# Sultans Trail, Bulgaria: what it is and when to go > Sultans Trail is a long-distance footpath from Vienna to Istanbul (Sultans Trail Section 5: Sofia - Rhodope - Edirne) in Bulgaria (Plovdiv). Interests: Hiking. The best time to visit is May to October. In June there are 15 h 03 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 57. Here is what it is, where it lies, when to come, how to get there and what else is nearby to turn it into a trip. - Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/sultan-s-trail-section-5-sofia-rhodope-edirne/ - Reviewed on: 2026-10-02 - Language: en ## In a nutshell - **What it is:** Long-distance footpath from Vienna to Istanbul · Hiking - **Local name:** Sultans Trail Section 5: Sofia - Rhodope - Edirne - **Where:** Bulgaria - **Best time:** May to October. - **Nearest airport:** SOF Sofia, 126 km as the crow flies - **Website:** [sultanstrail.com](https://sultanstrail.com/) - **Trail network:** International - **Distance:** 640 km - **From:** Sofia - **To:** Samokov - **Run by:** Sultans Trail Foundation - **Coordinates:** 42.09008, 24.71124 ## What it is and where Sultans Trail is a long-distance footpath from Vienna to Istanbul (Sultans Trail Section 5: Sofia - Rhodope - Edirne) in Bulgaria (Plovdiv). Section of the Sultans Trail, a historic and cultural long-distance hiking route from Vienna to Istanbul. It is in [Plovdiv](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/plovdiv/), where this site lists 25 more places to see, 7.9 km from the centre. Its coordinates are 42.09008, 24.71124; the nearest main airport is Sofia Airport (SOF, Sofia), 126 km as the crow flies. How to get around Bulgaria (train, car, bus) is covered in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/#moverse). - [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=42.090082%2C24.711238) - [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=42.090082%2C24.711238) - **Trail network:** International - **Distance:** 640 km - **From:** Sofia - **To:** Samokov - **Run by:** Sultans Trail Foundation It is one of the [Hiking](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/senderismo/) places in Bulgaria. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap. ## When to go The best time to visit Sultans Trail is **May to October**. | Mes | Época | Hours of daylight | | --- | --- | --- | | January | Possible | 9 h 15 | | February | Possible | 10 h 21 | | March | Possible | 11 h 40 | | April | Possible | 13 h 09 | | May | Best time | 14 h 23 | | June | Best time | 15 h 03 | | July | Best time | 14 h 47 | | August | Best time | 13 h 42 | | September | Best time | 12 h 16 | | October | Best time | 10 h 50 | | November | Possible | 9 h 34 | | December | Possible | 8 h 57 | In June there are 15 h 03 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 57. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather. When to go to Bulgaria in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/#cuando-ir). ## Before you go to Bulgaria To enter Bulgaria there are 6 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “Valid Spanish ID card (DNI) or passport”: they are all, with their deadlines, in [the Bulgaria checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/#antes-de-salir). Currency: Euro (EUR) since 1 January 2026; plugs: Type C and F · 230 V · 50 Hz (the same plug as in Spain); emergencies: 112. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it. ## What is nearby - [Dzhendem tepe](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/youth-hill/): Highest hill of Plovdiv, Bulgaria · 5.5 km - [Plovdiv Zoo](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/plovdiv-zoo/): Zoo in Plovdiv, Bulgaria · 6.1 km - [Sahat hill in Plovdiv](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/danov-hill/): Mountain in Bulgaria · 6.8 km - [Great Basilica, Plovdiv](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/gran-basilica/): Early Christian temple, located in Plovdiv, Bulgaria · 6.9 km - [Cathedral of St Louis](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/catedral-de-san-luis-plovdiv/): Cathedral in Plovdiv, Bulgaria · 7.0 km Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the Bulgaria guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/). ## More in Bulgaria: Hiking - [E3 European long distance path](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/ruta-europea-caminar-e3/): walking path - [Cherni Vrah](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/cherni-vrah/): the fourth highest mountain summit in Bulgaria - [E8 European long distance path](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/european-long-distance-path-e8-part-serbia/): European long-distance hiking trail - [Aleko, Vitosha](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/aleko-hut/): first hut on Vitosha Mountain - [Ivan Vazov hut](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/ivan-vazov-hut/): Hut in Bulgaria - [Pirin hut](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/pirin-hut/): Hut in Bulgaria Every Bulgaria place under Hiking, each with its season, is on [its page](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/senderismo/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Sultans Trail? It is a long-distance footpath from Vienna to Istanbul (Sultans Trail Section 5: Sofia - Rhodope - Edirne in the local language) in Bulgaria. ### When is the best time to visit Sultans Trail? May to October. In June there are 15 h 03 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 57. ### How do you get to Sultans Trail? The nearest main airport is Sofia Airport (SOF), 126 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=42.090082%2C24.711238) opens the route on the map, and how to get around Bulgaria is explained in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/#moverse). ### How do I add it to my trip? With one tap. In Kokai it is already on the Bulgaria map, next to the places you save yourself: add it to a day's plan, give it a time and, if you like, get a reminder when you pass nearby. ### What else is around here? Nearby you have [Dzhendem tepe](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/youth-hill/), [Plovdiv Zoo](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/plovdiv-zoo/), [Sahat hill in Plovdiv](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/danov-hill/). The rest is in [the Bulgaria guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/). Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/19900770), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q699630), CC0. More about Sultans Trail on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultans_Trail). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).