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Old town houses of Veliko Tarnovo stacked on the hillside above the Yantra river, reflected in the water
Photo: Jocelyn Erskine-Kellie from London, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0

Beyond Sofia

Veliko Tarnovo above the Yantra, Plovdiv's old town, the Black Sea coast and the buses and trains on to Istanbul, Thessaloniki and Bucharest. The guides here cover Bulgaria past the capital and how to get around it.

Sozopol - The Bay from Above
Guide

12 Best Places to Visit in Bulgaria in 2026

Bulgaria packs Roman cities, mountain monasteries and Black Sea old towns into a small map. These are the 12 I'd pick.

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View of the old town of the city of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria.
Guide

Veliko Tarnovo: Tsarevets, the Old Town and What to See

Veliko Tarnovo is known for Tsarevets and its houses above the Yantra. What to see, the hours and how long to stay.

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Morning view of Tsarevets and part of the old town of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
Getting there

Sofia to Veliko Tarnovo: Bus, Train or Car in 2026

Veliko Tarnovo is about 3 hours from Sofia by bus. The 2026 departures, the train change and the drive, compared.

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View from Cape Kaliakra to the north
Guide

The Bulgarian Black Sea Coast: Where to Go and How to Get There

Bulgaria has 378 km of Black Sea coast, from cliffs near Romania to river beaches near Turkey. Where I'd go and how.

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Die Frontansicht des alten Istanbuler Bahnhofs. Das Bild wurde aus drei Einzelbilder zusammengesetzt. Es stellt die alte Front des Bahnhofs dar. Hinter dem
Getting there

Sofia to Istanbul: Night Train, Bus, Flight or Car

A sleeper train runs from Sofia to Istanbul every night. Train, bus, flight or car, with 2026 times and fares.

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Aristotelous Square at dusk, 18 September 2018
Getting there

Sofia to Thessaloniki: Bus, Car and the Missing Train

Thessaloniki is a 5-hour bus ride from Sofia. Buses, the drive, the train and bus combo and the open border.

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Donau.zwischen km 555 und 490 in Richtung Ruse. Vom Schiff Amadeus Symphony (ship, 2003) aus gesehen. Die Kilometerabgabe bezieht sich von Passau mit 2223 km
Getting there

Sofia to Bucharest: Bus, Train Over the Danube or Car

Bucharest is 6 to 7 hours from Sofia by bus. The buses, the daily Danube train, the drive and where to stop.

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Old Plovdiv
Guide

Things to Do in Plovdiv: The Old Town, Roman Ruins and Kapana

Plovdiv is known for its Roman theater and painted Old Town. The sights I'd pick, what they cost and a 2-day plan.

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The Belgrade Fortress was built as a defensive structure on a ridge overlooking the confluence of the Sava and the Danube rivers during the period from the 2nd
Getting there

Sofia to Belgrade: Bus, Car or Bus and Train via Nis

There is no train from Sofia to Belgrade in 2026. The buses, the drive, the Nis combo and the Kalotina border.

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Stone Bridge in Skopje
Getting there

Sofia to Skopje: Bus Times, the Border and the Drive

Skopje is a 5-hour bus ride from Sofia. Bus times and fares, the Gyueshevo border, the drive and the time change.

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