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This Buzludzha day trip from Sofia takes you across the Balkan mountains to the flying saucer shaped monument on Buzludzha peak, 1,441 m up. The building is closed for safety reasons, so you see it from the outside, and the views from the peak are part of the reward. On the way you stop at the Damascena complex in the Valley of the Roses to learn how Bulgarian rose oil is made, and at the golden domed Shipka Memorial Church. You travel with a live English guide or the audio app, are back in Sofia around 19:30, and real people on WhatsApp are there if you have a question.
A question? Ask us on WhatsApp"Especially worth seeing the Buzludzha Monument if you're interested in history and/or architecture. … Regardless of the length, it was engaging throughout."
"Super day, rich and intense, with magnificent views at every stop, with a great guide who was pleasant company and very friendly!"
"Our guide, Tunay, explained the history of the place and rose oil very well, engaging the whole group. … Highly recommended tour."
"A very comfortable ride. Martin, our guide was very knowledgeable. Everything right on schedule, professional driving, lots of insights. Overall highly recommended."
"Martin was a great tour guide. He had the best playlist and made sure everyone was very safe the whole time. It really was a great tour and perfect for a day trip."
Both Buzludzha options ride the same bus and stop at the same places, at the same price. The guided option has a live English-speaking guide all day and the online audio guide as well; the audio app suits travellers who like to explore at their own pace. There is no child price: the tour is for ages 13 and up and everyone pays the same.
Buzludzha is a former communist monument on top of Buzludzha peak in the Central Balkan mountains, at 1,441 m. The round, UFO-like building has stood empty for years and has become one of the best known symbols of Eastern Europe's recent past.
The monument is not open to visitors for safety reasons and you cannot see it from the inside. You walk around it and take in the views from the peak, which are well worth the time. It is cool and often windy up there, so bring a jacket.
The first stop is the Damascena ethnographic complex in the Valley of the Roses, with its gardens and distillery, where you learn how the famous Bulgarian rose oil is made. Entry is about €12, paid on site by card or cash. Later you stop at the Shipka Memorial Church, an Orthodox church in the Russian style near the town of Shipka and a symbol of the Russo-Turkish War.
In May and June, the rose season, the route changes: Buzludzha is not visited and the old town of Koprivshtitsa takes its place, at the same price. In late autumn and winter there are only a few departures, and some weeks have none. Message us on WhatsApp and we will tell you the next dates.
The Buzludzha day trip from Sofia starts at 07:00 in front of the Embassy of Slovakia, behind the Vasil Levski Monument in central Sofia. You can also choose a pick-up at Central Station (06:15), Vazrazhdane Square (06:20) or Atanas Burov Square (06:25) when you book. If you take a taxi, use Yellow or Volt; Bolt does not operate in Bulgaria. Open in Google Maps →
€60 with a live English guide or with the audio app. A full day from Sofia, back around 19:30.
