Take a day trip out from Bucharest to Bulgaria, exploring history and visiting regional highlights. A guide shows you to the St. Dimitri Basarabov Monastery as well as the Tsarevets Fortress in medieval Veliko Tarnovo, and introduces you to heritage at the village of Arbanasi.

Start your day with pickup from your hotel, which takes you out of Bucharest and across the border into Bulgaria. Your first stop is at the St. Dimitri Basarabov Monastery, incredible for its architecture that is carved into a stone cave itself. After marvelling at the site, head to Veliko Tarnovo, the historic capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire known as the “City of Tsars.”

In Veliko Tarnovo, your guide takes you to the Tsarevets Fortress, a medieval stronghold that served as the empire's primary bulwark from 1185 to 1393. Learn about the history that took place within its walls and about its strategic location on the top of a hill. Following a break for lunch, move on to take a brief look at the village of Arbanasi, which is rich in historical monuments such as 17th- and 18th-century churches. Head back to Bucharest after exploring the medieval town.