#1of 163 outdoor
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This Belene camp tour from Sofia takes you to Persin Island on the Danube, the site of the largest and longest-running camp for opponents of the communist regime in Bulgaria. From 1949 to 1987, almost without interruption, people were sent here by decision of the Ministry of the Interior, without trial and without a set term. A local guide takes you through camp sites 1, 2 and 3 for about 2 to 2.5 hours and arranges the pass you need for the island, which still holds a working prison. The tour is €18 per person, children under 10 go free, and you pay in cash on the day. Real people on WhatsApp book it and can arrange a private transfer from Sofia.
🧭GuideEnglish or Bulgarian
⏱️On site2 to 2.5 hours
🪪PassArranged, bring ID
📍Distance≈220 km from Sofia
The tour and what is included
The tour starts at the Catholic church in Belene and takes about 2 to 2.5 hours with a local guide, in English or Bulgarian. You cross to Persin Island with your ID or passport, visit camp sites 1, 2 and 3 and part of Persina Nature Park. The guide arranges the pass from the Ministry of Justice, which is why we need your booking at least a week ahead.
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Included
Local guide for 2 to 2.5 hours, the pass to Persin Island, free entry for children under 10.
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How you pay
€18 per person to the guide in cash on the day. The transfer, if you book it, is also paid in cash on the day.
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More time
A long tour of 3 to 4 hours adds the Roman customs house of Dimum and the so-called hooligan barracks. A 1 to 2 hour boat trip goes round the islands of Persina Nature Park. Ask us for prices and dates.
The Belene camp
The camp was set up on 27 April 1949 on Persin Island, the largest island in the Bulgarian part of the Danube. It became the largest and longest-running communist camp for opponents of the regime in Bulgaria and, with short breaks, it operated until 1987. More than 15,000 people were sent here over those years. Internment was a decision of the Ministry of the Interior: no trial, no defence, no specific charge and no set term, so people did not know what they were accused of or when they would be released. It was used against political opponents and against civil, social and religious groups. New internees still arrived in 1985, among them a Bulgarian Turkish teacher who opposed the forced change of Turkish names.
What you see today
The island still holds a working prison, so you can only enter with a pass and your ID or passport. Little of the camp is left: a wooden gate, a few buildings and ruins in the long grass. At the second site there is an exhibition of portraits of internees, drawn in secret by Petar Baychev, a lawyer and artist who was held here himself. The procedure to declare the camp a cultural monument of national importance has still not been completed. The tour also passes through part of Persina Nature Park, a protected wetland where Dalmatian pelicans nest again.
The church in Belene
The tour starts at the Catholic Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in 1860 and the oldest building in Belene. It is also a shrine to Bishop Eugene Bosilkov, who was killed by the communist authorities in 1952 together with three Catholic priests. There is parking and a drinking water fountain by the church.
A place of memory
Belene is visited to remember. Most of the people held here are no longer alive, and some never left the island. The guide talks about forced labour, violence and humiliation, so give yourself time, and think about whether the subject suits younger children. If you want another chapter of the same history, the Buzludzha day trip shows the monument the regime built for itself.
Getting to Belene from Sofia
Belene is on the Danube, about 220 km from Sofia, roughly three hours by road each way. With our transfer a car, van or bus with a driver picks you up at your address in Sofia, waits during the tour and brings you back; the price is for the whole vehicle and is paid in cash. If you drive yourself, there is parking at the church. We confirm the start time with you.
How the day goes
Message usSend your date, the number of people and whether you need the transfer. The calculator above writes the message for you. Book at least a week ahead.
Morning: from SofiaWith the transfer, the driver picks you up in Sofia. Belene is about three hours away.
Persin Island, 2 to 2.5 hoursYou meet the guide at the church in Belene, enter the island with your ID and visit camp sites 1, 2 and 3.
Back to SofiaThe driver waits during the tour and brings you back. In autumn and winter the last entry is at 14:00, so we agree the start time with you.
Belene camp tour FAQ
How do I book the Belene camp tour from Sofia?+
Message us on WhatsApp with your date, the number of people and whether you need the transfer. Book at least a week ahead so the guide can arrange the pass to the island. We confirm the start time with you.
How much does it cost and how do I pay?+
The guided tour is €18 per person and free for children under 10. You pay the guide in cash on the day. The round-trip transfer from Sofia is €200 for a car (1 to 4 people), €250 for a van (up to 8), €400 for a minibus (up to 19) or €500 for a bus (up to 38), also paid in cash on the day.
Is the tour in English?+
Yes. The guide leads the tour in English or Bulgarian. Tell us which language you need when you book.
Do I need a permit to visit Persin Island?+
Yes. The island holds a working prison, so every visitor needs a pass from the Ministry of Justice. The guide arranges it. Bring your ID card or passport, everyone in the group needs one.
How far is Belene from Sofia?+
About 220 km, roughly three hours by road each way. You can drive yourself or take our private transfer with a driver who waits during the tour.
When can I visit?+
All year. From 1 October to 15 January: Monday to Friday from 09:00 with last entry at 14:00, and at weekends only from 14:00. From 15 January to 31 March: every day from 09:00, last entry 14:00. From 1 April to 30 September: every day from 09:00, last entry 16:00.
Where does the tour start?+
At the Catholic Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Belene, where there is parking and a drinking water fountain. With the transfer, the driver takes you there.
Is there a longer tour?+
Yes. The long tour takes 3 to 4 hours and adds the Roman customs house of Dimum and the so-called hooligan barracks. There is also a 1 to 2 hour boat trip around the islands of Persina Nature Park. Ask us on WhatsApp for prices and dates.
Can children join?+
Yes, and children under 10 go free. The tour covers imprisonment, forced labour and violence, so judge whether the subject suits your children.
What is left of the camp?+
A wooden gate, a few buildings and ruins on the island, and an exhibition at the second site with portraits of internees drawn in secret by Petar Baychev.
Do I get a discount with the SoFun Card?+
Yes, 10% off the tour price. Tell us you have the card when you book, and you pay the guide 10% less on the day. The discount does not apply to the transfer.
Plan your visit to Belene
€18 per person for the Belene camp tour from Sofia, children under 10 free. Round-trip transfer from Sofia from €200 per vehicle. Everything is paid in cash on the day.
💳 SoFun Card holders get 10% off the tour price, plus discounts on many other activities in Sofia.
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