BULGARIA
Overall, we found Bulgaria to be very pleasant but unexciting. The plusses: 1. Travel here is very cheap compared to most European nations, and 2. Like much of Europe, there is plenty of scenery and historical sites. Negatives: 1. Getting to remote top attractions is time-consuming. (For example, we opted not to visit the Rila Monastery, which would have consumed almost an entire day.) 2. We found the cuisine bland.
TRAVEL TIP:
We highly recommend renting a car. Public transportation for intercity travel is dreadfully slow. There is almost no rail network. Be sure to get an international driving permit. While most countries do not require one (contrary to a lot of false information on the internet), the rental agency asked to see it.
Sofia
We spent two days in Bulgaria's capital city. That is a sufficient amount of time to see most of the highlights. Sofia's excellent metro system is the most economical and convenient way to get from the airport to the city center. We booked a hotel near the Serdica metro station, which is very centralized and ideal for a short visit.
For a European capital, Sofia has a quiet, laid-back ambiance. The settlement in Sofia dates back thousands of years, and structures from ancient times are prominently displayed in various places in the city center. We booked a free walking tour of Sofia, which we highly recommend. It lasts about 2 hours, finishing at Sofia's most iconic landmark, the St. Nevsky Cathedral. For details and booking, visit the website. https://freesofiatour.com
During our visit, we dined at two of the most highly-rated restaurants that serve traditional Bulgarian food. We have one favorable review and one unfavorable.
- Shtastlivetsa at 27 Vitosha Street. We would strongly recommend avoiding this restaurant. The food is mediocre and obscenely expensive. Upon ordering a lamb dish, the waiter suggested that a different 'house special' lamb dish was a better option. The special was very bland and arguably overcooked. I would have categorized this place as a tourist trap if not for the fact this it seemed packed with Bulgarian patrons.
- The Hadjidragana Tavern at 18 Hristo Belchev Street. In sharp contrast, this place serves delicious food, plus their prices are reasonable. Oddly, this place is not on the main restaurant strip (i.e., it's harder to stumble into), and it seemed to attract more foreigners. Usual wisdom dictates that one should eat where the locals eat, but Sofia is undoubtedly an exception! Click on the following link to view the menu. www.izbite.com/en
Veliko Tarnovo
We booked one night in Veliko Tarnovo, but one could easily justify a two or three-night visit. We think this unique town is one of the must-see attractions in Bulgaria. It was a former capital and a European cultural center during the middle ages. It is about a 2 1/2 hour drive east of Sofia. Navigating a car here is quite tricky. So is finding a parking place. On the main streets, there are ticket stations, which are not conspicuous. A helpful shopkeeper pointed it out to us. It is vital to place a parking ticket permit in your car because the tow trucks are very active!
There is a daily free walking tour, but we could not fit that into our schedule. Apart from that, we have two top recommendations:
- Tsarevets Fortress. Plan to spend two or three hours.
- FLOR Italian Gelato at 51 Stefan Stambolov Street. You come here not just for the ice cream but also for the spectacular panoramic view. (They also serve coffee and cappuccino!)
For dining, we highly recommend Restaurant Ethno at 3 Nezavisimost Street. They served hands down the best meals we ate in Bulgaria. Their menu has a good variety and includes vegetarian options.
Zheravna
We booked a bed and breakfast in this traditional tourist village. Zheravna is a 2-hour drive east of Veliko Tarnovo. Don't attempt to drive into the cobblestone roads. You could easily damage a rental car! Instead, leave your car at the general parking area at the village entrance.
English-speaking proficiency was very low here, giving the impression that most visitors are Bulgarian. There are no addresses (as far as we could tell!) However, this is a place where everybody seems to know everybody. We spoke with a shopkeeper, who gave us directions and made a call to the woman who runs the B&B we booked.
Burgas
We drove to the Black Sea for a day trip. Burgas' prime attraction is the beach, which gets very crowded in summer. Available parking spots near the water are scarce. The beach and its adjacent seafront park are pleasant but generic. It is a great spot for locals and for getting out of the interior summer heat. However, we would not recommend making a special trip here.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv, our last stop, is a 2 1/2 drive southwest of Zheravna. Also, Plovdiv is close enough to Sofia that tour companies offer day trips from the capital. We think this city merits an overnight stay, but if visiting for a day, we recommend renting a car. Though buses are frequent, the bus journey takes 3 hours, twice as long as a private car ride. Plovdiv is just as much a 'must-see' city as the capital. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe. The Old Town is, of course, the highlight.
