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Bulgaria's Communist Era: A Day of Discovery
4.8
21 Ratings
Sofia
Embark on a captivating Communist Day Tour in Bulgaria, delving into the landmarks and history of the country’s socialistic period. Uncover the intriguing aspects of communism and its impact on Bulgaria’s modern history.
Embark on a captivating Communist Day Tour in Bulgaria, delving into the landmarks and history of the country’s socialistic period. Uncover the intriguing aspects of communism and its impact on Bulgaria’s modern history.
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Museum of Socialist Art - Our trip will start with pick up from your hotel at 09:30. First, we will visit the Museum of Socialist Art in Sofia. There we will have the chance to see over 70 works of monumental sculpture, exhibited in a park covering 7,500 sq.m. On a special pedestal, the large five-pointed star that once crowned the former Party…
- Museum of Socialist Art - Our trip will start with pick up from your hotel at 09:30. First, we will visit the Museum of Socialist Art in Sofia. There we will have the chance to see over 70 works of monumental sculpture, exhibited in a park covering 7,500 sq.m. On a special pedestal, the large five-pointed star that once crowned the former Party House in the center of Sofia is on display. If the day of your trip is Monday we are replacing the museum with another astonishing Communist monument- the Bells Park. It was constructed in 1979 by the daughter of the last Communist leader of Bulgaria by the initiative called “The flag of peace”. Children from both sides of The Iron curtain were meeting each other and making bells which are presented in the park.
- Buzludzha Monument - When we finish our walk in the museum we will continue the trip to our next destination - Buzludzha monument, which is one of the most notable from the socialist period After approximately a 3-hour scenic drive we will reach Buzludzha monument. It was erected in 1981 to commemorate socialism. Work on the monument began in 1974 and was undertaken by units of the Bulgarian Army assisted by numerous artisans responsible for the large statues and murals. After the government’s fall from power in 1989, the site was abandoned and left open to vandalism.
What's Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Professional guide
- Local taxes
- Transport by private vehicle
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Professional guide
- Local taxes
- Transport by private vehicle
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
Additional Information
In this single-day excursion, you will have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the communist era (also known as the socialistic period) in Bulgaria. The socialistic republic of Bulgaria endured from 1946 to 1989. This era is among the most debated sections of contemporary history. However, one fact remains clear - as with any other governing…
In this single-day excursion, you will have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the communist era (also known as the socialistic period) in Bulgaria. The socialistic republic of Bulgaria endured from 1946 to 1989. This era is among the most debated sections of contemporary history. However, one fact remains clear - as with any other governing structure, communism (also termed as socialism) left us with both aspects we desire to erase and others that are worthy of admiration.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- We understand your concerns in relation to COVID 19, therefore we’ve taken the needed measures for you to feel safe. All our guides and drivers go through regular medical checks, wear masks during the tours and in each vehicle, we have a disinfectant spray. Furthermore due to the situation nowadays we organize tours only for small groups (up to 7 persons) and we have the option for private tours.
Location
Museum of Socialist Art
7 Lachezar Stanchev Street,
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(21 Ratings)
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Sylwia_j
Sep 3, 2024
Superb! - For anyone interested in Brutalist architecture, I cannot recommend this tour highly enough - it's an absolute must-do! The tour guide was exceptional. Despite being the only participant, the tour went ahead and benefited from the guide's extensive knowledge. He shared fascinating insights about communism, daily life of Bulgarian citizens, and the rich cultural heritage of the country. As the Museum of Communist Arts was closed on the day of my trip, my guide quickly adapted the itinerary and we visited The Bells Monument instead. An unexpected highlight was our ride through the Valley of the Thracian Kings. I learned about Bulgaria's oldest civilization and had the opportunity to see their ancient burial grounds. A surprising fact I discovered was that Spartacus, the famous gladiator, was actually of Thracian origin - essentially Bulgarian! The tour seamlessly blended architectural marvels, historical insights, and natural beauty. From the imposing Buzludzha monument to the lush Bulgarian landscapes, every moment was captivating.
