Ivan Vazov National Theatre Tours
Named after one of Bulgaria’s most esteemed writers, the Ivan Vazov National Theatre has been drawing audiences since 1907. The national theater is also the country’s largest and oldest, and is known for its productions, neoclassical architecture, and history. Cementing its status as a national icon, the theater’s colonnaded façade can be seen on 50-lev banknotes.
The Basics
Located in central Sofia, the theater is typically included on tours that provide an overview of the capital for first-time visitors; choose an after-dark tour for atmospheric photo ops, a food tour for insight into local cuisine, or a walking tour for a more intimate glimpse into the city. If visiting independently, take time to study the building’s facade, noticing the marble columns and a relief of Apollo surrounded by reclining muses.
Things to Know Before You Go
How to Get There
Serdika Station is less than 10 minutes’ walk from the Ivan Vazov National Theatre and is served by metro lines 1 and 2. Tram lines 12 and 18 stop at Garibaldi Square and trolley bus number 9 stops at the Satirical Theatre; both are within 5 minutes of the theater on foot.
When to Get There
The box office opens daily, though a little later on weekends. Shows usually take place in the evening. It’s possible to admire the exterior at any time of day, though the area really comes to life after the locals finish work.
Ivan Vazov Museum
Just a few hundred meters from the theater, the Ivan Vazov House Museum provides deeper insight into life of the prominent Bulgarian writer. As you explore, learn how Vazov resisted the Ottoman Empire and how these experiences influenced his most-famous work, Under the Yoke. Don’t miss the statue of his beloved dog, Bobi.
The Basics
Located in central Sofia, the theater is typically included on tours that provide an overview of the capital for first-time visitors; choose an after-dark tour for atmospheric photo ops, a food tour for insight into local cuisine, or a walking tour for a more intimate glimpse into the city. If visiting independently, take time to study the building’s facade, noticing the marble columns and a relief of Apollo surrounded by reclining muses.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Interior access is only permitted with a performance ticket; shows are in Bulgarian and tickets are usually available at the box office.
- The theatre is home to three stages, including the 750-seat Great Hall and two smaller performance spaces.
- Approach on foot from the City Garden for the best views of the concert hall.
- The neoclassical facade is a must-see for architecture enthusiasts.
- The square outside the theater is accessible for wheelchairs; confirm interior access arrangements directly with the venue.
How to Get There
Serdika Station is less than 10 minutes’ walk from the Ivan Vazov National Theatre and is served by metro lines 1 and 2. Tram lines 12 and 18 stop at Garibaldi Square and trolley bus number 9 stops at the Satirical Theatre; both are within 5 minutes of the theater on foot.
When to Get There
The box office opens daily, though a little later on weekends. Shows usually take place in the evening. It’s possible to admire the exterior at any time of day, though the area really comes to life after the locals finish work.
Ivan Vazov Museum
Just a few hundred meters from the theater, the Ivan Vazov House Museum provides deeper insight into life of the prominent Bulgarian writer. As you explore, learn how Vazov resisted the Ottoman Empire and how these experiences influenced his most-famous work, Under the Yoke. Don’t miss the statue of his beloved dog, Bobi.
Address: 5 Dyakon Ignatiy Str., Sofia, Bulgaria
Admission: Varies
27 Tours and Activities to Experience Ivan Vazov National Theatre
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The Most Affordable Private Sofia Walking Tour
Lovers of history will thrill to this action-packed private walking tour that takes you from the 4th-century Rotunda of St. George to grand 20th-century architecture. Stops include the Ottoman-era Banya Bashi Mosque, the Cathedral St. Alexander Nevski with its glorious icons, and the Ivan Vazov National Theater.
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From
$17.34
Price varies by group size
From
$17.34
Price varies by group size
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Private & Ultimate Sofia 2,5-hour Walking Tour
Get to know Sofia by foot on this 2-hour guided walking tour. Learn about the city’s history from your guide. Stroll past most of the notable sights in the city, including St. George Rotunda, the National Archeological Museum, the National Revival Art Gallery and Ethnographic Museum, Alexander Nevski Cathedral, and more.
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From
$18.58
Price varies by group size
From
$18.58
Price varies by group size
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Private City Tour of Sofia
Check off Sofia’s key landmarks in minimum time on this comprehensive private chauffeured city tour. Exploring with your private guide, see Cathedral Saint Alexander Nevski, Saint Sofia Church, the Banya Bashi Mosque, Borisova Gradina gardens, the National Art Gallery, and so much more. Tour includes door-to-door transport but excludes any entrance fees.
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From
$35.93
Price varies by group size
From
$35.93
Price varies by group size
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Sofia by Night Panoramic Tour with Dinner and Folklore Show
Admire the sights of Sofia by night before dinner and a folklore show on this evening tour. Take a panoramic drive around Bulgaria’s capital to see its illuminated highlights, including the floodlit Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, National Palace of Culture, and more. Then, savor a 3-course Bulgarian dinner complemented with a live folklore show of traditional local music and dance. Dinner, show, air-conditioned transport, and central hotel pickup and drop-off included.
