Things to Do in Sofia
Our free English and Spanish language sightseeing walking tours of Bulgaria's capital have been the #1 way to explore Sofia since we first started in 2010. You can join us 365 days a year. No matter the weather conditions!
Please note we do not accept groups larger than 9 people. Any split group reservations will be canceled at the meeting point and our guides will refuse your participation on the tour. If you are coming with a large group - contact us in advance for a private tour.
Starting point: Sofia City Court/Palace of Justice, Sofia (2, Vitosha Boulevard)
Free Tour in English:
Until November 30th:
EVERY DAY at 11AM, 2PM
EVERY FRI, SAT & SUN at 10AM, 11AM, 2PM
From December 1st:
Every Day at 11AM & 2PM
Free Tours in Spanish:
EVERY DAY at 11AM
EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AT 6PM
The best attraction in Sofia according to TripAdvisor users. Approved by Tourist Service Municipal Company at Sofia City Municipality.
Every tour is both fun and educational, the perfect introduction to the city and its thousands of years of history. Discover Sofia in a fun and interactive way through the eyes of our enthusiastic local guides.
Tour Route:
- Start: Palace of Justice
- Sveta Nedelya Church
- Coat of Arms of Sofia
- Statue of Sofia
- Church of St. Petka
- Largo Square ruins
- Banya Bashi Mosque
- Sofia Synagogue
- Bath / Museum of Sofia
- Mineral waters
- Council of Ministers
- Former Communist Party Headquarters
- Presidency
- Rotunda of St George
- City Garden
- National Theater Ivan Vazov
- National Gallery (Former Royal Palace)
- Russian Church and Military Club
- St. Sophia Basilica
- End: St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
In a 2-3 hours (or so depending on the group) walk through Sofia city's main see sights, my visitors receive 3000 years of condensed history of Sofia, Bulgaria, and the Balkans. My personal multi-disciplinary approach to history (culture, sociology, and international politics) helps my visitors connect the dots on simple matters and make sense of complex issues.
The story behind the story is things that you would not find in brochures, blogs, tourist guides, and ordinary books.
All my visitors leave with further recommendations for what more there is to do and see in Sofia and Bulgaria.
If you're into history, culture, and food, and want to avoid the standard (A4) tours and cliches, this is the right tour for you.
Welcome to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria!
During the sightseeing walking tour we will get to know the Bulgarian history background and cultural heritage through the main sightseeing spots in the historical part of the center of Sofia.
Just few of the main spots part of the tour :
- Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
- St. Sofia Church
- Royal Palace
- National Theater “Ivan Vazov”
- “Independence” Square and Serdica Ancient Complex
- Banya Bashi Mosque and the Synagogue
- plus more
You will also learn more about stories from ancient times, near past and what are some of the favorite places of the locals. While exploring will share with you my favorite hidden gems in heart of the city that you might enjoy later on during your stay in Sofia.
Let’s go!
Welcome to Sofia!
Sofia is an ancient city dating back to Roman times. It features architectural artifacts from the Byzantine Empire , Ottoman Empire, and Soviet architecture .
I would like to share with you all my local knowledge, share with you these personal stories of people who created Sofia and Bulgaria and help you have fun in our capital.
On this tour I will guide you through the history of Sofia .
Our starting point will be Sofia University, then we will go to the Sofia Central Library , the monument of Vasil Levski (the national hero of Bulgaria) and then end up taking photos and admiring the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral .
In the meantime I will tell you the story of this jewel of the Balkans. We will then head to Independence Square where the Bulgarian Parliament is located and where you can find a statue of the Russian Emperor Alexander .
We will then head to the famous Kristal garden with a statue of Stefan Stambolov . We will then head to Alexander Batemberg Square where I will share with you some interesting secrets and stories from the Soviet times.
We will also explore the national theater "Ivan Vazov". Our tour will continue towards the Presidency and the Roman ruins of Sofia .
You will have the opportunity to see the "Sveta Nedelya" church and we will end our tour by exploring an Ottoman era mosque.
Balkan Bites is an attempt at providing travelers to Sofia with the first free daily food tour in Europe and maybe the world. The idea is to take a tour of some of the more interesting and trendy family owned restaurants that Sofia has to offer and enjoy some traditional Bulgarian cuisine, while hearing about some of the history and customs that helped make them became staple foods in Bulgaria, by our trained guides. Maximum number of guests: 15. Bookings are valid till 2 p.m. so please be on time. Groups of 4+ should contact us in advance. We cannot accept bookings of larger groups or same day reservations.
