Communist Heritage Tour- Buzludzha and The Might of the East Block Aviation
Description
We will be taking you on a journey through Bulgaria's rich history, focusing on the iconic Buzludzha Monument and the impressive East Block aviation industry. Built in the late 1970s, the Buzludzha Monument stands as a symbol of Bulgaria's communist past and is a must-see for anyone interested in the country's history. The monument is located on the top of a mountain and can be accessed by a winding road. The tour also includes a visit to the East Block aviation museum, where you will learn about the impressive accomplishments of the Eastern Block in the aviation warfare and space program during the Cold War. Get ready to experience the might and grandeur of communist-era Bulgaria on this unforgettable tour!
Tour Options
Itinerary
At 08:00 your guide will pick you up from your accommodation in Plovdiv and will have around 2 hours drive to our first point of interest- Buzludzha monument, which is one of the most notable from the socialist period After approximately a 3-hour scenic drive we will reach Buzludzha monument. It was erected in 1981 to commemorate socialism. Work on the monument began in 1974 and was undertaken by units of the Bulgarian Army assisted by numerous artisans responsible for the large statues and murals. After the government’s fall from power in 1989, the site was abandoned and left open to vandalism until recently. The monument was restored because of the incredible labor of many volunteers, artists, and experts from Bulgaria and other European countries.
After the amazing visit to the Buzludzha monument, we will go down from the mountain and will drive toward one of the very few towns established during the Communist era. It is a very charming little town with wonderful parks and typical Communist monumental buildings. We will walk into the center and you will feel the atmosphere of the period.
Our next stop will be the Museum of Aviation which is located on the grounds of the Plovdiv International Airport and houses a wide range of aircrafts, including fighter jets, helicopters, and transport planes. One of the highlights of the museum is the MiG-21, which was a staple of the Bulgarian Air Force during the Cold War. The aircraft is in excellent condition and visitors can even climb inside the cockpit to get a feel for what it was like to fly one of these powerful machines. Another impressive feature of the museum is the collection of helicopters, including the iconic Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter. The museum also has a variety of interactive exhibits and displays that provide a wealth of information about the history of aviation in Bulgaria and the role of the Bulgarian Air Force in world history, also an exhibition dedicated to the Space program. After this interesting visit, we will drive back to Plovdiv. Your guide will drop you anywhere you like the city.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We pick up all customers from locations that they require.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(7)
Wow, fantastic experience! A lot of driving, and you get to see a huge chunk of the country. The guide, has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Bulgaria’s history. Truly informative, and I learn’t so much. I will be recommending this tour to friends.
The experience I had with the guide Adrian was just amazing. His positive attitude, his encyclopedic knowledge about bulgarian literature, art and history, but also his open mentality to discuss about EVERYTHING just created the perfect mood to live a fantastic day together. Despite the bad weather condition due to the heavy snow and the strong wind we managed to reach the Buzludzha monument thanks to his determination (something that I think strengthened the bond between us). After that we made an interesting stop in Dimitrovgrad to have lunch and, finally, we visited the unmissible aviation museum in Plovdiv. Our conversation has never lost the flow during the whole day, letting us having fun and enjoying the experience at its 100%. I totally recommend this tour and I especially wish to all the travellers to have a guide like Adrian, who I will always be grateful to for what he did!
Amazing all-day tour, great interesting guide explaining everything, open and patient. Really grateful for this tour.
Had an amazing day out with Adrian yesterday . Visit to Buzludzha Monument (need to see it to believe it). A stop for a walk around the charming town of Dimitrograd with its many parks and soviet Baroque architecture, a spot of delicious lunch at a pavement cafe (vegi for me) . Next off to the fascinating Plovdiv Museum Of Aviation with its collection of mainly military aircraft. The trip was around 10 hours , mountains , pretty villages , fields of vines , fields of rose, storks nesting on telegraph poles, horses and carts and bit of Lada spotting. A perfect day out. My guide Ardian was lots of fun, highly informed and great to chat with a guy you would really want to hang out with .Thanks !!
Best experience in Bulgaria! If you like Soviet brutalism, then you will be served with the former headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party, and Dimitrograd. I loved this excursion, and the guide had lots of interesting things to tell about the Soviet era. I highly recommend!
I had the pleasure of doing this tour with Adrian. To say that he knows what he's talking about would be an understatement. He is a walking history book, not afraid of voicing his opinions, but always in a respectful manner. Great guy. Seeing Buzludzha was awesome, as was the walk through Dimitrovgrad with its socialist buildings. The Museum of Aviation was a nice bonus, and he arranged a guide to walk me through it. She was good, but to be perfectly honest, I would also have been happy to explore it on my own. Very nice trip!
Awesome trip and a bucket list item ticked off! Great experience from the initial booking to the communication with the operator. It’s a long day with a lot of driving but the car was very comfortable. Can’t speak highly enough of our guide ‘Evo’ who even though is very young was so incredibly knowledgeable of every single aspect of not only the monuments but of Bulgaria. It’s very clear he loves this country and I feel like I learnt so much about a country I knew nothing about!
