Private Tours and Day Trips from Sofia

The departure is early in the morning from Sofia. After about 2 hours you will arrival in the Rila Monastery. The tour in the Rila monastery continues for about two hours including a visit of the church and the local museum, where is placed the unique cross of Rafail, created by monk Rafail, recreating 104 religious scenes and 650 miniature figures. The work on this piece of art lasted more than 12 years before it was completed in 1802. Founded in the 10th century, the Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments. It is named after its founder, the hermit Ivan of Rila, the patron Saint of Bulgaria. It is the biggest monastery in Bulgaria and it is emblazoned in fantastic murals and fret-works. In the church is placed the heart of Bulgarian monarch – Boris III, in reign from 1918 to 1943. Then you will proceed to a beautiful mountain restaurant, located 20km from the monastery. There you will enjoy your a traditional lunch, tasting the secrets of the Bulgarian cuisine. After your lunch you will continue to the biggest winter resort in Bulgaria, Bansko. In Bansko you will enjoy a walking tour of the resort, some free time and an afternoon refreshing drink in a local cafe. Then you will depart back to the city of Sofia. The total duration of the trip is 12 hours.

Private transport with a private driver, professional private tour guiding services in English, traditional lunch, tickets for the museum of Rila Monastery, afternoon refreshing drink in Bansko.

extra drinks, gratuities

The tour starts early in the morning from Sofia. After about 2 hours you will arrive in the town of Dobrinishte, located beneath the Rhodope Mountains. In Dobrinishte you will visit a Bulgarian restaurant, where you will be served a typical Bulgarian breakfast, including fresh homemade jam of blueberries. After your breakfast your journey will continue visiting several small villages, located beautifully in the glorious Rhodope Mountains. All of these villages are authentic, designed in a typical Bulgarian revival period architecture. In each of these small villages you will try something special from the local Bulgarian cuisine. You will try the famous Bulgarian honey, produced in an ecological environment. You will also taste local jams, delights and Bulgarian yogurt, which contains the healthy bacteria Lactobacillus Bulgaricus. You will also try “ljutenitsa”, which is vegetable relish, made of tomatoes, carrots, pepper and aubergine. Your lunch will be in a restaurant, located quite high in the mountains in a beautiful old-styled restaurant. One of the specialties will be the so called “Papatnik”. It is a Bulgarian potato dish, typical for the local villages. It is made from grated potatoes, onions, salt and a type of very mild mint, called Gyosum. Then you will depart back to the city of Sofia and you will arrive at night. The total duration of the tour is approximately 12 hours. 

Private transport with a private driver, professional private tour guiding services in English, breakfast, lunch and the traditional specialties mentioned in the program.

extra drinks, gratuities

The departure is early in the morning from Sofia. After about 2 hours you will arrival in the city of Plovdiv, located southeast from Sofia. Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria with a population of roughly half of million people. Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe and it has been a major city for many empires. In the Old Town of Plovdiv are concentrated hundreds of houses from 18th to 19th century, churches, monuments and a huge Roman amphitheatre, build in 2nd century AD. During the tour you will visit St.Konstantin and Helen church and the House of Hindliyan. The house  was constructed in 1835 and represents one of the few houses in Plovdiv, which have preserved their original symmetric design. In terms of its artistic decoration, the house is an example of highly sophisticated design typical for 19th century. You will have a lunch in the city centre of Plovdiv. After your lunch you will continue to the second largest monastery in Bulgaria, named Bachkovo Monastery. It is located 30km from Plovdiv and it is one of the oldest in the country, build in 11th century. The Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary (dating from 1604) is the place where a valuable icon of the Virgin Mary Eleusa from 1310 is kept (brought from Georgia). According to the legend, the icon is wonder-working, attracting many pilgrims. Then you will depart back to the city of Sofia. The total duration of the tour is approximately 12 hours. 

