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PTG Tours · Escorted tour

Autumn Whispers: Undiscovered Bulgaria

Nine-day escorted rail tour of rural Bulgaria from Sofia to Koprivshtitsa

Illustration of Autumn Whispers: Undiscovered Bulgaria

Autumn Whispers is a nine-day escorted rail tour through rural Bulgaria operated by PTG Tours, beginning in Sofia and ending in Koprivshtitsa. The journey combines six train rides through the Balkans and Rhodope mountains with stays in small towns rarely seen by international travellers. Tour Manager Maria and a Bulgarian guide travel with the group, leading walking tours of medieval capitals like Veliko Turnovo and museum villages like Tryavna, visits to the Prohodna cave and Pumpkin Festival in Sevlievo, and tastings at a rakia factory. Eight dinners and one folklore performance are included, along with stays at four-star and spa hotels. The itinerary balances active exploration with relaxed evenings, making it well suited to repeat rail travellers, history enthusiasts, and those seeking guided comfort with genuine local insight. The autumn timing brings forest colours and pleasant weather.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one departure listed (October 2026); confirm availability and book well ahead.
  • The from-price of GBP 1,450 requires you to arrange your own flights to Sofia; flights from UK airports add GBP 275 to GBP 500 depending on the airport.
  • Hotel list shows four properties for eight nights; final accommodation at each stop depends on group size and operator allocation.
  • Bachkovo Monastery is listed as TBC (to be confirmed) in the day 7 description.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Sofia

    UK - Sofia

    UK flight departures direct to Sofia, transfer to hotel, dinner and overnight. Possible to reach Sofia by train via Munich, Budapest and Bucharest.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Lukovit

    Sofia - Karlukovo - Lukovit

    Morning tour of Sofia, free time for lunch. Train from Sofia to Karlukovo via Iskar gorge, transfer to Lukovit.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Sevlievo

    Lukovit - Lovech - Troyan - Sevlievo

    Jeep tour to Prohodna cave ("The Eyes of God"). Walking tour of Lovech and its covered bridge. Train to Troyan, visit rakia factory. Transfer to Sevlievo.

  4. Day 4overnight: Sevlievo

    Sevlievo (Pumpkin Festival)

    Visit the Pumpkin Festival in Sevlievo. Late afternoon visit to Veliko Turnovo, the medieval capital on 4 hills above the Yantra river.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Stara Zagora

    Sevlievo - Debelets - Tryavna - Stara Zagora

    Coach to Debelets, train to Tryavna museum town crossing the Balkan mountain range, then train to Stara Zagora.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Zlatograd

    Stara Zagora - Dimitrovgrad - Podkova - Zlatograd

    Morning train to Dimitrovgrad and then Podkova, the southernmost train station in Bulgaria, on the "Rhodope Caterpillar" line. Transfer to Zlatograd, spa hotel.

  7. Day 7overnight: Plovdiv

    Zlatograd - Smolyan - Plovdiv

    Morning visit of Zlatograd Ethnographic Areal Complex. Coach to Plovdiv via Smolyan, Assenovgrad, Bachkovo Monastery (TBC). Evening walking tour of Plovdiv.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Sofia

    Plovdiv - Koprivshtitsa - Sofia

    Transfer to Koprivshtitsa museum town, walking tour and free time. Train from Koprivshtitsa to Sofia. Farewell dinner with folklore program.

  9. Day 9

    Sofia - departure

    Free time and departure transfers for flights to Stansted, Birmingham and Luton. Heathrow and Liverpool passengers have post-tour nights in Sofia.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Train from Sofia to Karlukovo passes through the Iskar Gorge before transfer to Lukovit.
  • Day 3Jeep tour to Prohodna cave, known as the Eyes of God, then walking tour of Lovech and its covered bridge.
  • Day 4Visit the Pumpkin Festival in Sevlievo, then explore Veliko Turnovo, the medieval capital set on four hills above the Yantra river.
  • Day 5Train from Debelets to Tryavna crosses the Balkan mountain range, then continues to Stara Zagora.
  • Day 6Train journey on the Rhodope Caterpillar line to Podkova, Bulgaria's southernmost train station, followed by transfer to Zlatograd spa hotel.

Included

  • 7 nights with breakfast and city tax at 4* hotels
  • 1 night with breakfast at a 3* spa hotel in Zlatograd
  • 8 dinners, incl. 1 dinner with folklore performance in Sofia
  • Tour guide with the group
  • Arrival and departure airport transfers
  • Jeep tour to Prohodna cave
  • Rakia tasting
  • Train tickets for all the journeys listed in the itinerary
  • Activities and entrances for the visited sites as per the itinerary
  • Accompanied tour bus (bus size depends on group size)
  • Use of spa centres at the hotels in Lukovit and Zlatograd (mineral water pool)
  • Train tickets (1st class where available)

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The package includes all train tickets for six rail journeys in first class where available: Sofia to Karlukovo, Lovech to Troyan, Debelets to Tryavna, Tryavna to Stara Zagora, Stara Zagora to Podkova via Dimitrovgrad, and Koprivshtitsa back to Sofia.
Is this an escorted tour?
Yes. PTG Tours provides a Tour Manager named Maria plus a local Bulgarian guide who travel with the group throughout.
What is included in the price?
Seven nights with breakfast at four-star hotels, one night at a three-star spa hotel, eight dinners including one with a folklore performance, all train and coach transfers, the Jeep tour to Prohodna cave, rakia tasting, entrance fees and activities, airport transfers, and use of spa facilities at Lukovit and Zlatograd hotels.
How much walking is involved?
The tour includes walking tours of Lovech, Veliko Turnovo, Tryavna, Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa, plus a Jeep tour to a cave and visits to various towns and sites. Most days involve some walking but are not strenuous.
When does it depart?
One departure is listed in October 2026. Flight options depart from Heathrow, Stansted, Luton, Birmingham and Liverpool, or you can arrange your own flights to Sofia.
What is not included?
Flights from the UK are not included in the base price, though optional flight packages from UK airports are available at a premium. Travel insurance, visas and personal expenses are not included.

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