What to expect
Venture out of the Sofia region and explore Bulgaria’s wine country. Enjoy the scenery as you head to the wine region closest to Sofia, where wine making has been prevalent for millennia. Spend an entire day sampling delicious local wines at two local wineries, while being fully taken care of and educated on all things Bulgarian wine by your Tour Leader. During the tour, you will visit two unique wineries to taste wines and learn about the art of viticulture. Between wineries, there will be time to sit down at a local restaurant for lunch or refreshments. This 9-hour tour gives you the time to enjoy the nature, food and wines of Bulgaria. Enjoy the local wine, discover the local grape varieties, learn about the history in the area and, most importantly, have an unforgettable day!
Inclusions
- Visits to two wineries including a tour of the winery and a tasting of 5 wines per winery (10 wines total)
- Transportation in comfortable car/8-seater passenger van
- Pick-up & drop-off from/to accommodation
- English-speaking Tour Leader
- VAT & Local Taxes
- Mandatory Insolvency Insurance
Exclusions
- Lunch
- Private transfers
- Meals & Beverages not mentioned in the tour description
- Alcoholic not mentioned in the tour description
- Travel and medical insurance
- Extras and incidentals
- Tips
Where to meet
We pick you up from your hotel, Airbnb or any other landmark location. Please advise at time of booking.
Practical Notes
- Remember to wear comfortable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing. The tour takes place in sunshine or rain.
- Bring your camera along to capture special moments
- Bring some local currency (BGN) for purchases just in case the winery does not accept card payment
- The minimum number of people per tour is 2. The maximum number of people per tour is 6.
- Transportation is either in comfortable car or 8-seater passenger van (depending on the group size)
- Food allergies or dietary requirements can be accommodated if advised before the tour. Please advise at time of booking.
Wineries
Sofia and the region immediately surrounding Sofia is not a wine region. You need to drive at least an hour to reach wineries. The closest wine region to Sofia is The Thracian Valley. The Thracian Valley is the largest wine region in Bulgarian in terms of number of wineries and has a diverse collection of wineries. We work with multiple, carefully selected vineyards and small wine producers in the region. It is possible to visit a few wineries from Sofia and be back in Sofia in the later afternoon/early evening. Many of the wines produced at the wineries are only available at the winery, in Bulgaria or have very limited distribution. Be sure to take some wines home with you (at attractive cellar-door prices) to share with friends and family. Chances are slim that you can find them back home!
Grapes
Bulgaria grows both international and native grapes. Interestingly, there are more international grapes planted in Bulgaria than local grapes for historical reasons. The ratio of international to local is roughly 70% to 30% with the plantations of local grapes increasing in recent years.
The most popular and widely planted international grapes are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Viognier, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Muscat Ottonel.
The most significant local grapes are Dimyat, Red Misket, Broad-Leaved Melnik Vine, Early Melnik Grape (Melnik 55), Mavrud, Rubin, Ruen, Bouquet, Pamid, Tamianka and Gamza,
Cancellation
- Up to 30 days before the tour = 70% refund
- Up to 14 days before the tour = 50% refund
- Less than 14 days before the tour = no refund
- Changing the tour date is possible (according to availability)
- No shows are fully chargeable with no refund
- In the unlikely event that Bulgaria Wine Tours is forced to cancel a tour, you will receive a full refund.
- Please see our general booking terms and conditions for more information
Gallery