Bucharest · BULGARIA DAY TRIPS
The Danube is an hour south, and Ruse, Veliko Tarnovo and Belogradchik are all reachable in a day from here. These 15 trips cross the border and back, with the timings, the stops and the prices laid out.
Full-day Bulgaria trip from Bucharest to Veliko Tarnovo and Tsarevets Fortress, plus Arbanasi views and religion stops for $93.
“It was a great trip. Elena was a fantastic guide and very knowledgeable. The van was generally comfrotable, although in the last row space is a bit tight.”
Bucharest to Veliko Tarnovo in one day, with UNESCO Ivanovo Rock Churches, Tsarevets Fortress, artisan workshops, and Arbanassi Village.
“Carmen is a great tour guide and cracks jokes everytime. The tour itself is just okay for me. I think the highlight would be the Tsarevets Fortress, but I think you will need more time to explore everything including the city center. It’s understandable though because we travelled far away so the time is a bit hectic, but if you have more time, I suggest to spend overnight in Veliko Tarnovo and you can still probably explore Arbanasi by foot (because during the tour we only passed by the village while riding in the van). And don’t forget to bring your passport ;)”
Day trip from Bucharest to Bulgaria: Veliko Tarnovo, Tsarevets Fortress, Arbanasi and Ruse, with pickup and English guide.
“The guide is very informative, funny and great at english! We had no troubles following along, and even though we waited a while at the bridge, it was no problem, and everyone stayed joyous!”
Day trip from Bucharest to Bulgaria: cliff monastery at Basarbovo, medieval Veliko Tarnovo, Arbanasi. 12 hours, $66.
“Gabriel was very patient and supportive , unfortunately the weather was not in our on our favour , but we still enjoyed and made the most of it Amazing experience”
Day trip from Bucharest to Bulgaria with UNESCO Ivanovo Churches, Veliko Tarnovo, and Arbanassi village, plus scenic Danube crossing.
“I really liked our driver/tour guide. I thought he did an excellent job and I'm so sorry that I can't remember his name. It's a long day, but you get to see a lot. The tour varies a bit based on the small group's preferences. There were plenty of stops, lots to see and I really enjoyed seeing rural Bulgaria.”
Medieval Bulgaria in one long day from Bucharest, with Ivanovo churches, Tsarevets fortress views, and Arbanassi architecture plus easy hotel pickup.
“Tour started late and no AC. Vehicle was too hot and uncomfortable. The views were amazing and the food delicious.”
Private day trip from Bucharest to Basarbovo, Arbanasi, and Veliko Tarnovo with an English guide, pickup, and key fortress sights.
“Unquie experience for those who want to see what northern bulgaria has to offer. The guide, Andrei, is very knowledgeable, flexible, and funny. I learned more in a day than would take in a month from this trip.”
Small-group day trip from Bucharest to northern Bulgaria, visiting Ivanovo rock churches, Veliko Tarnovo, and Arbanasi by air-conditioned van.
“Overall the experience about visiting the different places was great. The guide was not very knowledgeable about the places and did not do a great job communicating with the group.”
Private day trip from Bucharest to Veliko Tarnovo, starting at Basarbovo Rock Monastery, then Tsarevets and Arbanasi, with expert guide-led stops.
“We were met at our hotel at the agreed time by our tour guide and driver for the day, Octavian. We thoroughly enjoyed our 1 day private tour to Bulgaria. Octavian was knowledgeable about the history of the places we visited and took very good care of us. Highly recommend this tour!”
Private day trip from Bucharest to Bulgaria with Veliko Tarnovo, Tsarevets Fortress, and Arbanassi murals, plus door-to-door pickup.
“Long driving time - almost 4hrs each way. However, the route including the Bulgarian countryside is mostly scenic. Veliko Tarnova was nice and views were good. Food at local restaurant was good. Guide was pleasant and car provided was comfortable.”
Private 12-hour Bulgaria day trip from Bucharest, crossing the Danube and visiting Basarbovo Monastery, Arbanasi, and Veliko Tarnovo.
“It was a wonderful day full of interesting places to visit. I want to thank Bogdan for being so professional and patient, aligning with our preferred schedule and wishes. He was incredibly engaging and made the entire experience memorable!”
Private 12-hour daytrip from Bucharest to Tsarevets, Shipka, and Buzludzha, with entrances and snacks included, English guide.
“If you're a fan of beautiful nature, abandoned buildings and good food thank this tour is a perfect choice.”
A private Bulgaria day trip from Bucharest for UNESCO rock churches, forest waterfalls, and Devetashka Cave.
“Excellent experience with great tour guides, it was a good day out. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who is interested in learning about history of Bulgaria.”
Private Bulgaria day trip from Bucharest with A/C pickup, rock monasteries, and Veliko Tarnovo. English guide, passport required, entrance fees extra.
“Such an unpleasant experience that I’m not even sure where to begin. As we neared the Bulagarian border, our guide, Valerica, “needed to share something” and said he “is not our guide, only our driver and friend.” This seemed weird but the reasons became obvious through the the day. First, this was a lie he wanted us to all join in on so he didn’t have to pay entrance fees as the sites. Second, he had never been to 2 of the 3 sites we visited, which means he did not know where to park or where to enter/exit. This was most disturbing at Tsarnavets, where he became very frustrated…”
A private Bulgaria day trip from Bucharest: Tsarevets fortress and the eerie Buzludzha Communist Monument, with flexible pacing.
“From the start, my tour guide and driver Octavian made the day just perfect and it’s a long but action packed day! He communicates well and was perfectly on time at the hotel in a clean and air conditioned car, important as it was 40 degrees Celsius yesterday! We crossed the Danube and went to Tsaravets Fortress in Veliko Tarnovo which was very interesting. We had a fantastic lunch in Arbanassi which was perfect and even had time to visit a 13th C coaching inn! We continued our journey into the beautiful Balkan Mountains and then went to the jaw dropping Buzludzha Monument to the Bulgarian Communist Party. It’s closed…”
Every kind of day out, and the best of each.
