Bulgaria · 1-DAY TOURS
Read the whole shelf before you commit a day to it: the 15 one-day tours below carry prices, durations and the detail the brochures leave out.
Visit Bulgaria from Bucharest on a 12-hour small-group trip to Veliko Tarnovo, Tsarevets Fortress, Arbanasi, and Ruse.
“What a great way to check off another country. The fortress at Veliko Tarnovo was very cool to explore and the small trip size was a great way to travel.”
Review of a 12-hour Bucharest day trip to Bulgaria, with Ivanovo Rock Churches, Veliko Tarnovo, Tsarevets Fortress, and Arbanassi.
“Absolutely fantastic trip. The guide Victor told interesting stories about each stop on the journey and even more in the car between the stops. 6 out of 5 stars.”
Review of the Plovdiv day trip from Sofia: Roman ruins, Revival houses, guided walking, free time, transport, value, and practical tips.
“Tuni was a great guide, giving a lot of information and helpful tips! The tour started on time and since we were only 7 people, the guide took a small traveller van and was flexible with the plan.”
See Roman Plovdiv and historic Koprivshtitsa on an 11-hour Sofia day trip with an English guide, transport, free time, and mountain views.
“Plovdiv old town was the main highlight. I loved the architecturr. Also i loved the serenity of Koprivshtitsa.”
Cross from Bucharest into Bulgaria to see Basarbovo Monastery, Veliko Tarnovo, Tsaravets Fortress, and Arbanasi in one long day.
“Gabriel was a very good tour guide. One of the other tourists drank too much and may also have had a mental health problem. This tourist became aggressive and Gabriel ejected him from the tour. Gabriel did the correct thing. I am very glad to have had Gabriel as our tour guide.”
Visit Boyana Church and Rila Monastery from Sofia with a private guide, mountain scenery, medieval frescoes, and door-to-door transport.
“The monastery is spectacular and the Boyana church was an interesting short stop. Our guide was knowledgeable and very friendly, and our driver was professional and friendly too.”
Review of the Sofia day trip to Plovdiv and Rila Monastery, with honest advice on timing, transport, guides, costs, and what to expect.
“This was a long day, but it was worth the time and money. Our driver/host Apostolos inew a lot about the country and kept us on track while ensuring we had opportunity to stop for food and bathroom. We very much enjoyed the 2hr walking free tour (tip based) that Apostolos arranged for us( we learned a lot about Plovdiv from our very knowledgeable local tour guide. We had enough time at the Rila Monastery to walked around and admire the architecture and religious wealth. We wished that we had received the audio tour hyperlink from the company that runs the tour one day in advance, as we had planned…”
See Rila Monastery and Plovdiv in one long Sofia day, with an English-speaking host, comfortable minibus, free time, and useful local tips.
“Excellent day to see Rila Monastery and Bulgaria’s second largest city - Plovdiv. Phillip, our host was clear with his communication and the two locations we visited were really interesting. I would highly recommend.”
Visit Boyana Church and Rila Monastery from Sofia on an affordable self-guided day trip with transport, parking, and an online audioguide.
“Worth to do a guided daytrip to Rila Monastery and Boyana church by an enthusiastic guide. It's a lovely place to visit.”
See Skopje’s Old Bazaar, fortress, Stone Bridge, and Mother Teresa memorial, then cruise through Matka Canyon on a long but rewarding Sofia day trip.
“Very interesting guide and the tour was even better than expected. The canyon was soo beautiful, photos can’t replicate it. Highly recommend this tour.”
Review of a private Sofia to Plovdiv day trip with hotel pickup, English guide, Roman ruins, Old Town walks, and free time.
“Très belle ville riche en culture. La vieille ville est splendide. Le musée ethnographique vaut vraiment la peine. Le guide Dimitri pas avare en explications.”
Cross the Danube from Bucharest to Basarbovo, Arbanasi, and Veliko Tarnovo on a flexible private Bulgaria day tour with an English-speaking guide.
“Excellent day, well worth money. Angelica was our guide and she was so friendly and helpful throughout the day. We were picked up and dropped off at our hotel. We really enjoyed it. We forgot to organise currency for Bulgaria but it wasn’t a problem as there was a place at the border to exchange lei, also very cheap there.”
Ski Borovets from Sofia with gear, lift pass, transport, and mountain views included in this practical full-day winter trip.
“Dear Waldorf DC Management - We want to commend the excellent service we received from everyone on the Waldorf staff as we celebrated the wedding of Joe and Amanda in May 2025. Everyone on the Waldorf staff was extremely professional and outstanding at their job. We obtained a few names to identify, but this list is not exclusive. Everyone who worked with us should be commended. Kalynne worked with us for months and provided insightful and experienced guidance throughout. The catering staff provided excellent service for the reception; we received many, many compliments on the excellent hors d’oeuvres and meal items and post-meal items. Then on Sunday morning in the…”
Explore Bulgaria’s Marvelous Bridges, Kosovo village, Rhodope cuisine, and Bachkovo Monastery on a scenic small-group trip from Plovdiv.
“It was very lovely. The guide was considerate, did not rush us and took breaks as needed. The views and the Monastery were amazing and overall it was a great experience!”
Cross from Sofia into Serbia for Poganovo Monastery, visit Boyana Church, and enjoy a guided day of mountain scenery, history, and local food.
“If you want to get away from the city and see some beautiful countryside, this is the way to go! This is a private tour - I was traveling alone and a little worried about how it would work with just me and a guide in the car all day, but Maria was an awesome guide. She is very knowledgeable but makes it into an interesting conversation rather than just telling you the standard tour info. The drive in Serbia included gorgeous scenery. There's not a lot to see at the monastery, it's just a calm beautiful place. One of the monks invited us to sit and have tea and…”
Four ways into the country, none of them wrong.
