BULGARIA
Bulgaria's best days out.
The 10 best 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.
“January 24, 2026 The temperature on the bus was excessive, as it seems to be in all closed environments in Bulgaria.”
UNESCO Rila Monastery and Boyana Church in one day from Sofia, with an English guide, air-conditioned transport, and flexible free time.
“Overall, great value for money, and a must-see tour of 3 beautiful historical sites! Details: There was 0 confusion at the pick-up point, and despite making multiple stops, the tour went really smoothly. There was enough time to absorb the important sights of each spot. Our guide, Lachezar Gudev (Lucho), was very friendly, informative and…”
Communist Walking Tour of Sofia: a 3-hour English walk past Soviet-era monuments, NDK, and a Berlin Wall piece, guided for $21.77.
“We had an incredible experience on the tour with Nikola today. He is extremely knowledgeable, and made the tour so engaging even in -6 degree weather. We learned so much about the history of communism in Bulgaria — this tour is a must when visiting Sofia!”
Walk Sofia’s top sights in 2 hours, from Alexander Nevsky Cathedral to Serdica ruins, with free entries and mineral water tasting for $19.35.
“Nice visit around the place with historical and small détails. The guide was nice and there were not much people (in fact I was alone with the guide 😅...).”
Small-group day trip from Sofia to Skopje with pickup, two English guides, Old Bazaar, Stone Bridge, Mother Teresa, free lunch time.
“Amazing way to visit another country in one day. The transportation was very comfortable, both the driver and the guide in Macedonia were extremely nice and knowledgable and overall the tour was very enjoyable. If you have extra time in Sofia, this is the perfect tour to take.”
Sofia pub crawl to locals’ bars with free rakia, beer or wine, weekend club entry, and a 4–5 hour guided route.
“Definitely worth the small price! You go to multiple bars and they all have fairly cheap drinks and are very fun to be at. I went with a bunch of students from my university and it’s one of the best experiences and bar crawls I’ve ever done!”
Plovdiv day trip from Sofia with a small group, guided Old Town walk, optional Roman sights, and real free time to wander.
“Extremely interesting visit to Plovdiv, a very nice city. The meeting point it was very easy to find. The driver was extremely careful and the guide, Hristo, explained very well the history of Plovdiv and the visit.”
Sofia day trip to Devetaki Cave, Krushuna Waterfalls, and Lovech’s covered bridge and medieval fortress, with hotel pickup.
“Hotel pick-up was very convenient consider the excursion started at 08:00. We returned at the hotel around 19:00. Long day, but very relaxed. Driver / tour guide was very helpful .”
Day trip from Sofia to Rila Monastery and the Seven Rila Lakes, with scenic mountain roads, chairlift hiking, and weather backups.
“My only complaint about this tour is the lack of time to do the activities. However, it’s a great combo! The Rila monastery is incredible.. as beautiful inside (no photos allowed) as it is on the outside. A little more time would be nice to see all areas. The Rila 7 lakes has amazing scenery.…”
Small-group day trip from Sofia to Plovdiv’s Roman sites, Asen’s Fortress views, and Bachkovo Monastery, with hotel pickup and a pro guide.
“Excellent small tour with knowledgeable guide. Shout out to Teodor who as an expert historian and linguist provided the historical, cultural, and geographical story of Bulgaria's archeological wonder, the city of Plovdiv. If you love talking about the Roman Empire, and are fascinated with the Bulgarian Renaissance of the 19th century, you will love this…”
