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2 Hours Shared Walking Tour in Sofia City with Tasting
5.0
2 Ratings
Sofia
Discover Sofia’s hidden gems with a local guide, savor Bulgarian beer or wine, and enjoy traditional meze on this 2-hour walking tour.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Saint Sofia Church - The Saint Sophia Church is one of the few preserved Christian basilicas in Bulgarian lands. It was built in the VI century on the site of several earlier churches from IV and V century. At the end of the XIV century it was rebuilt in a mosque with a minaret. It suffered the earthquakes in 1818 and 1858. Along with the church “St. George”, it is one of the oldest and most valuable historical sites of Sofia from its Roman period. - St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral - Built in Neo-Byzantine style it is the is one of the biggest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in the world, as well as one of Sofia’s symbols and primary tourist attractions. - The National Gallery for Foreign Art - The design of that Building, in Neoclassical style, by the Viennese architect Friedrich Schwanberg was realised in the period between 1881 and 1883. - Bulgarian National Library (St. Cyrill and St. Methodius National Library) - With its 8.5 million documents the National Library “St. St. Cyril and Methodius” is the largest book treasury in Bulgaria. Visitors will see temporary exhibitions inside. The collection of old, rare and valuable books includes a total of about 17 000 volumes of books and periodicals printed in the period 15th-21st centuries. The materials are organized in separate collections. - Sofia University Saint Kliment Ohridski - Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and The “St. St. Cyril and Methodius” National Library are near the Eagles’ Bridge. The university was founded on 1 October 1888. Monday-Friday visitors could also see the amazing central hall with the big stained glass windows. - National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria - The building National Assembly sits is of historic significance and it is a monument of culture. It was built in 1884-1886 at the design of architect Constantin Yovanovic - Ivan Vazov National Theater - The building of the National Theatre was finished in 1906 and the opening ceremony was held on 3 January 1907. It was designed by the architects Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer, who were hugely popular in the early twentieth century, to become one of Sofia’s most imposing and representative buildings in the Art Nouveau style, which was all the rage in those days. - Former Bulgarian Communist Party Headquarters - Bulgaria was occupied by USSR 1944-1989. The Party House (at present housing offices of the National Assembly) was designed by a team headed by architect Petso Zlatev. It was built from 1948 to 1954. The red Star, placed following the Soviet Model, is now removed and displayed at the Museum of Socialist Art. It is replaced by the national flag. - The Rotunda Church of St George - The oldest and best-preserved functioning church since Roman times in Sofia is the rotunda church St. George. It was built in the beginning of the 4th century AD during the reign of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great (reigned 306 – 337) and the flourishing of the ancient town Serdika (the old name of Sofia). It is believed that the rotunda is the oldest building in Sofia. - Ancient Serdica Archaeological Complex - Ancient cultural and communication complex “Serdica” combines areas with various purposes, divided into two zones. The “Largo” zone, situated underneath Nezavisimost Square, integrates the unearthed archaeological remains into a site for cultural events. The remains of one of the two main streets of the Roman town, the decumanus maximus, which connects the eastern and the western gate of the city, can be seen here. A large residential building, covering an entire insula (urban block), can be seen south of it. The building also had small shops, from which travelers and the town’s inhabitants could purchase food and various goods. - Central Mineral Baths – Banski Sq 1 - Visitors will go to see the Natural Hot Springs of the city-46 degrees Celsius The current Central Mineral Baths building was designed in the Vienna Secession style, but integrating typically Bulgarian, Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox ornamental elements, by the architects Petko Momchilov and Friedrich Grünanger in 1904–1905 and approved on 30 January 1906, as projects by an Austrian (in 1889) - Banya Bashi Mosque - It was built by the initiative and with the financial support of Mullah Effendi Kada Seyfullah and is also known as Mollah Effendi Mosque. It was designed by the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who also built the mosque of Sultan Selim on Edirne and the Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul. Because of the number 974 above the entrance arch, the mosque is considered to be built in 974, the Hijri (Islamic calendar) or in 1566 – 1567 AD. - The West Gate of Sofia - The first fortification wall of Serdica was erected in the second half of the 2nd century AD. It had a width of 2.20 m. At the end of the 3rd , the beginning of the 4th c.АD, a remodeling of the wall was undertaken and a ditch was dug in front of it - 14 m west of the Western gate at about 2 m deep and 5 m wide, functioning in the 4th century. - Zhenski Pazar Women’s Market - Established more than 140 years ago, it has become one of the most important trading centres in the metropolitan city. Almost 60 000 visit Zhenski Pazar Market every day. The market is located in the so-called Area of Tolerance in Sofia. The name itself is coined after the close proximity of the temples of all the official religious communities in Bulgaria. Here you can find the church “Saints Cyril and Methodius“, the “Banya bashi” Mosque, and the Central Synagogue of Sofia. - Sofia Synagogue - The building of the Central Sofia Synagogue is rightly described as the pride of the Bulgarian Jewish community. It is one of the three largest Sephardic (Spanish-Jewish) synagogues in Europe and the largest on the Balkan Peninsula.
What's Included
- English Guide
- Bulgarian beer and a glass of local quality wine paired with traditional meze (appetizer)
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
Additional Information
You will explore Sofia, taste delicious Bulgarian beer and a glass of local quality wine paired with traditional meze: (appetizer) dried meat (100 gr.) and a cheese (100 gr.). Your tour guide is a passionate local who grew up in Sofia. He will not only show you local attractions but will also offer you an insight into what you can experience in your free time; where the locals go & more about the social and night life highlights of the city. Sofia has so many interesting places, often hidden in small streets, galleries, bars, events etc. It is a small group!
Read more about 2 Hours Shared Walking Tour in Sofia City with Tasting - https://www.viator.com/tours/Sofia/Sofia-city-walking-tour/d5630-5505690P2?mcid=56757
- We can accommodate dietary restrictions such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, etc. If you have dietary requirements. Please indicate it to the special requirements at the time of booking
- Optional menu 1! : Instead of the menu included travelers could choose Non- alcoholic menu. Optional! - Bulgarian yogurt and banitza which is layering a mixture of whisked eggs, plain yogurt, and pieces of white brined cheese between filo pastry and then baking it in an oven.
- Optional menu 2! : Instead of the menu included travelers could choose kosher or halal food-Optional! for tours after 12 p.m. Includes humus with bread or shawarma (250 gr.) with non-alcholic drink
- Alcoholic drinks is not suitable for children 17 years old or under!
- The 14 allergens are: celery, cereals containing gluten (such as wheat, rye, barley, and oats), crustaceans (such as prawns, crabs and lobsters), eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs (such as mussels and oysters), mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide and sulphites (if the sulphur dioxide and sulphites are at a concentration of more than ten parts per million) and tree nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts).
Location
St. Sofia Church
ulitsa "Paris"
The church is built of red bricks. A guide with blue hat and jacket wll be waiting for you in front of the door of the church.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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