Sofia

Sofia (?????) is the capital of Bulgaria and the biggest city with about 1.3 mln citizens (including suburbs).

Get in

By bus

The cheapest way to get into Sofia, both from the countryside or from abroad, is by bus. With buses going several times a day in all directions Sofia is well connected to all regions. International connections are available to several locations in Greece, to Istanbul, twice a day to/ from Vienna, and several times a week to different cities of Western Europe. Example for bus fares (one way tickets: Thessaloniki: 68 levas (54 lv. for travellers younger than 26); Vienna 94 levas (82 lv. for travellers younger than 26). For bus lines see Airkona (http://www.airkona.com) and MTT (http://www.skgt-bg.com).

By train

International trains provide a large number of routes to Sofia, arriving from such places as Kiev, Istanbul, Vienna, and other common cities.

The primary trains from Bucharest to Sofia, and back, run twice daily through the border city of Ruse. For example, recent trains are scheduled from Bucharest to Sofia in the daytime departing 11:35/arriving 21:30 and a night train departing 19:35/arriving 06:10. Passport control and customs takes place in Ruse, approximately mid-trip. Check local trainstations for updated information.

By plane

Sofia Airport

There are several flights a day to Vienna, and daily flights to some of the major European hubs. Tickets of traditional airlines can be pretty expensive (since there arent that many lines flying daily to sofia).

Bulgarian flag-carrier airline is "Bulgaria Air" (http://www.air.bg/en) with Sofia as a hub, and for example two-way ticket to/from Madrid & Barcelona will be about 230 Euros. Another Bulgarian company "Viaggio Air" (http://www.viaggioair.com) can also be a bargain with two-way ticket to Vienna for 200 Euros and to Istanbul for 100 Euros. Other traditional airlines with flights to/from Sofia are Air France, Al Italia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Czech Airlines, Helios Air, LOT, Lufthansa, Malev, Olympic Airways, Tarom, and Turkish Airlines.

As of January 2006 there are two low-cost carriers traveling to Bulgaria. These are WizzAir (http://www.wizzair.com/) which recently started daily flights to/from Budapest and from there to about 12 European destinations and SkyEurope (http://www.skyeurope.com) with hub-airport Bratislava. They use same airport with flights landing and taking off at night.

Cheap charters to Varna and Burgas airports on the Black Sea coast are available (especially in spring & fall), and from there to Sofia (for about 60 euros one-way).

By car

The highway from Sofia towards Plovdiv is the best road to/from Sofia. It ends about 40 km after Plovdiv and from there to Istanbul, or a first-class road to Stara Zagora, Sliven, and the second-largest seaport Burgas.

Otherwise coming from Greece the road is in very good shape (thanks to a EU-led road-restoration programme) almost until Sofia (only the last 40 or so km after Dupnitza being hole-filled), so the 300 km from Thessaloniki are done fairly fast if you don't happen to fall into big waiting-lines at the border. Coming from Macedonia, the roads are in rather bad shape. From Central Europe you can drive almost the whole length on highways (via Slovenia-Croatia-Serbia or Hungary-Serbia), only the last 100 km between Nis in Southern Serbia and Sofia being heavily trafficked mountain roads in not the best shape.

See

The National Museum of History

Drink

Sofia has quite a vibrant night life scene. You can find anything from big folk-pop (tchalga) or dance clubs to small rock clubs or alternative hangouts.

Apartamenta Popular among locals as well as foreigners is the "apartamenta", some sort of private club in the first floor of a turn of the 19th century mansion: after ringing on a not-descripted door, you ascend a flight of candle-lit stairs. There you find a series of rooms like in a real apartment, all in different stiles and wall-drawings, colourfull tapestries, etc. go to the right, get a drink in the kitchen (everything is 2 lv), and just pick and choose a room which looks cozy enough (shouldnt be too hard to find one with all the couches lying around). If you don't like the music, there are PCs in most of the rooms where you can pick something else out of the playlist. have a game of chess, or ask for tobacco for the water pipe. There is also a room which serves as cinema, if there is nothing running just go in, pick a dvd out of the collection and start the projection.
Bilkova A popular bar which can get vastly crowded but still remains a favourite is Bilkova on the Tsar Shishman street. No one knows how it is really named since there are no signs outside, but everybody calls it after the pharmacy in the next block. With two bars, rock musing playing most the time, B52s for 2,5 BGN and a cozy, oriental-style back room (locals ignore the non-smoking signs), it can get fairly crowded.
o'Shipka on the Shipka street near the main university building. On the first floor a normal pizza place, you might as yourself going in: "What the heck, this is supposed to be a club?" Well, just go past the bar, turn to the right, and you'll find a staircase leading down into the cellar: brick walls, several small rooms like in some catacombs, good rock music, and a stage room where, if you're lucky, you'll get quite a good live performance by a local rock group blasting on the small stage. Just the type of small little rock club you might be searching for.
Lotkite In the huge "borisova gradina" park near the stadion (just ask you way around) you'll find this open-air place, located in an old leisure-park parcour (you know, that type of small water-channels where kid can drive around in little gondolas). The boats have gone and the channels serve as improvised sitting places (basic tables made out of wood planks put between the two sides of the channel). There are also some tables on the court and lights decorating the trees luminate the scene. The public sound system has experimental electronical music, ambiance, progressive rock, or whatever the DJs feel like. The later it gets, the more you'll find people sitting everywhere on the floor on the trees. On warm summer nights, this place is a must-be.
Escape If you like being searched for weapons at the entrance, this disco-type club might be your place. Once inside, you find quite a good two-storied dance room with side-rooms clothed in red. Music varies greatly, but the ambiance is still rather cool.

Sleep

Hotel Lozenetz, 23 Naum Str, => - a modern, boutique style hotel within easy walking distance of the city centre.

Check out the Art Hostel for cheap accommodation and a friendly atmosphere where tourists and locals mingle in the small basement bar.

Red Star Hostel - Hostel Site - offers cheap and clean accommodation for backpackers and budget travellers, visiting Sofia. It is located in the city center between main street Vitosha Blvd. and City Garden with National Theatre. Variety of private rooms and dorms!

Check out Internet Hostel Sofia - Hostel Site - Located on the corner with Sofia's main shopping Vitosha boulevard, it offers excellent service and rooms for every taste.

Get out

Vitosha Sofias magnificent landmark mountain just rises south of the capital.
Lozenskata Planina Also a great possibility to hike an get away from the smoke of the city, this somehow gentler mountains are just a short busride or 15 minutes by car away from the center.
Rilskir Monastir Bulgaria's most famous monastery, situated in the huge Rila Massive, is just an one hour and a half drive away.
Plovdiv Bulgaria's second largest city, an one-hours drive on a good highway away from sofia, lies around three hills in the otherwise totally flat thracian plane. It's historical center, Roman remnants & relaxed feeling make it a great day-trip.