Bulgaria · FORTRESSES & CASTLES
Tsarevets above Veliko Tarnovo, Asen’s Fortress on its cliff, Baba Vida on the Danube. These 15 tours reach the keeps that are worth the climb, with entry fees, walking distances and the ones that include a guide who knows the sieges.
Explore ancient Plovdiv, Roman ruins, and Asen's Fortress on a small-group day trip from Sofia with free time for lunch.
“Georgi has been an excellent guide. The tour is excellent!!! Thanks”
Explore Plovdiv, Asen’s Fortress, and Bachkovo Monastery from Sofia on a small-group day trip with transport and entry fees included.
“Fantastic! I had a personal tour with Mika, who is extremely knowledgeable and kind and speaks perfect English! She and I didn't stop talking for the whole day, and she led me to the most interesting places in Plovdiv - a gorgeous town, the fascinating Asen's Fortress, and breathtaking Bachkovo monastery. As a PhD archaeology student, she knows SO much complex Bulgarian history and was really able to bring it alive. Plus she went out of her way to help me find food to buy for my American friend who broke her hip here in Sofia. Highly, highly recommend!! Ask for her by name!”
Review of a Sofia day trip to Plovdiv, Asen’s Fortress, and Bachkovo Monastery, with practical advice on price, pace, transport, and value.
“Excellent experience. The transport was clean and new, the guide was awesome, providing history of the places visited and he catered to the abilities of the group. His knowledge over the history of Plovdiv was excellent and he added context and personalization to the tour. The group was small - only five of us and so it felt like you had a personal guide. Lunch spot recommendation was also top notch. Highly recommend.”
Review of Sofia’s Belogradchik Rocks day trip, with fortress climbs, scenic drives, optional cave visit, practical costs, and honest advice.
“The travel lasts ~3h but it's well worth it. The fortress itself offers a lot. Even though the weather was not at its best the views were spectacular. The guide showed as some hidden extra places and was best photographer. We also had some time for lunch and other viewpoints to the rocks. Then the cave was one of the best I've seen with some narrow spots. There the guide also showed us one more place in the cave. Great trip, I really recommend it with that company/guide.”
Explore Belogradchik Fortress, striking Balkan rock formations, and colorful Venetsa Cave on a full-day trip from Sofia.
“Belogradchik Fortress is even more beautiful than I could have imagined. Be sure to bring proper footwear as you can climb the rocks all the way to the top and get amazing views of the area. Our guide Dimitar was very knowledgeable, pleasant, professional, and extremely helpful. We had plenty of time to explore the area at our own pace after the guided portion and did not feel rushed. The cave was interesting to see lit up in different colored lights. A must-do activity in Bulgaria!”
Explore Belogradchik Rocks and its Roman-era fortress on a small-group day trip from Sofia, with panoramic views, guide, and optional hike.
“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😍”
Review of Plovdiv’s 7-hour tour to Asen’s Fortress, Bachkovo Monastery, and the Wonderful Bridges, with practical tips on value and terrain.
“Loved everything about the trip! Arrangements are seamless and our guide knowledgeable about the destinations.”
Review of the Belogradchik Rocks and Fortress tour from Sofia, with practical advice on cost, timing, transport, guides, and cave stops.
“A great day-trip! Maria, our guide, took great care of us. On the way to Belogradchik, she talked about the fortress and its history but also about Bulgarian culture. Along the way, she stopped and got us a nice treat of fresh raspberries from a local person selling by the road. Belogradchik Fortress is not only impressive but unique. Red rocky fingers of iron-ladden rock project upwards from the top of a hill where Romans began the fortress. Around that, are the remains from when it was expanded in medieval times. Then finally it is framed by stone walls erected during the Ottoman occupation. The view from the summit was…”
Review of the $35.95 Plovdiv and Asen’s Fortress day trip from Sofia, with ancient ruins, Old Town walks, mountain views, costs, and tips.
“great guide, knew much, safe driver, very good English!; the old city center and the theatre of Plovdiv are really worth a visit!”
Review of Plovdiv’s Wonderful Bridges, Bachkovo Monastery, and Asen’s Fortress tour, with practical tips on sights, price, walking, and value.
“Absolutely amazing! Our guide was so kind, educated, and informative. He gave us a really good overview of Bulgarian history, the area and the religious icons. This particular was the perfect combination of nature and culture. Thank you.”
Explore Sozopol by boat and on foot, enjoy a Bulgarian lunch, then visit whimsical Ravadinovo Castle on a full-day trip from Sunny Beach.
“First a minor negative- we weren’t contacted with a pick up time & location but when we sent a message the trip provider responded quickly and give precise and clear details. The bus turned up a few minutes early and the trip was well organised and ran smoothly. The guide, Souren, was friendly and entertaining. The trip itself was very enjoyable with enough free time to wander, clear information at each location and a good lunch. A very enjoyable day out.”
Visit Asen’s Fortress and Bachkovo Monastery from Plovdiv with a guide, hotel pickup, mountain views, Orthodox art, and flexible half-day pacing.
“Very interesting excursion from Plovdiv and that allows to see the area around. The sites are located about 40 minutes away, which limits travel time and allows a focus on visits. Our guide Kamen was very friendly, interesting and flexible. Loved the experience!Auto-translated”
Review of Plovdiv’s Bachkovo Monastery and Asen’s Fortress tour, with medieval art, Rhodope views, practical tips, and value advice.
“It was expensive but there were only the two of us and the guide was very informative. His English was excellent and he gave us lots of interesting information and answered all our supplementary questions. We learned a lot.”
Explore Plovdiv, Asen’s Fortress, and Bachkovo Monastery on a small-group Sofia day trip with history, mountain views, and local treats.
“Excellent and the Guide was superb! Thank you Dimitriv!”
Review of a private Plovdiv trip to Bachkovo Monastery and Asen’s Fortress, with prices, timing, sights, practical tips, and honest value advice.
“Me and my husband spent some wonderful hours of the day visiting Bachkovo Monastery and Asen's Fortress. The monastery felt so peaceful and full of history - I could've stayed there for hours. When we arrived at Asen's Fortress we admired the stunning views. Definitely make your way to the top — the stairs only look scary, but they’re really not that bad! Just a short drive om Plovdiv, but it felt like a different world. Our driver made the trip even more fascinating with his stories. It's totally worth it!”
Every kind of day out, and the best of each.
