From my experience, Bulgaria is not particularly high on many people’s travel destinations. However, it is becoming more popular, as are many other balkan countries such as Romania, Albania and Montenegro. So, In February 2024, I visited the Balkans for the second time, this time choosing Bulgaria for a 4 day break. I had high hopes after having an amazing time in Romania in January. Anyway, here are the full details of my Bulgaria itinerary, including Sofia and Plovdiv.
Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky, Sofia
Day 1 Bulgaria Itinerary – Sofia
I always try to make the most of my short breaks, by getting an early morning flight. So, I got the first flight out of Bristol. This meant I got to my accommodation in Sofia, Bulgaria for around 1pm.
The first stop in this Bulgaria itinerary was to then join the ‘Balkan Bites’ free food tour. This started at 2pm and was a delightful insight into the food and drink scene of Sofia. Throughout the tour, we were taken through the history of the cuisine in Bulgaria. This included what has shaped the scene, what to expect in the modern day, and the fact they absolutely LOVE garlic, cheese and yogurt!
During the tour we were taken to a ‘fusion restaurant’. This combined traditional Bulgarian food with other cultures, in this case it was Sri Lanka. The second stop was to a Rakia bar. Rakia is a Bulgarian brandy which is extremely popular and has a rich history within the Bulgarian culture. I’m not a massive drinker but one thing I will say is that it warms the chest!
Next, we visited a vegan bakery and sweet shop where we were presented with a vegan banana bread, health fruit smoothie and rose oil chocolate. Personally, I thought they were all incredible. Then, the 4th stop was to a place that served mekitsa, which is a popular traditional fried dough. The final stop on the tour was to a restaurant called Hadjidraganov’s cellar which is an extremely popular restaurant in Sofia. They put out a wonderful selection of traditional spreads on bread and a mulled drink.
The food tour finished around 4.30pm but please be aware that it is in no way a replacement for a meal. Obviously, it’s a free tour so the tasters are very small! Equally, I think it’s well worth doing if you are into your food and have some interest in history! Other things to note are that the tour is tipped based (for the tour guide not the restaurants). Generally, people will tip between 20-60 Lev for this but there is no expectation!
After I finished the food tour, I headed towards Vitosha Boulevard. This is the most popular shopping area in Sofia and is a great place to find somewhere to have dinner, get some drinks and generally experience the atmosphere of Sofia. My recommendation is to return to eat at hadjidraganov’s cellar!
Rila Monastery, Bulgaria
Day 2 – Rila Monastery
Personally, I found Sofia, Bulgaria to be a little bit less exciting than other cities I’ve been to around Europe. Therefore, I opted for a tour out of the city for day 2 of my Bulgaria itinerary. To be honest, I wouldn’t advise doing the same one as me (Rila Monastery and Ivan’s Cave). The Monastery is definitely worth a visit but the cave was disappointing. Also, I would probably try to make my own way to the monastery if I did it again so that I could spend some more time enjoying the surrounding areas. Equally, there are several different excursions that include the monastery. For example, Rila Monastery and Plovdiv, Rila Monastery and Boyana church and Rila Monastery by itself!
This tour took the entire day and was quite tiring as there was 2 hours of travel either side. However, if you choose a different tour and are back from your day early enough, I would suggest getting the train to Plovdiv that evening. Honestly, there is much more to see and do in my opinion and is an absolutely beautiful city. It is an absolute must for any Bulgaria itinerary.
Roman Theatre, Plovdiv
Day 3 Bulgaria Itinerary – Plovdiv
On the morning of day 3, I took a train to Plovdiv, another city further into Bulgaria. This journey is around 2 hours.
My first stop in Plovdiv was the beautiful, quaint old town. Here, you can either explore absolutely free, or pay 15 Lev (around £6.50) for entry into 5 places of interest (Inclduing Balabanov’s House, Hindliyan’s House, Nedkovich House, and more). Honestly, this is such great value for the attractions you get to see, they are usually 5 Lev per entry and you can buy the combined ticket from any of the attractions. This will take you through a historical journey of Plovdiv and show some beautiful architecture, both old and new!
It’s hard for me to say how long this would take as it really depends on your interests. On one hand, you could probably spend the best part of the whole day wandering through the meandering old town and it’s sites. Alternatively, it may only take you a couple of hours. One thing I would advise, if the weather’s good, is to take a packed lunch and eat in the Roman ampitheatre. It is such a beautiful and well kept part of Roman history which also looks out over parts of Plovdiv.
After spending lunch time and the early afternoon in the old town, I went to check in to my accommodation. Later in the afternoon, I took a walk to Bunarjik hill and the Monument of the Red Army ‘Alyosha’. On the way to the monument, I stopped by Tsar Simeon Garden Park. This park showed a great insight into the day-to-day lives of the local people. With market stalls selling locally produced, hand-made items and people playing chess on concrete chess boards. Another appeal to this park, is the singing fountains which hosts a night time light show every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, through the summer months. Unfortunately, I did not get to see this show as I went in February, but if you’re visiting between July and November, you should definitely add it to your Plovdiv itinerary.
After exploring the park, I continued to the Alyosha Monument to watch the sunset. Honestly, it is not particularly strenuous to get to the top, it is all stepped and a pleasant walk. From the top, you can overlook the whole of Plovdiv and is one of the best sunset spots I remember visiting.
To end the evening, I visited a restaurant called Smokini. This restaurant offers traditional Bulgarian food with great prices. It isn’t a budget place to eat but it’s by no means expensive and the value for money is amazing.
Views from Alyosha Monument, Plovdiv
Day 4 Bulgaria Itinerary – Plovdiv
On my final day, I had until around 1pm before I needed to get the train back to Sofia, Bulgaria to go the airport. So, I visited the main town of Plovdiv. Here, there is a huge high street which offers an ancient Roman Stadium (which is free to enter), some hidden roman remains (in H&M of all places) and many places to indulge in some Bulgarian foods such as mekitsa and banitsa.
Baklava at Hadjidraganov’s Cellar, Sofia
Conclusion
As you can see, there is plenty in this Bulgaria itinerary to keep you busy across the two cities of Sofia and Plovdiv. To be honest, I much preferred visiting Plovdiv and would be tempted to suggest trying to spend some more time there. Equally, everyone has their own preferences, and I know Sofia has a lot to offer to those who prefer a larger, more built up city! Either way, Bulgaria has a lot to offer to any visitors. Also, Bulgaria is incredibly cheap and I actually did this Bulgaria trip for £250. I hope you enjoyed the read and I hope you have a great time when you’re visiting Bulgaria.
Is Bulgaria on your list of countries to visit?
