Tours/Sofia/Full Day Sofia Tour
Viator · group up to 16 pax

Full Day Sofia Tour

4.9(10)Sofia1 hour
VIATOR5.0(4)TRIPADVISOR4.8(6)

Description

Sofia is one of the oldest cities on the Balkans found by the Thracian tribe Serdi. In 29 A.D. Sofia became the capital of the Roman province of Inner Dacia. Through the ages, the city played role as an important trading center in the Byzantine and Bulgarian Empires. Under Ottoman rule, Sofia was the center of Rumelia province. Sofia became the capital of restored Bulgaria in 1879, with a population of only about 12,000. Today many streets, buildings, parks, and even whole neighborhoods preserve the architectural style from the turn of the century. We will explore the compact city center, Boyana Church (UNESCO) and the National History Museum - one of the largest on the Balkans.

Tour Options

Full Day Tour
On Offer

Itinerary

Pass by

Your day of sightseeing starts from the meeting point - Vasil Levski Monument, just North of Alexander Nevski Cathedral. It is considered the biggest Orthodox basilica on the Balkans and it is a true architectural masterpiece It was built in 45 years time and financed only by the private donations of the people of Bulgaria. With your guide, you will explore it from outside and then from the inside.

Pass by

The theatre's Neoclassical building was designed by the famous Viennese architects Hermann Helmer and Ferdinand Fellner. It has a striking and very photogenic facade. Your guide will tell you more about the history of theatre and the symbolism of the figures presented on the facade.

Pass by

The National Art Gallery and the National Ethnographic Museum are housed in the former Bulgarian king's palace. Did you know that the last Bulgarian monarch became a prime minister after the communist regime in Bulgaria? Some of the stories connected with the Bulgaria kings and queens from the Saxe-Coburg and Gota dynasty are as colourful as of their relatives ruling powerful kingdoms in Western Europe. Some of them will be presented by your guide in an intriguing way.

15 min

This is the church that gave the name of the city of Sofia. You will explore its interior with the guide.

Pass by

The building of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria was completed in 1886. It has been proclaimed a monument of culture for its historic significance

Pass by

The Russian church in Sofia is famous for its beauty. Many people still visit the grave of archbishop Serafim, who served in the church until his death in 1950, praying and leaving notes asking for their wishes to be granted.

Pass by

TSUM is an iconic shopping center in Sofia, which opened in 1956. it shares the same building with the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria.

Admission included15 min

The Boyana church is the closest UNESCO site to the Sofia city center. It was added to the World Heritage list, because of its second layer of frescoes, which dates back to the year 1259.

Highlights

English-speaking guide throughout the tour
Admission tickets for the Boyana Church and the National History Museum
Transportation with modern air-conditioned vehicle.

What's included

Included
English-speaking guide throughout the tour
Admission tickets for the Boyana Church and the National History Museum
Transportation with modern air-conditioned vehicle.
Not included
Meals
drinks
personal expenses.

Traveller Ratings

4.9
10 reviews
5
9
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0

Important Information

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

Reviews(10)

I
izzamz73
December 17, 2025
Best of Sofia in 1 day

Started our Sofia tour with a visit to Boyana Church. Todor Nedkov was our guide, an excellent tour guide indeed. Covered Sofia in a day but left it with fond memories. Walked through many eras of Bulgaria.

D
Donna_J
June 1, 2025
The National Museum of...

The National Museum of History supplies a tour guide who gave a very nice overview in English. Excellent. The Boyana church was very interesting. Overview walking in Sofia gave us some insight on what to see next on our own.

K
KEColorado1
May 19, 2025
Loved Seeing Sofia

What a great way to see Sofia! Hristo was my guide and he really knew his stuff. He even got us to the Boyana Church just before it opened, so we’d be first in line. I really appreciated that because the line that queued after was long. I highly recommend the tour because it gives you the main highlights of the city. It’s a good way to get perspective before diving into other activities. The tour company did a great job of providing important information. They made it easy to find the pickup location and the guide. I’ve seen this handled poorly by other companies, but this one was well planned.

