At a Glance Tour Overvue
- Duration: 10 days / 9 nights
- Countries: Bulgaria & Romania
- Tour style: Private or small-group guided cultural & historical tour
- Start: Sofia, Bulgaria
- End: Bucharest, Romania
- Main destinations: Sofia, Plovdiv, Kazanlak, Veliko Tarnovo, Ruse, Bucharest, Cozia, Sibiu, Sighișoara, Brașov, Bran, Sinaia
- Transportation: Comfortable sedan or minivan with driver/guide
- Language: English-speaking local guides
- Recommended period: April – October
- Package Rate starts at 1855€ per person for a group of 8.
Discover Bulgaria and Romania on this 10-day discovery and adventure tour, filled with fiction, legends and real history. You will travel from Sofia to Bucharest with knowledgeable, English-speaking local guides, stay in comfortable 3–4* hotels, and explore a mix of capital cities, medieval towns, mountain monasteries and charming countryside.
On this journey you visit 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Boyana Church, Rila Monastery, the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, the Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo, the Historic Centre of Sighisoara. You also experience highlights such as Plovdiv’s Old Town, Veliko Tarnovo, Brasov, the Historic centre of Sibiu, Bran Castle and Peles Castle, all at a relaxed pace suitable for culture-loving travelers.
Tour Highlights List
- Visit multiple UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Rila Monastery, Boyana Church, Thracian Tomb in Kazanlak,the Rock‑Hewn Churches of Ivanovo and the Historic Centre of Sighișoara,.
- Explore the vibrant capitals of Sofia and Bucharest with local, English‑speaking guides.
- Stroll through charming old towns in Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo, Sibiu, Sighișoara and Brașov.
- Discover the legends of Dracula at Bran Castle and medieval Sighișoara in Transylvania.
- Enjoy scenic drives through mountains, river valleys and historic countryside between Bulgaria and Romania.
- Stay in well‑located, comfortable 3–4* hotels with the option to upgrade on request.
- Experience authentic local food, wine and culture in both countries at a relaxed travel pace.
Itinerary at a Glance
Starting days:
- Winter (September 14, 2026– April 15, 2027): Tuesday through Saturday
- Summer (April 16 – September 15, 2026): Monday through Saturday
Day 1: Arrival in Sofia/Bulgaria
Summary
Arrival in Sofia, airport transfer, panoramic city tour and time to relax.
Quick facts
- Distance: Airport → hotel (short city transfer)
- Main activities: Airport meet & greet, panoramic city tour of Sofia, orientation walk near hotel
- Overnight: 4* Hotel Coop, Sofia (2 nights)
We will meet you at Sofia airport and assist with a private transfer to your hotel. On the way, enjoy a panoramic city tour as you pass some of Sofia’s main sights, and let our guide help you get familiar with the hotel’s neighbourhood. After check‑in, the evening is at leisure so you can rest and overcome jet lag.
Day 2: Sofia - Boyana Church - Rila monastery - Sofia
Summary
Two UNESCO sites in one day: Boyana Church and Rila Monastery, Bulgaria’s most important spiritual centre.
Quick facts
- Distance: Approx. 250 km round trip
- Highlights: Boyana Church (UNESCO), Rila Monastery (UNESCO), monastery museum
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Overnight: 4* Hotel Coop, Sofia
Today you visit two UNESCO cultural sites. First is Boyana Church, located at the foot of Vitosha Mountain, only about a 15‑minute drive from downtown Sofia. Then you continue south through scenic mountains to Rila Monastery, founded in the 10th century and for centuries Bulgaria’s largest spiritual and cultural centre.
Your first sight of the towering monastery walls gives the impression of a fortress, but as you step through the archway you find one of Bulgaria’s most beautiful courtyards. Rila Monastery is listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site. The tour includes the Monastery Church, noted for its artistic value, and the museum where you can see Raphael’s Cross, a famous masterpiece of woodcarving.
Day 3: Sofia - Plovdiv
Summary
Travel from Sofia to Plovdiv, one of Europe’s oldest cities, and explore its colourful Old Town and Roman heritage.
