SOFIA

When it comes to Sofia’s inhabitants it is said that they dislike staying at home, they rather meet with friends in one of the many cafés or restaurants instead of inviting anybody to their place. Not really surprising, after all the socialistic concrete tower-blocks outside the city are not very inviting. Here the façade of an always-young-city falls apart – instead of sovereign palaces you find criminality and corruption defining the lives of the small citizens; those citizens who have to polish up their income by selling cheap clothing because of constant rise in costs and missing pension. While luxurious Mercedes Benzes drive by noble boutiques and newly rich build apartment buildings and shopping centres, the rest of the population did not notice any changes since the accession to the EU on January 1^st 2007.  

During winter people still burn park benches and corrupt public officials get paid in order to keep the bureaucracy running.

Sofia is a modern metropolis for those who can afford it. Western chains and wide boulevards turned out to be a tourist magnet. Sofia already has 5.000 years of history under its belt and at the moment the city is growing steadily. Yet it is questionable if the city truly does not get older with the changes!

Airport The airport is situated 10 kilometres eastwards of the city. You can reach the city centre by bus or taxi. Bus line N°84 is the cheapest possibility – the ride from the airport to the university is only € 0,35,-

Taxi
The safest way to get around is taking one of the “OK Supertrans� which are cabs of a licensed taxi firm. A ride from the airport to the city centre is about € 5,-. Under no circumstances get on a cab with no taximeter and ask about the prize before taking off.

Public transport Basically the public transport is covered by 21 tram-lines, 200 omnibuses and 11 bus lines. A subway operates in Sofia as well since 1998 but it only covers 8 stations.

Nacionalen istoriÄ?eski muzej (National Museum of History)
Romans, Greek, Turks – every single emperor has left his traces in Bulgaria – those were laboriously collected and in form of 22.000 exhibits stored in the biggest museum of the country. Next to the internationally well-known Thraker’s gold also Bulgarian traditions, costumes and handicrafts do not miss out.
The exhibition ends before World War II but the numerous art treasures compensate for this omitted part of history.
Residence Bojana, Tel.: 955 76 04, 9.30 am – 6pm

Borisova gradina (Garden of Boris)
Sofia’s largest recreation area and visitors magnet for every age group: tennis, swimming pool, a forest and go-cart attract the young and the young at heart on Sundays to come to the spacious park.
Starting at Bulevar Car Osvoboditel

Gradska gradina (Stadtgarten)
The city park is an oase of its own in the middle of the city. The perfect spot to get some rest.
Ulica Vasil Levski

Nodding means "no", shaking your head "yes"!
Observe the nonverbal communication – Bulgarians agree and signify “yes� when they shake their head. Our nodding signifies disagreement and “no� for Bulgarians. Anybody who is likely to mix that up should at least memorize the Bulgarian words “da� (yes) and “ne�(no).

Hot springs and country of roses In the “land of the hot springs and roses� the rose essence as basis for odorant perfumes is gaining more and more economic importance. It is amazing who many flowers have to donate their blossoms for rose-oil: 3.000 kg rose-blossoms add up one litre of rose oil. Less tastefully scenting but then again healthier are the numerous thermal spring in the south east of the country. Even in Sofia you do not have to set aside your wellbeing: Behind the old Turkish baths you find new drinking fountains with sparkling mineral water.
ul. Triadica 36

Internet cafés
Internet Centre Garibaldi (Ulica Graf Ignatiev 6) and Zonata Net-Gameport (Arena Cinema, Bulevar Todor Aleksandrov 64)

Baj GenÄ?o
Here emphasise is put on traditions while nouvelle cuisine gets denied. They serve Bulgarian cuisine with great wine from a menu which reads like a novella.
Bulevar Knjaz Aleksandâr Dondukov 15

ÄŒevermeto
Here the high society enjoys Bulgarian dance music. Every evening a lamb gets grilled over open fire.
Bulevar Černi vrâh 31

Happy Bar & Grill
Definitely not a designer restaurant – it resembles more a rest stop for people who are in a hurry. The menu is in English and to guard against any misunderstandings there are even pictures of the dishes. The great staff serves modest, Bulgarian kitchen – mostly big portions at moderate prices. Numerous restaurants – the central station at Ploštad Sveta is opened twenty-four-seven.
Ploštad Sveta Nedelja 4

Moriah Hotel Flats
Something new: Don’t stay in the hotel but in one of the nicely decorated apartments in the city centre.
Tel.: 986 12 46 or 088 94 80 01, DR starting at € 40,–,
www.moriahflats.com

Park Hotel Amfora
This lovely decorated hotel at the foot of the Witoscha-mountains wins over thanks to the calmness and its green surroundings. A real treasure!
Knjaževo Bulevar Car Boris III. 409, Tel.: 957 15 09, DR starting at € 35,– www.hotelamfora.dir.bg

Lion
This modern and stylish hotel is only 5 minutes away from the city centre.
Bulevar Knjaginja Marija Luiza 60, Tel.: 917 84 00, DR starting at € 58,–, www.hotel-lion.net

Club Chervilo
"Dress to impress" is the motto of this young and chic club which makes the hips of the mostly Bulgarian crowd move to techno-house until dawn.
Tzar Osvoboditel Str. 9, Tel.: 981 66 33, 6 pm – 5 am
www.chervilo.com

Dali
A great combination of colourful cocktails and diversified music: latino, techno and hip hop.
Shipka Str. 6, Tel.: 46 51 29

Intermezzo Bar and Piano Bar
Listen to the hits of Frankie-boy in the piano bar of the Hotel Kempinski and enjoy little treats and big cocktails at the Intermezzo bar of the homonymous hotel.
James Bourchier Blvd. 100, Tel.: 625 10
www.kempinski.bg

Shopping streets Sofia’s biggest department store the TZUM shopping centre is located opposite of the Sheraton Hotel. The shopping mile per se is the Bulevar Vitoša (especially small boutiques) even though shopping in the pedestrian zone Pirotska is much calmer. At Ulica Graf Ignatiev noble shoppers get their money worth: Local designer settled down here, for instance Atelie Mirela Bratova (Nr. 4). At Ploštad Slavejkov you find leather wear and purses, jewellery you get at El Grado (Bulevar Vitoša 61) and at Oxette (Bulevar Vitoša 9).

Markets
A totally different scenery you get at Ženskija Pazar at Bulevar Stefan Stambolov. Instead of glittering noble boutiques you get fresh fruits and vegetables. An experience! Other nourishments you find at the market halls at Bulevar Knjaginja Marija Luiza 25, opened 7 am – 0 pm.

Opening hours You do not have o starve in Sofia, some of the shops area opens twenty-four-seven. Saturdays only the shopping adventures are limited since the shop close in the early afternoon. Weekdays you can linger in the fashion boutiques from 10 am to 7 pm.

Market for arts and crafts Medals of the Sovjet-era, matroschkas and china – the open-air market at the Aleksandâr-Nevski-cathedral is one of the most popular venues for souvenir- hunters. Attention: some of the antiquities are phonies, get a specialist’s advice!

More shopping ideas
Whether leather-ware, embroidery, folklore costumes, copper and brass – in Sofia you find great souvenirs (mostly even rather cheap). Arts & crafts you get at Culture Palace NKD (Ploštad Bâlgarija 1), glass and porcelain at Bulevar Vitoša.
Furthermore you should definitely make a stop at Bulevar Car Osvoboditel and feel the fascination of noble marble and nobler jewels.