The 15 Best Fortress Tours in Bulgaria

1.Small group tour to Plovdiv, Asen’s Fortress and Bachkovo Monastery

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 164 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $90Our pick

Leave Sofia at 8:30 am for Plovdiv’s Roman ruins and Revival-era Old Town, then visit cliff-top Asen’s Fortress and Bulgaria’s second-largest monastery, Bachkovo. A professional English-speaking guide, private vehicle, hotel pickup, and drop-off are included. Guides such as Daniel, Theodore, Anna, Krisi, and Stanimira have led past departures.

“So much to see in Plovdiv it was good to have an experienced person help pull it all together. Wish we had a little more time to explore certain parts and while the recommendation for lunch was perfect from a culinary perspective it did not leave any time to go back to previous spots. Only suggestion is that it was hard to hear in the back seat of the transport so maybe a microphone or something else to project to all”

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2.Full-Day Belogradchik Rocks and Belogradchik Fortress from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 75 reviews · 10 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $95

Leave Sofia at 8:00 am for Belogradchik with a licensed English-speaking guide and driver, often Ventsislav. Visit the fortress, take in the strange red-rock pinnacles, and enjoy lunch in town. The group is limited to seven, hotel pickup and drop-off are included, and some departures may also include Venetsa Cave, so confirm the day’s plan before booking.

“Ventsis made the trip really enjoyable - extremely comfortable driver. He was very knowledgeable and accommodating in dropping off. We would highly recommend this trip”

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3.Full-Day Plovdiv and Asen’s Fortress Tour from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 36 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $35

Travel from Sofia to Plovdiv and Asen’s Fortress with a guide such as Philip, Ivan, or Gregorio. Walk Plovdiv’s Old Town, see its Roman theatre, enjoy free time, then climb to a medieval fortress above the Rhodope Mountains. The small group, English guidance, and virtual reality headset add value, but uneven steps and extra entrance fees require planning.

“I opted for hotel pick up and drop off, which made me feel way more comfortable being alone in a new country. Tzvetomir was wonderful from the very beginning, and the car ride was great, chatting with him and the other people exploring Plovdiv. He knew a ton about the area and he helped take photos with my camera. 10/10, would definitely recommend!”

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

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

Leave Plovdiv at 9:00 for a private guided trip through the Rhodope Mountains. Visit Asen’s Fortress, Bachkovo Monastery, and the Wonderful Bridges, with hotel pickup, commentary, and a group of no more than eight. Expect mountain roads, uneven paths, a 4 EUR fortress fee, and roughly seven to nine hours away.

“Took the Wonderful Bridges, Bachkovo Monastery, Assen's Fortress Private Day Tour from Plovdiv on Aug 31, 2017. Had a wonderful day at the sights and enjoyed getting a chance to see the Rhodope Mt's. The guide was very informative and helpful. Would definitely recommend it.”

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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 in a small group of up to eight. Guides such as Kamen and Kalina explain Bulgarian history, Orthodox art, and local traditions in clear English. Expect mountain views, a short climb at the fortress, hotel pickup, and optional paid visits to the monastery refectory and nearby waterfall.

“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 in about three hours. See a 1310 icon, colorful monastery frescoes, a 13th-century church, and Ivan Asen’s stone inscription. Pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, and English service are included. Fortress admission costs extra.

“Great activity to cover half of the day in Plovdiv. Perfect to do in a day that you want to do any additional plan in the afternoon/evening, if you have a transfer or, just simply want to relax after it :) Bachkovo Monastery is really a wonder that you must visit, and Asen fortress is really impresive, as it is the door to the Rodope mountains, which will really surprise you for their beauty.”

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7.Plovdiv, Asen’s Fortress and Bachkovo Monastery small group tour with pickup

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · 9 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $94

Travel from Sofia with an English-speaking guide, usually Ventsislav, to Plovdiv’s Old Town, Nebet Tepe, Kapana, and the Ancient Theatre. Continue to Asen’s Fortress and Bachkovo Monastery in the Rhodope Mountains. The small group is capped at seven, with hotel pickup, transport, and selected entrance fees included.

“The tour start on time. Our tour guide Ventsislav is very organized from start to end. He is very knowledgable and know the ins and out of the city we visited. Our experience with Multi Travel highly on my record and create a lifetime memories.”

