GASTRONOMY TOURS IN BULGARIA
In our tours, we give you the opportunity to taste our great cuisine. We believe that this is an inseparable part of the tourist visit. Depending on the customers` preferences can be organized activities such as: food tasting, wine tasting and/ or beer tasting. Traditional breakfasts, lunches and dinners can be organized (the dinner can be combined with a spectacular folklore show) in traditional restaurants. Finally, one other more innovative thing that we offer is to try local dishes made in a traditional gourmet- style restaurant.
Below you can find some information about the Bulgarian cuisine and our most popular dishes.
The local Bulgarian cuisine is very diverse and delicious one! It is rooted in centuries-old traditions and practices. The local cuisine is characterized with a wide variety of spices, with specific and unique tastes. The most famous are: parsley, garlic, black pepper, thyme, spearmint, savory, bay leaf and paprika. Since Bulgaria is the homeland of the yogurt, many of the traditional dishes include white cheese and other yogurt related ingredients. Bulgaria is also famous for its red wine production which history goes back to the ancient Thracians who populated the region more than two thousand years ago. They used the wine during celebrations and religious rituals. Nowadays, many of the Bulgarian wines have won international awards.
The most traditional Bulgarian dishes are:
Banitsa: the old traditional Bulgarian breakfast (but you can eat it for lunch or dinner as well). It is a pastry made of flour, eggs, yogurt and white cheese.
Shopska salad: the most popular Bulgarian salad. It is made mostly of cucumbers, tomatoes and white cheese. Some onion and pepper can be added as well.
Tarator: this is a cold soup which is consumed mostly during the summer. It is made of yogurt, cucumbers, garlic and some crushed walnuts.
Other popular soups in Bulgaria are the chicken and the bean soup. We also have our local tripe soup which is very specific and usually you either love it or hate it.
Hotchpotch (made in a clay stew): very typical for the mountain regions and very suitable for the winter season. It has different variations about what mixture it can include. Some of the most popular ones are: pork, potatoes, green beans, eggplant, onion, tomatoes, carrots or chicken, white cheese, eggplant, mushrooms.
Cabbage “sarmi”: these are stuffed cabbage leaves, in which inside is put minced meat, rice, onions, paprika, savory and parsley.
Bulgaria is famous for its different types of barbecues. Among them, the two most popular ones are “kebapche” – looks like a small sausage, and “kufte” – looks like a meatball. Usually, they are made of pork meat with some spices. The “kufte” can be “upgraded” with cheese and mushrooms inside – in this case it is called “tatarsko kufte”.
If you travel in a mountain region, do not miss the chance to try the fresh trout fish which is caught from the rivers there.
Finally, some of the most typical desserts in Bulgaria are: yogurt with ice cream and fruits (suitable for the summer), baklava – inherited from the period of Turkish rule on the Balkans, and the different variations of local “homemade” cakes.
For more information and for specific requests please contact us at: office@citytour.bg
We put personal attention to every enquiry and we will answer you within 2 business days.