Bulgaria and Veliko Tarnovo Day Tour from Bucharest: Exploring Two Countries in One Day

Experience the best of Bulgaria and Veliko Tarnovo on this day tour from Bucharest. Visit the stunning Monastery of Saint Dimitar Basarbowski and explore the historic city of Veliko Tarnovo. Enjoy a delicious lunch and discover the charming village of Arbanasi. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore two countries in one day!

Duration: 12 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • St. Dimitrii of Basarbovo Monastery - We start from Bucharest and we’ll make 2 hours until the destination, and the visit at the monastery will last 1 hour.
    The Monastery of Saint Dimitar Basarbowski - is a Bulgarian Orthodox cave monastery near the city of Ruse in north-eastern Bulgaria. It has the same name as the nearby village of Basarbovo and…
What's Included
  • Small-group setting for a personalized experience
  • Audio system provided for clear guidance while social distancing
  • Convenient pick-ups from central locations
  • Transport in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle
  • Guided by a professional driver/tour guide
What's Not Included
  • Entrance tickets for: Basarabov Monastery, Veliko Tarnovo Fortress (approx 5 euro/ person)
  • Optional Gratuities
Additional Information

Embarking on a single-day journey, we will tour Bulgaria, starting from Bucharest. We’ll traverse the Danube to reach the Bulgarian border and make our first stop at the Monastery of Saint Dimitar Basarbowski, a Bulgarian Orthodox cave monastery nestled near Ruse city in north-eastern Bulgaria. This site shares its name with a neighboring village, and…

Location
Grand Hotel Bucharest
Bulevardul Nicolae Bălcescu
wait in the boulevard at the taxi station
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(9 Ratings)
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1 star
Lorenzo_t
Feb 1, 2026
Express trip to Bulgaria - Gabriel, our guide, was attentive to our needs, adapting and giving recommendations to enjoy the most. It is important to see the weather, we were lucky, but in case of rain or snow, the experience would not be the same
Review provided by Viator
Christopher_r
Nov 29, 2025
Great tour - Our guide was Gabriel and he did a great job. He was informative, nice and professional. He took us to Bulgaria where we saw fantastic ruins, a monastery and some churches. We had plenty of time to wander on our own in Tarnovo where the food was great and there were many places to shop. 10/10.
Review provided by Viator
Helen_a
Oct 29, 2025
Fantastic Day Out - exhausting but worth it! - Fabulous trip and a very entertaining guide. I loved being on a minibus rather than a coach. We had a toilet stop at a garage which was a nightmare because you have to buy something to use the toilet and the place was absolutely packed. I could happily have skipped this. The monastery in the rock face was so interesting and the more modern monastery at ground level was beautiful. Please note that the climb up to the original Rock Monastery is steep and the ground is very uneven. Definitely worth going though. Veliko Tarnovo was also beautiful. The scenery was breathtaking. We had an enjoyable walk along the fortress walls and up to the Church and then another steep walk uphill to a gorgeous paved street of shops selling all sorts of tourist treasures and hand made crafts. We couldn’t do the last of our three stops because the road had been closed but, to be honest, we were exhausted by then anyway. I would have preferred to have longer at Veliko Tarnovo and not had to rush.
Review provided by Viator
Jamiee_f
Oct 5, 2025
Highly recommend great day trip! - Great day! It’s lots of driving but the guide was very friendly and helpful. Gave us great instructions at each stop for things to see and where to meet.
Review provided by Viator
Marcus_c
Aug 10, 2025
Worthwhile - We found ourselves with a day to spare in Bucharest and this was a very good option. Although the journey is quite long, the views into Veliko Tarnovo gorge are beautiful. For us, the real highlight was Arbanasi's Church of the Nativity with its simply stunning frescoes. We had to find our own way there, but it's only 10 minutes' walk and not to be missed.
Review provided by Viator
Danielth6751sa
Apr 28, 2022
Bulgaria trip - It's nice to have such a knowledgeable driver on this excursion. He made the long ride seem shorter and more enjoyable. Will definitely book him in the summer as well. Thank you for this awesome experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gerard_w
Oct 29, 2025
Good, bit we went on the wrong day. - This was a good trip, although there is a lot of time spent on the road. The tour guide was very knowledgeable, but we couldn't really hear him towards the back of the minibus (no microphone). We also would have benefitted from an accompanied visit with explanations from the tour guide to the ruins and church at Veliko Tarnavo- we didn't really know what we were looking at until we googled it. Also, the trip to the village of Arbanassi was cancelled due to a road closure. Despite this, we made the best of it and had an enjoyable day; a good chance to look at Bulgarian countryside. Don't forget your passports- we weren't told to bring them before the trip. Oh yes, the pick up point in Veliko Tarnavo is the Ego Restaurant. Do NOT order food or drink at the Ego restaurant. The worst experience we have had at any restaurant. Rude staff, worse than awful service, and quite frankly, they do not deserve custom as they do not care aboit their customers. Although this is the pick up point at the end of the trip, please avoid eating there at all costs. Have fun!
Review provided by Viator
From $80
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).