J
janao177
May 17, 2025
Better than Expected

"Your experience will be better than you expect", said the General Manager of Traventuria Svetoslav when we were communicating and preparing the programme. How right he was :). I visited Sofia and Bulgaria with a group of professionals as their guide and interpreter and prepared also some cultural programme - transfers, excursions, wine tasting - everything with the local agency Traventuria. They organized it all very promptly, answered immediately and offered perfect, professional services. Our guide Maria was excellent: knowledgable and very professional in all sences and both tours: sightseeing in Sofia and a day trip to the Rila Monastery were quite an experience - thanks to our guide. Should I visit Sofia in the future, I definitely will use Traventuria again.

M
Martin_D
July 28, 2023
Very nice

Private tour. My guide was wondetful and on a bonus note spoke perfect french. He knew everything about the city...the history and local stories. 10/10 for him.

1 people found this helpful
Operator response

Dear Martin Dionne, Thank you very much for your feedback and excellent review. We appreciate your time and we are happy you enjoyed your trip. Lubo (your guide) was very happy with your kind words, too. Looking forward to seeing you again in Bulgaria for more trips together! Best regards, Nora Dobrinska (Traventuria Team)

J
John_S
July 12, 2022
Good time!

Regarding our tour guide Lubo, It's rare to find a tour guide that goes out of their way to entertain and educate guests beyond the superficial. Lubo, not only shared historical facts but also amazing personal anecdotes that blended well with the theme. All I can say is that if you book this tour ask for Lubo and it's a guaranteed good time. Resident expert that's super chill and knowledgeable!

Operator response

Dear John! Thank you for sharing your review! Lubo is very happy with the feedback received! Looking forward to seeing you! Best regards Maria Kamenova

G
Gavin_S
July 12, 2022
A beautiful tour of Sofia

Lubo was an excellent guide and proved to be very knowledgeable about Bulgarian history and culture. The tour was worthwhile and we saw many beautiful parts of Sofia that I would otherwise have not fully appreciated. The museum and Boyana church were definitely highlights including the California Sequoia in the gardens near the church.

Operator response

Dear Gavin! Thank you for the amazing and detailed review that you gave of our service and the sights seen. Lubo is happy to know he was an important part of your day! Looking forward to many new trips! Safe travels, Maria Kamenova

S
SuzieWong_T
June 26, 2022
Fab must do tour

We had a fabulous tour of Sofia's highlights with Chris. He is extremely knowledgeable and gave us brilliant insight into the long and varied history of Bulgaria. We can't recommend highly enough!

Operator response

Our highest priority is customer satisfaction and we will take into account your remarks. We will be happy to deserve your 5 stars next time when in Bulgaria. We will put an effort into improving as we always strive to provide the best hassle-free experience to our customers. You are always very welcome and we will be expecting to see you again! Kind regards, Maria Kamenova

T
TeddyLuProductions
September 27, 2021
Always on a Sunday in Sofia!

Walking around central Sofia with Lubo was a special treat on Sunday ( but sorry he had to work) since the streets were empty until noon and the traffic was minimal. Lubo shared interesting Bulgarian history and personal life stories that enhanced our understanding of this beautiful city and country. He was very responsive to our quirky humor which added to our enjoyment. We had a delightful day with Lubo!

Operator response

Dear Teddy! I will surely let Lubo know how amazed you were with him! Thank you so much for sharing feedback for your experience with our community on Tripadvisor! Looking forward to hosting you again! Safe travels, Maria Kamenova

J
jinweiwhu
June 25, 2018
good trip

Thanks for todor's good guide work, sofia is a beautiful and long-history city, we really like here. The lifestyle is great, and people are wealcome. You will find it's a peaceful and confortable,and plus, the food is beautiful.索菲亚很漂亮,这里的人们生活方式很悠闲,你可以享受生活,阳光很好,天空很好看,最重要的是,我们非常喜欢这里的人们的生活态度,感觉都很看重家庭和享受生活。最后,非常感谢导游todor,工作认真,态度非常好。

Operator response

Hello! Thanks so much for writing this review - we love hearing about the experiences that our guests have had, especially when they're so positive, it lets us know we're doing something right! We hope to host you on another one of our tours in the future. Kind regards, Ameliya

You might also like...