Best of Bulgaria in 12 Days Tour

You'll get at least 19 group sightseeing events — at no extra cost!

Plus you'll get all this, too.

• A small, friendly group of 24–28 people — half the size of most tour groups
• Full-time services of a professional Rick Steves guide and local experts who will make the fascinating history, art, and culture of Bulgaria come alive for you
• All group transportation during our tour
• 11 nights' accommodations in memorable, centrally located hotels
• All breakfasts and half your dinners
• All tips for guides and driver
• A tour kit including a guidebook (when available) and a moneybelt
• Guaranteed tour price, locked in the moment you make your deposit
• Tour alum discount of $50 for each tour you've taken with us
• Flexibility should you need to transfer or cancel your tour

Fine print: You are responsible for the cost of your drinks and free-time sightseeing. See our Tour Conditions for important details regarding everything listed above.

Group sightseeing events subject to change.

Day 1: Welcome to Bulgaria

Join your guide and group at 4 p.m. today in our Sofia hotel for a "Welcome to Bulgaria" get-together. We'll take a neighborhood stroll before enjoying our first taste of Bulgaria's rich cuisine over dinner together.

Light walking: 2–4 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. No bus. Sleep in Sofia.

Day 2: Exploring Sofia

Today we'll take a walking tour to uncover Sofia's intriguing past and present. We'll visit the President's Building, where we'll stop for the changing of the guard, as well as the Sofia Synagogue. We'll also tour the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, famous for its gilded domes and masterful mosaics. Then you can "follow the yellow brick road" (Sofia has one) to explore the bustling market hall and more of the city's center on your own. We'll wrap up our day by meeting with a local, who will answer questions and tell us about issues facing Bulgaria today.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. No bus. Sleep in Sofia.

Day 3: Rila Monastery

We'll dive headfirst into Bulgarian culture today with a visit to the Roma community in the town of Dupnitsa, where we'll visit kids at a local school, learn about Roma history and culture, and eat lunch together in a local restuarant. Later, we'll drive through the scenic Rilska Valley en route to our destination high in the mountains: the remote and mystical Rila Monastery. We'll take a tour of this 14th-century architectural treasure and its fabulous frescoes before heading to our countryside hotel near Rila, where we'll enjoy dinner together.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 4 hours. Sleep near Rila.

Day 4: Bessa Valley Wines

This morning we'll visit the countryside residence of the Bulgarian Royal family, Tsarska Bistritsa. After lunch together, we'll depart the countryside for the city of Plovdiv, stopping where merchants from Troy journeyed 4,000 years ago: a Bessa Valley winery. We'll learn the history of some of Europe's oldest vineyards — from ancient times to the Communist "collective era" to the entrepreneurial present — and enjoy a tasting. Then we'll continue on to Plovdiv, one of Bulgaria's most delightful cities, where we'll enjoy dinner together.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 4 hours. Sleep in Plovdiv.

Day 5: Renaissance Plovdiv

Once the capital city of ancient Thrace, Plovdiv is actually older than Athens and Rome, with archaeological relics dating back 7,000 years. We'll start our day with a walking tour of Plovdiv's old town, including Trajan's second-century Roman theater and its commanding view of the city. We'll also visit the structures that Plovdiv is proudest of: the old town's unique collection of elegant, pastel-pretty "Bulgarian Renaissance" homes from the 19th century, and the Dzhumaya Mosque, the oldest in Bulgaria. The remainder of the day is free for you to explore more of this cultural and cosmopolitan city.

Strenuous walking: 2–8 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. No bus. Sleep in Plovdiv.

Day 6: Kazanlak and Burgas

We'll drive to the Black Sea today, stopping in Kazanlak for lunch together and to visit some of the greatest examples of early Hellenistic art: a fourth-century BC Thracian tomb covered with magnificent murals, and another packed with beautifully preserved gold and bronze artifacts. We'll end our day with dinner together along the seaside in the lovely port town of Burgas. Enjoy a post-dinner stroll through the city's historical center or follow the picturesque promenade on Burgas Bay.

Light walking: 2–4 miles throughout the day on mostly even terrain. Bus: 7 hours. Sleep in Burgas.