Quick facts
- Distance: Approx. 160 km
- Highlights: Plovdiv Old Town, Roman Theater, fortifications, mosque, city walk
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Overnight: 3* Hotel Expo (or similar), Plovdiv
After breakfast you leave Bulgaria’s capital and head to Plovdiv. Located on the Maritsa River and surrounded by hills, Plovdiv is one of the oldest and most colourful towns in Bulgaria, with history going back over 5,000 years. Old Plovdiv on Trimontium Hill is the heart of Bulgarian National Revival architecture.
On a walking city tour you visit the Old Town, the 2,000‑year‑old Roman Theater, the Byzantine and medieval fortifications and the 15th‑century mosque. Stroll along narrow cobbled streets and enjoy the silence and tranquillity of this historic quarter. Lunch is at the well‑known restaurant in the Old City
Day 4: Plovdiv - Kazanlak - Shipka Pass - Etara - Veliko Tarnovo
Summary
Valley of Roses, Thracian Tomb (UNESCO), Shipka Pass, Etara ethnographic village, arrival in Veliko Tarnovo.
Quick facts
- Distance: Approx. 220 km
- Highlights: Valley of Roses, Kazanlak, Tyulbe, Thracian Tomb UNESCO World Heritage site, Shipka Pass,Etara Ethnographic Village museum
- Meals: B, L
- Overnight: 3* Hotel Gurko (or similar), Veliko Tarnovo ( 2 nights)
After breakfast, leave Plovdiv and drive to the Valley of Roses and Kazanlak, where roses are in full bloom from mid‑May to mid‑June. Your sightseeing tour includes the Tyulbe, the Kazanlak Thracian Tomb (replica) and the Museum of the Rose and Rose Oil. The original tomb, dating to the late 4th–early 3rd century B.C., is on the UNESCO World Heritage List; its frescoes and funeral objects suggest that a Thracian king was buried here.
Next, a short stop in Shipka, where decisive battles for Bulgaria’s liberation were fought in 1877–1878. Visit the monument on the summit and enjoy a panoramic view of the Central Balkan Range.
Then explore Etara, an open‑air Ethnographic Village museum, where craftsmen work in traditional workshops using historic instruments and techniques. You can talk to them, watch their craft and even try making something yourself. Afterward, continue to Veliko Tarnovo for your overnight stay.
Day 5: Veliko Tarnovo
Summary Fortress and mediaeval capital, traditional crafts market, and Arbanassi village with historic churches and houses.
Quick facts
- Distance: Approx. 20 km
- Highlights: Tsarevets Hill, Samovodene market place/Samovodska Chrshiya/, Arbanassi museum village
- Meals: B, L
- Overnight: 3* Hotel Gurko (or similar), Veliko Tarnovo
Following breakfast, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Veliko Tarnovo, the capital city of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (12-14th c.). Visit the fortress on Tsarevets Hill, the hill where Baldwin's Tower still rises, and Patriarchal Church. Enjoy walking downtown in Samovodene market place, brought back to life by artists and craftsmen, who create and sell exquisite items in their small workshops. Enjoy having lunch in an old inn, restored and made one of the most popular gourmet places in Veliko Tarnovo. In the afternoon, drive to the mediaeval museum village of Arbanassi. This small village is rich in churches, monasteries and old Bulgarian houses, dating back to XVII century
Day 6: Veliko Tarnovo - Ruse - Bucharest
Summary:
Travel from Veliko Tarnovo to Bucharest via the UNESCO Ivanovo Rock‑Hewn Churches, a short city walk in Ruse on the Danube, and a scenic crossing into Romania, followed by a panoramic tour of Bucharest. Includes seamless border crossing logistics with local guides handovers in Ruse.
Quick facts
- Distance: Approx. 220 km
- Highlights: UNESCO Ivanovo Rock‑Hewn Churches, short Ruse city walk, cross Danube, panoramic Bucharest tour
- Meals: Breakfast
- Overnight: 4* Hotel Capitol (or similar), Bucharest
After breakfast you leave the old capital of Veliko Tarnovo and head north to the remote and beautiful Ivanovo Rock‑Hewn Churches, a UNESCO site located in a scenic gorge. These 12th‑ and 13th‑century medieval chapels and monastic cells are carved into the rock and decorated with rare frescoes, giving a vivid glimpse of Bulgaria’s spiritual past.
