of art, Plovdiv extends unique opportunities. It has been a center for icon painting since the Middle Ages. Renowned icon painters and painters worked here. The city’s art gallery boasts masterpieces. A separate exhibition offers a collection of icons. There is even an exhibition of Mexican art, gifted to the city on the occasion of Bulgaria’s 1,300th anniversary, in 1981. 

    After touring, it is time to sit in a local eatery to delight in scrumptious Bulgarian cuisine.

    Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

    Fans of learning lots about history and culture will have a busy time in Veliko Turnovo. It is a town where the old part abounds in historical buildings, areas and nooks. There are a lot of churches, several of which are cultural monuments. The most renowned of those churches is the Saints Holy Martyrs, which is near the Tsarevets fortress. 

    In the past, different saints’ relics were brought to Veliko Turnovo and stayed for different periods. Nowadays Saint Mina’s relics are kept in a private chapel, and Saint Ivan Rilski’s relics are kept in the Nativity Cathedral. There are also miracle-working icons in the nearby village of Arbanasi, just a couple of kilometers away. 

    The natural landscapes which unfold to the eyes are worth photographing, as they blend the greenery of the surrounding hills and, the glimmer of the Yantra river’s water. Nature and history lend Veliko Turnovo outstanding appeal.

    Kovachevitsa, Bulgaria

    In the region of Blagoevgrad, in southwest Bulgaria, lies the Kovachevitsa village. The mountainous area of the west Rhodope lends its charm to the locality. The nearest town is Gotse Delchev, 24 kilometers away. Kovachevitsa is also 5 kilometers away from the Gorno Dryanovo village.  The Kanina river flows through the valley, supplying water to the arable land.

    The true charm and attractiveness of Kovachevitsa are due to its authentic look preserved since the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. The houses in the village are almost entirely made of stone, and it is interesting that the roofs are from stone slabs too. Only the highest houses have their ast storeys made of wood. Kovachevitsa is an architectural reserve, boasting the beauty of Revival period architecture which must be seen to understand what masters lived in the Revival period and how durable their houses are, standing now firm and impressive with their peculiar style.

    Leshten, Bulgaria

    The village of Leshten is ancient, with well preserved old style houses. It is one of the gems of architecture in the southwest Bulgaria, in the Blagoevgrad region. Information on it was included in ethnographic materials in the nineteenth century, and its appeal due to the architecture of the village houses was underscored. 

    Many of the old houses in Leshten have been restored. The restorative works have been conducted carefully, taking account of the old style, and endeavoring to preserve it in the best shape. Many such restored houses have become rest homes, and tourists willing to get first hand information on the village architectural preciousness are welcomed.

    Owing to the unique style of the village, with its authentic houses which retain the spirit of past times, Leshten is often chosen for filming by directors shooting feature films. For music videos, the charm of Leshten is also a great backdrop. 

    Seven Rila Lakes, Bulgaria

    The Seven Rila Lakes, in the heart of the Rila mountain, are among the numerous water features of this treasure trove of pine trees, rivulets, streams and ponds. They are of glacial origin. The area of the lakes is famed for its stern beauty, adorned by the seven expanses of clear mountain water. The area of the lakes rightly belongs in the list of the one hundred most precious sites in Bulgaria. The height of the lake area is between 2,100 and 2,500 meters above sea level. 

    The levels of the lakes descend in a terrace-like manner. They are ponds in the mountain folds, interrelated by small brooks. The passages are more picturesque in places where the brooks form fountains and tiny waterfalls. The lakes’ names are characteristic, related to the peculiarity of each lake. For example, the highest lake is called “Sulzata” (“Tear”) owing to is marvelously transparent water.

    Melnik, Bulgaria

    Melnik, a tiny town, is of enormous interest, for diverse reasons and features. Its history is abundant, shown in the town’s historical museum. There everyone can learn how the main livelihood of the area developed: wine making is a staple trade thanks to the unique qualities of Melnik vines. Wine cellars, casks, tools for processing and storing the famed Melnik wine are exhibited in the museum. People can also see how locals’ life developed in the Revival period. For visiting the museum, every day is good, it does not have a day off.

    The Kordopulova house, bearing the name of its former owner, an affluent Greek merchant, was built in 1754. There the huge barrels for Melnik wine can be seen. The exhibition containing the barrels and illustrating wine storage is in the shape of a tunnel into the rock. The internal architecture is fascinating, with murals, woodcarvings, and stained glass ornaments. 

    Rila Monastery, Bulgaria

    Rila Monastery is a unique place, not only owing to its beautiful complex and the captivating surrounding mountainous area. Its history is rich and ancient, and it even has the statute of a separate settlement, although its inhabitants number just 58. 

    Eminent personalities were buried in the Rila Monastery. One of them was the Bulgarian tsar Boris the Third. James Bourchier, a British journalist and correspondent during Ottoman times, was buried by the entrance to the monastery. The local ruler Hrelyo who contributed a lot for the monastery and its renovation, were also laid to rest in the monastery, in the church built with his sponsorship. 

    The altitude of the monastery complex is 1,147 meters. Around rise verdant coniferous forests which send a fresh scent of mountain air. The main buildings walls rise to 24 meters and give the complex the look of a fortress shaped like an irregular pentagon. 

    Rozhen Monastery, Bulgaria

    The Rozhen Monastery was first mentioned in part of a Greek manuscript in the thirteenth century. The exact date of its founding is not known. The initial complex was destroyed, then rebuilt later, in the sixteenth century. The main church, the dining hall, and some residential buildings date from that century.

    The final church decoration was finished in 1732. In the nineteenth century it was a thriving center of religious and spiritual value. The monastery owned a lot of land plots around.

    Nowadays the monastery is open throughout the year. Visitors see the complex which has the shape of an irregular hexagon. The church is in the middle. The murals are sixteenth century murals and depict the miracles done by Christ after the resurrection. The iconostasis is a magnificent one, with flower bouquets pictured and carved figures. In the northwest part of the church is a chapel with eighteenth century murals.