BULGARIA
Bulgaria's best days out.
The 10 best full-day tours in Bulgaria. What each one involves, who runs it, and what you will pay.
Day trip from Sofia to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church, with guided history, UNESCO frescoes, and time for lunch and photos.
“City Tours was very organized and communicative. Departure location was easy to find. The tour was informative and entertaining. Tuni was a fabulous guide, with flawless English and Spanish. He really made the tour come to life. Great value for 20€.”
Plovdiv day trip from Sofia with a small group, guided Old Town walk, optional Roman sights, and real free time to wander.
“We were crammed in to a small minibus bus and on return was so hit the whole 3 hour journey was uncomfortable. When we arrived in Plovdiv the tour guide was extremely rude and unhelpful in determining the pick up area. She refused to point out where to meet on a map on my phone…”
Full-day trip from Sofia to Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa with guided old towns, Roman ruins, and liberation history in an air-conditioned ride.
“The draw back is there is hardly any time in the city to see anything or have a nice lunch we got 50 minutes”
Full-day tour from Sofia to Niš with Mediana Roman ruins, the Skull Tower, WWII camp, Niš Fortress, and scenic gorge views.
“Was chilly this time of year but we expected that & dressed warmly. The border crossings were not too bad - but I could see how this could be a hassle in busier times.”
A long-but-worth-it Sofia day trip to Belogradchik Rocks, Belogradchik Fortress, and Venetsa Cave with hotel pickup.
“Doesn't get any better. Ventsislav was our guide and one of the best we've had in our 60 years of worldwide traveling. Showed up on time in a very comfortable vehicle.”
Full-day hike from Sofia through the Seven Rila Lakes, then a soak at Sapareva Banya Spa. Small group, chairlift, 103°C thermal water.
“This was a great tour if you like hiking. Our guide Phil was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.”
Small-group day trip on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast: Roman Baths of Odessos, an Orthodox church, Pobiti Kamani, mosaic museum, and lunch.
“Wunderbar geführte Tour um Kultur und Bräuche Bulgariens zu erleben. Ein Erlebnis für groß und klein”
Snowshoe the Seven Rila Lakes from Sofia, then unwind in Sapareva Banya thermal pools with guide-led instruction and pickup.
“In advance of the tour, we sent multiple Viator messages, wrote an email, and called the provided number 5+ times. We did not select a pickup point because we were already going to be in Rila and wanted to meet there, so we asked where would be best to meet the local guide. No one…”
Seven Rila Lakes day hike from Sofia with small-group minivan transport, cable car access, and a moderate 5-hour walk at high altitude.
“Great experience. Don’t miss. This can be challenging physically hiking to the top. The views are stellar along the way!”
Small-group full-day tour from Sofia to Plovdiv Old Town and Asen’s Fortress, with Roman sites, views, and VR.
“Philip was our guide for this tour and was excellent. He provided us with detailed information with a sense of humor. Plovdiv was excellent; we enjoyed going through the old town with its history and then walking through the new town.”
