Help with Trip Itinerary!

TRAVEL TIP

I'm planning a backpacking trip through the Balkans this summer, and I'm struggling with how to format my time in Bulgaria. I'm thinking the main places I want to hit are Sofia (with a day trip to Rila Monastery), Plovdiv, and VT. I'll be there in mid may, and like hiking but not sure how inhibited that will be by the snow/weather. I'll be coming from Bucharest and leaving to Skopje, relying on public transit and I can't figure out the best order to get to each place especially with my limited knowledge of transit options. I'm thinking of spending about 5-7 days in total in the country, hopefully this seems like enough time. Any help with transit information entering and exiting Bulgaria as well as between cities would be great, and if anyone has an idea with how to schedule my itinerary + anything I should add that would be absolutely amazing! Thank you!

Posted Feb 27, 2023, 3:25 AM UTC

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givanov23Пенсионер :) •3 yr. ago

I would recommend VT then Plovdiv and then Sofia.

ubabamagic•3 yr. ago

Hiking should be good. Bring a jacket. There will be some snow pockets but no need to hike in snow. If you can add an extra day for the Seven Rila Lakes Hike, it is breathtaking. Be respectful and keep it clean of course.

GeshovskiBulgaria / България•3 yr. ago

Well Veliko Tarnovo is the closest to Bucharest. So you need to get there first. Don't really know how, though. There is a bus from Bucharest to Ruse. A taxi from Otopeni might cost you around 60-70 euros. From Ruse to Veliko Tarnovo as there is also a bus, however you might need to check the times. It's possible you might need to sleep in one of those. From Veliko Tarnovo to Plovdiv you can get a train. Be sure to get on a "direct train" and "fast train"; most "regional trains" are dirty, old and run down. Really old, built in the 70s and 80s. From Plovdiv you can get on a train/bus to Sofia. And from Sofia, you need to google a company that makes trips to Rila monastery or get on public transport to Dupnitsa/Blagoevgrad and then to Rila monstery. By my calculations you would need to spend one night in Bucharest/Ruse, one in Veliko Tarnovo, two in Plovdiv, at least two in Sofia.

No time for hiking near Veliko Tarnovo, nor Plovdiv, maybe the Youth hill. Near Sofia you can use public transport to get to Vitosha and hike, could be crowded over the weekend. For the Seven rila lakes, it would take a day, and with public tranport might be difficult. There are 3 marked trails near the Rila monastery, however they are long. Also the weather in May, June and partly July is very unstable and rain and thunderstorms might be frequent.

Serious_MachineOP•3 yr. ago

Thanks, this is super helpful!