Full Day Trip to Bulgaria from Bucharest
Bucharest, Romania
- 12 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
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Overview
Explore Romania’s southern neighbor—and enjoy hassle-free logistics—on a full-day trip to Bulgaria. Departing from Bucharest with just a small group for company, cross the border into the foothills of the Balkan Mountains and visit Veliko Tarnovo, the capital of Bulgaria during medieval times. Then, learn about Bulgarian history from your guide while visiting Ruse, one of the country's most elegant cities.
- Cross the border into Bulgaria on a full-day tour from Bucharest
- Explore the medieval city of Veliko Tarnovo, nestled in the foothills of the Balkan Mountains
- Learn about Bulgaria's medieval history from a knowledgeable guide
- Pick-up and drop-off at central meeting point is included
What's Included
- Pick-up from central meeting point location
- Services of a professional tour escort, offering commentary and assistance
- Round-trip transportation in a comfortable vehicle
- Tsarevets Fortress admission and guided group visit€20.00 per person
- Gratuities at your discretion
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- University Square - Gray Line Meeting PointBulevardul Regina Elisabeta 9-5, 030167 București, Romania
The meeting point is in the open square at University Square, near the bus stop and the statues. Look for the Gray Line logo or our representative. Please arrive 5 minutes before departure.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Start time.7:30 am
Itinerary
Bucharest (Pass By)
1
Ruse
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Sveta Troitsa Cathedral (Pass By)
Freedom Square (Pass By)
2
Arbanasi
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Veliko Tarnovo
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Tsarevets
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
Bucharest (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This activity requires a minimum of 4 participants. If this minimum is not reached, we will contact you to offer alternative dates or trips.
- Please make sure you have all the necessary documents and permissions to cross the border.
- Please bring €20 per adult in cash for the Tsarevets Fortress admission and guided group visit. Tickets are arranged for the group to ensure smooth entry and a coordinated guided visit.
- Children under 4 years old cannot join shared tours. Please contact us for a private tour offer.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.5
based on 401 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Lucian is FABULOUS! Informative, knowledgeable and so very funny!! He made listening enjoyable and memorable. Our driver is excellent too - very attentive to the road.
What a great day for exploring part of Bulgaria. Our guide did an outstanding job bringing history, culture and sites to life. The tour was well planned and we were able to see and experience great sites with the appropriate time limits.
Our guide Anna was very good- lots of info and easy going. It was too hot for me but the fortress and the other stops were worth it. The driver was excellent as well.
Lucian was very knowlegeable and informative. However knowledge before tour that bring Euro into Bulgaria not lei would be useful as I believe Bulgaria just adopted Euro Other fellow passengers on the tour missed out on a church tour as they did not bring enough Euro.
I had an issue with booking and ended up mistakenly booking on the wrong date. I simply asked the tour operator if I could just switch the date to another date two weeks late when I would actually be able to use the ticket. Didn’t even get the courtesy of a response. Meant that I had to pay twice for the same tour. Buyer beware!
A day before the trip was to take place, the company emailed us saying to bring 20 euros in cash for tickets. OK, very annoying since they should just have included that in the cost of the tour… but even worse, on the actual day itself, the only place we went with ticketed entry was the Tsaravet fortress, which is 9 euros. So no idea where the extra 11 euros went. Felt scammed even though the trip was otherwise nice.
We had the most wonderful full-day trip from Bucharest to Bulgaria, and so much of that experience was thanks to our fantastic tour leader, Anna.
Anna was absolutely lovely — kind, warm, attentive and incredibly informative. She shared so much about Bulgaria’s history, culture and way of life, but did so in such an engaging and enjoyable way. She was always happy to answer our questions, made sure everyone was comfortable, and genuinely went above and beyond to make our day special. It was a pleasure spending the day with her.
A special thank you also to George, our excellent driver, who drove us safely and comfortably throughout the entire trip. He was professional, friendly and an absolute pleasure to have with us.
The whole day was exceptionally well organised, enjoyable and stress-free. We came away with wonderful memories of Bulgaria and would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Bucharest.
