Things to do in Sofia

A bit pricey. However the view of on the mountain was magnificent

If you opt for Rila Monastery only without Boyana Church, you will still get the chance to catch a glimpse of the exterior of Boyana Church as well as the garden around it. Rila Monastery is awesome with the paintings and it felt peaceful over there. Remember to prepare 50 cents to use the toilets or you can change it using the coffee machine outside the monastery. The tour agency added in another attraction after Boyana Church at no additional cost. Overall, it’s a great tour but we would prefer if there was time allocated for lunch.

A very affordable day trip with kind and knowledgeable guides! Sonia the English guide was very kind and knowledgeable about the city. There is a lot of uneven cobblestone and steep hills in Plovdiv so wear comfortable shoes. A lot of stores take card but most pop up vendors only take cash.

Booking tickets, checking in on the day, and the tour itself were all smooth. We didn't sign up for a guided tour, so if you don't manage your time well for lunch at restaurants or similar places, you'll end up with a lot of free time. However, it was a worthwhile tour. As for areas for improvement, the bus was quite old, and we noticed some deterioration (malfunctions) inside the vehicle.

Our tour guide, Martin, is knowledgeable and has a good sense of humour. He provided a lot of information regarding the sites that we visited. The tour was well-paced and we had some free time to explore on our own. Plovdiv as the second largest and one of the oldest cities has much to offer. It is worth a visit. The tour company also provided detailed information timely.