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$74.34
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From
$74.34
Price varies by group size
Private Sofia Sightseeing
Enjoy the perfect introduction to Sofia on this to-the-point walking tour with a private guide who’ll cue you in to the city’s long history in double-quick time. See a Roman cemetery, 16th-century mosque, Byzantine churches, and landmarks from galleries to cathedrals. Along the way, sip tea or coffee in a rooftop café with spectacular city views and taste mineral water direct from a historic spring.
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$51.60
$9.11 savings
Price varies by group size
From
$51.60
$9.11 savings
Price varies by group size
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Explore Sofia with double-decker bus
This 1-hour bus tour offers a perfect introduction to Sofia for first-time visitors or those on a time-crunch. Take in unobstructed views of the city from the top of a double decker bus while you listen to commentary about landmarks passed along the way. Morning and afternoon departure times are available to fit your schedule.
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$23.23
From
$23.23
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Afternoon Delights in Sofia Tour
Feel like a Sofia local on this 3-hour afternoon city and food walking tour. Check out historical highlights such as the National Theater and King’s Palace, and see the Rotunda St. George, Banya Bashi Mosque, Synagogue, and St. Nedelya Church. Stop on route to taste ‘shopska’ salad and an ‘ayryan’ yogurt drink; shop for culinary goodies at the Central Hali Market; and finish with tastings of Bulgarian wine and cold meats at a traditional restaurant.
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From
$37.17
Price varies by group size
From
$37.17
Price varies by group size
Private Sofia City Tour by Bike
Take the opportunity to experience Sofia’s compact city center by bike. Accompanied by an English-speaking guide and equipped with a rented bicycle, make your way through many of the city’s green spaces. Ride through the centrally-located Boris Garden, Loven Park, and Yuzhen Park for an active exploration of Bulgaria’s capital.
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From
$48.32
Price varies by group size
From
$48.32
Price varies by group size
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Full Day Sofia Tour
Get an in-depth look at the culture, history, and architecture of Sofia on a private 7-hour tour. End-to-end transportation from your hotel enables you to cover a huge area of the city comfortably and efficiently. Get a better understanding of Bulgarian culture (plus free admission) during guided visits at the National History Museum and UNESCO listed Boyana Church. Round out your day with a comprehensive but leisurely tour of the city center.
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From
$69.38
Price varies by group size
From
$69.38
Price varies by group size
Sofia Sightseeing Tour
Avoid the restrictions of a group excursion and discover the historic capital at your own pace on an audio-guided tour of Sofia, with commentary available in multiple languages. Be immersed in the city’s atmosphere as you stroll between top attractions, and take advantage of the self-led nature of the tour to depart at a time that suits you.
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From
$16.27
Price varies by group size
From
$16.27
Price varies by group size
Private Sofia Walking Tour
With this Private Tour, we want to show to you the most iconic spots in Sofia, the city we know and love, highlighted in a curious and fascinating way.
We will meet you with the mixture of ancient, communist, oriental, Roman and orthodox elements in the history, architecture, kitchen, and culture.
We are passionate about history fans and travelers and know how to run an extraordinary Private Walking Tour!
We can meet for a coffee in a very pleasant cafe and then we will walk with you to the most famous sites in the city, will show you a different angle to the traditional sightseeing spots and uncover secluded city treasures.
We will answer your questions about the places, culture, local habits, cuisine, and country.
The tour is part history, part sightseeing, part cultural.
All the best parts in one!
We run also a travel blog Smartplannyways in English and German describing various eco-trails and fascinating destinations in Bulgaria.
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From
$30.97
From
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Sofia Photo Tour
During our photo tour in Sofia we will combine exploring famous places in Sofia and taking photos of them. Then we will move to the hidden small streets where only locals use. I will help you with basic information how to take better photos as composition, exposure time and many other photography techniques from a professional photographer and guide.
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$43.36
From
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Sofia walking tour
Sofia is one of the oldest cities in Europe. See it with a local guide by booking our Sofia walking tour. Learn about the history, culture and lifestyle of Bulgarians during a nice walk in the city center. Sofia walking tour would show you the main landmarks of our capital, plus leaving you with a nice impression of this part of Europe.
The tour could be in English, German, Spanish, Arabic and other languages.
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From
$148.67
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From
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per group
Private Every Day Sofia Walking Tour
Be with your guide on a 3-4 hour private tour of Sofia showing you all for the fraction of the cost. Get an e-guide in your preferred language.
The best quality/price ratio tour in Sofia showing you all privately
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From
$35.93
From
$35.93
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Sofia Travel Photography Tour
You really love traveling and wish your could take amazing shots of the places you visit?
Join our unique combined sightseeing & photography learning tour!
Meet a professional photographer and a city tour guide in a special experience that will change your life!
Your guides will take you through the most photogenic places in the historical and cultural city centre of Sofia and you can start taking the best photos of your life right away!
The content is suitable for absolute beginners and beginners!
