Lonely Planet Romania & Bulgaria
Page 56
Travel Agencies
Alexander Tour ( GOOGLE MAP ; %02-983 5258; www.travelinbulgaria.eu; ul Pop Bogomil 40, 6th fl; h9.30am-6pm Mon-Fri; mLavov most) Runs numerous tours around Bulgaria, including day trips from Sofia and longer, tailor-made tours.
Odysseia-In Travel Agency ( GOOGLE MAP ; %02-989 0538; www.odysseia-in.com; bul Stamboliyski 20-V, 1st fl; mSerdika) Organises hiking, skiing, climbing, birdwatching and other trips across the country. Oriented towards groups. Entrance is on ul Lavele.
Zig Zag Holidays ( GOOGLE MAP ; %02-980 5102; www.zigzagbg.com; bul Stamboliyski 20-V; h9.30am-6.30pm Mon-Fri; mSerdika) Aimed at individuals, with a long list of hiking, climbing, caving, wine-tasting and biking trips on the program. Day trips to Rila Monastery and Mt Vitosha. Entrance is on ul Lavele.
8Getting There & Away
Air
The only domestic flights within Bulgaria are between Sofia and the Black Sea coast. Bulgaria Air ( GOOGLE MAP ; %call centre 02-402 0400; www.air.bg; ul Ivan Vazov 2; h9.30am-noon & 12.30pm-5.30pm Mon-Fri; mSerdika) flies daily to Varna, with two or three daily flights running between July and September. Bulgaria Air also flies between the capital and Burgas.
Bus
Sofia's Central Bus Station (Tsentralna Avtogara; GOOGLE MAP ; %info 0900 63 099; www.centralnaavtogara.bg; bul Maria Luisa 100; h24hr; W; mCentral Railway Station) is located beside the train station and accessed via the same metro stop. It handles services to most big towns in Bulgaria as well as international destinations. There are dozens of counters for individual private companies, as well as an information desk and an OK-Supertrans taxi desk ( GOOGLE MAP ; %02-973 2121; www.oktaxi.net; Centrail Bus Station; h6am-10pm; mCentral Railway Station).
Departures are less frequent between November and April. The following schedules are for summer.
Destination Cost (lv) Duration (hr) Frequency
Albena 36 8 4-5 daily
Bansko 16 3 5-6 daily
Blagoevgrad 11 2 about hourly
Burgas 30 7-8 6-10 daily
Gabrovo 22 3-4 7 daily
Haskovo 22 6 12-14 daily
Kazanlâk 16 3½ 4-5 daily
Lovech 14 3 2-3 daily
Nesebâr 37 7 5-10 daily
Pleven 15 2½ hourly
Plovdiv 14 2½ several hourly
Ruse 29 5 hourly
Sandanski 14 3½ 10-12 daily
Shumen 31 6 7 daily
Sliven 24 5 8 daily
Smolyan 25 3½ 6-7 daily
Sozopol 32 7 6-8 daily
Stara Zagora 22 4 8 daily
Varna 33 7-8 every 30-45min
Veliko Târnovo 22 4 hourly
Vidin 20 5 6-7 daily
The smaller Ovcha Kupel bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %02-955 5362, info 0875105097; http://avtogarazapad.wix.com/avtogarazapad; bul Ovcha kupel 1, Zapad; h6.30am-6pm; g73, 103) – sometimes called Zapad (West) station – has a few bus services heading south, such as to Bansko, Blagoevgrad and Sandanski.
From tiny Yug bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %02-872 2345; bul Dragan Tsankov 23; mJoliot-Curie), buses and minibuses leave for Samokov (6 lv, one hour, every 30 minutes).
From the ramshackle Poduyane bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %02-847 4262; ul Todorini Kukli, cnr ul Reka Veleka; g79) – aka Iztok (East) station – buses leave infrequently for small towns in central Bulgaria.
Destination Cost (lv) Duration (hr) Frequency (daily)
Gabrovo 22 3½ 1-2
Lovech 14 3 1-2
Troyan 15 3 2
Train
Sofia’s Central Train Station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %info 02-931 1111, international services 02-931 0972, tickets 02-932 2270; www.bdz.bg; bul Maria Luisa 102a; hticket office 7am-8.15pm; mCentral Railway Station) is the city’s and country’s main rail gateway. The station itself is a massive, cheerless modern structure that’s been extensively renovated, but which feels empty and lacks many basic services. It’s located in an isolated part of town about 1km north of the centre, though it’s the terminus of a metro line and easy to reach. It’s 100m (a five-minute walk) from the Central Bus Station.
