National Geographic Traveler has included a Bulgarian tour, staged by the tourist firm Cultural Crossroads, in its 2012 choices for 50 tours of a lifetime.
The magazine stated that "the selection process was competitive and our editorial team worked long and hard to find 2012’s most authentic, most innovative, most immersive, best-guided, and most sustainable tours".
This year, the tour Splendors of Bulgaria, billed as a trip "for the culturally sophisticated soul of the great discoverers", was chosen. This is the first time that the National Geographic Traveler has included Bulgaria in this list.
The tour provides interactions with ordinary Bulgarians and activities such as a hand bread-making lesson and encounters with museum directors, archaeologists, musicians, and wine or perfume-makers.
Cultural Crossroads, a tourist firm for the more discriminating travellers, offers itineraries for individuals and small cultural tours highlighted by private and exclusive cultural visits in an intimate setting.