Roadtrip Bulgaria
Roadtrip Bulgaria: the ideal 2-week itinerary
A relaxed travel diary full of hikes, history and laid-back moments
Day 1 & 2 – Arrival in Sofia
Our roadtrip through Bulgaria began in the capital city, Sofia. From the airport we took a taxi straight to Hotel Niky, a centrally located hotel that turned out to be the perfect base for a couple of days in the city.
The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel and set off for a city walk to explore the main highlights of Sofia. The nice thing about this city is that you can see most of it in just a single day. We enjoyed strolling past the churches, squares and lively streets.
In the afternoon we had lunch at Ugo Sofia Place before returning to the hotel for a little rest. Later we decided to check out the Paradise Center, the biggest shopping mall in Bulgaria with over 300 shops. In the evening we went out for dinner at Harem, which we can definitely recommend.
Day 3 – Picking up the car & our first hike
On the third day it was time to collect our rental car. We had booked a car in advance through Rentalcars, but things went completely wrong at pick-up. The credit card supposedly didn’t work, contacting Rentalcars was a nightmare, and in the end we had to cancel the reservation. Luckily we managed to get three-quarters of the money back.
Instead, we walked over to Europcar where everything went smoothly. We hired a Kia Ceed for 12 days, stocked up on groceries and hit the road towards Borovets. Already along the way the Bulgarian landscape amazed us with its green hills and mountain views.
When we reached Borovets we laced up our hiking shoes and set off on our first hike of the trip. It was tough, but the views were absolutely worth the effort. Afterwards we had dinner at Tea House Gondola Yastrebets before driving further south to Blagoevgrad, where we only stayed the night.
Day 4 – Rila Monastery & the Seven Rila Lakes
At 8am we left for the famous Rila Monastery. Note: women are not allowed to enter with shorts, so I had to quickly change into something longer. Entrance was free and the monastery itself was breathtaking.
From there we drove to the Seven Rila Lakes. First we took a chairlift up the mountain (18 BGN) and then started a hike of about 9 kilometres. It was heavy going, but walking past the mountain lakes with snow still on the peaks was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Tired but happy, we continued driving straight to Plovdiv, checked into Hotel Leipzig, grabbed a bite to eat and went straight to bed.
Day 5 – Exploring Plovdiv and its surroundings
Plovdiv is a beautiful historical city, perfect for exploring on foot. In the morning we wandered through the old town with its cobbled streets and colourful houses. In the afternoon we drove to Asen’s Fortress, perched high on a hill with spectacular views.
On the way back we stopped in some tiny villages for lunch in a local restaurant. There was no English menu, but thanks to Google Translate we managed to order – and the food was delicious and incredibly cheap.
That evening we ate in Plovdiv at Tam’s House.
Day 6 – Koprivshtitsa, Kazanlak & arrival at Sunny Beach
After breakfast we drove to Koprivshtitsa, a charming Bulgarian village full of traditional houses and a lively flea market. Our next stop was the Tomb of Kazanlak. To be honest, it was not that special. You pay 8 BGN entrance and within a minute you’ve seen it all.
We continued our roadtrip Bulgaria by heading east to Sunny Beach. There we had a great dinner at Colonel and later enjoyed cocktails along the lively boulevard.
Day 7 – A relaxing day at Sunny Beach
Day 8 – Recovering after a night out
Day 9 – Varna, Ovech Fortress & the Madara Rider
After packing the car we drove to Varna, where we had lunch and a short city walk. From there we continued to Ovech Fortress, a dramatic site with wide views over the countryside. Later we stopped at the Madara Rider, an impressive rock relief carved in 710 AD. That night we stayed in Shumen at the Akction Hotel.
Day 10 – Arrival in Ruse
Our next destination was Ruse, a city on the Danube River. On the way we visited the Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo, a UNESCO site that left us speechless.
In Ruse itself we had dinner at Happy Bar & Grill and relaxed in the spa of our hotel.