Bulgaria isn't the first place that comes to mind when you think of craft beer, and that's exactly what makes this tour so enjoyable. Sofia's brewing scene has quietly become one of the most inventive in the Balkans, and this walking tour is your insider's guide to it.
You'll meet your licensed local guide at the Alexander Nevski Cathedral in the afternoon and set off on foot through Sofia's historic centre. The route weaves between landmarks and back streets, but the real stops are the bars.
Your first stop is a no-fuss bar near the cathedral with the atmosphere of a true local. The kind of place where regulars have their own stool and the beer is always cold. You'll try some classic Bulgarian brews with a small snack to set you up for the afternoon.
Next, a detour into a small street leads you to a craft beer shop with six local beers on a rotating tap. Your guide will walk you through what's pouring that day.
The third stop is the tour's centrepiece: a bar with six draft beers on offer, an artistic vibe, and the kind of relaxed setting where presentations of Bulgarian breweries feel completely natural. Then comes the tram. Taking public transport between bars is the responsible way to see how the city actually moves.
A second craft beer shop offers the chance to browse and buy: local, Belgian, Polish, whatever caught your attention earlier in the tour.
The final bar is unlike anywhere else in Sofia: built partly into a former bomb shelter, it blends early 20th-century tavern character with a decidedly modern tap list. Here you'll try “Rocket Science” (one of the city's most respected local brews) alongside the tour's signature snack: ПКС, Bulgarian French fries topped with white sirene cheese. Simple, local, unexpectedly perfect.
By the end of the afternoon, you'll have tasted more sides of Sofia than most visitors see in a full day, and you'll know exactly where to come back for a second round.