Bulgaria Local Exploration Self-Drive

On arrival at Sofia Airport, you collect your hire car and drive 10 km (around 30 minutes) to your accommodation. After checking in, you receive a welcome pack put together for your trip, with a map of Bulgaria, a programme of the sights you can stop at along the route, vouchers and other practical information.

The rest of the day is yours to discover central Sofia independently. A good place to begin is St Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the country’s largest Orthodox cathedral, known for its gilded cupola and ornate interior. From here, you can walk on to the St George Rotunda, the Russian church of St Nikolay and the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, before stopping for coffee on Vitoshka, the city’s pedestrian street.

Those wanting to mark the start of the trip can join the Dinner with Folklore and Nestinari Dances, running from 8 pm to 11 pm. You enjoy a four-course meal in a traditional restaurant with a glass of wine, accompanied by folk songs and dancing. The evening builds to the Nestinari ritual, in which performers dance barefoot over glowing embers. This UNESCO-recognised tradition blends Eastern Orthodox beliefs with earlier pagan customs from the Strandza Mountains, and the dance goes ahead only when the weather allows.

Please note: The optional dinner does not include a guide or transfers.

Begin your day with a delicious breakfast at the hotel, then set out to discover Sofia at your own pace. We recommend starting with the National History Museum, which offers a comprehensive overview of Bulgaria’s past through its extensive collection.

Afterwards, you may wish to visit the Boyana Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its exceptional medieval frescoes. If you are drawn to nature, Sofia’s location at the foot of Vitosha Mountain makes it easy to escape the city and enjoy peaceful walking trails surrounded by scenic landscapes.

For those interested in a deeper understanding of the capital, you can book an optional private city tour with a guide for up to four hours, available in several languages. Please note that transfers and entrance fees are not included with this service. Overnight in Sofia.

Following breakfast, you drive 270 km (around 4 hours) into the heart of the Balkan Mountains. If Orthodox traditions interest you, stop at Troyan Monastery, Bulgaria’s third-largest monastery, set in tranquil mountain foothills.

Your route continues to Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria’s medieval capital, where the top of Tzarevetz Hill offers sweeping views. Walk the cobblestone lane of Samovodska Charshia to see the work of the town’s craftspeople, then carry on to the little village of Arbanassi for a glimpse into the homes of prosperous merchants during the Bulgarian Middle Ages. You spend the night in Veliko Tarnovo.

Once you have checked out after a relaxed breakfast, today is given over to a 310 km (about 4.5 hours) drive across the country to the beach-lined Black Sea coast. Two UNESCO World Heritage Sites lie along the way. The Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari is known for its murals and multicoloured caryatids, each half-human and half-plant. The Madara Rider, a relief cut high into the rock face of the Shumen plateau, is the only one of its type.

Take time to learn about the legends and mysteries tied to these holy places before continuing to Varna, the country’s Sea Capital. After checking in, take a walk through the pedestrian centre to get to know the city and its main sights.

Please note: The Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari does not open on Mondays or Tuesdays.

Start the day slowly with breakfast before getting to know Varna, a city of many sides. It has seafront promenades busy with visitors, the Sea Garden with plenty of quiet corners away from the crowds, and museums covering the region’s history and traditions from antiquity to the present day.

Today, your guide leads a 4-hour walking tour through the old heart of Bulgaria’s seaside capital, with entrance fees covered. The centrepiece is the Varna Archaeological Museum, which holds the oldest worked gold treasure in the world, made almost 7,000 years ago (4600-4200 BC). You then visit the Roman Baths and finish with a walk through the central pedestrian area, taking in its landmarks, architecture and lively atmosphere.

This evening, you have an included four-course dinner at one of Varna’s most upscale restaurants.

Please note: Transfers and a guide are not included for the dinner.

After breakfast, you take your hire car north along the Black Sea coast on a 160 km (around 2.5 hours) round trip, passing steep, stony shores, chalk cliffs and foaming surf. Your first stop can be Cape Kaliakra, regarded as Bulgaria’s most scenic cape. Here you can explore fortresses dating from ancient and medieval times and the ruins of churches, and hear the tale of the forty maidens.

From here, continue to Balchik, the town Romania’s Queen Maria chose as her summer residence. Her castle is known for its botanical garden, home to one of Europe’s most extensive cactus collections. The drive back brings you to Varna for the night.

Leaving Varna, you head 140 km (around 2.5 hours) south to the old town of Nessebar, a UNESCO site known as the “Pearl” of the Black Sea Coast. Its cobblestone lanes hold many 13th-century churches, and the legacy of the ancient Greeks, Romans and Byzantines is felt at every turn. Take time to lose yourself in the maze of narrow streets and timber houses.

Continuing beyond Burgas, the coast road runs between forest on the right and open sea on the left. Allow time for Sozopol, a fishing town and art centre where old and new sit side by side.

Your day ends in Burgas, where you check in before an evening stroll along the promenade to the beach restaurants and clubs.

An early start after breakfast sets you up for a full day and a 300 km (about 4 hours) drive inland. In Kazanlak, you can visit the UNESCO-listed Thracian Tomb from 310 BC, which holds intact artworks from the Hellenistic period. Kazanlak sits in the Rose Valley, so make time for the Rose Museum to learn about the region’s distinctive rose production and the scent of the Bulgarian Rose. If you are travelling in May or June, you may even be able to pick a rose straight from the fields.

Next, drive on to Plovdiv, European City of Culture for 2019 and on UNESCO’s tentative list. Explore the Old Town and its age-old atmosphere, see the Roman Amphitheatre, built in the early 2nd century AD, and visit Hindlyan House, among the most ornately decorated homes in Plovdiv from the Bulgarian Revival. After that, you check in to your accommodation.

Today’s 160 km (about 3 hours) drive takes you to meet the people of the Rila and Pirin mountain villages, crossing Yundola, one of Bulgaria’s most scenic passes. The villages tucked into the mountains here produce some of the country’s finest honey and dairy, so look out for chances to buy honey, fruit jelly or cheese directly from the producers.

In Dobarsko, you can visit a well-known church whose mural shows Jesus Christ in a “rocket”. You are then welcomed into the home of Granny Deshka for an included visit, lending a hand with the household chores and learning about rural life. While cooking your included lunch alongside Deshka, you also pick up a few dialect words that even Bulgarians find tricky to say.

With the work done, you get to taste the local specialities and join in as Deshka and her grandmother friends sing and dance traditional folk numbers. Afterwards, continue to the popular ski resort of Bansko, where you stay tonight.

Begin with breakfast and some mountain air on your accommodation’s terrace, then take the scenic road to Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site tucked away in the mountains. The monastery and its grounds hold stories and legends closely linked to Bulgarian history and the Revival period, and its Renaissance architecture and frescoes leave a lasting impression.

The day’s 210 km (around 3.5 hours) journey ends back in Sofia, where you spend your final night in Bulgaria.

After a final breakfast in Sofia, check out from your hotel and make your way to the airport. Return your hire car before catching your flight home. Safe travels as you conclude your journey through Bulgaria. Total driving: 10 km, about 30 minutes.