Sofia Food, Heritage, and Culture Tour
Sofia, Bulgaria
Culture shock rating
Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.
Low
Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.
Medium
Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.
High
You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.
Physical rating
Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.
Low
Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.
Medium
Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.
High
Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.
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Tour snapshot
What happens when you combine sweet treats, succulent meats, locally-produced wine and some of Bulgaria's best architecture? You get a Sofia tour like no other, guaranteed to satisfy your tastebuds and expand your waistline…like all good tours should!
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Highlights
- Feel like a local in Sofia
- Taste the famous shopska salad and drink ayryan
- Sample local Bulgarian wine along with a meze meat platter
- See the main symbols and icons of Sofia with a local guide
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Schedule details
- Duration: 3 hours
- Meeting point:
Grand Hotel Sofia 5*
- Find the exact meeting point with what3words:
- Starting time: 3.00 PM
- Ending point:
Lions' Bridge
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, samples of local specialities - lukanka, babek, pastarma, shopska salad, ayryan, and wine tasting.
Exclusions: Items of personal nature, additional food or drink, gratuities for your guide.
Spend an afternoon like locals do. Explore Sofia’s fascinating and historical city centre, taste Bulgarian sweets, and indulge in some Bulgarian wine and meze – you know, all in a typical day for locals in Sofia!
Sofia is full of impressive sights, and your Sofia tour will start with your local guide showing you some of the most beautiful ones, including the National Theatre, King’s Palace, and the Presidency, before leading you to a favourite local café.
We’re pretty sure it’s time for a break, so we’ll stop here at the café to sample some Sofia food; the world famous shopska salad, prepared with fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, and spices. We’ll also taste a cup of traditional Bulgarian ayryan, a drink prepared from yogurt.
Our historical tour of Sofia will continue with some beautiful stops, including the Rotunda St. George, St. Nedelya Church, Banya Bashi Mosque, and the Synagogue, all situated near ‘Small Jerusalem Square’, so named because within five minutes’ walk of the square where you can find very important monuments to three different religions.
From there, it’ll be time for a visit to Central Hali Market, a building with more than a hundred years of history and architecture, and where we’ll taste typical sweets like baklava, and tolumbichki. On this Sofia food tour, you’ll also have the opportunity to buy fresh fruits or vegetables, and we may even have the chance to sample nuts or sausages.
Continuing with the truly local Sofia experience, we’ll catch a ride on the newest underground in Europe to get us to our final stop – a traditional, typical Bulgarian restaurant. Situated in four houses, with a common garden, the restaurant’s architecture and furniture hail from the 19th century, and from four different parts of Bulgaria.
It’s fitting that this restaurant is where we’ll indulge in some fantastic Bulgarian wine along with meze, a local meat platter, filled with lukanka, babek, fillet Elena, and pastarma.
Our Sofia tour ends here, but this restaurant is the perfect place to continue your Bulgarian food fest, with all sorts of fantastic Bulgarian dishes available for you to enjoy.
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Additional information
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, samples of local specialities - lukanka, babek, pastarma, shopska salad, ayryan, and wine tasting.
Exclusions: Items of personal nature, additional food or drink, gratuities for your guide.
Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.
Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
Child Policy: Children must be 6 years of age to 11 years inclusively. Children below the age of 6 are not permitted on this tour.
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Local contact
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