Private transport with a private driver, professional private tour guiding services in English, admission fees, lunch

drinks, gratuities

The journey starts early in the morning from Sofia. This journey will reveal you the beauty of Valley of Roses, located nearly 200km from Sofia. The first sight to be visited is the Museum of Roses in Kazanlak. You will have a guided tour of the museum, unveiling the secrets of Roses. Therefore you will proceed deep into the Balkan Mountains, visiting the Complex of Damascena. The complex is the largest rose oil producer in Bulgaria. There you are going to have a special guided tour and explanation of the rose oil production. The lunch is in the complex. The trip proceeds to the memorial church of “Birth of Jesus”, covered with remarkable golden domes. Later during the day you will visit the great complex of “ETAR”, which is an ethnographic Bulgarian complex with nearly 50 traditional houses from 18th and 19th century, located on the north side of the Balkan Mountains. You could buy typical Bulgarian handmade souvenirs and you could taste traditional home made delights. After “ETAR” complex, you will visit one of the greatest national sights in Bulgaria, the Monument of Freedom. It is build as a memorial for the liberation of the country from the Ottoman domination. Its height is 31m and it is located 1200m above the sea level. Then you will depart back to Sofia. The total duration of the tour is approximately 15 hours. 

Private transport with a private driver, professional private tour guiding services in English, admission fees, lunch

drinks, gratuities

The trip starts early in the morning from Sofia. After about 2 hours and 30min you will arrival in the city of Veliko Tarnovo. Veliko Tarnovo is located in central Bulgaria and is famously known as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists with its unique architecture. Your journey will start with a guided tour in the fortress of “Tsarevets”, where were the palaces of the Bulgarian emperors and the Patriarchate, the Patriarchal Cathedral, and also a number of administrative and residential edifices from 13th and 14th century. As you will see, this massive fortress gives an impression of grandeur and greatness. After the fortress you have a lunch in a stylish and elegant restaurant, located in the city centre. Then you will visit the magnificent Museum of the Bulgarian Revival Constituent – Assembly.  The museum is positioned in three levels, each representing specific period of country’s history. Therefore, you will continue to the nearby village of Arbanasi. Arbanasi village is nowadays one of the wealthiest villages in north Bulgaria, still preserving the soul of the ancient Bulgarian traditions. In this beautiful village you will visit very old church, named “Birth of Jesus” and then you will visit typical Bulgarian house from 19th century, which was once owned by a wealthy trader. Then you will depart back to Sofia. The total duration of the tour is approximately 13 hours.

Private transport with a private driver, professional private tour guiding services in English, admission fees, lunch

drinks, gratuities

The journey starts early in the morning with a departure from Sofia to the town of Vratsa. Once you arrive in the town, you will start your journey with visiting the History Museum of Vratsa. The main building of the museum houses several exhibitions. The Archaeology Section is spread around the Prehistory Hall, the Antiquity Hall, the Middle Ages Hall, the Thracian Treasures Hall, the Rogozen Treasure Hall, and the Lapidarium. The most precious exhibition in the museum is undoubtedly the Rogozen Treasure. The Rogozen Treasure, also called the discovery of the century, was found by chance in 1985 by a tractor driver digging a well in his garden in the Bulgarian village of Rogozen. It consists of 165 receptacles, including 108 phiales, 55 jugs and 3 goblets. The objects are silver with golden gilt on some of them with total weight of more than 20 kg. The treasure is an invaluable source of information for the life of the Thracians, due to the variety of motifs in the richly decorated objects. It dates back to 5th century B.C. After the museum, you will have a lunch in the town’s centre. Then you will visit Ledenika cave, located several kilometres from Vratsa. It features an abundance of galleries and impressive karts formations, including stalactites and stalagmites, dating back a thousand years. It is one of the most beautiful caves in Bulgaria. Afterwards you will proceed back to the capital of Sofia. The total duration of the tour is approximately 13 hours.

Private transport with a private driver, professional private tour guiding services in English, admission fees, lunch

drinks, gratuities