Socialist Art Museum

Our trip will start with pick up from your hotel at 09:30. First, we will visit the Museum of Socialist Art in Sofia. There we will have the chance to see over 70 works of monumental sculpture, exhibited in a park covering 7,500 sq.m. On a special pedestal, the large five-pointed star that once crowned the former Party House in the center of Sofia is on display. If the day of your trip is Monday we are replacing the museum with another astonishing Communist monument- the Bells Park. It was constructed in 1979 by the daughter of the last Communist leader of Bulgaria by the initiative called "The Flag of Peace". Children from both sides of The Iron Curtain were meeting each other and making bells which are presented in the park. When we finish our walk in the museum we will continue the trip to our next destination - 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.

Travel back in time to feel what life was like for people living in Bulgaria during the communist era. Drive through the highlights of Sophia in the epitome of what it was like during Communism in Bulgaria. You will be picked up at your hotel in a classic Trabant car of the period, a vehicle designed in East Germany in the mid-20th century. Your guide will show you where to explore the most prominent and historical communist sites in the city.  The tour will take you through old, narrow streets, and will show you even the shortest streets of Sophia. Along the way, you’ll explore the statues of Lenin, Zhivkov, and many others in the quiet gardens of the Socialist Art Museum before returning back to your hotel.

Explore Sofia city with me. One of the oldest cities in Europe will amaze you with its rich history and landmarks. During the tour, we will visit St St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St Sophia church, and the Antique market. We will make a wish at the Russian church. And next, we will see from outside the former Royal Palace and the National Theater which is located in a nice city park, the former private garden of our king. Next to the governmental buildings while they were building the metro, they found by chance Roman ruins. We will see St Sofia statue, temples of different religions, and the hot mineral water spring in the center. Optional visit to the Museum of Socialist Art, (closed on Mondays). It is dedicated to the communist time in Bulgaria. We will see video about lifestyle in the past, statues, and posters. Next, we get on the metro and we go to see the residential areas built in the 60-70s. Visit a local supermarket. We will finish the tour with the National Palace of Culture.

Sofia communism tour will bring you back in time. Let us experience Bulgaria during the communism. Get to know what everyday life and the communist regime were like. We will begin with a walking tour of the city center. Next, a visit to the Museum of Socialist Art. The Museum is closed on Mondays. If you want to have the tour here anyway, we will include additional communist buildings on the tour. In the museum, you will learn about life during the communist regime. We continue with a visit to the Bells monument. It was built in 1979 for all the children in the world to play together. We will visit a residential neighborhood with residential blocks and learn about communist living. We will also pass by an antique market where you could get a souvenir from the near past. We finish with an optional lunch at a restaurant in a communist style. The tour can be organized also with a limousine. In this case, the price is higher. Please, inquire me for a customized tour.