Bulgaria · WALKING TOURS
Good walking tours fill up weeks ahead; the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Walk Sofia’s communist-era story in 3 hours, from Cold War politics and Soviet symbols to memorials and a Berlin Wall fragment.
“Full of interesting facts, both historic and relating to current day Bulgaria. Covers lots of ground. Guide’s English was very good.”
A 2-hour Sofia monuments walk with multilingual audio, temple interiors, and Roman ruins, ending at the Presidential Palace guard change.
“Alex was a very good tour guide, he explained everything and how to operate the audio , this was set to your language. It was great that Alex was from Sofia himself, so we were able to ask him lots of questions. It was easy to keep up with Alex and a nice stroll , we were allocated time in each historical building to look around. We were able to see the presidential changing of the guard. This tour was extremely good value for money , we were able to revisit some of the buildings again to spend more time there and we were able to find them much easier.…”
Walk Sofia’s Cold War sites on a 3-hour English tour for $21.77, from Soviet-era landmarks to the NDK Berlin Wall piece.
“Nikki, our tour guide was terrific. Great insights of the communist era in Sofia. Only suggestion is for the tour to be earlier in the winter since it was very dark the last hour of the tour, and we couldn’t see much at the end. Would highly recommend the tour.”
Walk Sofia’s top sights in 2 hours with an English guide, mostly free admissions, and a finish at Vitosha Boulevard.
“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 😅...).”
A 2-hour English guided walk through Sofia’s Roman, early Christian, and more modern layers, entering major churches with free entry.
“Jivko was a great guide to us. Clearly knows about Bulgarian history because of his academic background. The sites were really well picked and we thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Thanks!”
Private 2-hour walking tour of Sofia’s top sights, from Saint Nedelia to Alexander Nevski, with a certified English guide.
“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…”
Walk Sofia’s most famous churches, Roman layers, and markets on a private 2 to 3 hour tour with an English-speaking guide.
“Pavlina was very knowledgeable and engaging. We loved the tour and would definitely recommend this experience!”
Snowshoe frozen Seven Rila Lakes from Sofia, then soak in hot thermal pools at Sapareva Banya. Winter views, guided day trip.
“The snow shoeing experience was great. Giorgi, was an excellent host and it was interesting to hear his perspectives on Bulgarian culture and his in depth knowledge of the Riva Mountains and its Lakes. We thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.”
Headphone-guided Sofia highlights in 7 languages, walking 2 to 3 hours. Churches, ruins, mosque, monuments, and end near the Presidency.
“It was a Good experience, I learned a lot new things that i did not know. Sofia has a lot history and places to visit. This is the best way to get to know the city.”
Private 2.5-hour Plovdiv walk with a certified guide, mixing old and new sights, from Nebet Tepe to the Ancient Theatre.
“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.”
Walk Sofia’s top landmarks on an afternoon route, then finish with Bulgarian wine and local meat bites at a traditional tavern.
“I really did not have an appreciation for Sofia until I took this tour. Great history; little known holes in the wall; loved the food; and left with a great impression of Sofia. Highly recommend”
Walk Plovdiv with a live guide, from Roman theatre to Revival houses and Thracian hill views, in 2 hours for $14.
“El tour con Bibiana ha sido estupendo, nos ha encantado Plovdiv. Nos ha llevado a pequeños rinconcitos de la parte con más encanto, y hemos conocido la historia de algunas casas e iglesias del lugar. Super recomendable.”
A 3-hour small-group food walk through Plovdiv, tasting Bulgarian dishes and culture from markets to tea, ending near the Roman Stadium.
“We had a fantastic morning, Iliya was a knowledgeable and funny guide who shared so much interesting information about the local culture and history. The variety of food tasted was excellent and we learnt so much about Bulgaria in a fun and relaxing format. Highly recommend this tour, it was excellent value for money and a wonderful way to enjoy our morning. This was family friendly for our 5 year old who tasted so many delicious treats along with us. Thank you, Iliya for making our start to Plovdiv so wonderful!”
Join a 2-hour guided Sofia graffiti and street art walk, starting at the Saint Sofia monument, with murals, stories, and hands-on practice.
“it was a nice overview of the street art of Sofia just like they promise. My guide - Katarina- was wonderful. Very smart and i learned a lot. I definitely recommend this if you enjoy street art and have a couple of spare hours in Sofia.”
Small-group 2-hour Plovdiv walk from Eastern Gate to the Roman Stadium, with live commentary and easy orientation for independent exploring.
“Boris was very knowledgeable and engaging with everyone during the tour. I enjoyed the tour very much!”
Pick a monastery, a mountain, a cave or a coastline.
