Bulgaria holiday by train, self guided
Single room supplement: €360;
Description of Bulgaria holiday by train, self guided
Take it slow on this relaxed 12-day self guided rail holiday through Bulgaria. From Sofia’s grand architecture to the cobbled streets of Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo, this itinerary reveals the country’s many different sides without the need for a car.
Beginning in Sofia, your journey heads north through the spectacular Iskar River Gorge to Vratsa Nature Park before continuing to the medieval capital of Veliko Tarnovo. After time to explore its fortress and historic quarter, travel into the Balkan Mountains to Tryavna, renowned for its woodcarving traditions. Continue to Kazanlak in the Valley of Roses, then on to Plovdiv, before taking Bulgaria’s famous narrow-gauge railway through the Rhodope Mountains. The trip concludes with visits to Velingrad, Razlog and the magnificent Rila Monastery before returning to Sofia.
The railway journeys are a highlight in themselves, offering a window onto some of Bulgaria’s most beautiful landscapes. Routes cross three distinct mountain ranges, the Balkans, Rhodopes and Rila Mountains, with plenty of opportunities to observe daily life beyond the main tourist trail. Cultural highlights include two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the 10th-century Rila Monastery and the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, dating from the 4th century BC. Trains are old and slow, but that's part of the charm.
With free time built into the itinerary, there is plenty of flexibility to explore at your own pace, and when you're done for the day, spend the nights in locally owned, family-run hotels, helping to support local communities and spread tourism income beyond major resorts.
Price information
Single room supplement: €360;
Departure information
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Reviews
7 Reviews of Bulgaria holiday by train, self guided
Reviewed on 16 Oct 2025 by Helen Wilkes
Excellent! From start to finish, Anna has been exceptionally helpful, providing us with a detailed itinerary, train tickets, transfer vouchers and hotel details. She was also available throughout had we needed her. We highly recommend this company. Read full reviewReviewed on 10 Aug 2025 by Tamsin Defriez
A really wonderful holiday for our family of older teenagers and young adults. There was something for everyone, and just the right balance of history, activity, and culture. Read full reviewReviewed on 12 Aug 2025 by Stephanie Sundle
We visited some nice places eg Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, but nowhere that stands out as particularly memorable or exciting. Read full reviewReviewed on 14 Oct 2024 by Helen Jackson
The most memorable part was our visit to the Zagreus Winery just outside Plovdiv. Not only did we get to taste wine, but we blended our own wine which we bottled, corked and sealed and brought home. Read full reviewReviewed on 06 Jul 2019 by Janet Galloway
Attending an opera in Plovdiv’s Roman amphitheatre was also very memorable. Read full reviewReviewed on 05 Aug 2017 by Tim Morgan
Everything was very good. The genuine welcome from every host hotel or guesthouse was excellent. Staying in guesthouses and eating their normal local food. Highlights were Veliko Tarnovo (especially Hotel Gurko), Plovdiv, and the hosts at Boyana Guest House (Vratsa) & Guest House Deshka (Gorno Draglishte) were great fun. Read full reviewReviewed on 08 Jun 2017 by Rodney Mount
Both Plovdiv and Rile were interesting and enjoyable and despite communication problems the two homestays were interesting if challenging and the hosts we very friendly and kind. Read full reviewResponsible Travel
Planet
One of our main responsible policies is the protection of the local environment and the cultural heritage. Running this tour we try to minimise the impact on the visited areas and protect them by using public transport, such as trains and buses. Train rides give you the opportunity to explore much of Bulgaria’s cultural and natural hidden treasures without a car. Short car transfers are available from/to train stations to the local guesthouses/hotels.People
Joining this trip you will visit many remote monasteries and traditional villages with very few inhabitants. Part of your money goes to the protection and restoration of some of the St. Sofia Holy Mountain Churches. Other, for accommodations such! We try to keep the money local by using only small guesthouses which have Green Lodge certificates or are family-run businesses. Green Lodge® is a certificate issued for guesthouses and small hotels that correspond to ECEAT sustainable tourism label and Eurogites quality standards. Hosts of these houses are local people who have special attention to local nature and culture. They will be your guide to interesting sites and events in the surroundings and will saturate your experience. Your stay at a Green Lodge will make you feel the charm of the traditional everyday life and guide you through local cuisine. Such place is Deshka’s Guesthouse. Your visit to her house in the mountain village Gorno Draglishte means a lot to the local people, who produce a lot of the goods used in the kitchen.Popular similar holidays
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