Private tour in Sofia Mihail R
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Mihail R.
4.9
Guide rating
7
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4 hrs
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Hello! I would like to welcome you to Sofia and Bulgaria! :) Since 2008 I have organized a number of international events such as conferences, seminars, and visits of official delegations to the country. It is for this reason why I have started guiding. By doing this, I not only offer high quality of services but also share my passion for Bulgarian history, traditions, politics and economics, and how Bulgarians are connected to the rest of the world. A few words about Sofia and Bulgaria: Sofia was a Roman provincial capital and played a significant role in the first centuries of Christianity. The city was positioned on the Via Militaris (aka Via Diagonalis) road from Antiquity until the twentieth century. In the fiftieth century, the Ottomans chose it as the capital of their Balkan provinces. From the field of Sofia, the joined Asian and European troops of the Ottoman army marched west. For this institutional tradition, Sofia continued to be the capital of the re-established Bulgarian princedom by the first Bulgarian Grand Assembly in 1879. In the last 140 years, it experienced an economic and demographic expansion. Bulgaria, on the other hand, has to offer not only a rich history in which one finds Kimmerians, Scythians, Persians, Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Slavs, Bulgars, Byzantines, Crusaders, and Ottomans gaining control and establishing states but also their heritage in terms of cuisines, religions, arts, and cultures. I am sure Bettany Hughes' recent film about Bulgaria will help you discover the archaeological treasures of Bulgaria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNtoLTU6kuA Do you know that the best Bulgarian wines remain in the country? Or, that Bulgarian cuisine has not only entirely Bulgarian dishes but also is a confluence of Ottoman and Greek, Eastern and Western recipes and meals? Well, I welcome you to discover all these historical facts and enticing tastes with me. . . . Any of the tours I offer could be customized upon your request with visits to religious sites, galleries, traditional restaurants with homemade food, and limited-production wineries with delicious wines and rakia (Bulgarian and Near Eastern sort of brandy). I try to accommodate weekend tour requests since I have my permanent full-time job over the business weekdays. Tourist guide license No. E-01213 / 12.03.2018 issued by the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria and valid for the territory of Bulgaria. Language: English. The license could be verified at: http://ntr.tourism.government.bg/Web/Certificates.nsf/guides.xsp Between 1996 and 2012 I have studied Master and Ph.D. programs in History, Slavonic Studies, and Economics in Bulgaria and the United Kingdom. I have a standard unrestricted driving license (Bulgarian classification is Class B). I am fully vaccinated and offer a safe tour environment. I have no restrictions and can offer walking tours as well as by car in Sofia and other cities.
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Mihail R.
Sofia is a city with a long history dating from prehistoric times. When the Romans conquered the Thracians in the first century CE, they named the local settlement Serdica after the Serdi tribe. It is from here that Emperor Galerius (305-311 CE) announced his Edict of Toleration, which played an important role for Christianity as a precursor to Emperor Constantine the Great's edict issued two years later (313 CE) in Milan. As for the latter, he considered Serdica as "his Rome". During this tour, we will have a glimpse of Sofia's past from Roman Serdica - public and religious buildings, roads, towers, and amphitheatre- to Ottoman Sofia - the capital of the Balkan provinces of the Ottoman Empire - and to modern-day Sofia - the capital of Bulgaria. We will explore the reasons for its founding here, why it expanded in the twentieth century, and touch on aspects of Sofia's vibrant history and architecture, both communist and pre-communist.
We will start from your hotel or the Central Departmental Store and will progress to the hot springs in the centre of Sofia. - Then, via one of the Eastern city wall towers, we will head to the amphitheatre, and will visit St Sophia Basilica and St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. - On our way back, we shall pass by St Nickolas - the Russian orthodox church and the Royal Palace. - Next, we will see the Communist Party Headquarters and the Roman archaeological remains in the vicinity of St George Rotunda Church. - At the Eastern Gate of Serdica, the tour will end. The tour can be customised according to visitors' preferences.
Tell your guide which places matter to you, skip what doesn't, and tailor the experience for your group's needs. Not finding what you want? Message your guide to build something unique.
This is a walking tour. As an extra, a private transportation could be arranged upon visitors'requests.
Sofia, Sofia City Province, Bulgaria
The tour will start at the travellers' hotel.
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If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a deposit!
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