Bike Bulgaria Balkan Road Cycling


Arrival at Sofia/Plovdiv airport and transfer to Sofia/Plovdiv city center for accommodation.


Early transfer brings you to Yablanitsa town where the cycling starts. You pass through town and then continue to Malak Izvor village, which is a starting point for a challenging 5 km uphill ride to Glozhene Monastery. Having visited the monastery you go downhill the same way and continue further to the scenic Teteven town. Here you can have a short stop for a walk and visit of the local historic museum and church or a short bike and hike trip to a nearby eco trail with 2 beautiful waterfalls. Then you continue with a 12 km ride upstream Vit river to Ribaritsa village, where you stay overnight. Cycling distance: 70 km

Ascent from Ribaritsa village to the highest point of the day - Bogoi pass (1185m). From this pass the road goes all the way down to the town of Troyan passing through the village of Shipkovo where you can take a refreshing bath in the mineral water swimming pools. After lunch in Troyan town centre you can visit The Pottery and Craft Exhibition "Oreshaka" and the famous Troyan monastery. You spend the night in Apriltsii village in the heart of Central Balkan mountains. Cycling distance: 74 km


Cycling on isolated village roads from Apriltsi to Gabrovo. Enroute you pass by numerous small villages set in green landscapes and river valleys, visit Batoshevo monastery and have lunch in a local village pub. After an ascent follow by a nice downhill ride you reach Gabrovo town and continue to the "Etura" open-air ethnographic museum, as well as the beautiful Sokolski Monastery. You stay overnight next to Etura. Cycling distance: 55 km

In the morning you cycle back to Gabrovo town. After an ascent followed by a steep descent, you arrive in Tryavna. There you can spend some time on sightseeing and lunch in the centre of this beautiful National Revival town. Ups and downs through open terrain and small villages will lead you to the final stop for today - Bozhentsi architectural reserve. Cycling distance: 52 km


You cycle back for some 10 km and get on the main road leading you to Dryanovo monastery where you can stop for a visit. Then you continue to Dryanovo town and further to Kilifarevo monastery where you can have lunch. After an ascend in a forested area you reach the blue waters of Iovkovtsi dam and soon you descend to the beautiful and quiet town of Elena. Cycling distance: 77 km


From Elena you cycle to the last point of the trip – Arbanasi architectural reserve. The landscape includes meadows, pastures, cultivation lands, shrubby hills and finally a beautiful plateau over Veliko Tarnovo. You can spend some time for walks and rest among the old houses of Arbanasi and continue with a steep downhill ride to Veliko Tarnovo where you can visit Tsarevets fortress, the old town of Veliko Tarnovo and have lunch. In the afternoon you will be met by your driver and transferred to Plovdiv or Sofia for overnight. Cycling distance: 43 km