Bulgaria & Romania Highlights
From Sofia, cross the Danube via the Rose Valley and the old capital to Bucharest and Transylvania.
A well-established one-way route crossing two countries. Following a classic itinerary used by many travel agencies, you will travel from Sofia to Brașov, and then depart from Bucharest. Along the way, you will visit Rila, Plovdiv, Buzludzha, Veliko Tarnovo, Ruse, and Peleș Castle. Both countries are part of the Schengen Area by land, but cross-border car rentals and one-way drop-offs require prior written confirmation, so hiring a private car with a driver is highly recommended.
The mountain road to Buzludzha may be snowed in after October; skip this stop in winter.
Day by day
Day 1 · Sofia City Center
Sofia（St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral、Church of St. George Rotunda、Ancient Serdica Complex）
Airport transfer to the city center takes about 30 minutes, followed by a walking tour in the afternoon.
Stay: Serdika City Centre
Day 2 · Rila Monastery to Plovdiv
Sofia（Rila Monastery） → Plovdiv（Kapana Creative District）
Drive about 2 hours to Rila, and another 3 hours after lunch to Plovdiv. The total distance is about 330 km.
Stay: Kapana & Pedestrian Zone
Day 3 · Old Town & Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
Plovdiv（Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis、Old Town of Plovdiv） → Veliko Tarnovo（Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak、Rose Valley & Museum of the Rose, Kazanlak）
Explore the Old Town on foot in the morning, then drive northeast for about 90 km to Kazanlak in the afternoon.
Stay: Kazanlak
Day 4 · Buzludzha & Etar to the Old Capital
Veliko Tarnovo（Buzludzha Monument、Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex、Gurko Street）
Drive about 40 minutes uphill to Buzludzha, then 1 hour downhill to Etar, and another hour to Veliko Tarnovo.
The monument can only be viewed from the outside; the interior is unsafe and closed to the public.
Stay: Old Town & Gurko Street
Day 5 · Tsarevets & Rock-Hewn Churches to Ruse
Veliko Tarnovo（Tsarevets Fortress） → Ruse（Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo、Freedom Square & Monument of Liberty）
Visit the fortress in the morning, then drive north for about 1 hour and 45 minutes in the afternoon, detouring to Ivanovo, and arrive in Ruse by evening.
Stay: Freedom Square City Centre
Day 6 · Crossing the Danube to Bucharest
Bucharest（Palace of the Parliament、Lipscani Old Town、Stavropoleos Monastery）
Head north across the Friendship Bridge for about 80 km (approx. 1.5–2 hours drive); traffic may be slower during bridge maintenance.
The Palace of the Parliament requires booking in advance and bringing your passport.
Stay: Lipscani Old Town
Day 7 · Peleș Castle to Brașov
Sinaia（Peleș Castle） → Brașov（Bran Castle）
Drive north for about 2 hours to Sinaia, then another 1.5 hours via Bran to Brașov.
Peleș Castle is often closed on Mondays; avoid this day or adjust your dates.
Stay: Brașov Old Town
Day 8 · Brașov Old Town & Departure
Brașov（Council Square, Brașov、Black Church）
Explore the Old Town on foot in the morning, then drive south for about 3 hours to Bucharest Airport in the afternoon. Valleys are prone to traffic jams on weekends.