While you explore the city learn about the basics of:
1) Composition in Travel Photography
2) Learn how to see light and shadow
3) The basic camera equipment
4) Camera settings*
*Any camera with manual settings mode (M) will be sufficient. You can participate with a phone as well although we recommend using a camera.
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From
$125.80
Price varies by group size
From
$125.80
Price varies by group size
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Pokémon GO Private Tour of Sofia
Typical sightseeing tours can be very fact heavy, which isn’t ideal for energetic visitors or families with kids. Discover Sofia on a private Pokémon GO tour, and visit landmarks including the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Banya Bashi Mosque, and St. George Church rotunda while catching wild pokémon on your mobile app. Save time finding a meeting point with included hotel pickup and drop-off, and benefit from insights and tips provided by your guide.
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From
$21.06
From
$21.06
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Sofia City Of Lights PhotoWalks Tour
The tour is exclusive and private which means that your guide and instructor can concentrate 100% on assisting you in getting the right images and the best experience possible by tailoring the tour according to your personal needs. Although the tour is private you can bring up to 2 friends or family members included in the price.
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From
$195.13
Price varies by group size
From
$195.13
Price varies by group size
Walking Tour in Sofia’s parks
Bulgaria’s capital Sofia has many stories to tell! If you are not really in history, you will enjoy the fanciest street in the city- Vitosha Boulevard! Here you can shop in the posh boutiques and fashion houses. You will love lunch at a folkloristic restaurant or alternatively, drink in rooftop bars. Are you a lover of neoclassical architecture? The Ivan Vazov National Theatre is great part of Bulgarian culture. Do you know that in Sophia you can take a walk in one of the oldest parks in Europe? Have you ever seen the fountain fed by the hot charismatic guide, you will visit Park Vrana, Vitosha Boulevard, Borisova gradina, Serdica Amphitheatre, Central Mineral Baths; will hear secret stories of this beautiful city of Sofia.
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From
$456.18
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From
$456.18
per group
Privater Sofia Spaziergang
Mit dieser Privattour möchten wir Ihnen die ikonischsten Orte in Sofia zeigen, die Stadt, die wir kennen und lieben, auf eine neugierige und faszinierende Weise hervorgehoben.
Wir treffen Sie mit der Mischung aus antiken, kommunistischen, orientalischen, römischen und orthodoxen Elementen in Geschichte, Architektur, Küche und Kultur.
Wir sind leidenschaftliche Geschichtsfans und Reisende und wissen, wie man eine außergewöhnliche Private Walking Tour durchführt!
Wir können uns in einem sehr angenehmen Café treffen und dann mit Ihnen zu den berühmtesten Sehenswürdigkeiten der Stadt gehen, Ihnen einen anderen Blickwinkel als die traditionellen Sehenswürdigkeiten zeigen und abgelegene Stadtschätze entdecken.
Wir beantworten Ihre Fragen zu Orten, Kultur, Küche und Land.
Die Tour ist Teil Geschichte, Teil Sightseeing, Teil Kulturell. Alles Gute in einem!
Ich betreibe einen Reiseblog Smartplannyways, in dem verschiedene faszinierende Ziele in Bulgarien beschrieben werden.
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From
$30.97
From
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9 days Bulgaria Round Tour - Adventure in Nature and History
Intensive roundtrip with a rent-a-car, where tourists see most of the country, change the landscape almost every day, explore soul-stirring sceneries, religious and cultural relics, relax in picturesque old towns and soak up the sea sun.
Organization of accommodation in small charming family-owned hotels where you can feel the authentic and unique local atmosphere.
With our tailored packages, you can explore on your own not only top-rated spots but also little-known treasure troves.
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From
$766.89
From
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Sofia Private City Tour
The Sofia City Tour is a great opportunity to discover its rich history and to get acquainted with its present.
The city of Sofia offers beautiful buildings, Romanesque remains, old churches, extremely interesting archaeological complexes and of course thousands of bars and restaurants where you can taste traditional Bulgarian dishes.
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From
$43.36
Price varies by group size
From
$43.36
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
10 Days Bulgaria Round Tour - Urban & Sea Experience
Roundtrip with a rent-a-car. Longer stays (2 days) at every location and day trips to close attractions. Ramble around the cobblestoned streets of the old towns, enjoy a refreshing walk in the woods, immerse in the luring waters of the Black Sea.
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From
$890.78
From
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11 Days Bulgaria Round Tour - Stunning Big Voyage
Intensive roundtrip where people see many different fragments of the colorful Bulgarian mosaic: past, art, lakes, caves, waterfalls, castles, small authentic towns, beaches.
Perfect match for everybody who loves different new discoveries every day and wants to see the most of Bulgaria.
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From
$927.95
From
$927.95
Private city walking tour of Sofia
In this 2,5h walking tour, you will have the chance to get a deeper understanding over local history, traditions, and habits. Pass by the must-see city landmarks and hear interesting stories related to their past and present use, famous people they are related to, and much more.
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From
$69.38
Price varies by group size
From
$69.38
Price varies by group size
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