Self-Launched Grand Tour of Romania, Serbia & Bulgaria

Fly into Henri Coandă Airport and take bus 783 (the express airport bus) to Piața Unirii, roughly 4-5 lei (~£0.80), or the train to Gara de Nord. Check into a hostel in the Old Town/Lipscani area. Spend the evening wandering the Old Town's bar-and-restaurant lanes and eat a cheap ciorbă (sour soup) plus mici at a local bistro rather than the tourist-belt terrace.

🚌Airport bus 783 ~£0.80 each way

🛏Hostel dorm in Old Town Bucharest (approx. £14/night)

• →Bus 783 from airport to city centre
• →Self-guided walk of Old Town Bucharest
• →Cheap dinner in Lipscani district

Do a free walking tour of the centre (tip-based, ~£5-8 tip) covering the Romanian Athenaeum, the former Royal Palace and Revolution Square. In the afternoon take metro/tram to the outdoor Village Museum (Muzeul Satului) — one of Europe's best folk architecture museums with wooden churches, windmills and peasant houses; entry about 30 lei (~£5). Book a Palace of Parliament interior tour directly through the official Romanian Chamber of Deputies site in advance (approx. 60 lei / £10, bring your passport).

🚌Metro day ticket ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm in Old Town Bucharest (approx. £14/night)

• →Free walking tour of central Bucharest
• →Romanian Athenaeum (exterior/concert hall)
• →Village Museum entry (~£5)
• →Palace of Parliament interior tour (~£10, book direct)

Take an early train from Gara de Nord to Sinaia (~1h40, 40-60 lei / £7-10). Walk up to Peleș Castle and Pelisor Palace in the forest (combined tickets roughly 100 lei / £17); book castle entry slots online in peak season as Peleș often sells out. Then continue by train to Brașov (~1h, ~£3) and take local bus 20 or a shared taxi to Bran Castle (~£2 each way, entry ~50 lei / £8.50). Base yourself in Brașov's old town for the night — much cheaper than a Bran guesthouse.

🚌Bucharest-Sinaia train ~£8; Sinaia-Brașov train ~£3; local buses ~£4

🛏Guesthouse or hostel dorm in Brașov old town (approx. £16/night)

• →Peleș Castle & Pelisor Palace
• →Bran Castle ('Dracula's castle')
• →Scenic Carpathian train ride

Morning self-guided walk of Brașov's Council Square, the Black Church (small entry fee ~10 lei) and the narrow Rope Street. Skip paid museums if you're on a budget. Mid-afternoon take an intercity bus or train to Sibiu (~2.5-3h, bus ~50 lei / £8.50 from Autogara 2). Evening walk through Sibiu's Grand Square, Huet Square and over the Liar's Bridge, plus the old ramparts and Goldsmiths' Tower — all free to wander.

🚌Brașov-Sibiu bus ~£8.50

🛏Hostel dorm in Sibiu old town (approx. £15/night)

• →Brașov Council Square & Black Church
• →Rope Street
• →Sibiu old town, Liar's Bridge and ramparts

The long day: take an early bus/train Sibiu–Deva or Sibiu–Hunedoara (~2.5h), then a local bus to Corvin (Hunyadi) Castle, the Gothic fortress in Hunedoara (entry ~50 lei / £8.50). Afterwards head to Orșova on the Danube by bus/train via Caransebeș or Drobeta-Turnu Severin (allow 4-5h total with changes — check timetables on autogari.ro and infofer.ro). Sleep in a small pensiune in Orșova; if you'd rather split the journey, overnight in Deva instead.

🚌Local buses/trains via Deva and Caransebeș ~£12

🛏Small pensiune in Orșova (approx. £18/night)

• →Corvin Castle
• →Transylvanian countryside travel
• →Danube-side evening in Orșova

Morning: join a shared speedboat trip on the Danube's Iron Gates gorge to the huge rock sculpture of King Decebalus (book at the Orșova waterfront, ~80-100 lei / £15-17, 1-1.5h). Optional quick detour to the Baile Herculane hot springs by local bus or taxi if timings allow. In the afternoon take a bus from Orșova to Drobeta-Turnu Severin and cross to Serbia — either via the Kladovo bridge on foot/bus to Negotin, or bus to Belgrade (long, ~7h). Practical option: bus Orșova–Belgrade with a change at Kladovo. Overnight in Belgrade.

🚌Shared boat ~£16 (counted in activities); buses to Belgrade ~£18

🛏Hostel dorm in central Belgrade (approx. £14/night)

• →Iron Gates speedboat to Decebalus sculpture (~£16)
• →Optional Baile Herculane hot springs
• →Optional Viminacium Roman site near Kostolac

Take a morning train or bus Belgrade–Novi Sad (~1h, ~£4-5). Walk the old town, Liberty Square, the Name of Mary cathedral and the Petrovaradin Fortress terraces (free to explore; underground tunnels ~£2). Return to Belgrade for a late-afternoon free walking tour of Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, then stroll Knez Mihailova. Optional: St Sava's church (free) and Tito's mausoleum (House of Flowers, ~400 RSD / £3).

🚌Return train/bus Belgrade–Novi Sad ~£9; city trams ~£1.50

🛏Hostel dorm in central Belgrade (approx. £14/night)

• →Novi Sad old town & Petrovaradin Fortress
• →Belgrade Fortress & Kalemegdan
• →Knez Mihailova street
• →Optional Tito's mausoleum & St Sava's church

Bus Belgrade–Niš (~3h, ~£9). From Niš, take a local bus to Kuršumlija and onward/shared taxi to Đavolja Varoš (Devil's Town) rock formations (~2.5h each way, entry ~350 RSD / £2.60) — check return bus times carefully; a taxi from Kuršumlija is the fallback. Back in Niš, do a self-guided walk: Bubanj Memorial Park, the Ottoman fortress, the Skull Tower (~300 RSD) and the lively kafana strip on Kazandžijsko sokače.

