Hey fellow travellers! Alexx right here from Discovering Alexx. I’m on a year-long solo journey to a brand new nation each week for a 12 months, with my route based mostly solely off the most affordable flight every Tuesday. Yep, it’s as hectic because it sounds! This insane journey took me to Sofia, a beautiful hidden gem in the Balkans and the capital metropolis of Bulgaria. Right here’s all you want to know when you’re contemplating a visit to Sofia, from what to do, the place to sleep to how to get round and extra.
The place to keep in Sofia
Let’s kick this off with some excellent news… Sofia is the best spot when you’re on a finances! There are many low-cost hostels in Sofia with dorm beds for lower than $13 an evening, or you may get a budget-friendly resort room from about $32 an evening.
Usually I’m a giant advocate for lodging with full kitchen amenities so it can save you cash on meals, however meals in Sofia is so low-cost (and good!) that there’s truthfully no want to cook dinner your individual meals.
Some nice choices for locations to keep in Sofia are Generaator Hostel, Peter Pan Hostel, 5 Classic Visitor Home and the aptly-named Resort Low cost.
How to get round Sofia
In the event you’re staying in town centre and also you don’t thoughts getting your steps up, you’ll most likely have the ability to see town fairly simply by foot. Numerous the principle sights are inside strolling distance, and wandering aimlessly across the metropolis was how I discovered a great deal of my prime meals suggestions!
In the event you want to get someplace faster (and perhaps drier), there are trams, buses and the metro. A single journey is 1.60BGN (about 90 cents) or a day go with limitless travel is 4BGN (about $2).
There’s no Uber in Sofia, however there’s a nice native taxi app that does the identical factor, referred to as TaxiMe. You possibly can enroll along with your UK quantity, add in your bank card and hail a journey by way of the app identical to you’ll wherever else.
To get to and from the airport simply and comparatively cheaply, I’d advocate getting a taxi from the airport taxi stand. Just one firm is authorised to present taxi companies on the airport and so they’ve obtained normal fare charges, so comply with the indicators to the official taxi space and also you’ll be sorted. To get into town centre you must pay about 15-20BGN ($8-$12).
On a brilliant tight finances? You may get the metro from Terminal 2 on the airport to Serdika station for 1.60BGN (money solely so that you’ll want to use an ATM on the airport), then switch to a bus, tram or different metro to get nearer to your resort.
How a lot to finances for Sofia
Yay for reasonable locations! Very similar to my week in Warsaw, Sofia was an actual deal with for my pockets.
In the event you’re in search of a problem, Sofia is definitely potential to expertise from solely $15-$20 per day. This might cowl low-cost hostel lodging ($9-$13) and grocery store or bakery meals (up to $7). You possibly can see a great deal of the gorgeous buildings at no cost, and with a little bit of Googling you might self-guide a metropolis tour to be taught in regards to the metropolis’s communist historical past.
So as to add in a pleasant native meal ($6-$10), a drink ($3) and the donation for a free strolling tour ($6), I’d advocate budgeting round $40 a day.
You may get freshly baked goodies from native bakeries for lower than 1BGN (about 65 cents), respectable sandwiches or salads for lunch from 4-8BGN ($1.95-$4.50) or barely fancier sit-down dinners from 12-20BGN ($6.50-$12). A neighborhood beer will price something from 2BGN to 6BGN relying on the place you might be ($1.30-$4).
The finest issues to do in Sofia
Regardless of it not being as well-known as different Japanese European scorching spots like Prague and Budapest, town has so much going for it and there’s limitless issues to do in Sofia it doesn’t matter what you’re into.
Acquire some perception into Bulgaria’s rocky previous, store for second-hand goodies at flea markets, eat your coronary heart out at a few of my favorite cafés from all my travels, or escape the city jungle and head out to discover one other close by metropolis. Right here’s 5 of the perfect issues to do in your Sofia journey.
1. Study communist historical past
Bulgaria’s political previous is one thing that’s nonetheless woven all through town, with large headquarters, structure, museums and statues representing the communist period from 1946 to 1989.
Whether or not you’re a complete beginner to communist historical past or all clued up and wish to see how if affected Bulgaria particularly, there’s a few locations and excursions to add to your Sofia communism class.
Coming from New Zealand, the place communism’s by no means touched wherever close to our little nook of the world and the place I opted for maths and science lessons over historical past, geography and politics (nerd, I do know), my information of Japanese Europe’s communist regimes was restricted.
First up is the Free Sofia strolling tour, which runs three or 4 occasions a day (relying on the season) and is tip-based. Your native tour guide will take you round 20 of Sofia’s must-see spots, and also you’ll get a good overview of the historical past and politics of town, in addition to a neighborhood’s recommendations on issues to do, eat and see.
Free Sofia additionally has a every day communism tour for under $11, which provides you a three-hour in-depth stroll by way of of town’s communist landmarks in addition to an perception into what Sofia was like to reside in throughout these 43 years.
Need extra? Take into account visiting the Nationwide Historic Museum or the Museum of Socialist Artwork, which is residence to the massive pink star that sat on prime of the communist social gathering’s headquarters earlier than being overthrown in the late 80’s.
2. See town’s most lovely spiritual buildings
Whereas the dominant faith in Bulgaria by far is Bulgarian Orthodox (at about 60%), there are some merely gorgeous church buildings, mosques, cathedrals and monasteries in the capital metropolis.
