Private Day Trip to Plovdiv and Bachkovo Monastery

Walk Plovdiv's oldest streets, see a 4th-century mosaic, and visit Bulgaria's second-largest monastery

A private day trip from your hotel to Plovdiv and Bachkovo Monastery pairs a two-hour guided walking tour of the old town with a visit to the 11th-century monastery famous for its icon of the Virgin Mary. Your driver and guide handle the full route; you walk the Roman Theater, the longest pedestrian street in Europe, and the Revival-era houses of the old town before heading south to the monastery in the afternoon. The tour runs nine hours total and travels by air-conditioned car.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Plovdiv and Bachkovo Monastery

• 2 hour guided walking tour in Plovdiv
• 20 minutes guided visit of Bachkovo Monastery

The Experience

If you're staying nearby and have a full day free, this trip takes you to two of Bulgaria's most significant sites without arranging transport or navigation yourself. You start with hotel pickup and spend the morning in Plovdiv's old town, where a guide walks you through the Roman Theater and the recently uncovered early Christian mosaics from the 4th century. The colorful 19th-century Revival houses line the streets as you move through the pedestrian quarter—the longest continuous walking street in Europe—and the guide points out the layers of history layered into the stone and plaster.

In the afternoon, the route turns south to Bachkovo Monastery, established in the 11th century and the second-largest monastery in Bulgaria. The visit lasts about twenty minutes and centers on the icon of the Virgin Mary, which draws thousands of pilgrims each year and holds deep significance in Orthodox tradition. The monastery sits in a quieter landscape, a shift from the urban density of the morning.

The car is air-conditioned and typically runs on eco-friendly fuel—either CNG or electric—so the operator keeps emissions low across the nine-hour day. Comfortable walking shoes matter for the old town, where the terrain is uneven and steep in places. If you're traveling with an infant under two years old, let the operator know at booking so they can prepare a specialized seat.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• a professional private driver-guide who speaks English.
• the two-hour guided walking tour of Plovdiv Old Town.
• entry to Bachkovo Monastery with a twenty-minute guided visit.
• transportation in an air-conditioned car.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by City Tour Ltd.

Is this one for you?The nine-hour commitment means you need a full day free, but it also means you see both Plovdiv's urban history and the monastery's spiritual center without splitting the trip across two separate bookings or managing your own transport between them. The private guide and driver let you move at a steady pace through the old town's steep terrain without worrying about group timing or public transit schedules.

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Top questions

What is the Roman Theater in Plovdiv and why does the guide stop there?

The Roman Theater is a 2nd-century amphitheater built during Plovdiv's time as a major Roman city. It still stands in the old town and remains one of the best-preserved Roman theaters in the world, so the guide includes it as a landmark of the city's ancient past and a place where you can see the scale and craftsmanship of Roman construction.

How long do I spend walking in Plovdiv's old town?

The guided walking tour of Plovdiv Old Town lasts two hours, covering the Roman Theater, the pedestrian street, the Revival houses, and the early Christian mosaics. The uneven terrain means a steady pace rather than a rushed one.

What makes the icon at Bachkovo Monastery special?

The icon of the Virgin Mary at Bachkovo Monastery is believed to be miraculous and draws thousands of pilgrims annually. It is the primary reason the monastery attracts visitors and holds deep religious significance in Orthodox Christianity.

Is lunch included in this day trip?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. The nine-hour itinerary leaves room for a meal break, and your guide can suggest local restaurants in Plovdiv or near the monastery, but you arrange and pay for food separately.

What time does the tour start and end?

Hotel pickup begins the day, and the full tour runs nine hours from start to finish, including the drive to Plovdiv, the two-hour walking tour, the afternoon visit to Bachkovo Monastery, and the return to your hotel. Your guide will confirm the exact pickup time when you book.