Cheap getaway for a couple of days in Eastern Europe?
Do you want to discover somewhere new that is not so mainstream, but at the same time it's gorgeous and full of life? Then you are in the right place!
With its many churches, museums and parks, Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria, a small and modest eastern european country, mostly known for the food and the Rose Valley in Kazanlak.
So...where do we start?
When you look for accomodation you want to stay in the area of the city centre (obviously), even though Sofia is super well connected and with the subway you can get basically anywhere in the city, but the central arera is by far the most beautiful and the most touristy.
The absolute city centre is marked by Vitosha Boulevard, the main street full of delicious restaurants and shops, but beware!! It's also the most expensive part of Sofia.
The current currency in Bulgaria is Leva, which, compared to Euros is basically double (2 leva= 1 euro), so it's still pretty cheap compared to other european capitals.
I would personally recommend you to exchange some cash because even though there are a lot of places where you can pay by card, cash is still the main thing.
"But where should I go if I only have a couple of days?"
Don't worry, I got you covered.
Obviously your timetable is limited, so it's better for you to see just the main stuff (and keep the rest for your next visit!).
First of all, Sofia is a city full of history, we have influences from the Roman empire, as well as the Ottoman one, so you have to understand that churches and religious sites are everywhere, the main ones that you cannot skip are:
- Aleksandr Nevskij Cathedral, the main and most famous cathedral of Sofia
- Saint Sophia's Church, small but important, it's right next to Aleksandr Nevskij
- Saint Dominic Church, right on one of the ends of Vitosha Boulevard
...and many more!
Also worth mentioning: the Sinagogue and the Mosque
The neighbourhood next to Aleksandr Nevskij is extremely beautiful to just to walk around, because of the architecture, you will find palaces that resemble the architecture that you can find in cities like Vienna or Prague.
Besides, nearby you can find beautiful theatres such as the Ivan Vazov Theatre, named after one of the most important characterss of Bulgarian literature, and the Opera theatre. Seeing plays or shows in these theatres can be quite expensive but if you really love music and theatre it's 100% worth it.
What about museums? Well, Sofia offers a great selection of museums, just to mention a few:
- Museum of Archeology
- Museum of National History (it's a little out of hand, but it's easy to reach it with public transport and it' worth it)
- National Art Gallery, for our art lovers
- Home museum Ivan Vazov (right behind the Ivan Vazov theatre)
- Museum of military history
... and a lot more!
Sofia is also filled with green areas and giant parks like the Borisova Gradina park, which is the biggest park in the whole city, it's honestly great if you want to get out of the city for even just a few hours and enjoy a little bit of nature.
I would recommend to go to Sofia during Spring or early Summer so that you can actually enjoy staying outside and walking around the city. During autumn and winter it can get really cold but it can still be a vibe if you prefer a gloomier mood.
I mentioned Bulgaria was famous for its delicious food, that's right, food is extremely important for the Bulgarian culture, even though you can find every type of food, there are still a lot of traditional restaurant that can be pretty cheap (recommendation: Taverna Hadjidragana, Hristo Belchev street, really good but you have to book it beforehand or you won't find any place!). They have a huge variety of salads, entrèes, soups, and even though they eat a lot of meat you can still find a lot vegetarian options as well.
Honorable mentions:
- you have to try Palacinka (very popular in Eastern Europe), there is a really good place that makes just Palacinkas just at the end of Vitosha Boulevard, just before Saint Dominc's Church.
- Banitsa! It's a really typical dish, it's basically a pie that can be filled with cheese (most popular and best one), or spinach, and during Christmas season they also make it with Pumpkin, there is a great place in Garibaldi Square, just before the Ivan Vazov Theatre.
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