Your UNESCO tour in Romania and Bulgaria will start in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. Your guide will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to your hotel. You will have the rest of the day free, so you can rest or you can go to explore the city on your own.

Accommodation: hotel in Sofia

After a delicious breakfast at your hotel, it’s time to get to know Sofia better. Your guide will take you to see the main attractions in town. He will pick you up from your hotel in the morning. Start your visit to Bulgaria’s capital with a stop in front of its cathedral Saint Aleksandar Nevski. After you explore its old interior, just a few meters away from it, you will discover where the name Sofia comes from. The St Sophia church is an old orthodox church built on an Roman amphiteatre. After lunch on Vitosha boulevard, the famous boulevard, you will visit a church dating back to the 10th century, Boyana church. Today Boyana church is a UNESCO heritage site.

Accommodation: hotel in Sofia

After breakfast at your hotel, your guide will drive you to Plovdiv. The second-largest city in Bulgaria, Plovdiv, is a mix of Roman, Thracian, and Bulgarian influences with modern touches. It is also one of the oldest cities in Europe!

You will visit the Roman Amphitheatre, a jewel preserved from the 1st century and used today for concerts and other events. Walk the narrow streets paved with cobblestone and see the colourful houses with their traditional balconies. Alongside these ancient treasures, you will find modern restaurants and cosy cafes where you can relax along the way. Plovdiv will be a real surprise!

Accommodation: hotel in Plovdiv

Enjoy the breakfast at the hotel in Plovdid and once you are done, go to Kazanlak. The city is known for its beautiful roses and every year it even hosts a rose festival. Here you can buy cosmetic products made of rose oil.

But what is impressive about this city is that its history dates back from Thracian times. And here you can visit the proof of it. The Thracian tomb of Kazanlak is a UNESCO heritage site and even though the original one is closed to the public, in order to better preserved it, a complete replica of it can be visited. Once you have discovered Kazanlak, go to Veliko Tarnovo where you will spend the night.

Accommodation: hotel in Velko Tarnovo

Interested in other tours in Bulgaria? Try the Black Sea holiday – Romania and Bulgaria in 7 days.

The last city hosting you in Bulgaria is Veliko Tarnovo. You will spend the night in the old capital of the Second Bulgarian kingdom. In the morning, discover the imposing Tsaravets fortress housing the royal and the patriarchal palaces, the Trapezitsa fortress and the Samovodska street, framed by local shops and craftsmen workshops. At lunch, go in one of the restaurants built on the cliff and admire the view while tasting a local dish.

The afternoon is booked for a visit in Arbanasi, an old village near Veliko Tarnovo. Arbanassi is also a  UNESCO heritage site and you will have the opportunity to wander on its narrow streets framed by old, medieval houses.

Accommodation: hotel in Velko Tarnovo

It is time to leave Bulgaria behind you and go to Romania. Before crossing the Friendship bridge over Danube, that connects Romania and Bulgaria, stop and visit two churches carved in rock: Basarabovo and Ivanovo in Bulgaria. You have the climb some stairs to reach them, but only this way you can see how the monks leaved centuries ago. Ivanovo church is a UNESCO heritage site, so you cannot miss it!

In the afternoon you will arive in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. After you check in at your hotel,  use the rest of the day to discover Bucharest on your own.

Accommodation: hotel in Bucharest

Welcome to Romania! The first place you will discover here is the capital, Bucharest. A walking tour in the city center will take you to see history pieces of this town: old inns, royal buildings and ruins connected with Dracula. Your next stop is the Parliament palace, the second largest building in the world. A visit inside will unveil you its secrets and dark history.

You will spend your night in Bucharest and the next day you will go to Transylvania.

Accommodation: hotel in Bucharest

Do you have only one day in Bucharest? Discover our Full day tour in Bucharest.

After a long ride from Bucharest on the Oltului gorge, you will arrive in one of the most beautiful towns in Transylvania: Sibiu. In the afternoon, after you check in at your hotel, discover the city center and the medieval buildings that make Sibiu such a lovely place! Probably you will want to stay here longer, but Transylvania has other interesting places to visit!

Accommodation: hotel in Sibiu

Today it is time to discover some historical places. First, go to Hunedoara, an industrial city that host one of the most beautiful castles in Europe: Corvin castle. This medieval castle will show you how nobles lived in medieval times.

On the way back to Sibiu, stop and explore Sarmizegetusa Regia, a 2000-year old fortress, capital of Dacia. It will remind you of Stohenge in England. Here, you can see the solar calendar and the place of sacrifice used to bring gifts to gods. Sarmizegetusa Regia is the best preserved fortress in Orastie mountains. The Dacian fortresses are UNESCO heritage site.

Accommodation: hotel in Sibiu

Today it’s a medieval day. Start it with a delicious breakfast and after that go to Sighisoara. On the way, stop in Biertan, a traditional village in Transylvania, home to a beautiful fortified church. The fortified churches in Transylvania, another UNESCO heritage site, were built to defend the locals from invasions. And now you can visit such a church.

At noon, you will arrive in Sighisoara. You can enjoy your lunch here and in the afternoon go inside the citadel. The cobblestone streets, the 300-year-old houses and the well-preserved towers of Sighisoara will show you why it was included on the UNESCO heritage sites list. In the evening it is time to Brasov.

Accommodation: hotel in Brasov

Ready to try other UNESCO heritage sites? take a look at the Maramures & Bucovina tour.

Start your day with a ride to Bran, a mountain village surrounded by amazing landscapes. Here, you can visit the most popular attraction in Romania: Bran Castle. Tha castle is so popular due to its fame as Dracula’s castle, but a visit inside will reveal you its true history and its connection with the bloody vampire.

For lunch, come back to Brasov and take a break to enjoy some traditional disches at one of the local restaurants on Republicii street. After that, take a long walk on the beautiful streets of Brasov. This is another medieval city with a very well preserved old town. Here, you can visit the Black church, the largest gothic church in Romania, and explore the old fortifications of the city.

Accommodation: hotel in Brasov

Say good-bye to Brasov because it is time to discover a natural attraction, UNESCO heritage site: the Danube Delta. The road from Brasov to Tulcea, the entrance gate to the delta is very long. But, on the way, stop in Sinaia, a beautiful mountain resort.

Here, you can visit the Peles Castle, former summer residence for the royal family of Romania. The castle was built by the first Romanian king, Carol I and it was one of the most modern castles in Europe at that time. Inside, you can see the opulent furniture and rich decorations. You can have lunch in Sinaia, and after that, go to Tulcea.

Accommodation: hotel in Tulcea

The Danube delta is the newest land of Europe and its shape changes every year. Today you will enjoy a boat trip on its channels. This way, you can admire the wild life, the fisherman villages and the amazing nature. Danube Delta is a UNESCO heritage site due to its rich biodiversity. People come here from all over the world to meet its birds, insects and lilly flowers. Are you ready for them?

In the afternoon, come back to Bucharest. It is time to prepare for your ride back home, but in the evening go to the old town of Bucharest and enjoy its night life.

Accommodation: hotel in Bucharest

Your UNESCO tour in Romania and Bulgaria ends here, in Bucharest. Say goodbye and go the airport in time for your flight back home. And don’t forget that there are other beautiful places to discover in Bulgaria and Romania, so you can always come back!