Stay : A three-week tour of Bulgaria

Bulgaria boasts a rich historical and cultural heritage, unspoilt nature and a host of incredible activities. So much so, in fact, that we feel that a complete and successful holiday takes three weeks. Once you've spent twenty days visiting every nook and cranny, Bulgaria will hold no more secrets for you.

Summary of the stay

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Suggested by Petit Futé

20 days

All audiences
Culture / Heritage
With Quotatrip - tailor-made travel

Where to stay - Rila ?

The map of your stay - Bulgarie

Detail of the stay : A three-week tour of Bulgaria - 20 days

  • Rila (Рила)
  • Blagoevgrad (Благоевград)
  • Melnik (Мелник)
  • Kovatchevitsa (Ковачевица)
  • Bansko (Бahcko)
  • Velingrad (Велинград)
  • Belicsa (Белица)
  • Trigrad (Триград)
  • Trigrad (Триград)
  • Devin (Дebиh)
  • Plovdiv (Пловдив)
  • Bashkovo (Бaчkobo)
  • Asenovgrad (Асеновград)
  • Stara Zagora (Стара Загора)
  • Kazanlak (Казанлъ̀к)
  • Sozopol (Созопол)
  • Burgas (Бургас)
  • Nessebar (Несебър)
  • Varna (Bapha)
  • Baltchik (Балчик)
  • Kaliakra (Калиакра)
  • Shumen (Шумен)
  • Pliska (Плиска)
  • Ruse (Pyce)
  • Veliko Tarnovo (Велико Търново)
  • Arbanassi (Арбанаси)
  • Tryavna (Трявна)
  • Lovetch (Лоbeч)
  • Etara (Етъра)
  • Troyan (Троян)
  • Koprivshtitsa (Копривщица)

Day 1: Sofia

Visit of the city of Sofia: the Alexander-Nevsky cathedral, the church of Saint Sophia, the museum of archaeology, the Banya Bachi mosque. Walk to the public garden in front of the National Theater, to the market hall, along Vitosha Boulevard, the main pedestrian area and to the women's market.

Day 2: Rila - Blagoevgrad

Steps: Rila, Blagoevgrad

Visit of the largest monastery in Bulgaria, on the slopes of Mount Rila, about 100 km from Sofia (2 hours by bus to reach the village of Rila). Passage through the historical center of Blagoevgrad, pleasant and which has a district of the National Renaissance.

Day 3: Melnik - Rojen Monastery

Steps: Melnik

Melnik, the smallest town in the country surrounded by sand pyramids, in the style of the National Renaissance, is known for its production of red wines, unique in the world. Charming monastery with an incredible view of the sand pyramids and the chain that forms a natural border with Greece.

Day 4: Kovacevica - Bansko

Steps: Kovatchevitsa, Bansko

Welcome to Kovacevica, a small architectural reserve. In the vicinity there is a Thracian astronomical observatory. Visit of the small mountain town Bansko, founded in the 10th century: stone and wooden houses built behind fortification walls, to fight against the Ottoman invader.

Day 5: Belitsa - Velingrad

Steps: Velingrad, Belitsa

Meeting with the dancing bears of the Belitsa reserve. Visit of the famous spa town of Velingrad for its numerous springs and its pure air.

Day 6: Batak and Dospat lakes - Trigrad gorge - Devin

Steps: Trigrad, Devin

Crossing the beautiful Rhodopes. The Trigrad Gorge is one of the most beautiful places. The cliffs are 200 m high. Visit the Devil's Cave. Overnight at the Devin spa, one of the best spa centers in the country. Also horseback riding, biking and walking.