Day 7: Nesebar and the Black Sea

This morning we'll hop aboard our bus and head for the little island town of Nesebar, connected to the rest of Bulgaria by a narrow isthmus. We'll take a time-tripping walk through the old town, learning about its important Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Bulgarian, and Turkish past — a lot happened in this tiny place! We'll enjoy free time for lunch and exploration then drive along the Black Sea coast on our way to the Naval capital of Bulgaria — Varna. We'll settle into our hotel and get oriented to this bustling city before setting you free to relax on the beach, stroll around town, take a boat ride on the Black Sea, or sample the local catch direct from the fishermen.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 3 hours. Sleep in Varna.

Day 8: Treasures of Varna

We'll start our day with a tour of the Varna Archaeological Museum where we'll marvel at the oldest gold jewelry ever discovered. Then we'll enjoy a short walking tour, admiring the city's beautiful architecture and elegant churches. The rest of the afternoon and evening are yours to explore this modern town and stroll the extensive waterfront park and promenade.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. No bus. Sleep in Varna.

Day 9: Over the Balkan Range

Today we'll drive up and over the green Balkan Range to one of Europe's most dramatically situated towns: Bulgaria's medieval capital of Veliko Tarnovo. En route we'll see the Madara Horseman, carved high into a rock cliff 13 centuries ago, and stop to tour the stuck-in-time village of Arbanasi. Tonight we'll enjoy a hearty dinner together and admire the striking night view of Veliko Tarnovo's illuminated citadel across the valley.

Light walking: 2–4 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. Bus: 5 hours. Sleep in Veliko Tarnovo.

Day 10: Veliko Tarnovo

Today we'll walk from one hill to the next, learning about Veliko Tarnovo's role in the medieval birth of the Bulgarian Kingdom, its 14th-century fall to the Ottoman Turks, and the 19th-century uprising that led to the end of Bulgaria's Ottoman occupation. As the story unfolds, we'll wind our way along narrow cobblestone streets, meeting local artisans along the way, then finally conquer the ruins of one of Europe's mightiest citadels. After our trek together, you'll have free time to continue exploring this unique town or to just work your way back through the medieval streets to where we started. We'll meet up later this evening and drive to a nearby community center to enjoy a fabulous folk performance.

Strenuous walking: 2–8 miles with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. Bus: 1 hour. Sleep in Veliko Tarnovo.

Day 11: Village to City

This morning we'll visit the small Banat village of Asenovo, where we’ll be greeted by the mayor for a tour of the town, followed by lunch with the mayor and his wife at their home. This afternoon we'll return to Sofia and have a festive final dinner together, sharing travel memories and toasting new friends.

Light walking: 2–4 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. Bus: 6 hours. Sleep in Sofia.

Day 12: Tour Over After Breakfast

Breakfast is provided, but there are no group activities today. Bulgaria's international airport is just outside of Sofia, or you can hop a train to other European cities. Your guide will help get you pointed in the right direction. Radvayte se na pytuvaneto!

Itinerary specifics subject to change.

Our tours are physically active! It's an essential part of the Rick Steves tour experience. On our Best of Bulgaria in 12 Days tour — among other things — you'll need to happily...

1. Carry/roll your luggage over uneven pavement (possibly several blocks) and up stairways to reach your hotel, then up several flights of stairs to reach your room.
2. Be on your feet, walking and standing, for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions.
3. Sleep with street noise and no (or weak) air conditioning.
4. After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own.
5. Walk up steep streets to the Tsarevets Citadel in Veliko Tarnovo.

May, June, and September are the best months for visiting Bulgaria, with pleasant weather, lighter crowds, and the full range of tourist fun.

Bulgaria/Sofia

Tour Hotels

In case you wish to book pre- or post-tour hotel accommodations, the contact information for the tour's first and last hotels is included in your tour confirmation email as well as in the Itinerary section of your tour account. One month prior to the tour departure, you'll find the directions to your first tour hotel and a complete list of hotels where we'll be staying while on tour in the Documents section of your tour account.

Flights

Our tours don't include airfare, so your flight arrangements and transfers are completely up to you.

Most tour members arrange to fly into and out of Sofia (SOF).

We suggest arriving a day or two before your tour begins to allow ample time to get over jet lag and be well-rested for the first few days of your tour.