Buzludzha Monument and The Rose Valley Day Tour From Sofia 13 hrs
Description
Join us on a small-group guided trip to one of the most iconic communist monuments from the past in Eastern Europe. The UFO-like abandoned building is located on top of Buzludzha Peak in the Central Balkan Mountains. Today, an empty structure stripped of its initial purposes, it has gained many admirers and popularity around the world, and is considered a remarkable representation of this part of history. We will make a short stop at the wonderful Ethnographic Complex of Damascen, where you can learn more about the production of the famous Bulgarian rose oil. Last, enjoy the beautiful Shipka memorial church and the scenic sub-Balkan way on the way back to Sofia!
Tour Options
Itinerary
07:00 Departure from the starting point. It is a wonderful opportunity for pictures, as there are no people and vehicles around the monument early in the morning.
10:30 The first private rose distillery in Bulgaria and an iconic attraction in the Rose Valley.
13:30 The iconic UFO-like abandoned structure which was once a symbol of the Bulgarian communist party.
15:00 The Shipka Memorial Church is a beautiful heritage site in the area.
15:30 A short visit to the Shipka Monument.
17:00 We will pass by the wonderful town of Sopot in the rose valley on our way back to Sofia where we can make a stop for photos at some off-the-beaten-track rose plantations.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Tour with ONLINE, cloud-based audioguide in different languages. INTERNET required to download and use.
- The tour is not recommended for children under 13 years old.
Reviews(18)
Very well organized excursion, very complete itinerary and very friendly Diradzh guide providing lots of information about the places visited. Although the journey is long several stops are made for coffee and I don't know it's so heavy. Highly recommended.
Very nice excursion. Thank you Maria for your professionalism and kindness Everything was perfect
A very comfortable ride. Martin, our guide was very knowledgeable. Everything right on schedule, professional driving, lots of insights. Overall highly recommended.
Our tour guide was Maria, whose vast knowledge and kind personality made the trip even greater. From the first moment to the last, he shared a lot of useful information with the team. I am glad and grateful that she was our guide. The weather was excellent, so everything was good for us.
Today we made the excursion of the Rose Valley and the Monument Buzludzha. With TRAVENTURIA. Our Guide has been Mary, a charm attentive at all times. My English is not at all fluent, but speaks slowly and I have understood enough. I highly recommend it, apart from that we have also visited the Russian Church of Khipa. It's not made at all heavy. We were my partner and I alone with Maria, and we had a great time.
The tour is advertised at 7 am, and according to the description that also includes a 15 minute entrance into the cathedral which opens at 7 am, so that means the bus should leave at 7:15 am. I called the tour guide Martin Krastev at 7:02 am and informed him that I would be there within less than 10 minutes as I walking to the destination. Again, based on the information provided on Viator. He said that he cannot wait for me and that the bus is already in the highway (this being at 7:02 am)!! and then hung up and never picked up the phone again, I tried to ask if I can take a taxi and meet him at a destination during the day and received not response. I followed up the company and no offer of rescheduling or refund.
Dear Kristian, Thank you for taking the time to review us here on Tripadvisor. Your feedback is of great value to us and we appreciate your time. We are sorry that you missed your tour. At Traventuria we have a very strict policy about the time tables of our tours and our buses do not wait for any late passengers. The time efficiency of our itineraries is one of our most recognizable features and we are proud that all of our trips are running on time and on schedule. What is more, the description of the tour does not include and our tour does not include a visit to the cathedral. The bus for this tour departs (has departed) at exactly 07:00am. Perhaps, you have been reading the description of a similar tour, but from another company, where there is a visit of the cathedral Nevski included. However, we would be happy to have you on another tour with us next time you visit Sofia. Best regards, Nora Dobrinska (Traventuria Team)
The tour was advertised to start at 7 am, so when I called the tour guide that I’ll be there around 7:02 am… they told me, “can't wait sorry” and never followed up again when I asked if I can take an alternative mode of transportation to meet the tour. I’ve been on many tours before where when I’m on time or even early, we are always waiting for people. To contacted the company and they never offered to reschedule the tour or refund the amount.
Dear Kristian, Thank you for taking the time to review us here on Viator. Your feedback is of great value to us and we appreciate your time. We are sorry that you missed your tour. At Traventuria we have a very strict policy about the time tables of our tours and our buses do not wait for any late passengers. The time efficiency of our itineraries is one of our most recognizable features and are proud that all of our trips are running on time and on schedule. We look forward to having you on another tour with us next time you visit Sofia. Best regards, Nora Dobrinska (Traventuria Team)
An amazing trip! Probably the highlight of the holiday! The guide Maria was exceptional, she went an extra mile and beyond to make our day super special, and big thanks to the impeccable driver Alexander. I would do this again, highly recommended!
We had an incredible time on this tour, and were very impressed with Lubo, our friendly, intelligent and informative guide. The Buzludzha Monument is something I have wanted to see for years, and Lubo helped make my day even more special than I could have imagined. I would highly recommend Traventuria to any discerning traveller.
Martin was a great tour guide. He had the best playlist and made sure everyone was very safe the whole time. It really was a great tour and perfect for a day trip.
