Private tour in Sofia Mihail R
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Mihail R.
4.9
Guide rating
7
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Tours delivered
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.
The Thracians are known for a couple of myths: they stemmed from Thrax, the son of Ares; that they were a key ally to Troy according to the Iliad; and that they were more numerous than the Indians according to Herodotus. We depart from Sofia and proceed in the direction of Panagyuriste, where we shall have a city walk and see the Panagyuriste treasure. While stopping here and there to take pictures of the beautiful scenery, we will reach the Starosel winery, where we will have a late lunch with traditional dishes and a wine tasting. After that, we will continue to the temple and burial mound of Starosel. Overnight, we will stop at the town of Hissarya - the Roman city of Diocletianopolis, where you can have a spa (optional). The next day, we will visit Kazanlak and two of the burial mounds in its vicinity. We shall continue with the Old Town of Plovdiv. Then we will return to Sofia.
Day 1 - Depart from the travellers’ hotel at 8. 30 am - Arrival in Panaguyriste at 10. 00 am, where we have a city walk and will visit the city museum to see the Panaguyriste treasure. - Arrival at Starosel winery at 1. 30 pm, where we will have a homemade lunch and wine tasting. - At 3 pm, visit the temple and the burial mound of Starosel. - Arrival in the town of Hissarya at 5 pm and a city walk in the Roman town of Diocletianopolis. Optional is a spa at 6 pm. Dinner in a traditional restaurant is planned for 7 pm. Day 2 - Departure from Hissarya at 8 am. Arrive at Kazanlak at 10 am. Visit the Kazanlak Thracian tombs and explore the burial customs depicted there (120). -Departure from Kazanlak at 12 am and arrival in Plovdiv at 2 pm. Lunch at a local restaurant and a walk in the Old Town and Archaeological Museum. - Departure: 5. 30 pm. Arrival in Sofia: 7. 30 pm. The tour could be customised with Alexandrovska burial mound, Perperikon, the tomb of Mezek, etc.
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By private car (3+1) or rented minivan (8+1).
Sofia, Sofia City Province, Bulgaria
at the travellers’ hotel
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