Destinations for all domestic and international services are listed on timetables in Cyrillic, but departures (for the following two hours) and arrivals (for the previous two hours) are listed in English on a large computer screen on the ground floor.
Same-day tickets are sold at counters on the ground floor, while advance tickets are sold in the gloomy basement, accessed via an unsigned flight of stairs near some snack bars. Counters are open 24 hours, but normally only a few are staffed and queues are long, so don’t turn up at the last moment to purchase your ticket, and allow some extra time to work out the confusing system of platforms (indicated with Roman numerals) and tracks.
DOMESTIC TRAIN SERVICES TO & FROM SOFIA
Destination 1st-/2nd-Class Cost (lv) Time (hr) Frequency (daily)
Burgas 26/20 7-8 4 fast & 2 express
Gorna Oryakhovitsa 23/18 4-4½ 6 fast & 2 express
Plovdiv 10/8 2½-3 6 fast, 3 express & 4 slow
Ruse 30/24 6 3 fast
Sandanski 12/10 4 3 fast
Varna 39/31 7½-9 5 fast & 1 express
Vidin 17/14 5 3 fast
8Getting Around
To/From the Airport
Sofia Airport ( GOOGLE MAP ; %info 24hr 02-937 2211; www.sofia-airport.bg; off bul Brussels; W; g84, mSofia Airport), the city's and country's main air gateway, is located 10km east of the centre. The airport has two terminals (1 and 2). Most flights use the more modern Terminal 2, but a few budget carriers fly in and out of Terminal 1. Both terminals have basic services, ATMs and OK-Supertrans Taxi (%02-973 2121; www.oktaxi.net; 0.79/0.90 lv/km day/night rate) desks.
Sofia's metro connects Terminal 2 to the centre (Serdika station) in around 20 minutes. Buy tickets in the station, which is located just outside the terminal exit. Bus 84 also shuttles between the centre and both terminals. Buy tickets (1 lv, plus an extra fare for large luggage) from the driver.
A taxi to the centre will cost from 10 lv to 15 lv. Prebook your taxi at the OK-Supertrans Taxi counter. They will give you a slip of paper with the three-digit code of your cab. The driver will be outside waiting.
Car & Motorcycle
Sofia's public transport is excellent and traffic can be heavy, so there's no need to drive a private or rented car in Sofia.
If you wish to explore further afield, however, a car might come in handy. The Union of Bulgarian Motorists (%02-935 7935, road assistance 02-91 146; www.uab.org) provides emergency roadside service. Rental outlets include the following and all have desks at Sofia Airport:
Avis (%02-945 9224; www.avis.bg; Sofia Airport, Terminal 2; h9am-10pm; mSofia Airport)
Hertz (%02-945 9217; www.hertz.bg; Sofia Airport, Terminal 2; h9am-10pm; mSofia Airport)
Sixt (%02-945 9276; www.sixt.com; Sofia Airport, Terminal 2; h8am-2.30am; mSofia Airport)
Public Transport
Sofia has a comprehensive public transport system based on trams, buses, trolleybuses and underground metro. Public transport generally runs from 5.30am to around 11pm every day. The Sofia Urban Mobility Centre (%info 0700 13 233; www.sofiatraffic.bg) maintains a helpful website with fares and an updated transport map. Attractions in the centre are normally located within easy walking distance, and you're not likely to need the tram or trolley in most instances.
Metro
Sofia’s shiny metro links the city centre to both Sofia Airport and the central train and bus stations. It's divided into two lines, with the lines crossing at central Serdika station. Other helpful stations include NDK, at the southern end of bul Vitosha, and Sofiyski Universitet, close to Sofia University. Tickets cost 1 lv, but cannot be used on other forms of public transport. Buy tickets at windows and ticket machines located in the stations.
Bus, Tram & Trolleybus
Tickets for trams, buses and trolleybuses cost 1 lv each (8 lv for 10 trips) and can be purchased at kiosks near stops or from on-board ticket machines. Consider buying a day
pass (4 lv) to save the hassle of buying individual tickets.
Buses 64 and 107 run to Boyana for the Boyana Church. Bus 107 also runs to the National Museum of History.
Taxi
Taxis are an affordable alternative to public transport. By law, taxis must use meters, but those that wait around the airport, luxury hotels and within 100m of pl Sveta Nedelya may try to negotiate an unmetered fare – which, of course, will be considerably more than the metered fare.
