Day Trips & Excursions in Bulgaria

There's a whole world of nature within minutes of Sofia - but accessing it by public transport or taxi can be hard. Combine the freedom of independent travel with the personal service of a private driver/guide on this private tour. Visit scenic Pancharevo Lake, with its restaurants and woodland, and Vitosha Mountain, with mineral springs and sweeping views across the city.

Experience the nature outside of Sofia and taste traditional Bulgarian food on this private tour. Meet your guide at your hotel and make your way to Vitosha Mountain in an air-conditioned car equipped with WiFi, so you can stay connected. Enjoy personalized attention from your private guide as you sample a traditional Bulgarian breakfast and hike to Boyana Lake. Afterwards, visit Boyana Church and the National Historical Museum.

This tour will show you one of the best Bulgarian monasteries and UNESCO sight - the Rila Monastery.

Explore Bulgarian customs and culture, and discover a pace of life far removed from the busy capital on this 8-hour history, spa and wine tour from Sofia. Follow your guide through Koprivshtitsa and admire the town's 19th-century Bulgarian Revival architecture. Learn of the role the locals played in the struggle against Ottoman rule during the 1876 uprising, and gain insight into the town's rich heritage. Head through the Rose Valley to the Thracian Temple of Starosel. Visit a local winery and spa, then return in comfort to Sofia.

Discover a side of Bulgaria that's hard to reach independently as you explore the dramatic rock pinnacles known as Stob's Pyramids with a private hiking guide. Then journey into Bulgarian culture as you tour the Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and taste home-made "banitsa" pastries. Tour includes private door-to-door transport and guiding but excludes entrance fees and lunch.

Enjoy a personalized insight into the tiny town of Melnik and the historic Rozhen Monastery with a private guide. Hike through the sand peaks of the Melnik Pyramids; discover Bulgarian Revival architecture at the Kordopulova House; taste Bulgarian "banitsa" pastry; and admire St. Antonius Church. Finally, explore the Rozhen Monastery. Tour includes door-to-door round-trip transport with free Wi-Fi.

Experience Bulgaria's mountain landscapes on a full-day Seven Rila Lakes hiking tour from Bansko. Ride a chair lift into the Rila Mountains and take a guided, medium-difficulty trek to see the Rila Lakes, a group of seven glacial lakes framed by craggy ridges. After a picnic, descend through forests to visit the UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery, famous for its carvings and frescoes. Your tour includes transport, lunch, and hotel pickup and drop-off in Bansko.