Private Day Trip to Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi from Ruse: Explore Bulgaria's Best Highlights
5.0
1 Rating
Bucharest

This exclusive one-day tour to Bulgaria presents the finesse of Bulgarian heritage. Visit the Unesco Ivanovo Rock Churches, explore the medieval metropolis of Veliko Tarnovo, the 12th century Tsarevets stronghold, the craft-rich Samovodene Artisans Street, and the quaint Arbanassi Village.

Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

You start the day by departing from your ship and start driving on scenic country roads. First stop will be at the Ivanovo Rock Churches, a UNESCO world heritage site which is actually carved in the rock and has among the best preserved frescoes.

Afterwards you visit Veliko Turnovo, once the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire and also Tsarevets hill with the remains of the castle and church of the Bulgarian Kings. It dates back to the 12th century. Enjoy a walk on Samovodene Artisans Street packed with workshops of locals were you can find a copper smith, silversmith, an icon painter and many more. Many of the workshops are there for 3-4 generations already.

Next stop, will be the intriguing village of Arbanassi with an included visit to Konstantsalieva house, so you can get the chance to discover a real interior from from a typical local house. Before setting off for your ship, last visit will be in the small town of Ruse that has a beautiful main square and pedestrian area. Together with your local guide be immersed in the town’s charm and learn more about it’s history from the Roman times to modernity. Arrive back to your ship after a wonderful day filled with great sights, history and friends from Bulgaria.

Points of Interest

  • Bucharest
What's Included
  • Private tour
  • Professional guide
  • Bottled water
  • Guaranteed to skip the long lines
  • Port pickup and drop-off
  • Transport by private vehicle
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
  • Gratuities
Additional Information
  • Good walking shoes are recommended
Location
Bucharest
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(1 Rating)
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Aep77
Jun 11, 2019
Excellent Private Tour, Well Worth Money & Time - We recently visited Bucharest and wanted to see some of the rock monasteries and Veliko Tarnovo in northern Bulgaria. We are not really big tour group people so we booked a private tour through our hotel which was perfect. Cristi was the tour guide assigned to us and he picked us up in a nice, clean and comfortable sedan that took us to Bulgaria and back. He was very knowledgeable about all things Romanian and Bulgarian -history, culture, politics, etc. That said, he left time for quiet contemplation and also was very accommodating of his guests (me and my husband). For example, I could not bring myself to use the Turkish toilet at Basarbovo Monastery so he helped us find a nice gas station with toilet seats and flushing capacity etc. We also got caught in a HUGE rain storm while on top of Tsarvetes Fortress but he was kind enough to make the 20-minute walk back to the car alone to come fetch us, huddled under some restaurant awning. Cristi was also essential to our crossing the Romania-Bulgaria border and then back again. I suspected that the crossing would take longer with a large group and it was confirmed during the crossing so I was happy we sprung for the private tour $. He picked us up at 7:45AM in Bucharest and we got back to the hotel around 6PM. We went to Basrbovo rock monastery first, then to lunch at a fabulous restaurant that Cristi picked for view and good food, then we walked up to the Fortress. Funny enough the walk to the Fortress, despite arduous (Wear good shoes!), was my husband's favorite part of the whole trip! We skipped Arbanassi due to rain potentially causing flooding, which was happening all over the countryside. Regardless of any hiccups, Cristi was wonderful and I highly recommend this tour company and his services.
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