Top 15 Guided Tours in Bulgaria

Rila Monastery and 7 Rila Lakes Self-Guided Shared Trip from Sofia - Reaching the Seven Rila Lakes by chairlift

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 280 reviews · 13 hours (approx.) · from $54Our pick

Hike Bulgaria’s Seven Rila Lakes and visit Rila Monastery on a self-guided day trip from Sofia, with shared transport and practical route tips.

“I had such a great experience with the Rila Lakes + Monastery trip! Our driver was great and made the ride smooth and comfortable (you book spots for the day and then you are with a group of other travelers on a bus). Prior to departing, Phillip gave us tips on the best routes to take for the hike, which made all the difference. His advice helped me enjoy the lakes at my own pace while still catching the highlights. The hike itself was self-guided, but having those pointers made it feel stress-free. He also regularly checked in with the group via WhatsApp to keep us on schedule and give…”

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Full-Day, Guided, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Plovdiv Small Group Full Day Guided Tour from Sofia

2.Plovdiv Small Group Full Day Guided Tour from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 235 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $22

Review of the Sofia to Plovdiv day tour, with Roman ruins, Old Town walks, free time, transport tips, costs, and honest drawbacks.

“Plovdiv is beautiful and worth visiting. I traveled with my family. It took 2.5 hr to reach there and another 3hrs to come back.”

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Guided, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in Sofia

Guided Walking Tour of Sofia

3.Guided Walking Tour of Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 143 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $48

Explore Sofia’s Roman ruins, Orthodox churches, and Soviet-era landmarks on a small-group walking tour with an expert English guide.

“The tour was great. Peter, our guide, knew so many stories and details and filled us in on the history of Sofia. And when, halfway through the tour, it started to rain, he had some excellent ideas about what to see inside or under cover to keep us dry! Fun day, even in the rain!”

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1-Day Tours, Boyana Church Visits, Guided, Rila Monastery Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews

Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Self-Guided Day Trip from Sofia

4.Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Self-Guided Day Trip from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 41 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $36

Visit Boyana Church and Rila Monastery from Sofia on an affordable self-guided day trip with transport, audio commentary, and free time.

“So worth taking this tour to see the Boyana Church with its fabulous frescoes, and then on to the amazing Rila Monastery. Although the tour was self-guided, our driver Lubo was happy to answer questions and pass on interesting information. A good day out, and I thoroughly recommend.”

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Guided, Plovdiv Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours

Plovdiv guided walking tour

5.Plovdiv guided walking tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $22

Review of Plovdiv’s two-hour guided walk, with Old Town sights, Roman ruins, English commentary, price, meeting point, and practical tips.

“Boris was very knowledgeable and engaging with everyone during the tour. I enjoyed the tour very much!”

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Guided, Scooter Rentals, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Sofia on an Electric Scooter – Guided Tour

6.Sofia on an Electric Scooter – Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $42

Explore Sofia by electric scooter on a small-group night tour, visiting cathedrals, parks, monuments, and lively streets with a local guide.

“Lubo is very friendly & speaks excellent English. He was fun to spend a couple of hours with & the tour was a good mix of riding & nuggets of knowledge about the city & its history.”

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Guided, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews

Guided Visit to Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

7.Guided Visit to Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 16 reviews · 1 to 2 hours (approx.) · from $16

Review of Sofia’s Alexander Nevsky Cathedral visit, covering guide options, price, access, value, and the key self-guided tour warning.

“The tour is not an actual audio with headphones. It’s a pdf that is downloaded. Information is very good.”

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Guided, Rila Monastery Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Self Guided Tour Experience in Rila Monastery

8.Self Guided Tour Experience in Rila Monastery

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 15 reviews · from $10

Review of the self-guided Rila Monastery tour from Sofia, including price, audio guide, entry concerns, timing, dress code, and value.

“Compramos los tiques para el monasterio y no me pude descargar nada después me enteré que solía dar problemas. Se quedaron con el dinero sin soluciónar nada”

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Guided, Hiking & Trekking, Seven Rila Lakes Hikes, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

The Seven Rila Lakes Self – Guided Hiking Tour

9.The Seven Rila Lakes Self – Guided Hiking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $36

Review of Sofia’s Seven Rila Lakes self-guided hike, with transport, chairlift costs, trail difficulty, timing, food, and practical tips.

“Great day tour from Sofia. Professional on-time driver. I would recommend this tour (self-guided option). Hike with beautiful views that is very moderate.”

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Guided, Museums, Self-Guided Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Tours, Varna Tours

Self-guided tour in Varna Archaeological Museum + ticket

10.Self-guided tour in Varna Archaeological Museum + ticket

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 14 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $22

Explore Varna Archaeological Museum with a flexible English self-guided visit, ancient gold, Roman finds, and guaranteed entry for $22.48.

“This was a total rip off. I spent $11.50 for admission instead of a few lev. They gave me nothing & told me to read the English on the walls. You should be ashamed of yourselves for selling this”

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Guided, Private, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Veliko Tarnovo Tours

Discover Veliko Tarnovo at Your Pace: Private or Self-guided tour

11.Discover Veliko Tarnovo at Your Pace: Private or Self-guided tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 11 reviews · 2 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $34

Review of Veliko Tarnovo’s private or self-guided tour, with Tsarevets, old-town lanes, pricing, hills, pickup, and booking advice.

“What a nice experience. We booked the privately-guided option. We were picked up from our hotel in Veliko Tarnovo at the arranged time. The local guide was fabulous. So many things shared which cannot be read anywhere. Veliko Tarnovo is very beautiful and with this tour we absorbed the local culture, cuisine and lifestyle.”

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Burgas and Nessebar Tours, Guided, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews

Self-Guided Sand Festival in Burgas

12.Self-Guided Sand Festival in Burgas

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 9 reviews · from $10

Review of Burgas Sand Festival, with practical tips on timing, price, sculptures, e-guide, entrance fees, and who will enjoy this short visit.

“Great sand figures from emeging artists. Very cool to visit such an attraction especially with the eguide. Would come next time again. They change it every year.”

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City Tours, Guided, Private, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in Sofia

Private Sofia Guided Walking City Tour with Traditional Breakfast

13.Private Sofia Guided Walking City Tour with Traditional Breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

Review of Sofia’s 3-hour private walking tour, covering Roman ruins, grand churches, key landmarks, and a traditional Bulgarian breakfast.

“The breakfast was amazing. The guide was a little quiet for a guide but definitely hit the highlights and did the best he could with us being late from the public transit strike traffic and the kids that were with us.”

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Guided, Self-Guided Tours, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews

Sofia Under Communism: Self-Guided Puzzle Quest

14.Sofia Under Communism: Self-Guided Puzzle Quest

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $6Best value

Solve clues across Sofia’s communist past, from Saint Nedelia to the Temple of Bulgarian Martyrs, with a flexible self-guided phone game.

“Great opportunity to see the city you live in from a totally different perspective and to learn more about communism.”

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Bulgarian Fortresses and Castles, Guided, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Veliko Tarnovo Tours

Self-guided Tour in Tsarevets Fortress

15.Self-guided Tour in Tsarevets Fortress

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 9 reviews · from $11

Review of Tsarevets Fortress in Veliko Tarnovo, with practical advice on the e-guide, climb, views, value, timing, and ticket details.

“Wonderful to visit in the winter too. So beautiful with the snow. Great eguide with all the information the physical guides explain. Strongly recommend it.”

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