Would we be able to start and end our journey from Sofia, starting Sept 4th?

The tour you selected starts and ends on the Black Sea coast, in either Varna or Burgas. The drive from Bucharest to Varna takes less than four hours, which is actually much closer than Sofia. If you prefer to start your journey from Sofia, we recommend this tour instead: Go Local: Best of Bulgaria, Self-Drive. If you find this itinerary a bit too long, we would be happy to tailor a shorter version for you - for example, an 8-day route.

tour to start in Sofia with one night stay, pick up car on 2nd day, drive to Rila and have 2 nights stay in Plovdiv, drive to Veliko Tarnovo and stay there 2 nights and then to Ruse where drop off car for 5 days. Need accommodations for 6 nights and car rental for 5 days. Tour starts on Oct 28, car pick up on 29th, returning car on Nov 2nd. Provide rates for 3 and 4 stars hotel with breakfast and car rental.

Route overview: Sofia (1 night), Plovdiv (2 nights), Veliko Tarnovo (2 nights). Pick up rent-a-car on 29.10 at hotel reception in Sofia in morning. Drop off car on 02.11 in Rousse. Note: Pick up/drop off at different locations makes rental more expensive.

From

$721

US $577 per person

Explore Bulgaria in a week, Self-Drive

8 days

•

Start and end in Varna

5.0 (4 reviews)

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From

$721

20% off

US $577 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

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1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Pay only 20% today. The rest is due 60 days before departure. Learn more

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Plan your adventure:

Operator: Destination Services Bulgaria
Road Trip & Self-Drive: Hit the open road and travel at your own pace
Self-guided: Independent exploration, backed by expert advice and support
Low Intensity: Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
All Ages Welcome

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Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

Intro
Introduction
Day 1
Varna or Bourgas
Varna or Bourgas
Start point
Varna, Bulgaria (Welcome to Bulgaria! Arrive at your chosen Airport – Varna or Bourgas, take your car, and drive to your accommodation hotel. , 01:00 - 00:00)
Optional Activities
- Professional guided tour of Varna or Bourgas (4 hours, English/French/German/Spanish-speaking guide)
- Beach relaxation
- Museum visits
- Pedestrian center exploration
Landmarks
Sea Gardens
Day 2
Varna or Bourgas - Nessebar - Kazanlak - Plovdiv
Varna or Bourgas - Nessebar - Kazanlak - Plovdiv
Meals
Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Old Town of Nessebar (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Explore 13th-century churches in Nessebar
- Visit Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (UNESCO, dating 310-290 BC)
- Visit Rose Museum in Kazanlak
Landmarks
Old Town of Nessebar
Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
Rose Valley
Day 3
Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Meals
Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Walk through Old Town of Plovdiv
- Visit Roman Amphitheatre (built 2nd century AD)
- Visit Hindlyan House (Bulgarian Revival architecture)
- Explore Thursday Market
- Explore Kapana bohemian quarter
- Trip to Rhodopi Mountain
- Visit Batchkovo monastery (second largest in Bulgaria)
Landmarks
Roman Amphitheatre of Plovdiv
Hindlyan House
Batchkovo Monastery
Rhodopi Mountain
Kapana Quarter
Day 4
Plovdiv to Sofia
Plovdiv to Sofia
Meals
Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit ethnographical center in Karlovo (Revival Period culture)
- Dress in Bulgarian costumes and take photographs
- Visit Panagyurishte town
- Visit History Museum in Panagyurishte (housing golden treasure of Panagyurishte)
Landmarks
Karlovo Ethnographical Centre
Panagyurishte
History Museum of Panagyurishte
Sredna Gora Valley
Day 5
Sofia
Sofia
Meals
Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral
- Visit St. George Rotonda
- Visit Russian church St. Nikolay
- Coffee and shopping on Vitoshka pedestrian street
- Visit National History Museum
- Visit Boyana Church (UNESCO monument with fine wall paintings)
- Hiking on Vitosha Mountain
- Professional guided tour of Sofia (4 hours, English/French/German/Spanish-speaking guide)
- Dinner with Folklore and Nestinari Dances (4-course menu, glass of wine, folklore program, 3 hours, 20:00-23:00)
Landmarks
St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral
St. George Rotonda
Russian Church St. Nikolay
National Theatre Ivan Vazov
Vitoshka Street
National History Museum
Boyana Church
Vitosha Mountain
Day 6
Sofia to Veliko Tarnovo
Sofia to Veliko Tarnovo
Meals
Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Troyan Monastery (third largest in Bulgaria)
- Explore Veliko Tarnovo medieval old town
- Visit Tzarevetz hill viewpoint
- Stroll Samovodska charshia cobbled street
- Visit Arbanassi village
Landmarks
Troyan Monastery
Tzarevetz Hill
Samovodska Charshia
Veliko Tarnovo
Arbanassi
Day 7
Veliko Tarnovo to Varna or Bourgas
Veliko Tarnovo to Varna or Bourgas
Meals
Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Visit Madara Rider relief carved in rocks
- Dinner at fancy restaurant in Varna (4-course menu)
Landmarks
Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari
Madara Rider
Day 8
Varna or Bourgas
Varna or Bourgas
End point
Varna, Bulgaria (Day 8: CAR HIRE DROP-OFF / DEPARTURE VARNA or BURGAS, 00:00 - 00:00)
Meals
Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Professional guided tour of Varna or Bourgas (4 hours, English/French/German/Spanish-speaking guide)

