Bulgaria · 1-DAY TOURS

15 1-Day Tours in Bulgaria to Build a Day Around

52 tours  ·  from $23

Every trip has one free day too few. These 15 1-day tours justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part.

From Bucharest: Full-Day Trip to Bulgaria - The early pickup and the road south
1-Day Tours, Full-Day, Tour Reviews

From Bucharest: Full-Day Trip to Bulgaria

1.From Bucharest: Full-Day Trip to Bulgaria

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,008 reviews · 12 hours · from $93Our pick

Travel in a small group from Bucharest to Veliko Tarnovo, Arbanasi, and either Ruse’s Holy Trinity Cathedral or St. Basarabov Monastery. English-speaking guides such as Narcis, Lucian, Elena, and Roberto lead the day, with round-trip transport, guided visits, free time, and a Bulgarian lunch stop.

“What a great trip! Our guide was Narcis who was excellent! Nice small group. Be prepared for a long distance travel on the mini bus, but it was broken up nicely with comfort breaks. The border crossing went very smoothly, didn't need to show passports and only waited max of 10mins to go through. You need to take 50 euros per couple to change up at the exchange when get into Bulgaria to give most direct to the guide for the fort visit - which was fantastic! (rest of change was to pay for toilet trips and the odd item). We then went to the village a bit further up…”

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From Bucharest: Small Group Day Trip to Medieval Bulgaria - Crossing the Danube into Bulgaria
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From Bucharest: Small Group Day Trip to Medieval Bulgaria

2.From Bucharest: Small Group Day Trip to Medieval Bulgaria

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 382 reviews · 12 hours · from $87

Travel from Bucharest into Bulgaria with an English-speaking guide such as Carmen, Tudor, Coco, or Marius. Visit the Ivanovo Rock Churches, Tsarevets Fortress, Veliko Tarnovo, Samovodene Artisans Street, and Arbanassi. Expect a long but rewarding day, border checks, plenty of walking, and lunch at your own cost.

“The trip was amazing and the guide Coco did such a great job! Definitely will recommend !”

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From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Plovdiv Town Full-Day Trip - The early start and meeting point in central Sofia
1-Day Tours, Full-Day, Rila Monastery Tours, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews

From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Plovdiv Town Full-Day Trip

3.Rila Monastery and Plovdiv Town Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 382 reviews · 13 hours · from $78

See two of Bulgaria’s finest sights in one day from Sofia. You’ll explore Plovdiv independently for more than four hours, then visit Rila Monastery with maps and practical advice from an English-speaking host such as Philip or Bobby. Expect scenic roads, a small group, and a very full 13-hour schedule.

“Nice trip, guide was lovely and very friendly, very clear meeting point, van was comfortable. Great day out :)”

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Plovdiv - Group Day Trip from Sofia - Meeting at the Vasil Levski Monument
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Plovdiv – Group Day Trip from Sofia

4.Group Day Trip from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 304 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $22Best value

Travel from Sofia to Plovdiv by shuttle bus for a guided walk through the Roman Theater, pedestrian center, and Revival-era Old Town. You get roughly two hours with a guide and two hours to eat, shop, and explore alone. English live, audio, or smart-guide options may apply.

“The worth travel ever....didnt like the guide at all..he was not good with behavour....in the bus was so hot, that one of the passangers need help”

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Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa Full-Day Trip - Plovdiv Old Town, Roman Ruins, and Limited Free Time
1-Day Tours, Full-Day, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews

Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa Full-Day Trip

5.Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 177 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $24

Travel from Sofia by air-conditioned minibus to Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa. An English-speaking guide leads walks through Plovdiv’s Old Town and Koprivshtitsa’s revolutionary-era streets, with free time for lunch and shopping. Optional online audio guides are available in six languages.

“The Roman ruins in Plovdiv and the beautiful old houses in Koprivshtitsa were the most memorable parts of our trip. The highlight of the day though was being guided by Maria who in addition to taking us around the main attractions of the featured excursion gave us an invaluable insight into Bulgarian history and culture together with its people.”

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Day Trip to Bulgaria and Veliko Tarnovo from Bucharest - Basarbovo Monastery, a small site with a remarkable setting
1-Day Tours, Tour Reviews

Day Trip to Bulgaria and Veliko Tarnovo from Bucharest

6.Day Trip to Bulgaria and Veliko Tarnovo from Bucharest

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 122 reviews · 12 hours · from $66

Join an English-speaking guide such as Alex, Gabriel, or Bogdan for a 10 to 12-hour van trip from central Bucharest into Bulgaria. See Basarbovo Monastery, explore Veliko Tarnovo and Tsarevets Fortress, and visit Arbanasi. Bring your passport, comfortable shoes, rain gear, lunch money, and 10 EUR in cash for admissions.

