This Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa day trip from Sofia pairs one of Europe's oldest living cities with a mountain town of painted Revival houses. You walk through Plovdiv Old Town and past its Roman theatre in the morning, have free time for lunch, then cross the Sredna Gora hills to Koprivshtitsa, where the April Uprising of 1876 began. The bus collects you in central Sofia from 07:10, leaves the Vasil Levski Monument at 08:00 and brings you back around 19:30. Go with a live English guide, an audio app or transport only, and book and pay online in a couple of minutes.
🏛️ Roman Plovdiv🏘️ Revival houses⛰️ Sredna Gora drive🎧 Guide, audio or bus only🚌 5 pick-up points
Two towns in one day
Plovdiv is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe and was European Capital of Culture in 2019. The two-hour walk takes in the Roman theatre, which still hosts concerts, the 19th-century Revival mansions of the Old Town and the cobbled lanes between its hills. Free time follows, for lunch in the Kapana quarter or on the long pedestrian main street.
Koprivshtitsa lies more than 1,000 metres up in the Sredna Gora hills, reached through rose valleys and small villages. Its cobbled streets are lined with painted Revival houses, stone bridges and fountains, and this is where the April Uprising against Ottoman rule began in 1876. The stop comes late in the afternoon and is a walk among the houses rather than a museum visit.
Already in Plovdiv? The From Plovdiv option starts there at 13:30 and stops in Koprivshtitsa with an English-speaking guide before ending in Sofia, which suits travellers moving on to the capital.
How the options differ
On the live-guide option an English-speaking guide stays with you on the bus and in both towns. The audio app covers the same stops at your own pace on your phone, so bring headphones, a power bank and mobile data. Transport only is just the bus there and back with free time in both towns, for adults. On some dates the calendar also offers a Spanish guide or an audio guide device with headphones, both €25.
Good to know
Wear comfortable shoes, as both towns are cobbled. Koprivshtitsa is high in the hills, so bring a warm layer outside summer, and in summer a hat and sunscreen for Plovdiv. Bring some cash for the entrance tickets (about €5). The tour is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs and the minimum age is 6; a child seat can be added at checkout for €5.