Izinto ezingavamile ongazenza e-i-Bulgaria

Discover the main landmarks of communist history in the city of Sofia. Start your tour by passing by the former headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party. Continue on to see buildings such as the secret police investigation facility and the destroyed mausoleum. Head on towards the monument of the Soviet army and the National Palace of Culture. During the 3-hour-long walking tour, learn about the theory of communism and what Marxism-Leninism is. Find out about the history of communism in Bulgaria, the pros and cons of the period, and the relation between the communist government and religion, industry, economy, culture and everyday life of the people. End the tour with a fresh perspective on the city and a new insight into the country's communist past. Please note group size may vary depending on the season.

I will take you on a culinary adventure of the national Bulgarian cuisine. We will prepare seasonal meals and use fresh and locally grown products from the small local grocery stores. Together we will cook a hands-on four-course, traditional Bulgarian meal, including banitsa, a main dish, a salad or a soup, and a light dessert. We will start with the preparation of the classic pastry for banitsa from scratch while talking about mystical Bulgarian food and culture habits stories. Our soup will be traditional Bulgarian cold soup - Tarator (we will cook it only when cucumbers are tasty and in season - spring, summer or early autumn time, for the wintertime we will prepare a winter salad) followed by the main course, which will be based on your food preferences (vegetarian or classic meat dish) and finishing with delicious Bulgarian yogurt dessert with homegrown/made ingredients. You will have the chance to learn classic recipes and secret tips for mastering Bulgarian cuisine. I will be happy to share with you products grown in my family's back yard with a lot of love and care, like homemade alcoholic drinks and classic Bulgarian preserves. Other things to note Vegetarian and Vegan options are available upon request. Please, inform me about any food allergies.

During your personal tasting experience I will guide you through the distinctive world of Bulgarian wines. Although Bulgaria has been producing wine for 5000 years it is still relatively unknown to the rest of the world. Now a rising new generation of Bulgarian boutique winemakers are devoted to the craft and bringing new attention to our country. You will taste 5 wine varieties of local grapes unique to Bulgaria, that can not be found anywhere else: Miskets, Melnik, Mavrud, Gumza and Rubin. Plus, local cheeses, artisanal bread and mineral water. The tasting is held in one of the best boutique wine shops in Sofia – Tempus Vini, which is located on an artsy street in the city center, known for its fine restaurants and boutiques. And just a few streets away from Sofia’s main pedestrian boulevard. During the tasting I can tell you about the wine regions of Bulgaria including the history and the wine culture of my beautiful country. All tastings are held in English or Bulgarian. Duration is about 1.5 hours. Then I can offer you suggestions of my favorite restaurants nearby to finish your evening. :) Other things to note Please inform me if some of the guests have any allergies. Thank you. We are expecting you!

This is usually a small group tour. The meeting point for it is behind Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, next to Cafe La Catehdrale at 8;45am. The departure is at 9am. The monastery is situated in the beautiful Rila mountain. The traveling time to it is about two hours. The monastery is UNESCO heritage site and it is the biggest monastery complex in Bulgaria. There you will have about 40-minute guided tour with which you will learn about the history and the legends related to the monastery. If you are interested, we can visit its museum as well (the ticket is 8 lev per person and it is not included in the price of the tour). After that, you will have some free time to check the shops, take some photos and have lunch break. If your tour is on a weekend day during the summer, the restourants next to the monastery could be crowded, so you can bring your own food from Sofia in order to save some time. At about 2pm we will depart to Sofia and on the way back we will stop at the Boyana Church- another UNESCO heritage site, situated in the footsteps of the Vitosha Mountain. The entrance ticket here is 10BGN - you pay should pay it on spot. Once again, the guide will tell you about their history and what they represent. The visit in the church is about 20 minutes. The return in the center of Sofia is at about 5;30 pm.

Take a deep breath and escape to the peaceful embrace of Bulgaria's stunning mountain ranges. For anyone seeking a chance to connect with nature, this mountain retreat is the perfect getaway. We are going to visit the highest point of Vitosha - Black Peak - in the oldest natural park in Bulgaria, established in 1934. While climbing and descending 550 meters, we will enjoy some incredible views of the capital Sofia, the Balkans' highest peak Musala, and many more. We will also enjoy some delicious cuisine at a mountain lodge. Book now and get ready to relax, recharge, and rejuvenate in the peaceful embrace of Bulgaria's stunning mountain scenery. Please contact me before booking to discuss the details of what you want to do (I'm quite flexible) and how you can best prepare for the expected weather conditions. You can also contact me for any dates that appear "unavailable" in my calendar. They're probably available but just haven't been scheduled yet.

