The 15 Best Day Trips from Plovdiv
How far each place is, what to see there, and a plan for the day.
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There are 15 good day trips from Plovdiv, Bulgaria, led by Sofia, Stara Zagora, Pleven. The closest is Asenovgrad, about 25 min by car, and 2 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.
Built from 15 nearby places, with sights from real traveler trips, on Packy AI. Last updated November 2026 by the Packy AI Travel Team.
Day trips from Plovdiv
- 1
Sofia, Bulgaria
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 5 min by car132 km north-west of PlovdivKnown for Софийски римски амфитеатър.
- 2
Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 15 min by car80 km north-east of Plovdiv - 3
Pleven, Bulgaria
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 10 min by car141 km north of Plovdiv - 4
Sliven, Bulgaria
Long day or overnightAbout 2 hr 15 min by car142 km north-east of Plovdiv - 5
Pernik, Bulgaria
Long day or overnightAbout 2 hr 20 min by car149 km west of Plovdiv - 6
Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 10 min by car137 km west of Plovdiv - 7
Haskovo, Bulgaria
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 20 min by car71 km east of Plovdiv - 8
Yambol, Bulgaria
Long day or overnightAbout 2 hr 20 min by car148 km east of Plovdiv - 9
Veliko Tŭrnovo, Bulgaria
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr by car126 km north-east of Plovdiv - 10
Pazardzhik, Bulgaria
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car35 km west of Plovdiv - 11
Asenovgrad, Bulgaria
Half-day tripAbout 25 min by car18 km south-east of Plovdiv - 12
Kavála, Greece
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 10 min by car138 km south of Plovdiv - 13
Xánthi, Greece
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 45 min by car114 km south of Plovdiv - 14
Gabrovo, Bulgaria
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 25 min by car93 km north-east of Plovdiv - 15
Kazanlak, Bulgaria
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 25 min by car74 km north-east of Plovdiv
A sample day: Plovdiv to Sofia
- 07:30Leave Plovdiv
- 09:35Arrive in Sofia (2 hr 5 min drive)
- 09:50Софийски римски амфитеатър
- 11:50Lunch
- 13:05Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Sofia
- 15:35Head back to Plovdiv
- 17:40Home in Plovdiv
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best day trips from Plovdiv?
- The best day trips from Plovdiv are Sofia, Stara Zagora, Pleven, Sliven, Pernik. The closest is Asenovgrad, about 25 min away by car.
- What is the closest day trip from Plovdiv?
- Asenovgrad is the closest, 18 km south-east of Plovdiv, roughly 25 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
- Where can I go within an hour of Plovdiv?
- 2 places are within about an hour's drive of Plovdiv: Asenovgrad (25 min), Pazardzhik (40 min).
- What is the biggest city near Plovdiv for a day out?
- Sofia is the largest city in day-trip range, 132 km north-west of Plovdiv and about 2 hr 5 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
- Where can I go for a weekend from Plovdiv?
- For a weekend away from Plovdiv, pick the places far enough to be worth a night: Pernik (149 km, 2 hr 20 min), Yambol (148 km, 2 hr 20 min), Sliven (142 km, 2 hr 15 min), Pleven (141 km, 2 hr 10 min). Closer places on this list work better as a single day.
- How far is too far for a day trip from Plovdiv?
- Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Pernik at 149 km, around 2 hr 20 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.
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