Thank you, Anna and George, for making our day in Bulgaria so memorable! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I wish I could rate this higher than a 5-star!! We really enjoyed Bulgaria!! It was gorgeous! We had plenty of time for the fortress, time to eat, time to walk around Ruse as well as the other stops. It was a small tour (maybe 10-12 people). There were bathroom/snack/drink stops and nothing was rushed. 10/10 no real notes. If I could say anything it’d be that I wish the driver had talked a little bit louder to explain some of the things while in the van, but he was knowledgeable, gave plenty of time for everything and it was a truly enjoyable day!!!
This was a great day trip, starting off by traveling to Ruse where you get a little history and a nice walk around the square. From there you make your way to Veliko Tarnovo but you get a quick pit stop in Arbanasi which is a really beautiful town just outside of Veliko Tarnovo. I think something that could be useful is sending the people a pin of the drop off location as sometimes, with all the new sites, you forget where to go. The guide was really good about stopping for bathroom breaks, and was really safe with driving. I wish you had more time at each of the locations but that’s just due to time constraints. This really gives you a nice little taste of Bulgaria.
Very nice day trip from Bucharest to Bulgaria. Did it on 14/7/26 and had a really nice time. The guide was very friendly, super knowledgeable and had a good sense of humour. Especially the town of Veliko Tarnovo is beautiful; good place for a lunch and a stroll through the streets. All in all a very positive experience that I can recommend
The tour was almost exactly 12 hours long and we were told we were lucky with our timing. With that being said, none of the tour felt like a drag. You get to experience something that you would otherwise probably miss on your own. Rodica and Christian were very pleasant to work with.
Sebastian was an excellent guide. He was very knowledgeable and treated us with great care. We enjoyed the visits and he made sure our needs were met. Recommending this towards anyone interested in a day trip from Bucharest.
It’s a long day . It’s all dependent on you getting over the bridge.
The fortress isn’t worth it but the cathedral is harrowing.
The experience was extremely good. The pickup was on time at 7:30 am as specified while making the booking. Our guide (Adonis) drove the van very safely and was very knowledgeable regarding the places that we visited. Firstly, we visited the city of Ruse, just across the border from Romania. Then we headed to the picturesque fort of Tsarevets near the town of Veliko Tyrnovo. Afterwards, we spent some time in the town. The restaurant Adonis suggested was very nice. Once done, we did some souvenir shopping before heading back to the city of Bucharest.
I wish I could remember the guide’s name but he was also the driver of the van and we went on June 15, 2026 if that helps. He was great! It was really a lovely day and a wonderful tour of (at least a slice) of Bulgaria. The guide also recommended the restaurant to eat at, which most of us joined him there for lunch and really had a delicious, authentic and cheap Bulgarian meal. Couldn’t recommend this tour more!!
An excellent way to spend a day sightseeing! Our guide, Narcis, had a great command of English and provided an excellent commentary and a most enjoyable day. There were 7 of us allowing everyone to get acquainted. After crossing the Danube we spent time in Ruse, before traveling south to Veliko Tarnovo, the early Capital of Bulgaria, to visit the castle and extraordinary church, then driving up to a traditional restaurant to try the local food and sample Rakia, a local type of slivovitz. I recommend eating after the castle visit not before as the peasant food is filling, and the climb to the castle quite steep and there is a lot of walking involved! Then back into town to walk around the picturesque village and shop in the artisan stores (some are tacky but most offer quality, locally handmade goods), before going north to the border and into Romania again. An odd highlight was seeing storks on their huge nests atop telegraph poles along the road. Highly recommended!
This trip is long, but worth it. Rodica Canciu, our tour guide, was informative and has pictures to help one understand the trip. Within 5 minutes from her presentation, I could tell that Rodica was a teacher. She and her driver were very patient on the road and with the tourist. She gave us time to see what we needed to see and gave us good restaurant recommendations. She is very knowledgeable about the sites we saw on the tour.
Though the entry price to the Nativity Church is not included in the price of the tour, the tour stopped there. I paid the entry price. I am very glad that I did, as it was my favorite site on the trip. The interior paintings are spectacular and Rodica's story of the Church is very interesting.
In the town where we had lunch, I found a silversmith, a pen-and-ink artist, and a ceramist, all in their individual stores practicing their crafts. In my travels to over 50 countries, it is often difficult to find local artists still practicing their craft. I was elated to be able to speak to these craftsmen.
