Sofia tours and excursions

Free Sofia Tour is a non-profit organisation offering free, English-language sightseeing tours of the Bulgarian capital by volunteers. The tours start at the corner of the Palace of Justice and finish at National Assembly Square. The two-hour tours run Monday-Sunday at 1000, 1100, and 1800 in April-October, and at 1100 and 1800 in November-March.

Located 120km (75 miles) south of Sofia, the Rila Monastery is one of the most significant cultural monuments in Bulgaria, set dramatically within the beautiful alpine mountains of Rila National Park. The first monastery was founded by followers of the Bulgarian hermit St John of Rila in the 10th century. Monastic life continued at Rila throughout five centuries of Ottoman domination, but extensive fire damage means most of the buildings date from the 19th century. The central church's outer walls are richly decorated with colourful scenes from the Bible, with well-detailed accounts of the torments of sinners in hell. Visitors can stay overnight in a sparse ‘cell' before setting off to explore Rila National Park, where clearly marked mountain paths take walkers through dense pine forests. A bus to Dupnitza village leaves every day at 0800, from the central bus station in Sofia. Connecting buses to Rila village depart at 1000 and 1100, departing from Rila village for the monastery at 1240.