Sofia, Bulgaria

Our original plan was to spend mid-September to mid-October in Sarandë, Albania. Bulgaria was not on our radar. As our plans progressed we realized that Sarandë would not work out. Instead we chose Sofia, Bulgaria. It was a great choice. It is an overlooked gem.

If you are interested in exploring the communist period, Sofia is a great place to start. Although communism ended in Bulgaria in 1990, it remains very much a part of Sofia’s fabric. During the 90’s Bulgaria went through a painful transition where the country was at a standstill. It has changed significantly since 1997 but the legacy of communism is still everywhere. There are many buildings and institutions from the communist era. For example, the post office is stuck in a communist time warp. (We tried to mail a parcel but gave up.)

The city has an interesting mix of historic Byzantine-era buildings and imposing communist-era buildings. There are a lot of green spaces. South Park, a large urban park with running trails and quiet wooded areas, was steps from our apartment. The city has a vibrant arts and music scene. There is an easy to navigate, modern transportation system. The restaurants are great. Mount Vitosha that looms over the city, minutes away by bus, offers skiing in winter and hiking in the summer. Our last day in Bulgaria was spent hiking there.

Like many cities in the world, there is a volunteer group that offers free walking tours. We highly recommend the Sofia tour. Hearing the history attached to the sights really added to the experience. For a small fee, the same group offers a communist-history tour. That was particularly interesting because a significant segment of the Bulgarian population regrets the end of communism. It is living history.

Museum of Socialist Art

A quirky and almost hidden attraction is the Museum of Socialist Art. Bulgaria is ambivalent about its socialist past. After the fall of communism the country removed all the communist-era art, but did not destroy it. Instead it is displayed in a special park, not well advertised.

Rila Monastery

Rila Monastery is in the mountains not far from Sofia. It is one of Bulgaria’s most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments. It was built in the 10th century by disciples of St. Ivan of Rila, Bulgaria’s patron saint. It is a UNESCO site (they’re everywhere) and is being restored by the Bulgarian government.

Seven Rila Lakes

Seven Rila Lakes is a popular hiking route in Rila National Park. It is a high alpine hike around, naturally enough, seven lakes. It is a nice day-trip from Sofia so attracts a lot of tourists. Many are surprised by the 500 metre elevation gain, most of which is in the steep climb to the last two lakes.

Next stop: Turkey

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