What to do in Bulgaria: old cities, mountains and the sea

Bulgaria was never on my shortlist, which is why it surprised me so much. I expected a cheap stopover. What I found was a country with ancient cities, painted monasteries, real mountains and a long coastline, without the crowds you get further west. Here are the best things to do in Bulgaria, based on my own trips, plus how I would fit them together.

Is Bulgaria worth visiting?

Yes, though it depends on what you like. If you want polished resorts and perfect English everywhere, other countries will suit you better. If you like places that still feel a bit raw, with real history, good food and friendly people who are happy to help, Bulgaria is a great choice.

I love the variety. In one trip you can walk through Roman ruins in the morning, eat grilled meat in a mountain village at lunch and swim in the Black Sea a few days later. The country is not huge, so the distances stay manageable. One small tip: Bulgarians nod for no and shake their heads for yes. It confused me for the first two days, so now you know.

Sofia: a capital with mountains at the end of the street

Most people land in Sofia, and I would give it two days. The city is relaxed and easy to walk. The golden domes of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral are the big landmark, and inside it is calm and surprisingly beautiful. Around it you find leafy parks, old churches, Roman remains in the middle of the centre and plenty of cafés for a slow afternoon.

Sofia has Vitosha, the mountain right behind the city. On a clear day you see it from the main boulevards, and you can be on a hiking trail within an hour. For a capital, that is rare. I also enjoyed the free walking tour here, because it gave me a good feel for the layers of history before I went exploring on my own.

Plovdiv: one of Europe’s oldest cities

If I had to pick one place from my trips, it would be Plovdiv. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe, and it was a European Capital of Culture in 2019. You feel both at once. A Roman theatre still stands on the hillside, the Old Town is full of colourful National Revival houses on cobbled streets, and just below it the city is young and lively.

Spend an evening in the Kapana district, a creative quarter of small galleries, bars and street food. It is the kind of neighbourhood where you plan one drink and stay three hours. Give Plovdiv at least two nights, and try to walk up one of the hills at sunset. The view over the rooftops is worth the climb.

Rila Monastery and the mountains

Rila Monastery is the one stop I would not skip. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in a forested valley in the Rila mountains, and the courtyard with its striped arches and painted frescoes is unlike anything else I have seen in Europe. Go early if you can, before the tour buses arrive, and take a moment inside the main church to look up.

You can reach it as a long day trip from Sofia, but I preferred to make it part of a mountain stop. The Rila region has glacial lakes and good hiking in summer, and the Pirin mountains further south are known for skiing around Bansko in winter. From there it is not far to Melnik, a small wine town with sandstone cliffs that felt like a different planet.

The Black Sea coast

In summer the Black Sea coast is where many Bulgarians go, and I understand why. Varna is a proper city with a long seaside garden, a good food scene and a beach right next to the centre. A bit further south, the old town of Nessebar sits on a small peninsula and is a UNESCO site, with narrow lanes and old churches by the water. Sozopol is another old fishing town, and I liked it even more for its quieter feel.

The big resort strips can get busy and loud in peak season, so I would pick the old towns as a base and visit the beaches from there. June or September is my sweet spot: warm enough to swim, and a lot calmer.

Veliko Tarnovo and Bulgaria on a budget

Between the mountains and the sea, do not forget Veliko Tarnovo. It was the capital of the medieval Bulgarian Empire, and the Tsarevets fortress on its hill, looking over a river bending through the gorge, has one of the best views in the country.

It is also a good place to notice how far your money goes in Bulgaria. Meals, local transport, guesthouses and entry tickets are noticeably cheaper than in most of Western Europe, so you can travel comfortably without counting every cent. Bulgaria switched to the euro in January 2026, which also makes paying simpler for many visitors. I will not quote exact prices because they change, so check them before you go. Buses and trains connect the main cities, and renting a car helps a lot for the monasteries and villages.

How I would plan your Bulgaria itinerary

With ten days I would fly into Sofia, take the train or a bus to Plovdiv, add Rila Monastery on the way, then head east to Veliko Tarnovo and finish at the Black Sea. Learning to read a few Cyrillic letters helps with signs, and a translation app does the rest. If you want to keep going, Bulgaria combines well with its neighbours, so have a look at my guides to Romania and Serbia.

If this list gave you ideas, you will find more routes and tips in my Bulgaria guides.