Day 7: Chiroka Laka - Batchkovo Monastery - Assenovgrad

Steps: Plovdiv, Bachkovo, Asenovgrad

Visit of Chiroka Laka, a beautiful little mountain village of the National Renaissance, declared an architectural and ethnographic reserve. Crossing the Rhodopes, detour to the Enchanted Bridges (Choudnite Mostove), visit of the second monastery of Bulgaria, Batchkovo, and one of the most beautiful fortresses of the country, Asenovgrad. Night in Plovdiv. Visit of the old town of Plovdiv: houses from the National Revival period, Byzantine churches, art galleries.

Day 8: Stara Zagora - Kazanlak

Steps: Stara Zagora, Kazanlak

Walk in the gardens of Stara Zagora, among the most beautiful of the country and visit of the old town (Roman theater). Visit of Kazanlak, capital of the valley of roses: distilleries of rose essence and Thracian tomb of the 3rd century B.C., inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List.

Day 9: Bourgas - Sozopol

Steps: Sozopol, Bourgas

First visit of the old town of Sozopol built on a peninsula. Fisherman's houses, friendly atmosphere and beautiful beaches. Evening in the lively port of Bourgas, with its pleasant streets and seaside promenade.

Day 10: Nessebar

Steps: Nessebar

Welcome to Nessebar, a rocky peninsula on the Black Sea coast: walk through the cobbled streets of the pearl of the Bulgarian coastline, discovering its forty ruined Byzantine churches.

Day 11: Varna - Aladja monastery

Steps: Varna

Capital of the Bulgarian coast. Pleasant atmosphere, visit to the Roman baths and stroll along the city's northern beaches. Overnight in Varna.

Visit the Aladja rock monastery, first occupied in the 4th century (17 km from Varna), or the Pobitite Kamani petrified forest 20 km west of the city.

Day 12: Baltchik

Steps: Baltchik, Kaliakra

In Baltchik, visit the fabulous botanical gardens of the Palace of Mary of Romania. Walk to the cape of Kaliakra and further north to the natural reserve of Yailata with its tombs in the rocks.

Day 13: Shumen

Steps: Shumen, Pliska

Visit on the road of the archaeological site of the ancient Bulgarian capital of Pliska and the famous Madara horseman carved in the rock at 23 m height. The fortress of Shumen and the monument of the Founders of the Bulgarian State. Night in Shumen.

Day 14: Roussé

Steps: Ruse

On the Romanian border, Rousse is built on the banks of the Danube. Visit of the city with its Austro-Hungarian architecture. Ivanovo Monastery carved in the rock dating from the 13th century, classified as a world heritage site by Unesco, in the beautiful nature reserve of Roussenski Lom, then the fortress of Cherven. On the way to Tarnovo, take a break at the Byala stone bridge built in 1867.

Day 15: Veliko Tarnovo - Arbanassi.

Steps: Veliko Tarnovo, Arbanassi

Veliko Tarnovo, capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire: houses hanging from the rock walls and visit of the ruins of the Tsarevets citadel. Visit of the village ofArbanassi and its three churches-museums with sublime frescoes.

Day 16: Dryanovo - Tryavna

Steps: Tryavna

Visit of the Dryanovo monastery and the Batcho Kiro cave. In Tryavna, museum of woodcarving, visit of the old town, in the style of the National Renaissance.

Day 17: Etara - Lovetch

Steps: Lovetch, Etara

Visit ofEtara, a village-museum dedicated to handicrafts, and of the superb Sokolski monastery. In Lovetch, visit of the old quarter and the covered bridge.

Day 18: Troyan

Steps: Troyan

Troyan is a pleasant little town, a 15th century monastery with beautiful frescoes.

Day 19: Koprivchtitsa

Steps: Koprivshtitsa

Walk to the Troyan Pass, the highest in the Balkans (1,525 m). Visit of Koprivchtitsa, a village-museum of the 19th century, in the national Renaissance style, surrounded by beautiful forests.

Day 20: Sofia and its surroundings

The National History Museum and the Boyana Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Vitosha mountain, 8 km south of Sofia as the crow flies, is an easy place to walk, as it is accessible by chairlift.

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