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8.Belogradchik Rocks and Belogradchik Fortress

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 16 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $168

Travel from Sofia to Belogradchik in a small group of up to 15 people, with an English-speaking guide, hotel pickup, and return transport. Spend about two hours at the Roman-built fortress and two hours among the remarkable sandstone formations. Guides such as Mariya, Methodiy, and Stojan are praised for clear explanations and local legends.

“Excellent tour to an amazing fortress. Lots of climbing and great views. Methodiy was a knowledgeable and informative guide.”

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9.Ravadinovo Castle Unseen

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 12 reviews · from $33

Spend up to four hours at Ravadinovo Castle, a Western-style castle built from scratch near Bulgaria’s Black Sea resorts. Your private booking includes support staff, an audio guide in English, Russian, or Bulgarian, and a digital guide with directions and practical details. Extra stops may include a resort town, beach, and nearby aquapark.

“Get the entrance only ticket. This was double the price. This is not all-inclusive. There is no "unseen" element to this.”

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10.Private Day Trip to Plovdiv and Asen’s Fortress

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · from $207

Leave Sofia at 9:00 for a private, nine-hour trip to Plovdiv and Asen’s Fortress. A driver-guide takes you through Plovdiv’s Roman theater, pedestrian center, Revival-era houses, and early Christian mosaics, then up to a medieval fortress with broad mountain views. Maria is one guide travelers have especially praised.

“A beautiful tour to two completely different places. Maria our tour guide was so nice, and knowledgeable, she was amazing & deserves mentioning! Plovdiv is beautiful & so interesting & Asen’s fortress has breathtaking views! Would recommend this tour highly, especially if you have Maria guiding you! :)”

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11.E-Motorcycle Tour in Old Rock Monastery and Old Roman Fortress

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $126

You’ll ride a Sur-Ron electric motorcycle from Historical Park near Varna through fields, forest, dirt, and rock tracks to Kara Peshtera, a thousand-year-old rock monastery. An English-speaking guide provides a helmet, glasses, bonnet, riding test, water breaks, and personal instruction. The private tour lasts about three hours.

“Since me and my son has ridden motorcycles before, we managed the ride well. The guide spoke good english and was helpful all the way and guided us through the event. Great nature to ride in!”

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12.Self-guided Tour in Tsarevets Fortress

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 9 reviews · from $11

Visit Tsarevets Fortress independently with a personalized e-guide and flexible entry during opening hours. Allow two to five hours to explore the medieval walls, ruins, royal hill, and hilltop church with its striking modern murals. The route is private to your group, but note that the booking details conflict on whether admission is included.

“Part of an excursion while sailing on the Danube.”

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

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 6 reviews · from $45

Travel south from Plovdiv to three of Bulgaria’s memorable sights: Asen’s Fortress, Bachkovo Monastery, and the Wonderful Bridges. Choose a self-guided day with a personalized e-guide or a private guided option with transport, entrance fees, and a local guide included. Confirm the transport arrangement and meeting point before paying.

“**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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14.Skip the Line: Medieval Tuida Fortress tours

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 1 day (approx.) · from $8Best value

Visit Tuida Fortress in Sliven for an English-guided look at Roman, Byzantine, and Bulgarian remains. Depending on your booking, you can add archery and medieval dress-up. Expect fortress walls, towers, basilicas, a baptistery, an aqueduct, and views over the area. The ticket costs $8.16 per person.

“Though it might not look impressive from the outside, it is in the inside. So many attractions to try like medieval games (lots of fun), archery, dress like a local from the times, superb guides inside to show you the secrets of the fortress. Really great experience while we were in Sliven - the town of the 100 chieftains. Recommended!”

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15.Private tour to Plovdiv, Bachkovo monastery and Asen’s fortress

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 8 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $164

Travel from Sofia in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide. Walk Plovdiv’s Old Town, see its Roman theatre and mosaics, visit Bachkovo Monastery, and climb to Asen’s Fortress. The 8 to 10-hour tour includes hotel pickup, water, coffee, and tea, with admission fees and lunch extra.

“Plovdiv is a beautiful city with lots to see and do. Ves did an excellent job of explaining all about the sites. Wish I had more time in Plovdiv.”

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