Smart World Traveller

If you are visiting Sofia and staying for more than a couple of days, you may want to step your feet outside of the Bulgaria's capital town. Below are our suggestions for amazing places to visit nearby Sofia. If you have an extra day in Sofia, here are some great ideas what to see and where to go nearby.  Boyana Church  The Boyana Church - this is one of Bulgaria’s most significant treasures listed in the Unesco World Cultural Heritage list.  It is an ancient Eastern orthodox church dating back to 10th Century. The amazing thing about the church is that inside have been preserved 3 layers of beautiful frescoes dating back to 11th, 13th and 17th century. More information about this amazing church can be found here .  The National History Museum  The numerous exhibits in the museum show the development of social, cultural and political life in Bulgarian. The history-lovers can easily spend a whole day admiring the different exhibits, but even if...

To travel by taxi in Sofia is cheap and affordable. But there are couple of things that you have to pay attention to in order not to get cheated. Here are some tips for safe travel with a taxi in Sofia (like the locals do). 1. Avoid getting a taxi from the street.  There are a lot of fraud taxis that would charge you up to 10-20 times more for a single ride. So, always read the rate that should always be displayed on the front window of the taxi. Normally all prices there should be LESS than 1 BGN each. Regular rates nowadays are:  avg. initial (starting) fare: 0,70 BGN or 0,36 EUR; avg. fare per kilometer / day time (6:00 AM – 22:00 PM): 0,80 BGN or 0,41 EUR; avg. fare per kilometer / night time (22:00 PM – 6:00 AM): 0,90 BGN or 0,46 EUR; avg. waiting fare per minute: 0,22 BGN or 0,11 EUR (this is when the car gets stuck in a traffic or is waiting at a traffic light); Beware that many fraud taxis copy on the outside (similar logo and name) one of the biggest ...

Explore the city of Sofia on foot just for a few hours (estimated duration of the walk: 3-4 hours) There are many things to see and do in Sofia as a tourist: you can visit some of the interesting museums and learn more about the country’s rich history (see National History Museum and National Archeology Museum), you can visit some of the attractions in the city’s outskirts (see Boyana Church) or if you are a nature-lover, you can visit Vitosha mountain for a brisk hike. But if you have just a few hours for sightseeing in Sofia, here are the top 20 attractions that you should definitely see. The suggested walk is suitable for kids and can be interrupted along the way by a break in some of the nice cafes and restaurants  in the city center. 1. Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Start your visit of Sofia from its main tourist attraction - the impressive St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral . You cannot mix it with any other orthodox church in Sofia because of its size, beauty and shiny ...

You just landed, so now it is time to get to your hotel or favourite destination in Sofia... which may be harder than expected.  Here are some trips for foreigners to help them travel in Sofia.  Use the Public Transport You can find info about the busses, trams and trolleybuses on the following link ( Sofia Urban Mobility Center ) The single ride costs 1.60 BGN (about 0.85 EUR) and is valid for a single ride with a single vehicle. If you carry larger suitcases, these are also subject to a charge (you should use a regular 1.60 BGN single ride ticket for these).  If you plan to travel more, you can get a daily ride card for 4.00 BGN (about 2 EUR) (only sold in the specialized kiosks). This card is valid for all means of transportation, but to use it for the subway lines, you need to present it to the cashiers at the entrance for additional validation (free of charge). Another alternative is to buy a combined ticket for 10 rides. This is valid for busses, trolleyb...

The long summer nights are a great opportunity to explore the vivid nightlife in Sofia. You can start by checking out some of the best bars in town.  Get a drink, or two, or three..mix with the locals... and you will get in love with Sofia by night. Oscar club If you are a cocktail-lover this is the place for you! Some of the most amazing cocktails which can be found in town! The experienced bartenders are not afraid to experience with liquors and ingredients in the search of the best cocktails. The atmosphere is modern and cool (only indoors), the cocktails are top-quality and the people are cool -  if you fancy good cocktails, you should definitely give it a try. Sputnik Another fun bar with a lot of good cocktails. There are both indoor and outdoor options. When you are inside, make sure to have a look at the modern lamps and interior. There are many different cocktails, even not  so typical ones with rakia. The bar is situated right next to a great dining...

When you visit a new town one of the best ways to explore it is to lose yourself in the little streets and neighbourhoods, try some small restaurants and bars, mix with the locals. Nevertheless, speaking about food quality and atmosphere there are a couple of MUST-VISIT restaurants that should be checked out. Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, offers wide variety of places to eat - from fast food to high - end restaurants, from Bulgarian cuisine to international gourmet dishes, there is something for everybody. Trying to find restaurants with unique atmosphere and great food, we highly recommend the following ones: 1.Raketa Rakia Bar Unique atmosphere resembling the Soviet past of Bulgaria - the whole interior is decorated with objects from this period. But what is even greater is the list of offered varieties of rakia - more than 100! The cuisine is mostly traditional Bulgarian - with a slight innovative twist in some dishes. Make sure to try the fresh salads and rakias, the typ...

1. Boza sweet, tick fermented drink made from wheat. It is usually consumed chilled, for breakfast as part of the ever-green Bulgarian combo " Banitsa & boza".  Its specific lightly sweet taste is difficult to describe and to compare with anything else. But it is definitely a local hidden gem that is waiting to be discovered. 2. Ayran  the king of the breakfast drinks. This yoghurty, salty drink is served cold and is the perfect companion for your breakfast , or for any other meal which is heavier or more bread-based. And ice cold ayran is also a great escape from the summer heat. 3. Etar a soft drink from the Socialist times. This is a carbonated drink, with sweet special flavor, dating from the Socialist times of Bulgaria. Etar is light brown in color and its sugary/fruity taste cannot be compared to any of the modern popular brands of soft drinks. It is served ice-cold and is still one of the favourite soft drinks of the Bulgarians. 4. Menta a refr...

Bulgarian cuisine is fresh, delicious, hearty and mild in taste. It is most renowned for the great variety of the used dairy products (mostly in the form of white/ yellow cheese and yoghurt) and for its great quality of vegetables and fruits, farmer-grown under the warm sunshine. The most popular meat dishes are the pork and chicken ones but be sure not to miss also the vegetarian options – where you would enjoy the great taste of the local vegetables. 1. Banitsa (Cheese Pastry) this delicious salty pastry is one of the best breakfast options that you - as well as all the locals - can get! It can be purchased in bakeries all over the country for the modest price of ~ BGN 2 a piece. It is made of thin pastry sheets and is traditionally filled in with eggs and white cheese ("sirene") – there are also varieties with other stuffing like spinach, cabbage, onions, pumpkin, etc. This hearty breakfast will give you the energy to go and explore the city for the n...

If this is your first encounter with Bulgarian cuisine – take some minutes to start from the basics – namely from the most widely used food products that you will encounter in all meals that you have in the country. These products are so fresh and delicious in their plain form, that can easily become your favorite :)  1. Bulgarian white cheese (or as the locals call it "Sirene")  Is a dairy product made most widely from cow’s milk, but also from sheep’s and goat’s. It resembles the Greek Feta cheese, but usually it is not as fetty and soft and has deeper taste. The Bulgarian cuisine is reliant mostly on this great type of locally produced cheese – it is used in salads (see also the Bulgarian kind of salads " Shopska Salad "), for cooking (see great local dish " Sirene po Shopski " – i.e. white cheese baked in hot pot), in sandwiches and pastries, and even in desserts (such as pancakes with jam and white cheese, and sweet watermelon with white ch...