The 15 City Tours in Bulgaria That Earn Their Price

1.City Monuments Guided Walking Tour with Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 825 reviews · 2 hours · from $17Our pick

Start by Ivan Vazov National Theater and follow a guide through Sofia’s central sights, including Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Serdika ruins, St. George Rotunda, and the Presidency. Headphones provide commentary in seven languages, while the live guide keeps you on course and leaves time for photos.

“Toni was a great guide, very informative and knowledgeable. The walk itself was done at a very relaxed pace stopping a 20 locations with the last being the Changing of the Guard at the Residency, Thank You”

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2.Private city walking tour of Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 141 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $183Top rated

Spend about two hours walking central Sofia with a private English-speaking guide. Follow the route from Saint Nedelia Cathedral through Serdika, the mosque, synagogue, Largo, Russian Church, and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Guides such as Vasil and Mina are praised for clear stories and lively anecdotes.

“We recently enjoyed a 2-hour city center tour of Sofia with Vasil, and it was a highlight of our stay. Although we had been exploring the city center on our own for the past two days, Vasil brought the history and culture of Sofia to life in a way we hadn’t experienced. His deep knowledge, backed by his academic background in tourism, made the tour both informative and engaging. Vasil was exceptionally friendly and enthusiastic, and his passion for the city was contagious. My wife and I learned so much during our time with him. We highly recommend Vasil for anyone looking to explore and truly understand the majestic city…”

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3.Sofia Walking Private City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 127 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $84

Walk Sofia’s historic center with a private English-speaking guide such as Pavlina, Rumi, or Nikolaj. See Roman streets, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Russian Church, mosque, synagogue, royal palace, and communist-era buildings while getting useful advice for exploring on your own.

“Our tour guide Pavlina was the best! She was so knowledgeable and informative and made sure we saw all the historic sites in Sofia. She went above and beyond our tour time as it ran over a little bit but she didn’t skimp on anything. Highly recommend this tour and Pavlina!”

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4.History and Heritage – Small Group City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 84 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $19

Walk central Sofia with Vasil or Vessy, visiting Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Saint Sofia Basilica, and Saint George Rotunda. You’ll see royal and government landmarks, Roman remains, and the Largo, with a short café break and practical restaurant and museum tips at the end.

“Great tour, very knowledgeable guide. Gave us a good understanding of the history and culture of Sofia and Bulgaria.”

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5.Private city walking tour of Plovdiv

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 65 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $184

Walk from Plovdiv’s central square through Kapana and the Old Town to Nebet Tepe and the Ancient Theatre. A private English-speaking guide covers Roman ruins, Ottoman houses, churches, and local stories. Guide Niki is specifically praised for clear, engaging explanations.

“Thank you so much for an amazing tour of Plovdiv. My guide Niki was awesome, super knowledgeable, about the city, its history and its story. Thank you for a great day.”

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6.Sofia by Night: Panoramic City Tour and Folklore Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 46 reviews · 4 hours · from $116

Spend four hours touring Sofia by air-conditioned minivan with an English-speaking guide such as Nikolai or John, then enjoy a traditional Bulgarian dinner and folk show near Borisova Garden. You’ll see Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Russian Church, Parliament, the National Theatre, and more.

“Our guide Nikolai gave us a great tour of the city before the show.”

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7.Guided City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 37 reviews · 7 hours · from $69

Travel from Varna-area resorts to UNESCO-listed Nessebar with a German-speaking guide. Walk past ancient gates, Roman baths, wooden houses, and St. Stephen’s Church, then enjoy free time for a drink or shopping. Hotel pickup, return transport, and church admission are included.

“Nous avons adoré notre excursion à Nessebar. Le véhicule était confortable et notre guide Philippe était super super. Nous recommandons fortement ce tour si vous désirez visiter Nessebar à partir de Varna. Merci encore!”

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8.Private City Tour of Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 34 reviews · 2 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $31

Explore Sofia with a private English-speaking guide, visiting Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, ancient Serdika, Saint Sofia Church, the Russian Church, Sofia Synagogue, Banya Bashi Mosque, and more. Guides including Rumi, Stoyan, Chris, and Martin tailor the pace. Hotel pickup is offered, but confirm whether your tour is walking or vehicle-based.

