Day 1: Plovdiv — The Roman City

Start in Plovdiv with a deep dive into its Roman heritage. Visit the Ancient Roman Theatre (€5) in the morning light, then explore the newly excavated Bishop’s Basilica with its spectacular 2nd-century floor mosaics (free, donation welcome). Afternoon wandering through the Kapana creative district and up to Nebet Tepe for sunset views. Enjoy dinner at a traditional mehana in the Old Town.

Accommodation: Plovdiv Old Town guesthouse (€25–45/night).

Entry: Roman Theatre €5; Bishop’s Basilica free (donation).

Meals: Lunch at a Kapana café (€5–8); dinner at Megdana (€8–12).

Day 2: Plovdiv to the Rose Valley — Kazanlak & Shipka

Morning bus or train from Plovdiv to Kazanlak (€4–6, 1.5 hours), the heart of Bulgaria’s Rose Valley. Visit the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (UNESCO, €5) — a 4th-century BC beehive tomb with stunning frescoes of Thracian feasting and chariot races (the original is sealed; a perfect replica sits nearby). Afternoon visit to the Shipka Memorial Church (free) on the slopes of the Balkan Mountains, with its golden domes and Russian-style architecture. Overnight in Kazanlak.

Transport: Train/bus Plovdiv → Kazanlak €4–6.

Entry: Thracian Tomb €5; Shipka Church free.

Accommodation: Kazanlak guesthouse (€20–35/night).

Day 3: Kazanlak to Veliko Tarnovo — The Tsar’s City

Morning bus from Kazanlak to Veliko Tarnovo (€5–7, 2 hours). Check in and head straight to Tsarevets Fortress (€5) — the restored medieval stronghold of the Second Bulgarian Empire. Spend 2–3 hours exploring the palace ruins, the Patriarchal Cathedral with its striking modern-rebuilt frescoes, and climbing the Balduin Tower for panoramic views of the Yantra Gorge. At 21:00, watch the Sound and Light Show projected onto the fortress walls from across the gorge (free; best spots are Sveta Gora Hill or any Gurko Street restaurant terrace).

Transport: Bus Kazanlak → Veliko Tarnovo €5–7.

Entry: Tsarevets Fortress €5; Sound and Light Show free.

Accommodation: Veliko Tarnovo guesthouse with river view (€25–50/night).

Day 4: Veliko Tarnovo — Streets, Churches & River Walks

Explore Veliko Tarnovo’s artisan heart on Samovodska Charshiya street — watch coppersmiths, potters, and woodcarvers at work. Visit St. Forty Martyrs Church (€4) at the foot of Tsarevets for its historical inscriptions and royal tombs. Afternoon descent into the Yantra River gorge — the steep stairway from Gurko Street leads to forest paths, rock-hewn chapels, and hidden springs. End the day with a stroll along the riverbank path below the fortress, looking up at the floodlit walls.

Entry: St. Forty Martyrs Church €4; Samovodska Charshiya free.

Meals: Lunch at Shtastlivetsa for river-view dining (€8–12); dinner at Mehana Bulgaria (€7–10).

Day 5: Arbanasi Day Trip & Departure

Take the local bus (€1, 15 minutes) up to the hilltop village of Arbanasi. Visit the Nativity Church with its astonishing 2,000+ individual figures in 17th-century frescoes covering every surface — the Last Judgment scene on the west wall is one of the most detailed in the Orthodox world. Explore the Konstantsalieva House museum (€3) to see a perfectly preserved 18th-century merchant home. Return to Veliko Tarnovo for lunch and depart — onward to Ruse (2 hours, connections to Bucharest), Sofia (3 hours), or the Black Sea coast (3.5 hours to Varna).

Transport: Bus to Arbanasi €1; return + onward bus.

Entry: Nativity Church €4; Konstantsalieva House €3.