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This post will share the details of my Bucharest to Bulgaria day trip.
When planning this trip to Bucharest, the next thing I did after booking my flight and hotel was to book my activities/tours.
I always like to book everything ahead and forget about it.
I might not necessarily pay at the time of booking, but I’ll always book in advance to secure my place.
My original plan for my trip to Bucharest was to visit the Therme Bucharest Spa, but there is no direct same-day return flight from Manchester, so I had to make it a whole trip.
As it was winter, I did not want to wander around in the cold, so I booked activities that kept me out of the cold.
Naturally, I went on to Get Your Guide to find things to do. I was ecstatic to see that I could take a day trip to Bulgaria from Bucharest, as it reminded me of the similar day trips I took in September from Dubrovnik to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.
Visiting medieval Bulgaria is child’s play if I can go to a random town in Bosnia.
Anyway, I booked all my activities for the three days in Bucharest and started my trip to Bulgaria on the first day.
Despite the non-stop rain, the day turned out to be rewarding.
Let’s get into the details.
Here’s What To See & Do On A Bucharest To Bulgaria Day Trip
The day before the Small Group Day Trip To Medieval Bulgaria, I was contacted on WhatsApp by the tour operator that I would be picked up in front of my hotel at 7.10 am.
The worst thing about group tours is having to wake up early, but this was necessary because there are only a limited number of daylight hours in the winter.
So, the earlier you’re up, preferably before sunrise, the more daylight you can maximise.
Also, whilst booking, I chose a nearby pickup point I would have to walk to, about ten minutes from my hotel.
But I was happy to be contacted and informed that I would be picked up directly in front of my hotel.
The driver turned up very promptly at 7:08 am.
Thankfully, I was ready and trying to pack up some breakfast to take on the trip.
I wasn’t about to miss out entirely on my free hotel breakfast.
The tour guide was Romanian, who was very engaging despite the slight language barrier; his English wasn’t perfect, but we understood him enough.
Itinerary
The planned itinerary provided by the tour company was as follows;
- Ivanovo Rock Churches, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Veliko Turnovo: capital of the second Bulgarian empire
- 12th-century Tsarevets Fortress
- Samovodene Artisans Street
- Arbanassi Village
The itinerary was slightly modified due to the weather and the season, which I honestly didn’t mind because of the rain.
At some point, I was happy to drive past rather than walk in the rain.
So bear in mind that your schedule can be modified due to the weather, but the tour guide will ensure you don’t miss out on the essentials.
Here’s how the day went;
7:10 – 8:55
- After I was picked up at 7:10 am, we spent the next twenty minutes picking up the remaining five of us.
- The tour was for a small group of six, which was perfect. There were two couples from Portugal and Malta and two singles from the UK. Naturally, I paired up with the other British lady.
- Since the sun was gradually rising, I took this chance to see the city centre as I would not dedicate a separate day to it on this trip.
- We drove towards the Romanian/Bulgarian border when everyone was picked up.
- Before crossing the border, we stopped for a 10-minute coffee break to use the restroom before the journey began.
8:55 – 9:48 – Ruse, Bulgaria
- Just as we left Giurgiu, the Romanian city bordering Bulgaria, we crossed the Bridge of Friendship across the Danube River into Ruse, Bulgaria.
- There was a slight traffic but nothing too crazy as we could get through pretty quickly.
- While on the bridge, I checked my Google Maps for any nearby landmarks and was surprised that we were above the Danube River.
- So far, I’ve visited five out of the ten countries that sit along the river, including two capitals, Vienna and Budapest.
10:13 – 10:42 – Rock Monastery, Basarbovo, Bulgaria
- After crossing the border, we immediately arrived at the trip’s first stop: the 15th-century Monastery of Saint Dimitar Basarbowski.
- There wasn’t much to do in the rain, but we paid the entrance fee anyway: BON 4, which is about €2.
- When we crossed the border, the driver made us stop to convert some Euros to Bulgarian Lev to pay for entrance fees.
- We hiked to the top to explore the unique monastery built on rocky cliffs. Some of the stairs were incredibly narrow, while others were steep.
- Then, we headed down to the church, where a priest blessed us at the entrance.
- After about thirty minutes, we headed back to the van.
12:15 – 12:20 – Arbanasi Village, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
- After leaving the Rock Monastery, we explored the Veliko Tarnovo Municipality, which was quickly the trip’s highlight.
- Everything else we did was within this region of the Veliko Tarnovo Province, which is in the centre of northern Bulgaria.
- But first was the Arbanasi village known for its 17th & 18th century churches.
- Unfortunately, everything was closed due to the off-season, so we just explored the city centre of Veliko Tarnovo.
12:27 – 13:20 – Tsarevets Fortress, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
- Before we went further into the Veliko Tarnovo city centre, we stopped to explore the incredible Tsarevets.
- Between the 11th & 13th centuries, the Tsarevets served as the primary fortress of the Second Bulgarian Empire.
- Entry was BON 10, which is about €5, and we paid for tickets at the entrance.
- Despite not being a stranger to hiking to the top of the fortress, I was surprised by how easy it was. The steps were not too steep, and I felt no strain in my knees. I was able to take my time. When I finally got to the top, the views were magnificent.
- From the top of the hill, you can see a panoramic view of the landmarks of the city of Veliko Tarnovo. These include churches, bridges and monuments.
- The fortress’s grounds include a castle complex, a throne hall, a castle church and a king’s chamber.
- In 1981, the restoration of the fortress was completed after 51 years.
- The hike is worth it. The restoration work is stunning, and the views are fantastic—I cannot emphasise enough how incredible they are.
13:30 – 15:15 – Veliko Tarnovo City Centre, Bulgaria
- After about an hour of exploring the fortress, we had to find something to eat.
- So, our driver took us into the city centre and dropped us off, recommending some of the best restaurants.
- The other British lady and I chose Bianko restaurant as it was the closest to the parking lot.
- So, we sat there to stuff our faces and bonded over travel and life in the UK.
15:15 – 19:30
- After lunch, we all returned to the parking lot to prepare for the long drive back.
- It took about two hours to get to the border. Thankfully, crossing didn’t take that long.
- Then, it took another two hours to drive down to Bucharest and get dropped off at our respective hotels.
- As I was the first to be picked up, I was also the last to be dropped off.
General Tips
One of my tour mates from Malta complained about how long the drive was.
While I didn’t mind, I realised that the drive to and from might be too much for some people.
So that you know, you should consider this day trip more of a road trip.
Most of the day will be spent on the road, so consider that and plan accordingly.
Make sure you have enough snacks and entertainment to keep you busy, and if anything else fails, you can also go in and out of naps like I did.
Also, if you have motion sickness, plan for it.
At some point, I started to have a tight pain in my chest, but I think it was because I was overheating with my double layers.
Consider anything you need to make yourself comfortable and bring it.
There’s nothing worse than being bored on a road trip.
In Conclusion,
This Bucharest to Bulgaria road trip was worth it as the latter country is not on my travel radar.
Regardless, I never turn down an opportunity to learn about new cultures and gain new experiences.