Sofia Church of St. George (St. George Rotunda) Tours
Also known as the St. George Rotunda, Sofia's early-Christian Church of St. George was originally built by Romans during the 4th century, making it one of Bulgaria’s oldest buildings. Today, the church attracts visitors with its medieval frescoes, varied architecture, and Roman-era ruins that surround it.
The Basics
Attend an Orthodox service to see the inner-workings of the church, or visit outside of worship to study frescoes and friezes that span centuries at your own pace. The church is a convenient start point for exploration of the Serdica ruins, or can be combined with other city landmarks, such as Banya Bashi Mosque or the UNESCO-listed Boyana Church, on a city tour, which offer first-time visitors an easy way to orient themselves in Bulgaria’s capital.
Things to Know Before You Go
How to Get There
The church is less than 5 minutes’ walk from Serdika metro station; a backdrop of modern hotels and offices provide a stark juxtaposition. Tours offering round-trip transfers ensure easy access to the central landmark and allow you to cover more sights without worrying about navigation.
When to Get There
The church extends its opening hours during summer, though the site can be visited year-round. Seeing the Roman ruins under a winter dusting of snow is especially memorable. Services are held daily.
Religious Diversity in Central Sofia
Immediately over the road, visitors can find the medieval Church of St. Petka, known for its biblical murals, while the history-laden St. Kyriaki Cathedral Church stands just west. Less than a few minutes’ walk away is the Banya Bashi Mosque, which provides insight into Sofia’s Islamic culture, and the Jewish Sofia Synagogue. Time-pressed travelers can tick them all off in less than a day.
The Basics
Attend an Orthodox service to see the inner-workings of the church, or visit outside of worship to study frescoes and friezes that span centuries at your own pace. The church is a convenient start point for exploration of the Serdica ruins, or can be combined with other city landmarks, such as Banya Bashi Mosque or the UNESCO-listed Boyana Church, on a city tour, which offer first-time visitors an easy way to orient themselves in Bulgaria’s capital.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Sofia Church of St. George is a must-see for anyone interested in history, architecture, religion, or culture.
- The church is free to enter, but interior photography is forbidden.
- As an active place of worship, modest clothing is a must: if it’s a hot day, pack a shawl or pair of long trousers to cover bare shoulders or legs before entering.
How to Get There
The church is less than 5 minutes’ walk from Serdika metro station; a backdrop of modern hotels and offices provide a stark juxtaposition. Tours offering round-trip transfers ensure easy access to the central landmark and allow you to cover more sights without worrying about navigation.
When to Get There
The church extends its opening hours during summer, though the site can be visited year-round. Seeing the Roman ruins under a winter dusting of snow is especially memorable. Services are held daily.
Religious Diversity in Central Sofia
Immediately over the road, visitors can find the medieval Church of St. Petka, known for its biblical murals, while the history-laden St. Kyriaki Cathedral Church stands just west. Less than a few minutes’ walk away is the Banya Bashi Mosque, which provides insight into Sofia’s Islamic culture, and the Jewish Sofia Synagogue. Time-pressed travelers can tick them all off in less than a day.
Address: bul. Kniaz Aleksandar Dondukov 2, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria
17 Tours and Activities to Experience Sofia Church of St. George (St. George Rotunda)
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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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From
$51.47
$9.08 savings
Price varies by group size
From
$51.47
$9.08 savings
Price varies by group size
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
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.
…More
From
$18.54
Price varies by group size
From
$18.54
Price varies by group size
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
$37.07
Price varies by group size
From
$37.07
Price varies by group size
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.
…More
From
$17.30
Price varies by group size
From
$17.30
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
$35.84
Price varies by group size
From
$35.84
Price varies by group size
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Experience Sofia
When in Sofia it may seem initially there is not much to see. But you are just a step away from learning about not only the rich milenia history of the city but also about the local population of this part of the world - the ancient Thracians and their predecessors as the History museum will reveal to us some of the oldest artefacts discovered in this area.
Boyana church itself is a great example of the Medieval art and even with its secret it stays in our memory forever!
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From
$63.38
Price varies by group size
From
$63.38
Price varies by group size
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
$764.91
From
$764.91
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.
…More
From
$888.48
From
$888.48
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
$925.56
From
$925.56
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
$125.48
Price varies by group size
From
$125.48
Price varies by group size
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
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.
…More
From
$148.29
per group
From
$148.29
per group
4 Balkan Countries and 3 Nights Cruise in Greek Islands from Sofia
Starting in Bulgaria, one of the oldest countries in Europe.
Ohrid the deepest and oldest lake in Europe and Balkan Pearl.
Albania where you will have a combination of history, culture, tradition, religion and nature in some of most renowned sites in Albania,
Visiting in Greece, Meteora, formed approximately 65 million years ago, Corfu, the undisputed Queen of the Ionian islands, Delphi, mystical place, Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games and Athens, labelled as the birthplace of democracy and home to some of the most famous philosophers.
Ending with a cruise on the Aegean Sea! Sail from Athens to dock on the legendary island of Mykonos, sail towards the shores of Turkey to visit Kusadasi sail to Crete to explore Knossos, and also sail, to Santorini, “The Black Pearl of the Aegean.”
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From
$2,706.23
From
$2,706.23
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travelers
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
$35.84
From
$35.84
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
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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From
$23.17
From
$23.17
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
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.
…More
From
$48.19
Price varies by group size
From
$48.19
Price varies by group size
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
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.
…More
From
$21.01
From
$21.01
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Sofia Complete Virtual Tour with Local Live Guide
We are taking you on a virtual tour of the Bulgarian capital - Sofia. Truly amazing, full of rich history Sofia would enchant you even virtually. We shall do our best to present you everything in 1,5 hours time with secrets from the guides, lots of story telling and taking you around all the most important sights. A total of 18 sights would be explored and you would understand why Sofia is a focal point of the Bulgarian tourism. This virtual tour would make you want and need more information for Bulgaria.
You would have the opportunity to ask questions and make this as a discussion in the end.
Are you ready?
…More
From
$25.51
$4.15 savings
From
$25.51
$4.15 savings
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
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