Blogs from Sofia, Sofia City , Bulgaria, Europe

Sofia Bulgaria 9 to 10 June 2013 We crossed the Serbia-Bulgaria border with no problems. Our passports were stamped out of Serbia and then paid our 5 euro road tax for Bulgaria and we were on our way. The roads were good between towns but through towns were atrocious. We were given the GPS coordinates for a new Van Park near Sofia, by the last Park Manager. When we arrived, we found lots of Motor homes parked, some owned by tourists and some by the business which we drove in. We learned that there were no showers or toilets and was 12 kms from the city centre. We decided this was not for us so went into the city and stayed at the Sheridan. Bulgaria is yet another eastern European country with a rocky history so ... read more

Another overnight train took us into the heart of Sofia. This time round, there was minimal fuss on the train as we slept throughout the ride after a fulfilling day in Belgrade. The sight that first caught my eye has to be the snow-capped Vitosha mountains in the background. Reading up on Sofia city before arriving has set my mind on making my (and our) way up to the top. Honestly, what's more soothing to the mind than to have nature at the doorstep of a bustling capital city! After 2 weeks of exploring cities, this is the perfect retreat for us. And I knew that I've always missed hiking and scaling mountains since high school days. Fun Facts Upon reaching the main station, we bought tickets for the connecting trolley bus bringing us into the ... read more

For those about to rock, Bulgaria salutes you! As a boy who loves rock and roll I think I've just about died and gone to heaven in Sofia. The country has a rich history stretching back many centuries but one thing is clear as soon as you arrrive ... they love to rock! From the first taxi ride, and in the hostel, and on to the clubs; it's 100% ear splitting, bone jarring, head banging rock and roll that's guaranteed to get the blood pumping. Everyone seems to know the words to the classics, and it's like being in the middle of a neverending rock concert. My first night started with stimulating conversation in the company of a group of young travellers. As the evening progressed they went out for a meal, but I decided to ... read more

I didn't realize how much I would like Sofia. It is such a tranquil city with a manageable center, full of cafes and good restaurants, parks and streets lined with trees that help keep the city cool in summer. The food was so good, especially the grilled vegetables at Happy's. Apparently sushi is quite popular in Sofia. The parks are a very popular place for Bulgarians to hang out and in the evening they are packed. Even some of the very small parks had beer gardens. One odd thing is the trams stop right in the middle of the street without any safety platform for people to stand on. Doesn't seem very safe. There was a free outdoor concert in the park, which was quite a major event with a full orchestra. It was sponsored by ... read more

The bus from Skopje to Sofia took 5 hours and I was accompanied by another Aussie - they get everywhere:-) Arriving in Skopje I didn't have a clue where the hostel was so got a taxi and as usual he tried to rip me off trying to charge me in euros rather than Levs! The Hostel was shocking (Internet hostel) rock hard mattress and 1 bathroom for the entire place but I've had worse. The location was fantastic though, right in the heart of the city, next door to the only veggie restaurant in Sofia and above an Irish bar - what more could you ask for:-) Plus the bar sold one of my favourite beers - Zagorka and I had a few of these with my new chums from the hostel, a German guy and ... read more