Wine and Rakia Tasting in Sofia: Which of Five Tastings to Book
4 min read
For most visitors, Sofia: Wine & Cheese Tasting Experience is the safe choice. It costs €18 per person, lasts 1 hour and has 947 reviews at 4.8 stars, the most of the tastings below. If you want rakia, the Bulgarian fruit brandy, pick one of the last two.
The most-reviewed tasting
The page describes five wines from local Bulgarian grape varieties, naming Rikat, Melnik, Mavrud and Pamid, with Bulgarian craft cheeses and bread sticks, in a small boutique wine shop in the centre. Water is included. The host speaks English and Bulgarian, and the wines are served in one glass in order of rising intensity. The page marks it as wheelchair accessible; confirm with the operator, because it is a small shop. The Coupage tasting, the boutique tasting and the wine and rakia tasting carry the same label on their pages. Pregnant women and children under 18 are listed as not suitable, and everyone must be over the legal drinking age of 18.
Two more wine tastings
The Guided Tasting of Local Wines and Cheeses takes place in the Coupage wine and cheese shop on Solunska Street. It also lasts 1 hour, with five wines and two cheeses, and the hosts speak English, French and Russian. A chalk map shows where Bulgaria’s wine regions lie.
The Boutique Bulgarian Wine Tasting & Artisanal Tapas is limited to 8 participants, lasts 1 hour and is led by hosts the page describes as WSET-certified. It has five boutique wines with Bulgarian meats and cheeses, bread, olive oil and water, and lists people under 19 as not suitable.
Rakia
The Wine and Rakia Tasting with Snacks lasts 2 hours and has four wines and two rakias with cheese and bread, plus mineral water, with an English-speaking guide. The Rakia Museum Entrance Ticket with Tasting and Guided Tour pairs three aged rakias or brandies with appetisers, shows a private bottle collection and comes with an English audio guide. The ticket is valid for 3 months.
The five tastings compared
| Tour | From, per person | Stars | Reviews | Duration | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wine & Cheese Tasting Experience | €18 | 4.8 | 947 | 1 hour | 5 wines, cheese, most reviews |
| Guided Tasting of Local Wines and Cheeses | €18.41 | 4.6 | 202 | 1 hour | 5 wines, 2 cheeses, chalk map |
| Boutique Wine Tasting & Tapas | €25.05 | 4.9 | 77 | 1 hour | Up to 8 people, meats and cheeses |
| Wine and Rakia Tasting with Snacks | €25.20 | 4.8 | 34 | 2 hours | 4 wines and 2 rakias |
| Rakia Museum Ticket with Tasting | €20 | 4.7 | 35 | Enter anytime | 3 aged rakias, bottle collection |
Who should pick which
Pick the Tempus Vini tasting for a first introduction to Bulgarian grapes. Pick the boutique tasting for a small table. Pick the 2-hour wine and rakia tasting if you want both drinks in one visit. Pick the museum ticket if you already like spirits.
Check the age rule on each page: the first lists under-18s and the boutique tasting under-19s as not suitable. The Tempus Vini tasting and the wine and rakia tasting ask you to bring a passport or ID card. More formats are on the Sofia food and wine tours page, and the Sofia pub crawl guide covers the evening alternative.
