If you are looking for a short weekend getaway close to Bucharest, the north of Bulgaria might be the answer. These 4 Bulgarian natural wonders offer the perfect mix between relaxation and adventure and might make you come back for more. Disclamer: the photos included below are not edited and have no filters applied to them.
Reccommended route from Bucharest for a 2 days itinerary:
Reccommended routes from Bucharest for a one-day itinerary:
Bucharest-Emen Canyon-Kaya Bunar Waterfall-Veliko Tarnovo-Bucharest
OR
Bucharest-Devetashka Cave-Krushuna Waterfalls-Veliko Tarnovo-Bucharest
General costs:
- Bridge toll (Romania-Bulgaria and return): 14 lei/3 euros/way;
- Bulgarian vignette: 10 BGN/5 EUR/weekend;
- Devetashka cave
Located 220 km from Bucharest (around 3.5 hours by car) and 90 km from Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, this wonderful place is home to 15 species of bats and served as a shooting scene for the movie “The Expendables 2”. The entrance fee is 3 BGN and there is a place where you can park the car before entering the cave area.
- Krushuna Waterfalls
Located 210 km from Bucharest (around 3.3 hours by car) and 20 minutes away from the Devetashka cave, the natural park hosting these amazing landmarks came as a very big surprise to us. There are 3 main hiking trails inside (maximum 30 minutes / trail), taking you to several beautiful waterfalls and small caves. Prices: 3 BGN/day/adult, 1 BGN/day/student, 2 BGN/day/car the parking cost and free of charge for children.
- Kaya Bunar (Hotnishki) Waterfall and its eco-trail
Located 190 km away from Bucharest (3 hours by car), this landmark is a great place if you want to relax, hike and swim in a natural pool. There is an eco-trail starting behind the waterfall, which takes you to a 30 minutes hike with both easy and medium difficulty parts (steep stairs and rocks you need to climb). The parking is free here.
- Emen Canyon:
Located 210 km away from Bucharest (3.3 hours by car), the main trail crossing the canyon starts in Emen’s village public parking. The hiking route to the secluded Momin Skok waterfall takes around 3 hours roundtrip, and it is an easy trail. This spot is definitely worth a visit (or even more) in the summer, when you can swim alone (if lucky) in the waterfall’s natural pool.
Have a nice trip!
Calatoris 