🚌Belgrade-Niš bus ~£9; local bus/taxi to Kuršumlija ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm in Niš (approx. £12/night)

• →Devil's Town rock formations (~£2.60)
• →Niš Ottoman fortress
• →Skull Tower
• →Bubanj Memorial Park

Bus Niš–Sofia (~3h, ~£12, several daily departures). En route you can stop briefly at the Čegar battlefield monument if using a local service. In Sofia, do a free walking tour covering Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Russian Church, Serdica's Roman ruins, the Palace of Culture and Independence Square. Cheap and excellent dinner at a mehana in the centre.

🚌Niš-Sofia bus ~£12; metro ~£0.70

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in central Sofia (approx. £14/night)

• →Bus crossing to Sofia
• →Free walking tour of central Sofia
• →Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (free)
• →Serdica Roman ruins

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Take a shared minibus or morning bus from Sofia's Ovcha Kupel bus station to Rila Monastery (~3h each way, return ~£10-12; several tour minibuses leave from Alexander Nevsky area for ~30-40 BGN return). Entry to the monastery is free; the History Museum is ~8 BGN (~£3.50) and the frescoed church is the highlight. Return to Sofia for the evening, or overnight in Rila village to break up the journey.

🚌Return shared minibus Sofia-Rila ~£11

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in central Sofia (approx. £14/night)

• →Rila Monastery (UNESCO)
• →Rila Monastery History Museum (~£3.50)
• →Optional Sofia Archaeological Museum (~£3)

Morning bus Sofia–Plovdiv (~2h, ~£8). Walk the Old Town, the Roman Theatre of Philippopolis (free from outside; small fee for events) and Kapana creative district for lunch. Then bus Plovdiv–Kazanlak (~1.5h, ~£4) to the Valley of Roses. The Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak is a small UNESCO tomb with a replica next door (entry ~£3) — the real tomb is timed-entry and limited. Optional Rose Museum ~£3. Overnight in Kazanlak.

🚌Sofia-Plovdiv bus ~£8; Plovdiv-Kazanlak bus ~£4; local transport ~£2

🛏Budget guesthouse in Kazanlak (approx. £15/night)

• →Plovdiv Old Town & Roman Theatre
• →Kapana district
• →Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (~£3)
• →Optional Rose Museum

Bus from Kazanlak to Shipka village (~20 min), then walk or take a local taxi up to the gold-domed Shipka Memorial Church. Continue by bus toward Gabrovo and hop off at the Etar Open Air Ethnographic Museum (entry ~£3.50) with its water-powered craft workshops. Bus into Veliko Tarnovo (~£2), check in, and walk up to Tsarevets Fortress for sunset (entry ~12 BGN / £5). Evening on Samovodska Charshiya for crafts and cheap dinner.

🚌Local buses Kazanlak-Gabrovo-Veliko Tarnovo ~£6; short taxis ~£3

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Veliko Tarnovo old town (approx. £16/night)

• →Shipka Memorial Church
• →Etar Open Air Museum (~£3.50)
• →Tsarevets Fortress (~£5)
• →Samovodska Charshiya market street

Bus Veliko Tarnovo–Gorna Oryahovitsa then train to Varna (~3.5-4h, ~£8-10) — a slow but scenic ride through the Balkan foothills. Afternoon walking tour of Varna: the Roman Baths of Odessos (small entry fee), the Dormition Cathedral, and the Sea Garden. If you're a museum person, the Archaeological Museum's 6,000-year-old Varna Gold is genuinely worth the ~10 BGN.

🚌Bus + train Veliko Tarnovo-Varna ~£10; city transport ~£1.50

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Varna (approx. £16/night)

• →Train across Bulgaria to the coast
• →Roman Baths of Odessos
• →Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral
• →Sea Garden & Varna Archaeological Museum (optional ~£4.50)

Take a local bus or shared minibus from Varna north to Kavarna/Balchik (~1.5h, ~£4). Visit Kaliakra Fortress on its clifftop headland (entry ~6 BGN / £2.50) with views over the Black Sea, then bus/taxi to Balchik. The Balchik Palace and Botanical Garden (Queen Marie of Romania's summer residence) costs ~10 BGN / £4.50 — the terraced gardens are the highlight. Sleep in Balchik town rather than the palace villas (much cheaper), and swim at a local beach if the weather allows.

🚌Varna-Balchik local buses ~£8 return; local taxis ~£4

🛏Budget guesthouse in Balchik (approx. £17/night)

• →Kaliakra Fortress (~£2.50)
• →Balchik Palace & Botanical Garden (~£4.50)
• →Black Sea cliff-top walk
• →Optional swim at Boiata/central beach

Bus Balchik–Varna (~1h) then bus Varna–Bucharest (~5-6h, ~£16-20; several daily coaches, or a cheaper combo via Ruse). There's no practical direct train across this border, so coach is the way. Arrive Bucharest in the evening; check into a hostel near the Old Town and have a final dinner out. Optional: Ceaușescu's summer residence (Primăverii Palace) if you have energy.

🚌Balchik-Varna bus ~£3; Varna-Bucharest coach ~£18

🛏Hostel dorm in Old Town Bucharest (approx. £14/night)

• →Black Sea to Bucharest coach journey
• →Final evening in Bucharest Old Town
• →Optional Ceaușescu Mansion visit

Breakfast at the hostel and take bus 783 back to Henri Coandă Airport (~£0.80). If your flight is later, use the morning for the National Museum of Romanian History or a last coffee in the Old Town.

🚌Airport bus ~£0.80

🛏—

• →Airport bus
• →Optional final museum visit