“Gabriel was very friendly and nice, we had nice activities!”

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Private Day Trip to Boyana Church and Rila Monastery - The drive from Sofia to Rila Monastery
1-Day Tours, Boyana Church Tours, Private, Rila Monastery Tours, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews

Private Day Trip to Boyana Church and Rila Monastery

7.Private Day Trip to Boyana Church and Rila Monastery

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 108 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $193Top rated

Travel from Sofia to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church in a private, air-conditioned car with an English-speaking driver-guide. See medieval frescoes, a preserved monk room, and mountain scenery, with guides such as Maria, Alexander, Julian, Nikola, and Iwan bringing the sites to life.

“We had a wonderful time with Maria, our guide. She is such a cheerful, delightful person, very knowledgeable and passionate about history and Bulgaria. Her backpack is full of pamphlets, maps, alphabet and little things about Bulgaria. At Boyana Church and Rila Monastery, she took the time to explain everything about the places and even took us to try Mekitza, at the original bakery in front of the monastery. Lunch was also fabulous, in a small locally run restaurant. Overall, we are grateful to meet Maria, and highly recommend this experience!”

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Plovdiv and Rila Monastery tour in one day - Three hours among Plovdiv’s old streets
1-Day Tours, Rila Monastery Tours, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Plovdiv and Rila Monastery tour in one day

8.Plovdiv and Rila Monastery tour in one day

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 87 reviews · 10 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $119

This 10 to 11-hour English-language outing pairs Plovdiv’s Old Town with Rila Monastery from Sofia. A driver and air-conditioned vehicle handle the long route, while guides such as Apostolos, Alexander, or Tony add history along the way. Expect about three hours in Plovdiv and one hour at Rila.

“Rila monastery is just sublime and is a must see on any trip to Sofia. This trip also involved a visit to Plovdiv and attendance at a 'free' walking tour run locally. This was fine and the guide was great, BUT the highlight of Plovdiv is the Roman Theater (its why i went), but this wasn't included, you had to pay extra for this. Loads of very tiring driving, our car driver was very fast, BUT very safe. The timing worked out fantastically well and when we arrived at Rila (after 17.00) it was pretty much empty. If we had arrived much earlier it would have been knee deep in…”

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From Sofia: Day Trip to Belogradchik Rocks and Fortress - The three-hour road from Sofia
1-Day Tours, Belogradchik Rocks Tours, Tour Reviews

From Sofia: Day Trip to Belogradchik Rocks and Fortress

9.Day Trip to Belogradchik Rocks and Fortress

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 56 reviews · 1 day · from $93

Travel from Sofia with an English-speaking guide, often Ventsislav, to the strange Belogradchik Rocks and their Roman-era fortress. Expect three hours each way, an 80-minute fortress visit, free time, and an optional 45-minute downhill walk. Transport, hotel pickup, and guiding are included.

“The tour was amazing; we had the chance to view wonderful places and particular spots! also the cave was super cool!! me and my boyfriend will probably come back to see it again😍”

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From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Plovdiv Day Trip - The early ride to Rila Monastery
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From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Plovdiv Day Trip

10.Rila Monastery and Plovdiv Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 52 reviews · 12 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $71

Travel from central Sofia by air-conditioned minibus to UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery and historic Plovdiv. Host Philip handles timing, maps, tips, and WhatsApp updates, while you explore independently. It is a full 12.5-hour day with about 6 to 7 hours on the road.

“Merece mucho la pena hacer este tour. Rila es una maravilla y Plovdiv también me encantó. Muy recomendable. Bonitos paisajes desde el bus. Siéntate en el lado derecho.”

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Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Self-Guided Day Trip from Sofia - The road to Rila Monastery
1-Day Tours, Boyana Church Tours, Guided, Rila Monastery Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews

Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Self-Guided Day Trip from Sofia

11.Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Self-Guided Day Trip from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 41 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $36

Spend eight hours visiting Sofia’s Boyana Church and Bulgaria’s famous Rila Monastery. Your driver handles the route, while an online audioguide adds context. Expect 45 minutes at Boyana and two hours at Rila, with entrance fees and food extra.

“Very well-organised tour, comfortable air-conditioned minivan, ample time to visit the places, you can visit the Rila Monastery on your own, but the driver, who is a guide as well, offered a little tour. Our guide Constanza was very energetic and joyful. Recommended.”

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Day trip to Skopje and Matka Canyon from Sofia - Skopje’s Old Bazaar and Ottoman character
1-Day Tours, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews

Day trip to Skopje and Matka Canyon from Sofia

12.Day trip to Skopje and Matka Canyon from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 35 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $173

Leave Sofia at 8 a.m. for Skopje and Matka Canyon with an English-speaking Bulgarian guide and a local Macedonian guide. Walk through the Old Bazaar, cross the Stone Bridge, visit Mother Teresa’s memorial, then take a boat into the canyon. Pack lunch, expect border delays, and prepare for a long day.

