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These are the eight day trips from Sofia we book most, checked again in November 2026. Most cost €20 to €60 per person; Belene is €18 plus a private transfer. Rila Monastery and the Rila and Boyana trip leave every day, Plovdiv runs on set dates through the week, and the Seven Rila Lakes, Koprivshtitsa and Buzludzha go on set dates that change with the season. Pick a trip below and book it online on its page, or send us the trip and the date and real people on WhatsApp arrange it for you.
Ask on WhatsApp for 2 travellers"The day trip was well organized and extremely educational. Our guide Svet was able to provide great info that we really enjoyed. Would definitely recommend."
"Hristo was an outstanding guide for this trip. … Boyana Church was just as impressive, and Hristo’s storytelling made both stops feel like stepping back in time."
"Maria was an excellent, friendly and professional guide! We absolutely recommend this tour and we loved everything we saw."
"A great day trip and excellent value for money. We saw and learnt so much thanks to our amazing guide Antonio. He was super knowledgeable and helpful. … We loved it and would 100% recommend."
"Our guide Radi was very friendly, helpful and enthusiastic. … The walking was great and Radi managed a group of differing fitness levels well."
"It is well worth it at a great price with a very knowledgeable guide who maintained safety at all times and spoke great English. … I would do this tour again in a heartbeat"
"Super day, rich and intense, with magnificent views at every stop, with a great guide who was pleasant company and very friendly!"
| Trip | From | When it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Rila Monastery | €30 | Every day |
| Rila, Boyana & Cave | €25 | Every day |
| Plovdiv & Starosel | €25 | Set dates |
| Plovdiv & Koprivshtitsa | €20 | 4 days a week to 29 Dec |
| Seven Lakes & Rila | €45 | Set dates, Nov to mid Dec |
| Seven Lakes Hike | €30 | Set dates, winter trek |
| Buzludzha & Roses | €60 | A few dates |
| Belene Island | €18 + transfer | On request |
The minibus leaves Alexander Nevsky Cathedral square at 09:00 and drives about two hours into the Rila Mountains. You choose a live English-speaking guide or an audioguide in six languages, then have free time for lunch and the museum. Children aged 6 to 12 pay €25. Best for first visits, families and anyone with one free day.
Boyana Church sits on the edge of Sofia and its frescoes date from 1259. The classic day adds Rila Monastery with a live guide for €30; the full version at €35 also walks through the forest to St Ivan’s Cave. The audio app option is €25, and the Boyana ticket (€10) is paid in cash. Best for history lovers and families with children from age 5.
A guided walk through Plovdiv, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe, and free time in the centre. In the afternoon the bus stops at the Thracian temple at Starosel and the painted houses of Staro Zhelezare. Every option costs €25, children included; tickets of about €7 are paid in cash. Best for a city day and mixed ages from 6.
The same Plovdiv walk, then the bus climbs to Koprivshtitsa, a small town of painted Revival houses. A live guide is €25; the audio app or bus only is €20. Koprivshtitsa dates are open until 29 December; from January to March the calendar shows the Starosel version instead. Best for travellers on a budget who want two towns in one day.
A long day: the chairlift (€20 in cash) and a moderate walk with short steep climbs up to around 2,500 m, then the monastery in the afternoon. It is €60 with a guide and €45 by bus with the audio app or bus only, age 13 and over. From 20 November to 15 December it becomes a winter snow hike and the monastery moves to another day. Best for fit travellers who want mountains and culture.
Four to five hours of moderate to demanding walking up to around 2,500 m, back in Sofia around 17:30. A guided day is €40, bus only €30, and the chairlift (about €20) is paid in cash. In winter there is a snow hike from €49. Age 10 and over. Best for hikers and active groups.
The monument stands 1,441 m up and is closed for safety, so you see it from the outside. The day also stops at the Damascena rose oil complex and the Shipka Memorial Church, with about 6.5 hours on the road. €60 with a guide or the audio app, age 13 and over. Dates are few in autumn and winter; in May and June a rose route runs instead.
The camp ran from 1949 to 1987 and the island still holds an active prison, so visits need a pass, which is arranged for you, so book at least a week ahead. The guided tour is €18 per person in English or Bulgarian; a private transfer from Sofia starts at €200 per car for up to 4. Count on about three hours each way and 2 to 2.5 hours on site. For adults with a serious interest in the communist era.
From November to March the safest picks are Rila Monastery, Rila with Boyana and Plovdiv: they run all year, Rila every day and Plovdiv on set dates. Koprivshtitsa has dates until 29 December. The Seven Rila Lakes switch to snow hikes for fit walkers, and the lakes may be frozen or hidden under snow. Buzludzha has very few winter dates, and the rose route through the Valley of the Roses runs in May and June. In spring the mountain trips move back to the front of the list.
Tell us your dates and who is coming. We suggest the right day trip from Sofia and help you book it, from €20 per person.