Next, you travel to Ruse, the cleanest and most elegant city in Bulgaria, with a charming 19th‑century architecture along the Danube. A short walking tour lets you see the main streets and squares. The Bulgarian and Romanian guides will meet in Ruse. You will then change to a private Romanian vehicle and continue across the border into Romania with your local Romanian guide and driver.
After crossing the Danube, you continue through the Romanian countryside to Bucharest. On arrival, enjoy a panoramic city tour highlighting the Palace of the Parliament, Arcul de Triumf, the National Theatre and other key landmarks, then settle into your hotel for two nights.
Day 7: Bucharest - Cozia - Sibiu
Summary:Visit Cozia Monastery, scenic drive through Olt River gorge, explore Sibiu’s historic centre (on the UNESCO Tentative list, awaiting full inscription.)
Quick facts
- Distance: Approx. 280 km
- Highlights: Cozia Monastery, Olt River gorge,Sibiu (UNESCO site)
- Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Overnight: 3* Hotel Ibis (or similar), Sibiu
Following breakfast at hotel, drive to Sibiu. En route you stop to visit the Cozia Monastery with its beautiful frescoes from the 14th and 16th century . Proceed driving along the picturesque Olt River gorge, one of the oldest passing routes in the Carpathians.
An afternoon walk through the city centre of Sibiu (UNESCO site) will take you along narrow alleys, old bargain houses, palaces, churches and towers. Among others you'll visit the following sights in the historical centre: the Evangelical Church, the Council Tower, the Large and the Small Square, the Liars' Bridge, the Peasants' Market etc. Dinner is in one of the best restaurant in Sibiu where you will taste local cuisine with traditional Romanian dishes.
Day 8: Sibiu - Sighișoara - Brasov
Summary: UNESCO Sighișoara and Dracula connections, Brasov city tour and Black Church.
Quick facts
- Distance: Approx. 215 km
- Highlights: Sighișoara UNESCO site, Brasov and the Black Church (14-th c.)
- Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Overnight: 4* hotel Casa Cranta(or similar),Brasov.
After breakfast, travel to Sighișoara, Romania’s best-preserved medieval city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Clock Tower
Church on the Hill , the Citadel, former defensive towers and walls, and the birthplace of Vlad Dracul, later associated with Count Dracula in Gothic literature and film. Continue to Brasov for a city tour of the market square and historic landmarks. The highlight is the Black Church , a 14th-century Gothic church known for its remarkable collection of Oriental carpets. Optional organ concert attendance may be available during the visit (extra fee). Dinner in Brasov.
Day 9: Brașov - Bran - Sinaia - Bucharest
Summary: Bran (Dracula) Castle, Peleș Castle in Sinaia, farewell dinner with folklore show in Bucharest.
Quick facts
- Distance: Approx. 220 km
- Highlights: Bran (Dracula) Castle, Peleș Castle Sinaia
- Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Overnight: 4* hotel Capitol
Continue to Sinaia, a mountain resort in the Southern Carpathians, to visit Peleș Castle, the former summer residence of Romania's royal family. Built for King Carol I in a late medieval revival style, the castle features richly decorated interiors and artwork, including a fresco by Gustav Klimt.
Arrive in Bucharest in the evening for dinner accompanied by a traditional folklore show.
Day 10: Bucharest
Summary: Spend some free time exploring Bucharest before your private transfer to the airport for your connecting flight home.
Quick facts
- Distance: Hotel → Bucharest airport (approx. 15–20 km, depending on airport and hotel)
- Highlights: Free morning in Bucharest, Private transfer from your hotel to Bucharest airport for your departure flight
- Meals: Breakfast
- Overnight: Tour ends (no overnight)
Enjoy a free morning in Bucharest at your own pace (optional: coffee, last walk, or short souvenir shopping).Our driver will escort you to the airport, where your tour comes to an end.
