Each Saturday at 16:00, Viktor Topalov awaits visitors of his beloved city, in front of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. He then guides them through his city in two hours, no matter if hot or cold. I had lived in Sofia for a long time and decided I should join this tour, which is more specific and in-depth than other walking tours. Viktor reads many books about Sofia - he's truly fascinated by the Bulgarian capital. He knows interesting information about places in Sofia you'd otherwise just walk by.

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I had been in Sofia for three years and am genuinely interested in the city's history. I guide visitors around myself but was completely blown away by Viktor's insider knowledge. At every stop we made, he explained something I didn't know before. He keeps his visitors hooked for more information, which would be hard to get your hands on unless you dive into dusty Sofia bookstores. Viktor wants his knowledge to be unique. He doesn't want to give a tour based on information you can find yourself online. Viktor keeps expanding his knowledge, his wealth of information and facts is only growing.

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Viktor frequently changes the information he shares on his tours - either way we even had a break at "Бохема - Клуб на фоторепортера", the Bohema cafe that has frequent photo exhibitions. It's located right next to the ancient Eastern Gate of Serdica, just find the Bulgarian name of the place in Google Maps. There, we got a video presentation of Sofia in the 1930's. Viktor enthusiastically told us about what we otherwise wouldn't have noticed. Such as the places we had so far already passed on the tour. It was pleasant to sit down for a while and have some tea, others some beer. Viktor took care of a good group atmosphere. We continued our tour and finished in front of the National Theatre. Then we had a drink together.

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I've been on many tours but this is definitely the best one. Viktor is a licensed guide. He invests time in reading books and preparing his tours. The tour is completely free. However, tips are appreciated for support.

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It's recommended that you book online, even though it's not obliged. This is because when you book online, Viktor knows how large the group is - he might carry a microphone if it's a certain number of visitors.

 

Enjoy this fresh perspective on Sofia. Not only for visitors but for locals themselves as well - there's so much to learn about our capital! Check the below pages for more things to do in Sofia: