Smart World Traveller

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...

Top local foods that you must try when visiting in Puglia (we tried them all for you) 1. Orecchiette  This amazingly delicious Apulian pasta is very popular in this region of Italy. It is ear-shaped white in color delicious pasta. Orecchiette (from Italian 'orecchia' meaning 'ear' and '-etta' meaning 'small') is traditionally handmade wheat pasta. It is traditionally prepared "con le cime di rapa" - with a local cabbage-like vegetable typical for Puglia. But there are also a lot of other ways of preparation that are even better in taste - like Orecchiette di Fagiolini, pomodori e cacioricotta or orecchiette alla crudaiola con stracciatella. Mmmm...  If in Puglia, do not miss Bari, where there is a whole quarter of women preparing this type of pasta right in front of their houses. It is not only amazingly delicious, but also a great experience to see them preparing it. Check our post for more ideas on what to do and see in Puglia.  ...