Travel tips: Sofia, Bulgaria

[+Major Lee 18]

My wife and I anticipate traveling to Sofia, Bulgaria this summer. Anyone been there, live there? We're looking for good hotels to stay in, and good restaurants to try. History and culture? We expect about a two week stay. Thanks in advance...

 

ML

[Capitaine Vengeur 263]

I've spent a swift one-week tour in Bulgaria in summer 2008. I've not been really impressed by Sofia, found it quite a tasteless city. I've enjoyed much more the second-ranking city, Plovdiv (nice hilly Old Town, seen many students in Arts at work in the streets), or Varna and Bourgas on the coast. The peninsular small town of Nessebar, full of Byzantine churches, is a nice place for a stay, and there are some other of these old peninsular villages I've not visited on the coast (Sozopol, for example). Half-less salty than any common sea, the Black Sea is a really enjoyable surprise for swimming.

 

Some smaller towns are quite pleasant too. In the area of Veliko Tarnovo (interesting fortified hill), you can find some nice villages kept in a very traditional while sanitized looking, intended as residences for the wealthy Bulgarians (spent nights at Arbanasi, and Khoprivzhitza further away). If you plan to stay in the West around Sofia, of course don't miss the unique Rila Monastery, which in addition is not far away from the Macedonian mountains (spent that night at the winter resort of Bansko).

 

Not an unforgettable tour, but a rather nice one: fine weather, various landscapes, limited but nonetheless interesting cultural heritage, quiet people (caution: few anglophones over 30), and still few tourists compared to many other destinations. Good rating.

 

Have a fine stay there.

[Capitaine Vengeur 263]

Some chosen pictures of Sofia from my retrieved key, all of them shot in the same central area of the city:

 

1- The late Royal Palace

2- The National Theatre

3- The Russian Church St-Nicholas

4- The Cathedral St-Alexander Nevskiy

5- The Bulgaria Central Park

6- The main Ministries alley

 

A last warning often repeated by the Bulgarians: Beware of the Gipsies !! (many of them in Sofia)

Edited May 27, 2010 by Capitaine Vengeur

[+Florian 394]

From the airport i work, an hungarian airline offers three flights per week to Sofia. I´m off for the weekend and will have next monday night duty. I´ll see what information i can grab about hotels and restaurants.

[xclusiv8 35]

your always welcome to sweden polar bears on the streets and cheap woman when your wife is not looking :yes:

Edited May 27, 2010 by xclusiv8

[Capitaine Vengeur 263]

A quite poor view from the balcony of the hotel where I spent that night in Sofia, on the heights surrounding the city (you can guess her on the feet of the hill and on the faded horizon , the sun was setting). The name is SkyWay. The hotel is fairly comfortable, and the pool is welcome in the evening. I couldn't say you the tariffs, as I was on an all-included tour.

[+Florian 394]

Went on an extra duty last night. I took some info from our travel guide. They suggest the hotel "Radison Blu Resort & Spa" at the Narodno Sabranie Square, offering rooms from 75,00 Euro upward. But it could be the most expensive one, because guides often offers these in relation with them.

Recommend to visit are the church of St. George, the Alexander Nevski cathedral, but also the unique natural landscape in Sofia´s back country.

Maybe contact the Bulgarian tourist office, Sveta Nedelya Square in Sofia. Their home page is HERE.