Begin off with essentially the most epic constructing in town, and one of many coolest buildings I’ve ever seen, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. This severely spectacular Orthodox church was began in 1882 however not completed till 30 years later, and it’s some of the iconic landmarks in Bulgaria’s capital metropolis, with a 45m excessive gold-plated dome and inside manufactured from onyx, marble and different ultra-fancy supplies.
Different Orthodox church buildings which might be value a go to are St Nicholas Church (a Russian Orthodox church), the Sveti Sedmochislenitsi Church, and Sveta Nedelya Church, which has a dramatic historical past together with a funeral bombing in 1925 by the Communist Get together the place over 500 of Bulgaria’s elite political figures have been injured and 150 have been killed.
After Japanese Orthodox, the subsequent commonest faith is Islam, with up to 15% of the inhabitants figuring out as Muslim. Bulgaria was beneath Ottoman rule for nearly 500 years, from the late 1300s till the Russian Empire took on the Ottoman Empire in 1878, however after being liberated thanks to Russia’s victory after which declaring independence in 1908, many buildings from this period have been repurposed or destroyed. The 16th century Banya Bashi Mosque is the one functioning mosque left in Sofia, and as such it’s a bustling hub for town’s Muslim neighborhood.
Historical historical past followers will need to make a cease at Sveti Georgi, a 4th-century Christian church constructed by the Romans in the traditional metropolis of Serdica. It’s the oldest constructing in town, and it’s residence to some gorgeous frescoes relationship again to the 10th century.
3. Devour all a budget meals
I’m a giant proponent for cooking your individual meals whereas travelling to stick inside a decent finances, and often enable myself a little bit of spending cash every week for a meal or two out. Buttttt in Sofia, I ate out each single meal of the entire week. Sure, I stated each single meal!
The native meals scene isn’t solely low-cost, but it surely’s really severely spectacular too. From bakeries the place you may get 4 pastries or savouries for the equal of €1, to Instagrammable brunch spots with subsequent stage dishes, to conventional eating places serving up home-style dishes, I might return in a second actually only for the meals.
There’s sure to be an eatery in Sofia excellent for no matter kind of meals tickles your fancy, however listed below are a few of my favourites.
Bistro Pesto was my primary, and I’m not ashamed to say I had lunch there 4 days in a row! They’re a brilliant cute nook restaurant shut to the principle procuring boulevard, and so they serve Italian meals all day and night time. Their panini menu is superb; genuine Italian components and a Bulgarian price ticket. Win win!
In the event you’re in search of a cool meals picture (no judgement right here), take a look at the brunch menu at Rainbow Manufacturing facility or Boho. I didn’t make it to Rainbow Manufacturing facility however my hostel mates raved about it, and I can personally vouch for the Oreo pancake stack at Boho. Mmmmhmmmm.
And for a cheap however scrumptious sit-down dinner, be certain to go to the legends at Shtastlivetsa, a sequence restaurant with a HUGE menu of home-cooked meals. Costs are understandably a bit larger than the native avenue meals stalls, however the service is incredible, the meals are huge and there are many hearty Bulgarian dishes to select from.
4. Head into the mountains
Sofia’s panorama is uncommon in phrases of European capital cities, as a result of there’s a mountain vary so shut to town centre. The backside of Vitosha Mountain is simply 10kms or so from town, and it’s simply reachable by taxi, public transport, or strolling if you would like to make a day of it.
In summer time Vitosha is a well-liked mountain climbing vacation spot, the place city-dwellers escape to on weekends to get some contemporary air. The highest peak is 2290m however there’s additionally hikes across the backside half of the mountain to totally different rivers and waterfalls.
Throughout winter, the mountain is a ski resort, excellent for any snow bunnies on a finances. Though it’s considerably less-developed than different European ski locations like Switzerland and France, your day go and rental will likely be less expensive and your cash will go means additional.
In addition to being an adrenaline exercise scorching spot, Vitosha is residence to one other Sofia must-see and a UNESCO World Heritage Web site, Boyana Church. Boyana is an Orthodox church from the 11th century and is legendary for the numerous frescoes it homes, significantly a group from means again in 1259.
5. Take a day journey
There’s some fairly unimaginable locations to see and expertise exterior of Sofia itself, so when you’ve obtained the time, I’d advocate making an attempt to squeeze in a day journey or two!
My prime choose for a day journey from Sofia is Plovdiv, one other Bulgarian metropolis and one of many two 2019 European Capitals of Tradition. Plovdiv is a few hours away from Sofia by bus, and tickets price about £6 every means. When you’re in town I’d advocate leaping on a free strolling tour, run by the identical organisation who run the Sofia tour. They’ve obtained a metropolis tour every day year-round in addition to a free graffiti tour every day from October to April. And if you would like to discover your self, don’t miss the distinctive colored homes that line the streets in the outdated city, it’s totally different to each different European outdated city I’ve seen!
Fancy a piece out? There’s no higher place in Bulgaria to get shifting than in the Seven Rila Lakes space. Seven Rila Lakes is, you guessed it, residence to seven glacial lakes in the Rila mountain vary, and all are between 2100m and 2500m of altitude. It’s potential but it surely’s powerful to get there on public transport so it’s finest to rent a automobile and drive (1.5-2 hours), or to e book an organised day tour or shuttle bus. Bonus tip: Don’t miss Rila Monastery, a 10th-century Japanese Orthodox monastery and the most important in the nation. Properly value a go to!
And there you will have it, a full travel guide for Sofia and past to your Bulgarian journey! Guide your flight to Sofia now with STA Travel. If you’d like to comply with extra of my adventures you could find me on Instagram.