Sofia, Bulgaria
Monday, September 25 – First full day on tour and it was jam packed. Fair warning, there are probably far too many pictures and my captions are too long, but this is a city with a long history.
Got a jump on the day with a pre-sunrise jog along the city streets. Very safe as it is well lit, and there is a large police presence due to all the government buildings near our hotel.
After breakfast, our group gathered for a walking tour of Sofia with our guide Stefan. It is clear he is passionate about both his country and his job as he added so much background and color to everything we saw. There are downsides to group vs individual travel, but a huge plus is the insight of a local guide.
Guided tour ended at noon, so Dan and I grabbed some lunch, then explored some other sights Stefan recommended. Finally decided it was time for my afternoon coffee and note taking respite.
The program this evening was a young Bulgarian from the World Bank answering questions about the economic and political issues facing the country. A interesting discussion, but to be honest, I felt it ran a bit long.
Afterwards, we grabbed a simple dinner at a neighborhood restaurant. Halfway through, three other members of our group entered the restaurant. We joined them for a glass of wine when we finished and enjoyed an excellent time talking and getting to know one another. Best part of group travel.
Tomorrow we move on.
21,057 steps, 10.7 miles
Arte Hotel Sofia:
Links to sights on tour listed under “Sights” — any fees included in tour price.
Sofia Regional History Museum:
https://www.sofiahistorymuseum.bg/bg
Small but interesting museum focusing on the history of Sofia and the surrounding area. Small fee (~$3 each) to enter.
Church of St Petka of the Saddlers:
https:////sofia-guide.com/church-of-st-petka-of-the-saddlers/
Tiny church built under the Ottoman occupations located in the center of the city. Small fee to enter
Women’s Market:
/www.pazari-vazrajdane.com/jenski-pazar/
Oldest market in Sofia.
Morning Tour Sights:
- Ulpia Serdica:
- https://ulpiaserdica.com/ulpia_serdica_en.html
- Roman ruins uncovered right under city streets, next to metro station
- Central Mineral Baths:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofia_Central_Mineral_Baths
- Warm (115 degrees) mineral water from springs below the city flow continuously for local use.
- Church of St George:
- https://svgeorgi-rotonda.com/index.php/bg
- Reputed to be the oldest building in Sofia dating back to the 4th century. A varied history, including use as a bath, mosque, museum and church.
- Alexander Nevsky Cathedral:
- https://www.cathedral.bg
- Largest Orthodox church in the Balkans, probably the most famous site in Sofia.
- Free to enter, fee to take photos
- Monuments of the Rescuers and the Rescued in Sofia:
- https://bnr.bg/en/post/101791185
- Plaques commemorating rescue of Bulgarian Jews during WWII
- We also stopped by and learned of the history, but did not enter:
- National Theater:
- https://www.nationaltheatre.bg/en
- Russian Church (church of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker):
- National Theater:
On our own, the little underground church was pretty cool and the Women’s Market was a hoot — they basically carried everything you could possibly need!
The city museum was interesting, a bit of a hodgepodge of eras and, inexplicably, an exhibit room completely dedicated to the circus…somewhat incongruous.
Breakfast:
Breakfast at the hotel, at least now we recognized some familiar faces at the buffet. Coffee machine location still an issue (but they did not ask my opinion)
Lunch:
Back to La Catterdrale. The food was fine, but primarily because it was really close to the last stop of the morning tour (the Nevsky Cathedral) and we were starving!
Dinner:
Mi Casa Sofia
No website, just steps from our hotel, nice outdoor patio. Pizza and salad to share were actually very good. Best part was meeting up with some other tourmates and sitting over a glass of wine together.
Today’s message from Stefan
Sofia Regional History Museum Ticket
Wow, THAT was a busy day! Despite all the ground we covered, I never felt rushed. So many different things to see and so much history. Our understanding was definitely helped by the passion Stefan clearly has for his homeland.
One of the reasons we like Rick Steves tours is that they provide a good mix of time with a guide and free time. The guide adds a lot of color that you wouldn’t get on your own, but it is nice to also have the freedom to go at your own pace.
One disappointment was that we could not go into the Sofia Synagogue as it was Yom Kippur. I also found the talk by the young man from the World Bank. He was quite earnest and willing to answer any questions but I didn’t find it terribly enlightening. Or perhaps I was tired. Or hungry. Or both…