St. Sophia Church

Culture & history tours

The guide will meet you near the National Theater Ivan Vazov. You will visit more than 15 attractions and cultural monuments of Sofia. For convenience and good audibility of the excursion, you will be given radio guides and headphones. You will move comfortably, enter the temples, take photographs, and all this will allow you not to stand next to the guide, but to listen to him at a distance of up to 200 meters. The tour will end at the Presidency, where you will be able to video the changing of the presidential guard. With us you will see the sights of Sofia freely, in your language, and at your own pace!

Every traveler in Bulgaria wants to visit the most interesting places and take away the most vivid impressions. Your collection of memories will be complete if you visit the sights of Sofia in the company of an Audio Guide. You will explore Sofia on your own at your own pace, with the help of an audio guide and a map of the excursion route. Approaching the desired object, you dial its number and start playback. After paying for the tour, a link with access to audio files will be sent to your email. On the day of the excursion you have chosen, the link will become active and will be valid for 24 hours. You will listen to audio recordings on your phone. You will need the internet and headphones to listen to recordings in temples. The itinerary that is proposed is circular and seems to be the most convenient in order to see all the sights, but you can feel free to remodel it to your tastes because you decide when and to which audio recordings to listen. The duration of the trip may differ, according to you, from 2,5 hours to 4 hours. Your first stops will be the National Theater, the Russian Church, Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the hidden Jewish memorial complex and St. Sophia Church. Next, continue on to the old St. Petka Church, the central Mosque and the famous St. George Rotonda Church.

Enjoy a fun day exploring Sofia's markets, popular with both locals and tourists, in the company of an expert local guide. Indulge in some traditional street food and drinks and get to know the local cuisine at 4 food stops. During the tour, visit the popular markets in Sofia — the Flea Market, the Central Market Hall, the Hali Market, and the Women's Market. Find out how they are all representative parts of different historical periods — the Postcommunist era, Communism, the Kingdom period, and the Ottoman presence in Bulgaria. Along the way, pass by and hear about the history of some of the most important sights and landmarks in the city. These include Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Saint Sofia Church, The Largo, the Roman ruins, the Banya Bashi Mosque, Sofia Synagogue, Lion Bridge, and more. You might also find some great souvenirs and antiques, if that's your thing. .

Although somewhat overlooked by the tourists, the capital of Bulgaria is a city drenched in history. From the 2000-year-old ruins to the Ottoman mosques of the Middle Ages and the newer onion-shaped domes of the Orthodox Churches spread all over the city, Sofia is a place that will convince you to stay and explore some more. The heritage of the soviet communist times is undeniable in this city, and we will make sure you understand what it meant to live under the system. It will give a new twist to the motto of Sofia: ”Ever Growing But Never Aging”. Come and see the largest orthodox cathedral in the World, the Alexander Nevski, which has a capacity of 10 thousand people and is the seat of the Patriarch of Bulgaria. Also not to miss is the Saint Sofia Church, the second oldest church in the city and the name giver of the Capital of Bulgaria. Another point of interest we will take you to is the famous Russian Church, on the site of an ancient Turkish Mosque, and the most photographed building in Sofia.

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.

Our tour will start with a pick-up from your hotel at 09:00. We will have around 2 hours drive on a modern highway which is covering the ancient road connecting the Silk road with Rome. When we reach Sofia we will head toward the historical center of Sofia. We will park the car and will have around 3 hours walking tour of the city. We will visit one more museum- Sofia history museum where you will learn about our 20th-century monarchy period when Sofia became the center of our country. Also during the day tour, the remains of the Roman city of Serdica will be revealed by visiting the Roman ruins, St. Sofia church, and the rotunda of St. George. Other highlights will be Alexander Nevski cathedral, the symbol of the city, the monarchy palace, Sofia University's main building, a piece of art from the very late 19th century, the parliament, and of course the Communist administrative center. When we finish with the exploration of the center of ancient Sofia we will drive to its outskirts and will visit the main Communnist residence where in modern times is situated the National history museum. The museum's collections span over 13,000 years of history, from the earliest civilizations in the region to the Ottoman Empire and modern-day Bulgaria. One of the highlights of the museum is the collection of medieval artifacts, including weapons, armor, and religious icons from the Bulgarian Middle Ages. This period saw the establishment of the Bulgarian Empire and the development of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, both important parts of Bulgaria's cultural heritage. Our next stop will be the famous site- Boyana church., a medieval church that is considered one of the finest examples of medieval Balkan art. The church was built in the late 10th century but is known for its stunning frescoes, from the 13th century. These frescoes depict scenes from the lives of saints, as well as portraits of Bulgarian nobles and church dignitaries. The church is also noted for its architectural features, which combine elements of Byzantine and Bulgarian styles. The interior of the church is divided into three parts, each with its own unique characteristics. The nave is lined with columns and has a ribbed ceiling, while the semi-dome of the apse is decorated with intricate frescoes. The narthex, or entrance area, is also adorned with frescoes and serves as a transition between the secular and religious worlds. Our final stop before we head back to Plovdiv will be at one of the most interesting and significant monuments from the Communist period- park "The Bells". It was constructed in 1979 by the daughter of the last Communist leader of Bulgaria through 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.

Itinerary This is a typical itinerary for this product: Stop At: National Museum of History, ul.Vitoshko lale 16, Sofia 1618 Bulgaria Your ElectrEco Tours experience begins at 9 am when your private guide picks you up from your accommodation in Sofia. By electric vehicle, you'll head to the outskirts of Sofia and Vitosha Mountain. Your first stop is the National History Museum, the largest museum in Bulgaria and one of the biggest on the Balkans. Explore its rich collections spanning from antiquity to the present day. Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes Stop At: Boyana Church, 3 Boyansko Ezero Str., Sofia 1616 Bulgaria Next, you'll visit the remarkable Boyana Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its remarkably well-preserved frescoes from the 13th century. Take the opportunity to explore the church and delve into its fascinating history with your guide. Duration: 30 minutes Stop At: City Tour, Sofia Bulgaria After your visit to Boyana Church, you'll head to the center of Sofia for a 2-hour sightseeing tour. Your guide will lead you around the most captivating buildings and landmarks, offering insights into their history. Highlights include the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Saint Sofia Basilica, Saint George Rotunda, the Parliament, the Presidency, the Roman Remains, and more. The tour concludes around 2 pm near the beginning of “Vitosha” street, Sofia's main pedestrian thoroughfare. Duration: 2 hours Finally - a drop off at your place with our electric vehicle. Explore Sofia in a eco-friendly way - meet the past with the future mobility!