I'll come and pick you up at a time and place convenient for you (at your accommodation for instance), and take my car, public transport or taxis to the trailhead, where we'll walk as far as you want, having a packed lunch picnic on the way. Please let me know about your desired walking distance (we usually do 10-25 km on a day), any special interests (we can include a monastery, warm springs, etc.), whether you'd like me to paste a few sandwiches for you, etc. and depending on the season, I'll propose a route on which we will visit our favourite spots. During the walk, I'll tell you about what I know about the nature we see, and we can talk about life in Bulgaria, the universe and everything :) At the end of the day, I'll drop you off in Sofia again. Other things to note Please contact me before booking to discuss the details of what you want to do (I'm quite flexible) and the weather forecast. Please also contact me for any dates that look "unavailable" in my calendar: they're probably available but I just haven't scheduled them yet.

When the exhausting heat of the day subsides, and refreshing evening falls upon the city, we will go to explore its beautiful streets, squares and corners. We are going to see all of the iconic locations of Varna, as well as less visited places, and several impressive abandoned buildings. Evening is the best time to experience Varna, as there are fewer cars and people on the streets, the shadows are long, and the last rays of sun add special charm to the city. We will stop on the beautiful Independence Square, where I will tell you the story of all the great buildings around, as well as the story of Varna's most noble architect, who created over 350 buildings, but ended up in prison. At the local market, we are going to taste famous Bulgarian tomatoes, which can weigh as much as 1,3kg! We are also going to try local street food and drink from the oldest bakery in Varna. We will enjoy breathtaking sea views at newly renovated Varna port, where I will also tell you about the most impressive engineering construction of the city - Aparuhov bridge. We will finish our walk on a high note - on the 14th floor of the hotel Cherno More, where I will offer you a cup of coffee or a glass of juice, and we will admire the bird's-eye view of the city. In the end, everyone is going to receive a small souvenir to remind you of beautiful Varna and our lovely walk!

First, we will have a short lecture about the basic tools, and terms. We will speak about the bees' life cycle, how honey and other bee products are made by the bees. Then, we will get equipped with protective costumes and gloves and we'll move to one of my bee yards. There I will open a few hives and will show my guests the bee colony - how it is organized, how it works. All questions will have answers. Any time my guests feel ready to make their first touch, they will take the chance, supervised and encouraged by me. We will make real beekeeping, depending on the season. Multiplying colonies, extract honey, queen bee production, disease prevention, etc. We will have lunch, with delicious food homemade by me. Lunch will finish with a tasting of different kinds of honey. After lunch, we could have a discussion "how to start professional or own needs beekeeping". Other things to note Please, have in mind, that bees can and often sting even through the protective costume. This experience is not suitable for people with insect sting allergy. To avoid getting bees stinking, the guest should not use strong fragrances such as perfumes, aftershaves, deo, hair styling, etc.

Our meeting point will be behind Aleksander Nevski Cathedral, in front of "La Cattedrale restaurant". The departure is at 07:00 o'clock sharp. (GPS coordinates: 42.695601, 23.333790). We'll drive to the Panichishte Resort chair lift which takes us to the Seven Rila Lakes Cirque. Then we start exploring them one by one. Each lake is named after its most characteristic feature. The highest one (at 2500m above sea level) is called Salzata "The Tear", from where we have a bird’s eye view over all seven lakes, as well as surrounding outcrops and deep valleys; the next one in height carries the name Okoto "The Eye" after its oval form; Babreka "The Kidney" is the lake with the steepest shores of the entire group; Bliznaka "The Twin" is the largest of all; Trilistnika "The Trefoil" has an irregular shape; the shallowest lake is Ribnoto Ezero "The Fish Lake" and the lowest one is Dolnoto Ezero "The Lower Lake" (2100m above sea level), where the water that flows out of the other lakes is gathered to form the source of Dzherman River. Once you visit the last lake, we'll return to the upper station of the chair lift, ride it, and head back to Sofia with our minivan. You'll be dropped off at the starting location. Other things to note Be physically prepared for this hike. Depending on the month that you book, you might need winter clothes. Hiking boots are a must!

If you are looking for a unique experience surrounded by loved horses, you are coming to the right place! The base is located at Elena´s house, the owner of the horses, by Radomir. Please have in mind that we will drive from Sofia 1h and 15min to arrive to our destination, but don't worry, the scenery on the way is already worth the trip! We believe in a stronger connection with the horse and putting their best interest and wellbeing first. This means that our horse experience might be much different to others that you might have had in the past. First, we all warm up by walking with the horse, we will lead them just as if they were dogs :D We will do a combination of walking and riding depending on the terrain, it will end up being around 50% walking and 50% riding. We will pass by some beautiful landscape overviewing the mountains and fields. The main view point will be up a hill with a panoramic view to the mountains. The hike/ride will take just under 2h. IMPORTANT NOTES: - Better message me before booking so I can double check if the ride will be possible. This will depend on weather and the horse´s wellbeing. - In some cases, I will be able to pick you up at your accommodation. - Long trousers and closed shoes such as trainers or hiking shoes are a must! No shorts and no open shoes.

