About Us

Boyan Stoev, co-owner, founder and manager of Magic Tours Ltd, has been in the tourism industry since early 1980s. In 1992, after the fall of communism in Bulgaria, he founded Magic Tours Travel and Tourism Company. His university background is literature (Sofia University) and economics (University of National and World Economy). He has specialized in business management in the United States (University of Delaware) and in tourism management in the United Kingdom (University of Surrey).

Valentina Stoeva, co-owner and marketing manager of Magic Tours. She holds MA in journalism and communication studies, Sofia University, Bulgaria. Valentina studied Women’s Studies at University of Kent at Canterbury, UK.  Before the Changes in Eastern Europe she worked two years as a journalist and 13 years at Institute of Sociology, at Bulgarian Academy of Science. While working as a journalist and sociologist she was welcoming colleagues   from all over the world and helping them to see Bulgaria, she was organizing their programs, meetings and etc. After the Changes in Eastern Europe she realized that this could be her job – welcoming people from all over the world, showing them the culture and everyday life of Bulgaria. Valentina and Boyan Stoev have a son and a daughter.

Diana Stoeva, co-owner and Marketing Director at Magic Tours. She has graduated in Public Relations at the Sofia University and  in  Artistic psycho-social practises at the New Bulgarian University. Since 2005 she has been working as a Tour Manager  at Magic Tours. She has been travelling in Bulgaria with Magic Tours' groups.  Diana is responsible for the educational part of Magic Tours programs. She is also involved in the communication policy and marekting  of the company. Diana is an author with over 100 publications about culture and social issues at the daily newspaper Dnevnik www.dnevnik.bg and the magazine Spunk. She is concerned about environmental issues and is involved in projects using art as a mean for social change. Diana is fluent in English and Dutch.

Kamen Metchkov lives and works in Bulgaria as a freelance tour guide, group leader and translator. He received his bachelor’s from the University of Central Arkansas and his master’s in Music Performance at Michigan State University. He worked as a clarinet instructor in Michigan and Tunisia. On his return to Bulgaria he worked as stage manager at the National Opera and Ballet for several years. His love of travelling and passion for Bulgarian history and culture inspired him to become a tour leader, so that he can show the world the beauties and the treasures of his homeland. His hobbies and interests include classical and jazz music, reading, trekking and thru-hiking. He completed the Bulgarian sections of the European long-distance footpaths E3 and E4. His goal is to hike all 40 mountains in Bulgaria. Kamen speaks two foreign languages- English and Italian.

 Dr. Katya Melamed, PhD in History and Archaeology, is a prominent Bulgarian archaeologists. Recently she has retired from National Institute of Archaeology with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Science. She is former Head of Medieval Department of Archaeological Museum. Her interests cover the archaeology of the early Middle Ages. Katya Melamed led long-term archaeological research and excavations all over Bulgaria. Dr Melamed has long experience with archaeological exhibitions and corresponding catalogues. She is lecturing at New Bulgarian University- Medieval Archaeology and English Terminology for archaeologists. She has published widely both in Bulgarian and English. Katya has been involved in lecturing and guiding for Road Scholar (previously Elderhostel) programs since 2000.

Dr. Nikola Theodossiev is teaching archaeology at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski. He directed various excavations since 1990 and participated in the foundation of the American Research Center in Sofia where he served as Associate Director. Dr. Theodossiev is a member of the  editorial board of Ancient West & East and is the Bulgarian editor of Fasti Online. He has published a number of articles and a book: North-WesternThrace from the Fifth to First Centuries BC (Oxford 2000). Among Dr. Theodossiev’s numerous awards are Getty and Mellon fellowships at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, American Academy in Rome, Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Edinburgh and the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences. He was a fellow in Oxford University and the Podhorsky Scholar at the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Dr. Theodossiev is a Corresponding Member of the Archaeological Institute of America and was a Samuel Kress Lecturer at the Institute. He frequently lectured at conferences and universities throughout Europe and the U.S.

Rossen Potzkov is a freelance tour guide and a mountain guide and a tour leader. He is guiding and leading specialized cultural heritage, convention and wine tours in Bulgaria and abroad. After finishing his Master degree in Tourism Administration (The George Washington University, Washington, DC (Fulbright fellow), Rossen worked for two years as event manager at Tasting Society International, Washington, DC. When came back to Bulgaria he worked in tourism marketing, interpreting at wine events; preparing, translating and distributing info bulletin. He was translating and interpreting for tourism investment seminars and familiarization trips for the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade. Rossen is fluent in English and in Russian. “I have lived in Sofia, my home town, for almost the entire time, which could be separated in two parts – socialist/communist Bulgaria until 1989, and post-socialist country after that. And I happen to believe that freedom is more valuable than nostalgia for the lost young years. Talking to and sharing with other people is great, you learn more about the human condition, and you help, in a modest way. I love theater, jazz and wine, and – when not distracted by the cat – my family.”

Konstantsa Hristova was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria. She is MA in Biology and Chemistry (Sofia University). She has also a Master Degree in Economics (“St, St Cyril and Methodius” Veliko Turnovo University). After finishing her Master degree Konstansa became a PhD student at the Economic Institute (2005-2010). Till 2012 she was working as a freelance translator, consultant and lecturer. “As a fun fact about myself I could say it's the way I had become a tour guide. Before my maternity leave I was working in Bulgarian academy of science and as a PhD student was expected to become a scientist and researcher. After my son was born I'd started working as translator. Till the day when a friend of mine in tourist sector asked me to do a trip with a group of tourist as lectures. He knew that I'm addicted traveler and history is my passion. The tour went great. Since that day I realized what really makes me happy and its exactly what I am doing now. Travel in our beautiful country and sharing my knowledge with people from all over the world.” In 2012 she became a licensed tour guide. Konstansa is fluent in English and Russian. She also speaks Dutch, Spanish and German languages. She is a volunteer at WWF since March 2009. She is a member of Human Library since 2008. In her spare time she likes to read, travel, write, paint and draw.

Ilko Shivachev was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria. He studied at the The University of National and World Economy in Sofia, where he obtained his Master Degree in Marketing and Bachelor Degree in Economics. Ilko is fluent in English, and in German. He also speaks Spanish and Greek. When he was a child he lived with his family for more than 3 years in Greece. After finishing his University degree in Bulgaria he specialized in Management and Economy in the summer academy “Hochschule Bremen”, Germany. In 2009 he became a licensed Tour guide. Till 2017 Ilko has been working for different companies as marketing/sales specialist and account manager. After that he decided to become a freelance tour guide on a constant basis, after already having worked as a tour guide as part-time job during his student years.  “I became a guide because I love my country, I love travelling, and I like meeting new people, it's fun, entertaining and always very interesting. In my free time I like to play sports, mini football, and I have a small music band where we create and play our own music.

Kalinka Hristova:" My name is Kalinka. I was born in Bulgaria. I am Bulgarian, and I am proud to be Bulgarian. With a BA and MA in Tourism and as a passionate traveller, and I know what travelling is all about. I want you to keep memorable experiences from your trip to Bulgaria, to make it so memorable you want to come back again and you tell your friends about my country. I travelled extensively within the country (and abroad) and I would love to guide you through my Bulgaria, the way I love it. I am a certified tour guide in Bulgaria and tour leader abroad for Bulgarian, English and Spanish. For the past almost twenty years I have also been committed to professional translation, interpreting, editing and proofreading.I also love writing when my muse stops by, and I also do copywriting. My first serious copywriting project was the The Best of Bulgaria app."