Bachkovo Monastery and Asen’s Fortress from Plovdiv

Updated: October 29, 2026

Bachkovo Monastery is about 30 km south of Plovdiv, around 40 minutes by car through Asenovgrad. Asen’s Fortress is on the same road, about 3 km above Asenovgrad. Together they make a half-day of four to five hours, or a full day if you add lunch by the river and a winery near Asenovgrad.

The route

Both sites are on the road from Plovdiv into the Rhodope mountains. You pass Asenovgrad, then the road enters the Chepelare river gorge. The fortress sits on a crag to the left soon after the town, and the monastery is about 10 km further up the valley.

Stage	Distance	Time
Plovdiv centre to Asenovgrad	About 20 km	About 25 min
Asenovgrad to Asen’s Fortress	About 3 km, steep lane	About 10 min
Asen’s Fortress to Bachkovo Monastery	About 10 km	About 15 min
Bachkovo back to Plovdiv	About 30 km	About 40 min

Use the booking form above to send your route and date. Asenovgrad is pre-filled as the destination; mention that you want both the fortress and the monastery.

Bachkovo Monastery

Founded in 1083 by the Byzantine commander Gregory Pakourianos, Bachkovo is the second-largest monastery in Bulgaria after Rila. Its courtyard is full of frescoes, old trees and a dining hall painted with scenes from the Last Judgement. The main church holds a revered icon of the Virgin, and on church holidays the monastery is busy with pilgrims.

• The ossuary, a separate building a short walk from the monastery, has some of the oldest frescoes. Access is limited, so ask on site.
• Outside the gate, stalls sell honey, herbs, jam and local crafts.
• Restaurants along the river below the monastery serve trout and grilled dishes.

Asen’s Fortress

The fortress stands on a rock high above the gorge. Most of the walls are ruins, but the 12th-century Church of the Holy Mother of God Petrich, with its tall brick tower, still stands at the top and is the reason most people come. The view down the gorge and across the plain to Plovdiv is the other one.

Opening hours and the ticket price can change with the season. Check with the Asenovgrad municipality or the museum’s page before you travel.

The lane up to the fortress is narrow and steep with tight bends, and the parking area is small. Weekday mornings are easiest.

Two ways to do it

Plan	Time	Order
Half-day	4 to 5 h	Fortress first, then Bachkovo, back to Plovdiv for a late lunch
Easy full day	7 to 8 h	Fortress, Bachkovo, lunch by the river, a winery near Asenovgrad on the way back

For the winery option, see our guide to wineries near Plovdiv. To compare this trip with other options around the city, read day trips from Plovdiv by drive time. For a longer day further into the Rhodopes, Perperikon and Kardzhali are about two hours away.

Getting there without a car

Buses run from Plovdiv to Asenovgrad and on towards Bachkovo, and it is possible to visit the monastery this way. The fortress is the harder part: it sits up a steep lane with no bus, so on public transport most people either skip it or walk up from Asenovgrad, which takes about an hour in each direction. A driver links the two and saves the climb, which is welcome in summer heat.

What to wear

Bachkovo is an active monastery: cover shoulders and knees. For the fortress, wear shoes with grip, since the last part is a rocky path and steps. In summer the fortress is exposed to the sun, so go in the morning if you can.