Landmarks
Sea Gardens

Landmarks
Old Town of Nessebar
Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
Rose Valley

Landmarks
Roman Amphitheatre of Plovdiv
Hindlyan House
Batchkovo Monastery
Rhodopi Mountain
Kapana Quarter

Landmarks
Karlovo Ethnographical Centre
Panagyurishte
History Museum of Panagyurishte
Sredna Gora Valley

Landmarks
St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral
St. George Rotonda
Russian Church St. Nikolay
National Theatre Ivan Vazov
Vitoshka Street
National History Museum
Boyana Church
Vitosha Mountain

Landmarks
Troyan Monastery
Tzarevetz Hill
Samovodska Charshia
Veliko Tarnovo
Arbanassi

Landmarks
Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari
Madara Rider

What's Included

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Accommodation
Guide
Meals
Additional Services
Transport

What's Not Included

Flights
Insurance
Optional
Additional Services

Operated by

Destination Services Bulgaria

Rating: 5.0 (4 reviews)
Response time: less than 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
Cancellation policy: Learn more

Reviews from other tours by Destination Services Bulgaria

Tour Operator
5.0

Vincent5.0•June 2025
Great tour for a quick introduction to the country.
David5.0•August 2023
We really enjoyed the excellent communication from Emiliana and we found every detail of the organisation to be...
We really enjoyed the excellent communication from Emiliana and we found every detail of the organisation to be perfect. We had a delightful day with our very knowledgeable and engaging guide from Varna. We thought all the hotels were well placed and comfortable. The hire car was very good and all arrangements for it went smoothly. We very much appreciated the suggested place to visit and did our best to cover all of them. We also enjoyed the meals arranged for us. In short, we loved Bulgaria and would happily recommend your company to anyone.Show more
Adele5.0•June 2023
Our Bulgaria trip was outstanding as we covered so much each day all of which was so interesting as well as varied....
Our Bulgaria trip was outstanding as we covered so much each day all of which was so interesting as well as varied. Our guide Milena was very professional. She explained each exploration carefully allowing us to process the history of the country and the impact of other Eurpean forces on the land. Her language ability was precise. She led us through the aims of each day and guided us through towns and fortresses and in and out of so many features such as tombs and churches and food. I cannot thank her enough for making the trip so memorable. George , our driver was expert at his job. He was polite and caring and good company too.Show more

Dates & Prices

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1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

