The 15 Best Plovdiv Tours & Day Trips

1.Private city walking tour of Plovdiv

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 65 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $184Our pick

Walk through Plovdiv’s Roman, medieval, and modern quarters with a private English-speaking guide. You’ll see Kapana, Nebet Tepe, the Ancient Theatre, Hisar Kapia, and landmark houses. Guide Niki has earned special praise for clear, engaging storytelling. Entrance fees and tips are separate.

“Thank you so much for an amazing tour of Plovdiv. My guide Niki was awesome, super knowledgeable, about the city, its history and its story. Thank you for a great day.”

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2.Food Walk: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour in Plovdiv

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $59

Start at 10 a.m. with guides Iliya or Daniel for a three-hour walk through central Plovdiv. Sample Bulgarian treats at local markets, bakeries, tea shops, and restaurants, while learning about food, customs, and history. The group is capped at 10 people and ends near the Mosque and Roman Stadium.

“Daniel was an entertaining and knowledgeable guide for this tour. Got to taste all sorts of Bulgarian treats while learning about culture and history. Stops included local market, pastry shops, tea shop. Would highly recommend this tour!”

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3.Wonderful Bridges-Bachkovo Monastery-Assen’s Fortress – day tour from Plovdiv

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $134

Leave Plovdiv at 9 a.m. for a private, English-language trip through the Rhodope Mountains. Your guide takes you to Asen’s Fortress, Bachkovo Monastery, and the Wonderful Bridges, with hotel pickup, commentary, and return transport included. Guides such as Kamen, Christian, Dimitar, Christina, and Stoyan are praised for making the history easy to follow.

“All the points of interest were very unique and exciting to visit. Our guide, Dimitar, was extremely personable and delighted us with his experience and knowledge. An amazing day, thanks Dimitar!”

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4.Plovdiv guided walking tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $22

Start at the Eastern Gate of Ancient Philippopolis and walk through Plovdiv’s Old Town with an English-speaking guide. Boris is praised for engaging commentary, while the small group size keeps the tour personal. The route ends near the Roman Stadium, giving you a useful base for exploring on your own.

“A great walking tour and highly recommended. Why do I have to write so much for this review to accepted?”

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5.Bachkovo Monastery & Asen’s Fortress – day tour from Plovdiv

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $98

Travel from Plovdiv to Asen’s Fortress and Bachkovo Monastery with a professional English-speaking guide. See a 13th-century church, Rhodope Mountain views, a miraculous icon, and frescoes dating back centuries. Pickup and drop-off are included, with a maximum of eight people and an optional waterfall walk.

“Kamen is an exceptional guide. We booked this tour at 11 pm and the following day at 9 am he was under our hotel. It is a perfect trip for half a day if you are in Plovdiv without car. Kamen is eager to share information not only on the fortress and the Monastery, but also on Bulgaria and Bulgaria culture in general. Recommended!”

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6.Private trip to Bachkovo Monastery and Assen’s Fortress

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $55

Travel from Plovdiv with guide Lyuben to Bachkovo Monastery and Asen’s Fortress on a private three-hour outing. See a 1310 icon, 17th-century murals, a medieval church, and Ivan Asen’s stone inscription. Pickup is offered at your Plovdiv address. Bring cash for the fortress entry fee.

“Our guide was nice and polite but didn’t explain much about the fortress and church that we visited. We wish we would have learned some of the history of these amazing spots.”

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7.E-Motorcycle Tour in Rhodope Mountains to a Beautiful Canyon View

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · 3 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $120

You’ll ride an electric cross motorcycle from Plovdiv with Martin, who provides clear instructions and keeps the outing lively. The private 3-to-5-hour route visits Momina skala, Markovo Reservoir, and Sveti Atanas Chapel. Pickup may be arranged, and the tour suits ages 12 to 60, with a 150 cm minimum height for children.

“It was a great experience. Martin was entertaining and provided good instructions. It was more beautiful than I expected.”

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8.Transfer from Plovdiv to Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · 1 to 2 hours (approx.)

Travel privately from Plovdiv to Sofia in an air-conditioned vehicle for up to four people. True Drivers provides an English-speaking driver, bottled water, Wi-Fi, luggage help, and pickup at a convenient location. The company also supports airport arrivals and flight changes, with drivers such as David praised for punctual, friendly service.

“Our driver was personable, polite, and delivered us safely as well as assisted us with our luggage. The car was immaculate. I highly recommend booking their services: I did for the rest of my travel in Bulgaria. Thank you again for a relaxing and enjoyable drive!”