“Of course there were some interesting buildings but nothing super spectacular. Lots of walking (almost five miles all in). The literature indicated a private air conditioned vehicle would be utilized with a number of drivebys and a number of stops but no vehicle showed up for us and the operator said it was because our hotel was near city center. We would not have booked this tour if we knew it would be a walking tour for 4 hours. The guide was pleasant and knowledgeable so no complaint there, its all on the operator. Some of the ancient ruins were interesting but government and university buildings were not so interesting.”

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9.Transfer Sofia Airport/city to Plovdiv with a sedan 3+1

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · 1 to 2 hours (approx.)

Travel privately from Sofia Airport or a Sofia address to your Plovdiv hotel, station, or other chosen stop. True Drivers provides door-to-door service, clean cars, water, chargers, and helpful drivers such as Ivan, Georgi, Nikolov, and Bobi. The ride takes about 1 to 2 hours.

“I had excellent experience and great service with this company.”

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10.City Highlights Sightseeing Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 19 reviews · 2 hours · from $18

Meet Nikola or another English-speaking local guide at Alexander Nevsky Cathedral for a brisk, family-friendly tour of Sofia’s Roman, Ottoman, Bulgarian, and communist past. Enter the cathedral, see about 20 landmarks, taste mineral water, and finish near Vitosha Boulevard for lunch.

“Ik vond het fijn dat we op het gemak de geschiedenis hebben mee gekregen en binnen konden gaan op paar plekken. De gids was ook goed kon ook grappjes maken.”

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11.Private Sofia City Tour by Bike

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 10 reviews · from $45

Start near Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and ride Sofia’s central parks with a rented bicycle, equipment, and an English-speaking guide. The route includes Boris Garden, Loven Park, and Yuzhen Park, with an e-guide for extra sightseeing detail. Pickup and drop-off are available with the privately guided option.

“We zaten keurig op de afgesproken tijd te wachten op onze gids. Toen deze 15 minuten te laat was gebeld met het bedrijf. Deze vertelde dat zij de tour hadden geannuleerd een dag van tevoren. Ons hadden ze niets laten weten. De reden de slechte "gevaarlijke" weersomstaRead more”

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12.Private Sofia Guided Walking City Tour with Traditional Breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

Meet your guide at Alexander Nevsky Cathedral for a three-hour walk through Sofia’s Roman, Christian, Ottoman, Bulgarian, and Soviet past. You’ll visit the Rotunda, St. Sofia Church, and major civic sights, then stop for banitsa, ayran, kozunak, and mekitsa. Guides may include Diana, Ivan, Piotr, or Chimmy.

“Our guide was fantastic, very knowledgeable and accommodating, we saw areas that we had not previously seen and were really pleased with this aspect of the tour. However we did not get a 3 hour tour as advertised, ours only lasted for two hours and we didn't get any 'breakfast, food tasting or beverages' which was really disappointing, we were glad we had something to eat before we started the tour. This was no fault of our guide's, he was unaware of this when we questioned him about it.”

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13.Full-Day City Tour including UNESCO Boyana Church

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 7 hours · from $113

Spend seven hours with an English-speaking guide exploring Sofia’s National History Museum, UNESCO-listed Boyana Church, Roman Serdika, Orthodox churches, and major civic landmarks. Guides such as Billie and Chris bring useful historical context, while air-conditioned transport handles the outlying stops.

“We had a great day learning about Sofia and Bulgarian history with Billie. She was an expert guide and offered many insights to the history and culture. We loved every stop at Museum of History and the UNESCO World Heritage church site. The day was a beautiful experience. We’re grateful.”

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14.Full Day Mystical East Rhodope and the ancient city of Perperikon

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 4 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $107

Leave Plovdiv at 8:00 with a guide such as Adrian for a full day in the East Rhodope. Explore the Thracian and medieval ruins at Perperikon, stop in Haskovo for lunch and its Virgin Mary monument, visit Uzundzhovo’s converted mosque, and see Thracian frescoes at Alexandrovo.

“Thank you for the great experience and guidance.”

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15.Private Transfer from Sofia City to Sofia (SOF) Airport

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 4 reviews

Book a private, one-way ride from your Sofia hotel or private address to Sofia Airport. Your chauffeur meets you at reception, handles standard luggage, and drives your group in a sedan, minivan, or minibus. Pickup times suit early flights, though traffic can affect the 30-minute estimate.

“Booked a transfer from the Hyatt Regency to Sofia Airport. First of all: - Could not get in contact with the company to find out what time my driver would be collecting me. - Reached out to Viator and they also could not contact the company. - The company finally answered Read more”

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