Tour Itinerary

Your dedicated private guide will pick you up from your hotel in Bucharest. Before departing, make sure you have your Passport with you for the border check!

Upon entering Bulgaria, you will cross the Friendship Bridge over the Danube River, the second-longest river in Europe.

1. Basarabov Monastery

Shortly after crossing the border, you will arrive in the small village of Basarabov. The monastery was dug into the rock by the monks during the long and harsh Ottoman occupation. Bucharest has a deep connection with this place, as its protective saint was born and served here as a monk.

2. Veliko Tarnovo

The tour will take you further to Veliko Tarnovo, also known as the "City of The Tsars". In the past was one of the most important cities in the Balkans. Now you will be impressed by its narrow cobbled-stone streets. Here, the craftsmen are working on different souvenirs in their small workshops. The architecture of the houses will remind you of the medieval period.

3. Tsaravets Fortress

Located on a nearby hill, the fortress served as the capital city of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185 - 1396). As such, in its glorious past, the medieval fortress could be easily compared with Rome or Constantinople. It housed the Royal Palace and the Orthodox Patriarchy - the equivalent of the Vatican for the Catholics. After a three-month siege, the Ottomans captured the city and destroyed it entirely in 1396. In the 1980s, the Cathedral of the Ascension of the Lord was restored, but due to its modern and very dramatic paintings, it has never been re-consecrated as a church.

4. Arbanasi Village

Continuing your private tour through medieval Bulgaria, you will stop in a village located just 5km outside Veliko Tarnovo. This place has been an exclusive area during the Ottoman occupation. Many rich people and merchants owned houses and businesses here. The picturesque architecture of the houses and stone fences will impress you.