Do you want to visit Bulgaria and you’re looking for itinerary tips on places to visit, things to do and where to stay? We’ve planned an itinerary for either a 10 & 14 day trip to Bulgaria. Read on for our tips on visiting Bulgaria.
The first part of this post contains the ten-day trip and the second part, the fourteen-day trip.
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Things To Know Before Visiting Bulgaria
- What time is it in Bulgaria? Bulgaria is two hours ahead of the UK.
- What is the currency? For the time being the currency is the Lev and it’s pegged to the Euro. Bulgaria has entered the euro area’s waiting room, joining the Exchange Rate Mechanism II and might change to the euro currency by 2025.
- What side of the road do they drive on? They drive on the right. Read everything you’ll need to know about driving in Bulgaria in this post.
- What is the Bulgarian language like? The language is written in Cyrillic and looks more like Russian than a European language. Most road signs are in Latin lettering too however shops and menus are unlikely to be outside the touristy areas.
- Are Bulgarians friendly? On the whole, Bulgarians are friendly although don’t expect many smiles.
- Are there any cultural things I should know about? Shaking the head means yes and nodding means no. If an old lady spits on you, it’s for good luck, although you’re unlikely to encounter that. If you give flowers to someone and it’s a happy occasion make sure it’s an odd number. Even numbers are for sad affairs. The floor is considered dirty so don’t sit on or leave your bag on it. Always take off your shoes before entering a house.
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Bulgaria Map: 10-Day Itinerary For Bulgaria
Day 1
You’ll be flying into the southern city of Varna (Click here to see how much flights might cost you) and collecting your hire car (Click here to see how much a hire car might cost you). Make sure to fly in early and leave time for the three short visits en-route to the ancient city of Sozopol.
The Stone Forest is a bizarre set of fossils in what appears to be a desert, the Wonderful Rocks are also a natural phenomenon created by the effects of water and wind blowing on to the limestone and the Ovech Fortress was used between the 3rd and 7th century.
Arrive and stay in Sozopol, the ancient coastal town which dates back to 610BC when Greek settlers founded it as ‘Apollonia’.
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Search for accommodation in Sozopol here
Days 2 & 3
You have two full days to explore Sozopol, Burgas and Primorsko.
You might want to visit Sozopol and Primorsko on one day and spend an entire day in and around Burgas which is also written Bourgas. There are some great beaches here so make sure you pack your bathers.
Don’t want to do things alone, see what tours are available here.
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Days 4 & 5
You’ll be heading over to Veliko Tarnovo and stopping off at the infamous Buzludzha Monument first. If you’re travelling through here between the 15th May and the 7th, you might want to stop for the Kazanlak Rose Festival.
Veliko Turnovo or the Second Bulgarian Empire benefits from both an old town with cobbled lanes, narrow sidestreets and boutique craft shops and a new town with restaurants and museums. You must visit the fortress on the hill though which is enormous.
Look for accommodation in Veliko Tarnovo here
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Day 6
Make your way from Veliko Tarnovo to the Krushuna Waterfalls & Devatashka Cave en route to the under-visited city of Lovech. Situated along the two banks of the Osam river, Lovech has a unique covered bridge, a fortress and an old town. You’ll likely be the only travellers here as hardly any make it over to the north-west.
Search for accommodation in Lovech here
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Days 7 & 8
Drive over the central Balkan mountains to Plovdiv and spend the next few days exploring Plovdiv. You might want to make time to go white water rafting or visiting the caves closer to the Greek border.
Use the interactive map below to search for a range of accommodations across platforms below.
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Want To Stay In A Hostel? Click Here To See What Rooms Are Available
Days 9 & 10
Drive to the western city of Sofia and explore all that Sofia has to offer. It’s a unique city full of ancient charm and surprising modernity. You could hike up to the Boyanna Waterfall or just visit the museums and restaurants of the capital city.
There’s loads to do in Sofia but if you run out of ideas, have a look here
Find Accommodation in Sofia
Click here to see our favourite hotel
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14-Day Itinerary For A Holiday In Bulgaria
Map of your 14-day route
Day 1
You’ll be flying into the southern city of Varna (Click here to see how much flights might cost you) and collecting your hire car (Click here to see how much a hire car might cost you). Make sure to fly in early and leave time for the three short visits en-route to the ancient city of Sozopol.
The Stone Forest is a bizarre set of fossils in what appears to be a desert, the Wonderful Rocks are also a natural phenomenon created by something and the Ovech Fortress is
Arrive and stay in Sozopol, the ancient coastal town which dates back to 610BC when Greek settlers founded it as ‘Apollonia’.
Search for accommodation in Sozopol here
Days 2 & 3
You have two full days to explore Sozopol, Burgas and Primorsko.
You might want to visit Sozopol and Primorsko on one day and spend an entire day in and around Burgas/Bourgas. There are some great beaches here so make sure you pack your bathers.
Don’t want to do things alone, see what tours are available here.
Enlarge
Days 4 & 5
You’ll be heading over to Veliko Tarnovo and stopping off at the infamous Buzludzha Monument first. If you’re travelling through here between the 15th May and the 7th, you might want to stop for the Kazanlak Rose Festival.
Veliko Turnovo or the Second Bulgarian Empire benefits from both an old town with cobbled lanes, narrow sidestreets and boutique craft shops and a new town with restaurants and museums. You must visit the fortress on the hill though which is enormous.
Look for accommodation in Veliko Tarnovo here
Day 6
Make your way from Veliko Tarnovo to the Krushuna Waterfalls & Devatashka Cave en route to the under-visited city of Lovech. Situated along the two banks of the Osam river, Lovech has a unique covered bridge, a fortress and an old town. You’ll likely be the only travellers here as hardly any make it over to the north-west.
Search for accommodation in Lovech here
Days 7 & 8
Drive over the central Balkan mountains to Plovdiv and spend the next few days exploring Plovdiv. You might want to make time to go white water rafting or visiting the caves closer to the Greek border.
Days 9 & 10
Today you will drive across to Bansko.
Explore Bansko and stop off at the dancing bears park. Despite its name, it does not exploit the bears but rescues bears that were previously enslaved to dance for tourists.
Search for accommodation in Bansko here
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Find things to do in Bansko
Day 11
Hike to the Rila Monastery & the Seven Rila Lakes. These are a beautiful set of mountains just south of Sofia and consist of a number of lakes (there are actually more than seven if you hike further) made in the glacial period. The views are spectacular, although better in the summer when there are fewer clouds.
Don’t want to hike alone? We got you covered!
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Days 12, 13 & 14
Drive to the western city of Sofia and explore all that Sofia has to offer. It’s a unique city full of ancient charm and surprising modernity. You could hike up to the Boyanna Waterfall or just visit the museums and restaurants of the capital city.
Now it’s time to hand back your hire car and fly home. I hope you enjoy Bulgaria!
Find Accommodation in Sofia
Click here to see our favourite hotel
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