If you want to see the most beautiful among hidden sights around Sofia this is your best chance!
Just about 50 km out of our capital is situated one of the wildest and most unknown areas even among Bulgarians. The area is so poor and depopulated and the municipality doesn't care that beholds one of the most amazing sights in the country which on other hand preserves it from the crowds of tourists.
This tour is perfect if you searching for a one day adventure and you want to visit beautiful unspoiled nature combined with amazing picturesque viewpoints and a 700 year old temple on a rock just above a beautiful lake!
If you're interested can also see our family property where I restore with natural materials and mainly my arms 130 year old clay house.
The final point can be reached by a little bit of hiking and a car, train and long hiking, bus, bike or even by boat (can find you a horse too). If you don't have a car the best option is the train but then there are 9 km hiking in direction (can shorten this by my car).
Unfortunately booking in a big advance don't really work for my tour because the only road that goes to the place is not covered by asphalt and very muddy in case of rain or the day or two after so it's good the time for it almost to come and being sure it'll be dry enough in order to plan it!!
The tour could last from 4 to 10 hours depending on the transport you choose, your pace and desires.
Please book at least 48 hours earlier otherwise I can't react to organise!
Discover Sofia’s Urban Art Scene – Free Walking Tour 🎨
Sofia is bursting with murals, quirky street art, and bold graffiti.We are a local cultural organization that creates and curates graffiti and street art events. Join us for a guided journey through the city’s creative side and uncover its thriving urban art scene.
📅 When: Every day
📍 Where: Meeting point – Statue of Sofia (at the base)
⏰ Start time:
- May–September: 6:00 pm
- October–April: 3:00 pm
🕒 Duration: ~2 hours
🗣 Language: English
💸 Cost: Free to join – tips for your guide are appreciated and go directly toward supporting Sofia’s urban art community. If spots are full for the day, still come along. The more, the better.
What You’ll Experience
- A curated walk through Sofia’s most impressive graffiti and street art in the city center
- Insights into the roots of graffiti and street art – and how they differ
- Stories behind the art, told by an experienced local guide with deep knowledge of Sofia’s culture and creative scene
Come with curiosity, leave with inspiration.
Sofia’s free communist tour, featuring a Trabant is now available every Saturday and Sunday starting at 10 am. The meeting point is in front of the piece of the Berlin Wall next to the National Palace of Culture and across the street from Starbucks on (Fridtjof Nansen Str.) The tour is approximately 2 hours long and features an iconic classic car called a Trabant.(Due to emission regulations the Trabant car will be available between March and November.) The object of the tour is to take you back in time and make you feel what life was like for people living in Bulgaria during the communist era. Our focus is not to put you to sleep with statistics but rather show you what kind of challenges people had to deal with both during and after the communist era. This is a tour for everyone that is curious about this period in history. This is why we have not put a price on it. We believe that everyone traveling to Bulgaria should have an opportunity to take something away with them. Useful information: The tour will require the use of the metro for one stop, if you need assistance with purchasing a ticket your guide will provide it. Also please dress appropriately for the weather. No Reservations required. Groups of 10 or more please let us know by email.
We started our tour from the heart of the city.
- We will visit the old cathedral to learn about its history and see the splendor of its iconography
- We will see La Rotonda , one of the oldest churches, built in the time of Emperor Costantino El Grande.
- We will understand why and how in Bulgaria religions and cultures intersect.
- We can enjoy the warm waters of the hot spring in the very center of the city
- We will add an artistic touch to the tour with graffiti , Sofia's new look
- We introduce ourselves to "The Man" - a magical installation in front of the Royal Palace and we will discover an interesting Bulgarian tradition from pagan times.
- Make a wish! We will leave the message in a place where wishes come true.
- We will finish in front of the Patriarchal Church "San Alejandro Nevsky" , whose domes are gilded with pure gold and its interior is decorated with materials brought from all over the world.
Are you ready to take a trip back in time? I'll wait for you!
Walk with me through the highlights of central Sofia!
Let me guide you through the last 17 centuries of history, architecture, religion and more!
The tour starts from Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St. Sophia Church, Russian Church, National Theatre and Presidential Office. St. George Round Church, St. Nedelya Church, Roman ruins, TSUM, Mosque and ends at Sofia Historical Museum.
I want to get to know my hometown at a glance, discover one of the trendiest capitals in Europe and spend some quality time with a local friend.