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9.Day trip to The Marvelous Bridges and the unique Rhodope cuisine

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $94

Travel from Plovdiv with guide Ivo to the Marvelous Bridges, a striking set of natural rock arches in the Rhodope Mountains. You’ll explore the bridges, visit the old village of Kosovo for Rhodope food, and stop at Bachkovo Monastery. The air-conditioned tour lasts about nine hours and carries no more than eight people.

“Ivo is supremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the history and culture of Bulgaria, giving us a great background to the trip. He drove us safely in the comfortable air conditioned vehicle. The ‘bridges’ are well worth the 2hr winding, scenic drive. Wear shoes with good grip as paths are steep & slippery in places. You won’t be walking far from the vehicle & can opt out of any paths you’re not happy about. Absolutely magical place! Next, to interesting old village then delicious food stop (ask Ivo for recommendations). Last stop at the ornate monastery- more great stories, facts and descriptions from Ivo! Wonderful, un-hurried, memorable day. Thank you from…”

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10.Kazanlak-Rose Valley-Valley of the Thracian Kings – private tour from Plovdiv

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $144

Leave Plovdiv at 9:00 for a private tour through Bulgaria’s Rose Valley and the Valley of the Thracian Kings. Visit the Rose Museum, Kazanlak’s Thracian tomb replica, Seuthes III’s tomb, the Iskra Historical Museum, and Shipka Memorial Church. Guides such as Kamen, Carmen, and Rusi are noted for clear explanations and flexible service. Admission fees and lunch cost extra.

“All the tour was interesting, but the Thracian tombs are really something special: both the architecture and the golden artifacts are incredibile. Our guide, Kamen, is super knowledgeable and very patient. I would recommend this tour to all tourists in Bulgaria.”

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11.Private 1-day Trip To Wonderful Bridges-Bachkovo-Asen’s Fortress from Plovdiv

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 6 reviews · from $45

Travel south from Plovdiv to Asen’s Fortress, Bachkovo Monastery, and the Wonderful Bridges in the Rhodope Mountains. Choose a self-guided plan with a personalized e-guide or a private guided option with transport, entrance fees, and a local guide included. The day lasts about eight hours, but confirm pickup and transport costs before booking.

“**SCAM ALERT** DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR Once we booked, operator asked for 180€ more for transportation. The tour operator was very rude and unprofessional. Would not cancel the reservation, so we ended up pay 93 USD for a google document. The document was Read more”

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12.A Day trip to the Thracian Kings, The Valley of Roses & Buzludzha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $107

Travel privately from Plovdiv with an English-speaking guide such as Lyuben to the Rose Valley, Shipka Monastery, Seuthes III’s Thracian tomb, and Buzludzha. This 6 to 7-hour trip mixes flowers, ancient archaeology, sacred art, and Cold War architecture. Rose blooms are seasonal, and Buzludzha is closed inside for safety.

“Great trip, tour guide was not pushy on time and allowed for ample enough time at each place. The tour guide made the pick up and drop off easy and was very patient.”

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13.Private Plovdiv Day Trip from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $93

Spend about eight hours exploring Plovdiv’s Old Town, Roman ruins, historic houses, mosques, and museums. Choose a private guide or self-guided format, with an e-guide included. The major point to confirm before booking is the meeting point: the details identify Plovdiv, while the title suggests a Sofia departure.

“The most memorable was the fact that we never made it there. We were staying in Sophia and tour was in Plovdiv city 1.5 hours away . I read headline “ Private Plovdiv Trip from Sophia “”

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14.Plovdiv Old Town Self-Guided Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $15

Walk Plovdiv’s Old Town with an English audio guide covering 12 stops, from Djumaya Mosque and the Roman Stadium to Nebet Tepe and the Ancient Theatre. Plan on 2 to 3 hours, though access has been extended to 72 hours. Entry to the Ethnographic Museum, Small Basilica, and Trakart is extra, and a 15% restaurant discount is included.

“Comprehensive tour of the Old Town. Only problem was having to switch between the map and the audio. A printed map (clearly easier to read in the sun) would have helped. The pdf map on the phone was unclear when I zoomed in - could the resolution be increased?”

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15.Roman Plovdiv, Self-Guided Tour and Urban Quest Game

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $10Best value

Use your own phone to follow a web-based quest through central Plovdiv and its Roman past. You will solve 16 escape-room-style riddles at historic sites around the former Philippopolis, while learning about the city along a 2.5-kilometer route. The English or Bulgarian game runs at your pace and begins and ends at the Roman Forum.

“Great experience with fun riddles! We really enjoyed the walking route and the questions were a lot of fun! 10/10 would recommend.”

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