Review provided by Viator
Explore19088731648
Aug 16, 2024
Great trip to iconic ruin - Great day at interesting places .Elian was a fantastic guide and driver and very knowledgable .lunch stop was nice .well worth the drive
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Austin_s
May 22, 2024
Great day with better views - Great tour, our guide was fantastic she was very knowledgeable about not only the tour but any questions I had along the way. Made for a fantastic experience and an amazing day seeing the countryside. The buzdluzha is well worth it, the photos do not do it justice it's an incredible building and the views from the mountain are unbelievable as well
Review provided by Viator
Davidpk1209ai
Mar 25, 2024
Great experience - Great tour plenty of information and spoke great English nice and loud so we could hear was fun as well as informative great host too, made my birthday trip great thank you
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ephantom
Jan 4, 2024
Perfect Last Day in Bulgaria - Everything about my tour was fantastic! I was picked up right on time and since I was alone, I was able to enjoy a private tour at a group tour price! My driver was very knowledgeable and he did an excellent job explaining the communist party in Bulgaria and the modern opinions of Bulgarians. He also offered to stop at Starbucks and for a meal at Happy on the way to the monument. At the monument, we were able to take our time and enjoy the monument and the surround areas. I am so happy with the service, the price, and the entire experience. 10/10
Review provided by Tripadvisor
707johno
Sep 19, 2023
Great tour! And great job Diana! Buzludzha is very impressive! - Diana was a great tour guide! She knew in depth the history of Bulgaria and even shared with us the personal stories of her family and how communism changed their lives. The tour was a lot of driving and Diana was a very good driver. About 30 minutes from Buzludzha she went over the history of the monument which was extremely impressive! Highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Samuel
Aug 25, 2023
Fantastic - Our guide had fantastic knowledge, the drive was comfortable and the Buzludzha and museum of socialist art were great.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
19kerryng
Oct 20, 2024
Worth seeing - Daniel the tour guide was great, making really interesting conversation providing up close stories of the politics and culture at play overtime. Definitely worth seeing the monument if you are interested in architecture, engineering or communism especially because it might not survive too much longer. It is a long drive though.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Capsicum0620
Sep 1, 2024
A Great Guide! Luckily... - ...because the monument was drowned in fog when we arrived. This seems to be very often the case...
Fortunately, Rosen, our Guide turned out to be a Guide filled with passion and knowledge. Having lived under the communist yoke, he was able to describe in detail, and with emotion, the infernal daily life of this period. Chilling and very educational.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wayfaringlibertarian
Sep 26, 2024
Sadly, the language barrier was a significant drawback - I really wanted to enjoy this day trip, but the reality is that I received no educational value from it - at all. Our tour guide was as nice as could be, so it doesn’t feel good to be critical, but his accent made learning anything from him unbearably difficult. My friend and I took this trip on a rainy day, which wasn’t ideal. But, the weather was less of a drawback than our guide’s difficult accent.
The trip was advertised on TripAdvisor as having a 9:30am pickup and starting with a trip to the Museum of Socialist Art. Well, it ended up having an 8am pickup and we went straight to the Buzludzha Monument. Patrons should know in advance what their accurate itinerary will be, so I didn’t appreciate this discrepancy.
It was a long journey to the Buzludzha Monument and one with little educational commentary. We were told that the commentary would commence once we reached the monument, but it was honestly so difficult to understand that it provided no value to us.
The lunch stop was affordable and delicious, so that was appreciated.
I also really appreciated that our guide waited as we watched the ~25-minute film at the Museum of Socialist Art. The “museum” was more of an exhibition of art, but it was still enjoyable — especially the outdoor portion.
To summarize, our guide was patient and kind, but English-speaking tourists expect more clarity when it comes to the accent of their guide. I’d be lying if I said I was 100% satisfied with how the day went.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