Our meeting point will be behind Aleksander Nevski Cathedral, in front of La Cattedrale restaurant. (GPS coordinates: 42.695601, 23.333790). The departure is at 7AM! We'll drive to the Panichishte Resort around 9AM from where a chair lift will take us to the Seven Rila Lakes Cirque. The ticket is not included and costs 25 leva (= 12.5 euros per person for both directions). Then we will start exploring the lakes. Each of them is named after its most characteristic feature: The Lower Lake (2100 m/ 6900 ft above sea level), The Fish Lake, The Trefoil, The Twin, The Kidney, The Eye and The Tear (2500 m/8200 ft above sea level). Be physically prepared for this hike. Depending on the month that you book, you might need winter clothes. Hiking boots are a must! We also advise you to bring some snacks and a water bottle. Once we visit the last lake, we'll return to the upper station of the chair lift, ride it and head to the Rila Monastery (UNESCO), which is within a 2-hour drive. This is Bulgaria's biggest and most beautiful monastic complex. A place where unique architecture, faith and nature live in symbiosis. Note that there is a dress code at this holy place. All visitors must have their shoulders and knees covered. We will have a guided tour around the monastery and then head back to Sofia which is within a 2.5 hour ride.

Join us on a guided trip to one of the most iconic communist monuments from the past in Eastern Europe. The UFO-like abandoned building is located on top of Buzludzha peak in the Central Balkan mountains. Today an empty structure stripped of its initial purposes, it has gained many admirers and popularity around the world and is considered a remarkable representation of this part of history. Another highlight of this day trip is the town of Kazanlak-the center of rose oil production in Bulgaria. We will make a short stop at the wonderful Ethnographic Complex of Damascena where you can learn more about the production of the famous Bulgarian rose oil. The tour starts at 7:00 AM at the back of the Alexander Nevski Cathedral. The transfer time is about 3.5 hours per direction and the tour is about 11 hours long. First, we will stop at the Complex of Damascena around 10:30. Then the town of Kazanlak where there will be a short lunch break. We will arrive at the Buzludzha monument around 13:30. Keep in mind that the Buzludzha monument is currently not open for visitors for safety reasons and cannot be seen from the inside. However, the views from the outside are well worth the time. The monument is atop the Buzludzha peak in the Balkan mountains so make sure you bring a jacket and comfortable shoes. The last stop will be at the Shipka memorial church. We leave for Sofia at 16:30.

I will introduce you 5 types of the most popular Bulgarian wines from local grapes as well as two types of local cheesе. Along the tasting I'll recount you about our wine regions and the history. Our customers are some of the best restaurants in Sofia, so a recommendation for your next gourmet experience in Sofia will be provided to you at the end of the tasting. All you need to do is to enjoy the true essence of Bulgarian wines and cheesе.

After meeting in the morning, we will head to the first stop of our tour, the Monastery of Saint Dimitar of Basarbovo. Dating back to the 12th century, it is surrounded by legends and is the only functioning rock-hewn monastery in Bulgaria. We will spend about 45 minutes there. We will continue to The medieval fortress of Cherven - one of the most important centers in the Second Bulgarian Empire. We will tour the well-preserved fortifications and look over fortress walls. The visit will take us about 90 minutes. Our next stop is Orlova chuka cave the largest cave in Bulgaria open for tourist visits. There we will see some rare rock formations in the beautifully lit galleries and learn about the geology of the region.Then we will stop for a lunch of locally sourced delicious Bulgarian food and refreshments. The cave visit lasts around 45 minutes. Total, including lunch - 2 hours. Next, we will head to the Ivanovo rock-hewn churches. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this complex churches and chapels hewed out of the white rocks above the winding river, is famous for its well-preserved medieval frescoes dating from the 12-13th century. This visit will last about 60 minutes After that, we will go back to our start point. Other things to note As most of the places we'll visit have an open season from 1st April till 30th October, this is the period the experience is offered.

Sofia Pub Crawl is a guided tour of Sofia's best bars, clubs and nightlife overall. You get to join a group of locals and tourists from all over the world for a night of exploration and drinking. What you get: - A 4+ hour tour of Sofia local's favourite bars (unique and hard to find) + a club - A free round of shots at every place and free entrance to the club at the end - Meeting locals, as well as travelers from all over the world - Drinking games, challenges and other types of entertainment - Your very own fun English-speaking guide