Cultural Activities in Sofia:
Each school can decide which excursion or cultural activity they are interested in before the arrival. In the following table you can find the cultural activities we offer, from the most famous and requested ones to the less frequently booked, but not less interesting.
Sofia History Museum
Chronologically the permanent exhibition of the Regional History Museum - Sofia covers the period of VI th century BC. to the 40s of the 20th century. It offers eight exhibition halls, and two more halls for temporary expositions can be visited.
Among the most attractive exhibits are the carriage of the Bulgarian King Ferdinand, the Vitosha gold-sealed Deed of Tsar Ivan Shishman from 1378, which is the first evidence of the change of the name of the city - already Sofia.
You will also find how a Neolithic home six millennia BC. looked like. The Regional History Museum - Sofia tells the millennia old history of the Bulgarian capital, one of the oldest cities in Europe.
The museum's permanent exhibition is located in the former Central Mineral Bath building. The Regional History Museum - Sofiа also has several branches: the underground museum at "St. Sophia" basilica, the Ancient Cultural Complex Serdica, the Tomb of Knyaz Alexander I Battenberg, the National Reconciliation Exposition (garrison shooting range), the Western gate of Serdica, The Triangular Tower of Serdica and others.
Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History has a history of more than one hundred and twenty years. It is the oldest museum in Bulgaria and the oldest and richest among the natural history museums on the Balkan Peninsula.
It was founded in 1889 by the Royal Prince Ferdinand under the name Royal Prince’s Natural History Museum. At first it was used to accommodate Prince Ferdinand’s personal collections of birds, mammals and butterflies.
Military Museum
The National Museum of Military History is a state museum, which from its establishment until today is a structure of the Ministry of Defense (respectively the Ministry of War and the Ministry of National Defense).
It investigates, preserves, processes scientifically and popularizes cultural valuables connected with the national and European military history. The National Museum of Military History develops its activities throughout the country.
For its almost centennial presence in the cultural life of Sofia, in the museum store are preserved and investigated more than 1 000 000 artifacts – witnesses of Bulgarian and European military history.
Institute of Archeology with Museum
The Museum of Archaeology hosts the most numerous collections in Bulgaria and its exhibitions reveal it as one of the most important centers in the country for promotion of the cultural heritage of present day Bulgaria.
The Museum of Archaeology was established in 1949 as a follower and successor of the Department of Valuables - part of the Library established in Sofia in 1878-1879 and reformed into a National Museum in 1892 - and the Bulgarian Institute of Archaeology (1921), which was the first academic institute in Bulgaria.
National Ethnographic Museum
The formal Royal Palace is now housing the National Ethnographic Museum. The building itself is a remarkable peace of architecture in the center of Sofia from the end of the 19th century and a monument of culture on its own.
The National Ethnographic Museum is home to a collection of around 50000 items organized under several categories: garments, goldsmith crafts, copper objects, objects for ritualistic purposes, woodcarvings, agricultural tools, ceramics, fabrics and embroideries, home furnishing, carpets, foreign art etc. It is no mere chance that in the first decades of the 21th century the National Ethnographic Museum was renowned as one of the museums with the richest exhibits on the Balkan Peninsula.
The Ethnographic museum collection also represents the topological characteristics of the traditional Bulgarian garment. It represents in detail its structure and fabric composition, describing its function in the life of the Bulgarians.
National History Museum
The National History Museum is one of the largest and richest history museums on the Balkan Peninsula. More than 700,000 cultural monuments are preserved inside it, representing the history of the present Bulgarian lands from the period 8,000 years ago to the present day. Only 10% of all these valuables and monuments are exhibited in the museum halls.
The National History Museum was established in 1973; its first exhibition was opened in the building of Sofia Court in 1984 in honor of the 1300th anniversary of Bulgaria as a state. Since 2000 year, the museum has been located in the former building No 1 of the government residence in the Boyana residential section, Sofia.
The main museum exhibition is presented in five halls: Prehistory, Ancient Thrace, and the Middle Ages – First (7th-11th century) and Second Bulgarian Empire (12th – 14th century), the Bulgarian lands in the 15th – 19th century and the Third Bulgarian Empire (1878 to the present day).
The collection, dedicated to Prehistory (7th – 2nd millennium BC) presents various bone and flint tools, idol statues, ornaments and pottery.
Another hall of the museum presents unique treasures from Thracian times. The museum also preserves the worldwide famous Panagursko, Rogozensko and Letnishko treasures along with the treasure, discovered near the village of Duvanlii. The many burial gifts, discovered during mound explorations across the country, can also be seen in the museum.
National Art Gallery
The National Museum of Bulgarian Art is the largest and most respectable institution of its kind in Bulgaria. Over the years, it has established its position as a center for national cultural heritage and values. The collection was started in 1892 when the People’s Museum of Archeology founded its Department of Art.