“It was a beautiful experience and our tour leader Katerina was very informative and patient and took great care of us. The trip was long but worth it. Mike the tour guide in Skopje also was knowledgeable and showed us the most beautiful parts in Skopje. Matka canyon was an experience which left us speechless with the beauty of nature.”

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Plovdiv: Valley of the Thracian Kings Guided Day Trip - The two-hour road to the Valley of the Thracian Kings
1-Day Tours, Guided, Plovdiv Tours, Thracian Tomb Tours, Thracian Tomb Tours in Plovdiv, Tour Reviews

Plovdiv: Valley of the Thracian Kings Guided Day Trip

13.Valley of the Thracian Kings Guided Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 25 reviews · 10 hours · from $116

Travel from Plovdiv with a small group of up to eight, visiting the Kazanlak royal tomb, five Thracian burial sites, Roman Augusta Trayana, the Museum of Religions, and Neolithic houses. Guides such as Ivo, Ivano, Lubo, and Krasi bring Bulgaria’s long past to life.

“This was an amazing trip. If I could give it 6 stars I would. Lubo was a great guide! Very knowledgeable about the history of Bulgaria. Lubo taught us so much about the fascinating history of Bulgaria. He took us to 5 tombs, 1 museum, the oldest preserved Neolithic settlement and the Mosque/Church museum. Along with all of those wonderful places and the history of Bulgaria Lubo took us to eat at a wonderful local restaurant. He had us try some amazing local food. This was by far one of the best tours and guides we have ever had. I wish all tours and guides were all this passionate about…”

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From Plovdiv: Wonderful Bridges and Rhodope Cuisine Day Trip - The morning drive into the Rhodope Mountains
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From Plovdiv: Wonderful Bridges and Rhodope Cuisine Day Trip

14.Wonderful Bridges and Rhodope Cuisine Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · 9 hours · from $93

Travel from Plovdiv with an English-speaking guide to the Wonderful Bridges, a traditional Rhodope village, and possibly Bachkovo Monastery. Expect scenic mountain roads, a short walk among dramatic rock arches, regional food in Kosovo, and a small group of no more than eight people.

“Ivo was an exceptional guide! He was very knowledgable about the region and history. We had very pleasant conversations about everything regarding Bulgaria and the Balkans in general. The tour was very well organised we highly recommend it. Finally the traditional Bulgarian lunch was exceptional.”

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Private Day Trip to Plovdiv from Sofia - The two-hour ride from Sofia
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Private Day Trip to Plovdiv from Sofia

15.Private Day Trip to Plovdiv from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 22 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $198

Travel from Sofia to Plovdiv in a private air-conditioned car with Wi-Fi, hotel pickup, and an English-speaking driver-guide such as Simon, Poli, Jordan, or Dimitri. See Roman remains and Revival-era houses, then enjoy free time for lunch, museums, and independent wandering.

“Très belle ville riche en culture. La vieille ville est splendide. Le musée ethnographique vaut vraiment la peine. Le guide Dimitri pas avare en explications.”

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New in 1-Day Tours

★ 4.5Private Winter Day Trip to the Rila MountainFrom $573 reviews
★ 4.5Private Day Trip to the Belogradchik Rocks and FortressFrom $2206 reviews
★ 5.0Rila Monastery and hiking to the Stob Pyramids- Private Day Trip from SofiaFrom $1895 reviews
★ 5.0Private Day Trip to Sapareva Banya for SPAFrom $1196 reviews
★ 4.5Plovdiv and Perushtitsa Day Trip with Wine Tasting from SofiaFrom $1726 reviews
★ 5.0Private Day Trip to Plovdiv and Bachkovo MonasteryFrom $2075 reviews
★ 5.0One Day Tour from Sofia to Skopje, MacedoniaFrom $2047 reviews
★ 5.0Luxury Day Trip to Boyana Church and Rila MonasteryFrom $3087 reviews
★ 4.0One day Tour of Lovech and Krushunski Waterfalls from SofiaFrom $1567 reviews
★ 5.0Koprivshtitsa Private Day Trip From SofiaFrom $1834 reviews
★ 4.5Private Plovdiv Day Trip from SofiaFrom $936 reviews
★ 3.5Private 1-day Trip To Wonderful Bridges-Bachkovo-Asen’s Fortress from PlovdivFrom $456 reviews
★ 3.9Zheravna, Blue Mountains & Sliven Day TripFrom $915 reviews
★ 5.0Rila Mountain Winter Day TripFrom $1883 reviews
★ 4.1Pirin National Park: Glacial Lakes and Jagged Peaks Day TripFrom $1026 reviews

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