All the truth about Sofia (Bulgaria)
Let’s begin our acquaintance with Sofia from this eccentric house. It’s located around 10 km from the city center but we were really eager to see this snail 🙂
It’s the most photogenic in the first photo. A bit strange facial expression in front but it’s still a really interesting house. Entrance is in the mouth (there’s an inscription on the side: smile, you’re being shot)
The windows are only on one side and look out into the garden. The house is located at the intersection and there are no other buildings next to it, so you can look upon it well.
We saw the news on TV that this architectural design was on the strangest buildings list in 2012. It was built not for entertainment but to live in. So you are not allowed inside.
There is IKEA in Sofia in Bulgaria and we head there in each country)
We’ll say that the general impression from Bulgaria can be expressed in one word – nothing special. We have lived there for 10 days and drove from the border with Turkey through Plovdiv and Sofia to the border with Macedonia. We walked both on weekdays and weekends. We lived in the center and in residential areas. Of course, we found lively impressions and the photographs will show the most beautiful moments, because we don’t want to take another photos. So, the main street in the capital centre, where trams run.
Old trams and even older road.
Corn is a kind of street food in Bulgaria as well as in Turkey. But here it may be served in usual way. Corn cleared of cob is being poured into a cup, added some sort of sauce and grated parmesan – and you get a sweet dessert that is to be eaten with a spoon. And everything is done in the street, on a small table)
This street is one of the first where we started to get familiar with the Sofia center. There are shops with unknown brands, fast-foods or simply closed premises on the first floors.
Then we went to the main buildings of the whole Bulgaria.
For some reason the entrance is fenced in such a way.
The main avenue of the capital, where all the Ministries and the Presidential Administration are located. The main objects are as if framed in yellow pavement.
Creative restaurateurs invented these unusual extensions.
Observers work in these kiosks at intersections. The only country, where we saw such a notion.
The pride of the whole Bulgaria and Sofia is Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. We saw few tourists at the weekend.
A bit more snails live in the center of Sofia.
Almost all people are the older generation.
It will take half a day or a day to get around the central part of Sofia, where there is something interesting. We stayed here for three days. So we had as much fun as we could. We decided to ride a tram – we didn’t do that for ages. The price is 1 lev (0.5-0.6 US dollar). The stop is comfortable, you see what trams stop here and arrival time of different trams.
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We entered an empty tram, so we could sit and stand there, and look out of any window.
Once we found the main pedestrian street with many restaurants and terraces. And then we saw where all Sofia hangs out. The street is straight, wide, and long. It’s very cool to see the mountains on the city’s background. Although Bulgaria has been a European Union member for seven (!) years, we saw no development; even highways don’t resemble highways. The environment looks like in Ukraine 5-6 years ago, or even more.
We enjoyed this square in front of the Presidential Administration more.
One of the Sofia’s attractions is Ivan Vazov National Theatre. We haven’t yet come across so much gold on the front.
The center of Sofia is really tiny and everything is within arm’s reach. We passed along the main avenue with public buildings.
And people take water here, like Naftusia in Truskavets. But we didn’t come closer, so we don’t know for sure what it is.
And again we went out to the Nevsky Cathedral.
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It was strange to hear the aircraft noise and see how low do they fly above the Nevsky Cathedral. In the very center. Sofia is the city of lions, like Lviv. You can search for and count many of them here.
Sunset in the last 10 minutes. If such a light were for little longer!
The main University of Sofia.
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There is also a subway, but it’s the same as in Kyiv.
There is a Starbucks.
We found 10% Greek yogurt once more (which we have first tasted in Greece).
And we lived in this street. The country’s atmosphere is perfectly reflected by this photo. Everything is seen. By the way, such car as this red Renault is probably one of the most luxurious in Bulgaria.
In fact, there are things worth attention in Bulgaria; we tried to show the most beautiful 🙂 Should you be in this country, we recommend visiting Plovdiv, there will be many exciting festivals and events. And if you’re in Sofia, make sure you visit Lavanda Restaurant. We deliberately skipped resort cities on the Black Sea, so we have no articles on that part of Bulgaria. Those traveling by car must purchase Vignette at a filling station, which is tax payment for the roads’ use. It costs EUR 5 for 7 days (minimum). This is obligatory, since you will be definitely checked at the border as there is to be a sticker attached to the windshield (there was a car before us at the border without the sticker, so they were stopped). As for the prices, they certainly are cheaper than in Croatia or Montenegro. As for visa, multi-Schengen owners can stay as many days as it is stated in the current Schengen visa (we have 90 days during six months). In fact, Bulgaria is not a Schengen Area member, only the European Union member.
With love, RH.
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