This full-day tour from Sofia takes you on a discovery of the city of Plovdiv and the spectacular Bachkovo Monastery. Enjoy a walk through time as you explore Roman ruins, a medieval monastery, gorgeous 19th century architecture, and a modern city center.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Duration 10 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Reserve now & pay later: Keep your travel plans flexible—book your spot and pay nothing today. Learn more
Live tour guide: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian
Pickup included: Your hotel in Sofia at 8:45 AM.

Highlights

Visit Bachkovo Monastery founded in 1083 and see the original kitchen of the monastery used from the 14th century up to the 20th century
Take a look at the city's oldest pharmacy and typical houses in Plovdiv Old Town
Explore the Roman Theater, the best preserved Roman theater in Bulgaria still used for live performances
Admire the newly renovated Roman stadium with 30,000 spectator seats and watch the 3D film (optional)
Explore Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria known for its artistic culture with numerous painters, poets, and musicians

Full description

On this full-day tour you will visit Plovdiv and the Bachkovo Monastery, located 170 kilometers from Sofia. You will start your journey from Sofia in the morning and first visit the old town of Plovdiv for a 2.5-hour walking tour through the Roman and medieval remains. You will then have some free time for a stroll along the main street in Plovdiv, enjoy an open-air café, or a quick kebab sandwich. Before returning to Sofia in the evening, stop at the Bachkovo Monastery (30 minute-drive from Plovdiv), where you can admire the churches and the dining room wall paintings from 1602. Plovdiv is one of the oldest European towns, contemporary to Troya and Mikena. It has existed as a settlement for about 8,000 years, and became a town 3,000 years ago during the Troyan war. In the historic quarter of the city you will see beautifully decorated Revival period houses, the ancient fortress-wall, the Roman forum and stadium, and magnificent churches. The old city of Plovdiv with its museums, historical sites, ancient houses, and paved streets is the perfect place for sightseeing.

Includes

Entrance fees
English speaking tour guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Fuel and parking fees

Meals
Personal expenses
Tips

Important information

Know before you go

Please note:
This tour is not suitable for high-heel shoes and disabled people.

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5

based on 29 reviews

Review summary

Guide
5/5
Transportation
4.3/5
Value for money
4.2/5
Safety
4.8/5

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Beautiful and interesting day at Plovdiv

The trip was very beautiful and interesting. We were picked up at our hotel in the morning and went to Plovdiv. During the car ride we already learnt a lot about Bulgarian culture and Sofia, In Plovdid we saw the amazing old town and after a tour we had some free time in Plovdiv. Our guide was extremely friendly and knowledgable. He took our interests in consideration at all times. Once we were interested in certain things we could spend more time there. We had such an amazing day and definitely recommend this tour.

January 23, 2018

Loved Plovdiv

Plovdivs was excellent. Lovely city, beautiful houses, nice people, great culture, history and architecture. Our guide was great all through the day. My one issue is the trip to Bachkovo monastery. There was significant renovation going on which made it hard to get round the site and everything other than the church was closed. We should have been told this before we went as it was a wasted journey.

December 19, 2017

Georgi Palahutev war ein umsichtiger Fahrer, die Liebenswürdigkeit in Person, und ein exzellenter Kenner aller Sehenswürdigkeiten, die er uns in ausgezeichnetem Deutsch hervorragend zeigte und erklärte, uns aber auch viele Informationen über Bulgarien vermittelte. Kurzum: der perfekte Reiseleiter, der uns einen wunderschönen Tag bescherte, für den wir uns herzlichst bei ihm bedanken.

July 25, 2020

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From Sofia: Full-Day Tour to Plovdiv and Bachkovo Monastery

From Sofia: Full-Day Tour to Plovdiv and Bachkovo Monastery

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Beautiful and interesting day at Plovdiv

Loved Plovdiv