Museum of Illusions Sofia
Museum exhibition is a 400 m2 space where illusions meet scientific inventions and arts: physics and optics are displayed together with mysterious artworks and classical riddles. The exceptional educational experience is enriched by interactive entertainment — drawing with a light, creating shadows and unforgettable moments in the world upside down.
National Polytechnic Museum
Home of 22 000 exponats in different collections: clocks, transportation, photo and kino cameras, optics, audio recording and audio playing, radio and TV, digital devices, musical instruments geodesy devices, home devices, sewing machines, typewriters and many more.
Rila Monastery
Rila Monastery is located in the highest mountain on the Balkan Peninsula - Rila at 1147 m. a. s. l. along Rilska River. It is the most famous landmark of Bulgaria, founded in 10-th century by the hermit St. Ivan Rilski – patron of Bulgaria. This is the largest Bulgarian monastery, a spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most visited tourist site in Bulgaria. It is also known as the most outstanding monument of the Bulgarian National Revival period, an ultimate expression of the Bulgarian genius in matters of spirit, culture, architecture, construction, icon painting and woodcarving. The monastery was built as it stands now by Bulgarian master builders between 1816 and 1847.
10:00 Departure from Sofia with private bus
Around 12:00 Arrival in Rila Monastery
Visit to the main church “The Nativity of the Virgin” decorated with wonderful murals from the inside and outside. In the church are the holy relics of St. Ivan Rilski as well as the tomb of the last Bulgarian king – Boris III.
Next to the main temple is the only left building from the 14-th century – the Hrelio’s tower. The “Transfiguration” chapel on the top floor of the building houses is decorated with precious mural paintings from the 14-th century.
Lunch in a restaurant along Rilska River or outside eating Mekitsi (a traditional Bulgarian deep fried dish made of kneaded dough that goes very well with yoghurt ☺)
16:00 Departure to Sofia
Around 18:00 Arrival in Sofia
City of Koprivshtitsa
The town of Koprivshtitsa is located in the heart of the Sredna Gora mountain range. It is 110 km from Sofia. In 1952, it was declared the only city-museum in the country, and since 1971 it has been an architectural and historical reserve, with a total of 388 architectural, historical, artistic, and ethnographic monuments. In 1978, it was recognized as a national architectural reserve of international importance and as an international tourist destination.
10:00 Departure from Sofia with private bus
Around 12:30 arrival in Koprivshtitsa
Lunch in typical Bulgarian restaurant (for ex: www.facebook.com/RestorantDadoLiben )
Visit to 4 houses-museums with typical Bulgarian architecture from the Revival Period - The Lyutova House, The Todor Kableshkov Museum, The Dimcho Debelyanov Museum, The Georgi Benkovski Museum, and The Liuben Karavelov Museum. The First Shot Bridge - where the first shot of the uprising was fired in 1878. The monument of Georgi Benkovski (a revolutionary, leader of the April Uprising).
Free time - walk along the cobbled stone streets
16:00 Departure to Sofia
18:00 Arrival in Sofia
City of Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria, considered by many as the most beautiful Bulgarian town. Plovdiv is 150 km away from the capital Sofia. The city is located on both banks of the Maritsa River in the central part of the Upper Thracian Lowlands. Plovdiv is particularly known, like Rome, for its seven hills, one of which was destroyed. The Plovdiv International Fair, since 1892, is the largest fair in Southeastern Europe, gathering companies from all over the world on an exhibition area of 95 000 sq. m. Plovdiv is older than Rome, Athens and Constantinople. The city is of the same age as Troy and Mycenae. According to some sources this is the second oldest European city and the oldest still living city in Europe.
10:00 Departure from Sofia with private bus
Around 12:00 Arrival to Plovdiv
Visit to The Old Plovdiv - an architectural and historical reserve, situated on the Three Hills. Here picturesque houses of the National Revival period stand close to ruins from antiquity and Bulgarian renaissance churches. The Roman theatre from II century has been restored and is being used even today for different performances and festivals. The Ethnographic museum. Partly uncovered Roman stadium and the 14-th century Djumaia mosque.
Free time - walk along the long and lovely main pedestrian commercial street with many cafes and shops to feel the unique laid back atmosphere of this spectacular city.
16:00 Departure to Sofia
18:00 Arrival in Sofia
Tsari Mali Grad
The Tsari Mali Grad fortress holds the gold of Justinian. The village Belchin, near Samokov and Borovets, is well known for its mineral springs. In 2013, the village became even more popular with its unique historical complex- a fully restored fortress from the IV-V century and a church from the XVII century. Buried under the dust of time, the hill of St. Spas was hiding for millennia a centuries old secret. For centuries, under the layers of forgetfulness, stood tucked in pieces of an ancient knowledge and dramatic events; evidence of the emergence and demise of empires and small stories of ordinary people who lived in these places.
10:00 Departure from Sofia with private bus
Around 11:30 Arrival to Tsari Mali Grad
Visit to the fortress and the church of Sveta Petka
Free time - walk around the beautiful surroundings.
16:00 Departure to Sofia
17:30 Arrival in Sofia