FAQ: Bulgaria & Romania Private UNESCO Tour
- Can this 10-day tour be fully customized for private groups?
Yes. The 10-day itinerary can be adapted to your travel dates, group size, hotel category, transportation preferences, guide requirements, meal needs, and interests. You can also request additional nights, optional excursions, or a custom route; upgraded hotels. Tailor-made quotations are available on request. - Which UNESCO World Heritage Sites will we visit?
The tour visits 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
Boyana Church
Rila Monastery
Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches
Historic Centre of Sighișoara - Is Sibiu a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Sibiu’s historic centre is currently included on Romania’s UNESCO Tentative List, but it has not yet been formally inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Our tour includes Sibiu because of its exceptionally well-preserved medieval squares, historic buildings, churches, towers, and fortifications; however, it should not be presented as one of the tour’s six officially inscribed UNESCO sites. - Are UNESCO entry fees included?
Yes, all admission fees to museums, sites, churches as per the itinerary, are included.
- What are the main destinations included in the itinerary?
The route includes Sofia, Rila Monastery, Plovdiv, Kazanlak, Shipka Pass, Etara, Veliko Tarnovo, Ivanovo, Ruse, Bucharest, Cozia Monastery, Sibiu, Sighișoara, Brașov, Bran, and Sinaia. Highlights include medieval towns, Orthodox monasteries, Thracian heritage, castles, mountain landscapes, and historic city centres. - Is this tour private or a group tour?
The Bulgaria and Romania itinerary is a private tour, available for a minimum of two travellers per booking. Transportation is provided by a private sedan, van, or minibus, depending on the number of travellers. The itinerary can also be customized to suit individual preferences, including hotel upgrades and additional nights in Sofia or Bucharest. - How are border crossings between Bulgaria and Romania handled on this private tour?
The tour crosses the Danube from Ruse to Giurgiu via the Danube Bridge. As both countries are now part of the Schengen Area, there are no routine land-border passport checks, although random inspections may still take place. Brill Travel arranges the crossing and coordinates the meeting with the Romanian guide. Your guide handles all bridge-crossing formalities. - How the Guide Handover Works
Depending on the Day 6 schedule, the Bulgarian and Romanian guides will coordinate the meeting time and location. After lunch, you will meet your Romanian guide and driver at a designated petrol station in Ruse, where the vehicle and driver will change to a private Romanian vehicle. You will then continue to Bucharest with your local Romanian guide and driver. - What money to use on a private tour in Bulgaria and Romania?
Since your private tour is already paid, you can travel with a small cash cushion and use cards for most other spending in both countries.
- In Bulgaria, use euro. You can pay with euros in most places, and card or contactless payments are also common.
- In Romania, use Romanian leu (RON). That is the local currency, so you will need some lei for your trip.- How to pay
- Cards work well in cities and tourist areas in both countries.
- It is still smart to keep some cash for small shops, markets, rural areas, taxis, and local transport. - Do you need lots of cash?
No. You do not need to exchange a big amount before you leave.
A card will cover most things, and you can withdraw or exchange a small amount of local cash when you arrive in Romania.
- How to pay
Why Choose Brill Travel
- 30+ years operating in the Balkans
- Local expert guides
- Private, tailor-made options
- Hand-picked hotels & restaurants
Recommended period: April – October, valid for minimum 2 persons per booking. Prices are quoted in €.
We will arrive Sofia on Sept 13 at 4:50 p.m. and depart on Sept 23 at around 12:30 p. from Bucharest.
We like to add an extra in Sofia, making it 11 days and 10 nights to your tour. We can join with other travelers
if the days work out. We are both over 60 for senior discount and need knowledgeable English speaking tour guide and must be mini van for transportation.
Dear Ms.Khan:
We have responded with details in an email to you. Kind regards from sunny Sophia.
Hi , I am planning in May end for three people .kindly assist with details
Hello,
Thank you for your interest. We have sent a response to your query via email yesterday, April 17.