Because the bridge over the Danube was still under construction and there was a national holiday, our return trip to Bucharest was 5+ hours long. This was the only downside of the trip, and it is my understanding that the construction will be completed soon.
A full dau trip ,pleasant and a nice experience. A small group .a good driver in a comfortable minibus. A symphatic tour guide, english speaking.thank you Elena
This was a fantastic day trip and a great way to explore Bulgaria from Bucharest. The views throughout the journey were beautiful, and there were plenty of well-planned stops that allowed us to enjoy each destination without feeling rushed.
A special mention goes to our guide, who was incredibly attentive and alert throughout the day. They made sure everyone was comfortable, kept the group organized, and took excellent care of all the tourists from start to finish.
The itinerary was well-balanced, informative, and enjoyable, making it an ideal day trip for anyone visiting Bucharest. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to experience Bulgaria’s charm, history, and scenic landscapes in a single day.
Interesting day to see Bulgaria when visiting Romania. Definitely would never visit these spots unless doing this tour. Tour guide was funny. The border times can vary drastically as Bulgaria border is under construction. The tour includes a small town on the border and a couple stops in a small village and fortress with free time to eat lunch and have a drink. Would recommend but it is a long day and a lot of driving so pack some water and snacks and have a nap on the ride.
This was such an incredible day, we saw such beautiful countryside, modern Bulgarian towns, ancient villages and medieval buildings and mosaics, and an incredible fortress!
Our guide was kind, fun, really knowledgeable and very helpful! There were plenty of stops for toilet visits and snack breaks (and reminders that you could always ask for an extra toilet break). Also the air conditioning on the coach was very nice! We even got a recommendation for an amazing third wave coffee place! Highly recommended!!!
This was a great trip that included multiple stops to beautiful cities, monuments, and the fortress. Lots of activities crammed into one day but totally worth it.
Our guide Lucien and Drago our driver were both superb. He Injected a lot of personal stories and humor into the explanation of things. He gave us directions of where to go and what to expect. He was very patient when one of the tour participants got lost in the medieval village. He actually stayed behind to find her and directed us what to do in the next stop. I took one star out because Ruse is okay but not worth stopping for. We could’ve stayed longer in the fortress and the village
Interresting trip, the guide and the drive were very professionals and give all the explanations. Guide had a lot of humour too. Highly recommended
I found the trip poorly organized and not value for money. Ruse and the Tsarevets castle were not worth visiting. There are pretties cities and castles in Romania. The only site worth visiting was Veliko Tarnovo but we had just 1 hour there. The guide was also not the most organized person. He could have told us to buy the tickets for the castle online BEFORE we got the castle. Instead we had to do it on the spot and the internet connection was bad.
The trip and what we saw was fine and we liked it but I can only give a three star rating because 1) we had a driver but no guide. The driver had to serve in both jobs which is not fair to the driver. 2) The driver , Luciano, got too political in his comments. He said that life was better during communism ( then why the uprising?) He said that North Korean and Iran were better. He should not give his personal opinions. 3) He drive without the vehicle registration and we got stopped by Bulgarian border control for a long time - more than 39 minutes. We were lucky to pass without a fine. Either he or the company is at fault for not having vehicle registration in the vehicle. I’m sorry to write these problems for a trip that should have been lovely.
Long nice day through Bulgaria. Good guy and good guide this Narcis .
Excursion ok pero no vimos las capillas y en piedra.
This trip to Bulgaria was the highlight of our trip. Our guide (bald man like my father) was simply the best, very friendly and professional! Lunch was great and recommended to eat it before the castle. We had a great time in Veliko Tarnovo, can only recommend!
I really enjoyed it. The only issue for me is the van was completely full. It's nice to meet new people, but to be so close to absolute strangers is uncomfortable. I realize you cannot rent an oversize vehicle to transport 6 people. But there should be a bit more space to add to the comfort of riding for several hours.
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable, answered all of our questions, had great personality, very explicit with the time and place where we should meet after our tour completed. He also gave us a lot of interesting background when we were traveling in our van.
Our van driver was very safe, always aware of what was going on around us and did his best to keep us on schedule.
We highly recommended this trip.
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