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To Thursday
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US$577 per person
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Price based on Private Double Room
20% off
From Friday
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To Friday
27 Nov, 2026
English
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US$577 per person
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Price based on Private Double Room
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1 Apr, 2027
To Thursday
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C
Caroline
Asked on October 29th, 2025
Would we be able to start and end our journey from Sofia, starting Sept 4th?
Tour Details
Transport
- Destination Services BulgariaOperator•Written October 2025
  The tour you selected starts and ends on the Black Sea coast, in either Varna or Burgas. The drive from Bucharest to Varna takes less than four hours, which is actually much closer than Sofia. If you prefer to start your journey from Sofia, we recommend this tour instead: Go Local: Best of Bulgaria, Self-Drive. If you find this itinerary a bit too long, we would be happy to tailor a shorter version for you - for example, an 8-day route.
P
Patricia
Asked on September 2nd, 2025
tour to start in Sofia with one night stay, pick up car on 2nd day, drive to Rila and have 2 nights stay in Plovdiv, drive to Veliko Tarnovo and stay there 2 nights and then to Ruse where drop off car for 5 days. Need accommodations for 6 nights and car rental for 5 days. Tour starts on Oct 28, car pick up on 29th, returning car on Nov 2nd. Provide rates for 3 and 4 stars hotel with breakfast and car rental.
Accommodation
Transport
- Destination Services BulgariaOperator•Written September 2025
  Route overview: Sofia (1 night), Plovdiv (2 nights), Veliko Tarnovo (2 nights). Pick up rent-a-car on 29.10 at hotel reception in Sofia in morning. Drop off car on 02.11 in Rousse. Note: Pick up/drop off at different locations makes rental more expensive.

Trip essentials

Good to know

Tour ID: 234135

The practical details for your trip across Bulgaria: money, plugs and flexible ways to pay, all in one place.

Have a question? Chat with a travel expert

Pay in installments
Spread the cost in interest-free biweekly installments of $22.
Deposit only
Book now with just a 20% deposit. The remaining balance is due 60 days before departure.
лв. - Bulgarian Lev
You’ll encounter Bulgarian Lev in Bulgaria.
Plug types C, F
You’ll need an adapter for these sockets in Bulgaria.

Currency
лв.
Bulgarian Lev
Bulgaria
Plugs & adapters
As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for types C, F.
- Type C
  Used in Bulgaria
- Type F
  Used in Bulgaria
Visa
Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality and how long you stay. We can’t process visas for you, but here’s a quick indication for this trip.
This is only an indication. Visa rules depend on your passport, trip length and purpose. Always confirm with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.
Payment information
Pay now
A 20% deposit
Balance due
60 days before departure
Installments
Interest-free, every two weeks
Currency
USD
Booking fee
None
Book now with just a 20% deposit and pay the rest later. The remaining balance is due 60 days before departure, charged automatically to your card, or you can split it into interest-free biweekly installments of $22 at checkout. Everything is charged in USD, and TourRadar never adds a booking fee. Any trip departing before December 22nd, 2026 will need to be paid in full at checkout.
Accepted for Destination Services Bulgaria tours
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TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
Cancellation Policy
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Insurance
Our travel protection from our award-winning partner, XCover, means you and your travel companions can book with peace of mind knowing there’s protection available in case your trip doesn’t go to plan. At checkout you will be able to select between different options in case you or the tour are eligible for insurance. In case no option is available, you are always able to purchase travel insurance outside of TourRadar.
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From

$721

20% off

US $577 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select departure month

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Pay only 20% today. The rest is due 60 days before departure. Learn more

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Explore Bulgaria in a week, Self-Drive

Explore our featured adventures

Itinerary

Optional Activities

Optional Activities

Optional Activities

Optional Activities

Optional Activities

Optional Activities

Optional Activities

Optional Activities

Want to read it later?

What's Included

What's Not Included

Reviews from other tours by Destination Services Bulgaria

Dates & Prices

Want to read it later?

Why book with TourRadar?

What our customers ask about this tour

Pay in installments

Deposit only

лв. - Bulgarian Lev

Plug types C, F

Currency

Plugs & adapters

Visa

Payment information

Accepted for Destination Services Bulgaria tours

Cancellation Policy

Insurance

Best price guarantee

How it works

Your quote needs

What doesn’t count

Accessibility

People also viewed

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