Private wine tour in Bulgaria: regions you can reach in a day

Updated: October 29, 2026

For a private wine tour in Bulgaria, the closest regions are around Plovdiv, where wineries lie 15 to 60 minutes from the city, and the Struma valley near Melnik, about 2 h 45 min from Sofia. From Sofia, Plovdiv’s wineries are about 1 h 45 min away by motorway. Book tastings ahead and plan two, at most three, wineries a day.

Bulgaria has made wine for thousands of years, from the Thracians onwards, and its local grapes are worth seeking out: Mavrud around Asenovgrad, Shiroka Melnishka around Melnik, Rubin, Misket and Dimyat. A day with a driver lets everyone in the group taste, and links wineries that are often outside villages, far from buses.

Wine regions by drive time

Region	From Sofia	From Plovdiv	Local grapes and style
Around Plovdiv: Brestovitsa, Asenovgrad, Perushtitsa	about 1 h 45 min	15 to 30 min	Mavrud, Rubin; big reds
Starosel and Hisarya foothills	about 1 h 45 min	about 1 h	Reds and whites with Thracian sites nearby
Pazardzhik foothills (Ognyanovo area)	about 1 h 15 min	about 45 min	International and local blends
Struma valley: Melnik and Sandanski	about 2 h 45 min	about 3 h 30 min	Shiroka Melnishka, warm southern reds
Sakar: Lyubimets and Harmanli	about 3 h	about 1 h 30 min	Concentrated reds from a hot, dry area
Black Sea coast: Pomorie, Varna	about 4 h	about 2 h 45 min	Whites, Dimyat, Muscat

The two easiest days

Plovdiv and its wineries

Plovdiv is the most practical base for wine. Several wineries lie on the plain and in the foothills within half an hour, and Asenovgrad is the home of Mavrud, the country’s best-known red grape. A half day can include two tastings; a full day can add Bachkovo Monastery. Read wineries near Plovdiv and Starosel winery and Thracian temple.

Melnik

Melnik is Bulgaria’s smallest town, surrounded by sand pyramids, with wine cellars cut into the hillsides. From Sofia it is a long day, so many people combine it with Rozhen Monastery or stay a night. See Melnik and Rozhen Monastery from Sofia.

A sample wine day from Sofia

Time	Plan
09:00	Pick-up in Sofia
10:45	First winery near Plovdiv: cellar visit and tasting
12:30	Lunch in Plovdiv Old Town
14:00	Second winery in the Asenovgrad area: Mavrud tasting
15:30	Optional: Bachkovo Monastery
17:00	Drive back
18:45	Back in Sofia

Book every tasting in advance by phone or email, even at large wineries. Many open for visitors only by appointment, and some do not open at weekends or in winter.

How to plan a good tasting day

• Two or three wineries at most. A proper tasting with a cellar tour takes 1 to 1 h 30 min.
• Eat in between. Some wineries serve food with the tasting; ask when booking.
• Mix in a sight. A monastery or Thracian site between tastings gives the day a rhythm.
• Ask about shipping. If you buy several bottles, ask the winery about packing and taking wine home in your luggage.
• Check the season. September and October are harvest months: lively, but wineries are busy.

Why go with a driver

Bulgaria has strict drink-drive limits, and several of the best wineries are reached by narrow country roads. With a driver nobody in the group has to stay sober, and you can buy wine without worrying about the drive back. Our comparison rent a car or hire a driver covers this in more detail.

Beyond wine

If you are curious about Bulgaria’s spirit rather than its wine, see rakia tasting in Bulgaria. On the coast, read wineries near Burgas and Pomorie.

To book, enter your start and the main area in the form above, with the date and number of passengers, and list the wineries you have booked in the notes.