From Bucharest: Day trip for small groups to medieval Bulgaria

Start by meeting your local guide at your hotel, then drive south from Bucharest to the Romanian-Bulgarian border. After crossing the Danube River and the Friendship Bridge, you will enter Bulgaria.

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On your way to Veliko Tarnovo, stop for an exclusive visit to the rock-built churches near the village of Ivanovo. These are medieval Bulgarian churches, chapels and monastic cells carved into the rocky gorge of the Roussenski Lom River.

Inscriptions, portraits of saints and other restored objects are from the XIII century.

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Then discover Veliko Tarnovo, which was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire and has a long tradition in Bulgarian culture. The city is rich in museums and historical sites, combined with a lively nightlife, propelled by students from one of Bulgaria's largest universities.

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On Craftsmen Street, where you have the opportunity to pass workshops owned by generations of Bulgarian families, which preserve old traditions. You have the opportunity to see a fully functional copper blacksmith workshop to see the production of copper plates and cups used for Turkish coffee.

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Climb Tsarevets Hill, with the remains of the castle and the church of the Bulgarian kings. Visit the fortress, the patriarchal church, the Royal Palace and the Tower of Emperor Baldwin.

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Next, travel to Arbanassi and take a step back as you stroll through the streets lined with houses and churches dating back to the sixteenth century.

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Catch a glimpse into the life of wealthy seventeenth-century merchants while visiting the Konstantsalieva House, which showcases the sumptuous but simple lifestyle of the nobility. Then stop for lunch at one of the many restaurants serving local food and savor the famous Bulgarian cuisine.

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After that, start your return journey to Bucharest.