All official taxis are yellow, have fares per kilometre displayed in the window, and have obvious taxi signs (in English or Bulgarian) on top. The standard legal fare is 0.79 lv per minute during the day, 0.90 lv per minute at night. Never accept a lift in a private, unlicensed vehicle.
OK-Supertrans Reliable, radio-taxi that operates around town and to and from the airport.
Yellow Taxi (%02-91 119; www.yellow333.com) Order by phone or hail from the street.
Around Sofia
The places mentioned here are accessible from Sofia by public transport, but beyond Boyana, it's worth staying at least one night to avoid excessive travel and to better appreciate the surroundings.
Boyana БОЯНА
Boyana is a peaceful and prosperous suburb of Sofia, lying around 8km south of the city centre. Once a favourite retreat for communist leaders and apparatchiks, these days it’s home to Sofia’s wealthy elite and two of the capital’s major attractions. However, there’s little else to detain you here.
1Sights
Boyana ChurchCHURCH
( GOOGLE MAP ; %02-959 0939; www.boyanachurch.org; ul Boyansko Ezero 3, Boyana; adult/child 10/1 lv, combined ticket with National Historical Museum 12 lv, guides 10 lv; h9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Oct, 9am-5pm Nov-Mar; g64, 107)
Tiny 13th-century Boyana Church is included on Unesco’s World Heritage list and its 90 murals are among the very finest examples of Bulgarian medieval artwork. A combined ticket includes entry to both the church and the National Museum of History, 2km away.
Highlights include the oldest known portrait of St John of Rila, along with representations of King Konstantin Asen and Queen Irina. There's little English signage and visitors are limited to 10 minutes inside.
National Museum of HistoryMUSEUM
( GOOGLE MAP ; %02-955 4280; www.historymuseum.org; ul Vitoshko Lale 16, Boyana; adult/child 10/1 lv, combined ticket with Boyana Church 12 lv, guided tours in English 30 lv; h9.30am-6pm Apr-Oct, 9am-5.30pm Nov-Mar; g63, 107, 111, j2)
Housed in the former communist presidential palace, this museum occupies a stunning, if inconvenient, setting; unless a coach party turns up, you may have the place to yourself. The exhaustive collection includes Thracian gold treasures, Roman statuary, folk costumes, weaponry and icons, and outside you can see some Russian MiG fighters. There are regular temporary exhibitions, too.
Guided tours in English must be requested two weeks in advance by email. To get here, take public transport or a taxi (about 9 lv one way) from the city centre.
Vitosha Nature Park ПРИРОДЕН ПАРК ВИТОША
The Mt Vitosha range, 23km long and 13km wide, lies just south of Sofia; it’s sometimes referred to as the ‘lungs of Sofia’ for the refreshing breezes it deflects onto the capital. The mountain is part of the 22,726 hectare Vitosha Nature Park (www.park-vitosha.org), the oldest of its kind in Bulgaria (created in 1934). The highest point is Mt Cherni Vrâh (Black Peak; 2290m), the fourth-highest peak in Bulgaria, where temperatures in January can fall to -20ºC.
As well as being a popular ski resort in winter, the nature park is popular with hikers, picnickers and sightseers on summer weekends, and receives around 1.5 million visitors a year. There are dozens of clearly marked hiking trails, a few hotels, cafes and restaurants and numerous huts and chalets. Other draws include a centuries-old monastery in the hills above the suburb of Dragalevtsi and a fascinating 'stone river' at Zlatnite Mostove.
1Sights
Zlatnite MostovePICNIC AREA
(h24hr)
Zlatnite Mostove is a spray of large boulders – a 'stone river' – that runs down a slope from an altitude of about 1700m down to 1350m. The name, which translates to 'golden bridges', refers to the colour of lichen that grows on the stones. The boulders and green areas make for a popular sunbathing and picnicking spot. Hike up from near the Boyana Church. A taxi from the centre of Sofia will cost about 22 lv one way.
The boulder trail is a relatively rare geological phenomenon that dates from the Ice Age.
Dragalevtsi MonasteryMONASTERY
( GOOGLE MAP ; %02-967 3360; Dragalevtsi; h8.30am-noon, 1.30pm-6pm Tue-Sun; g66, 93)F
This working monastery is probably the oldest of its kind in Bulgaria. It was built around 1345, but abandoned only 40 years later. The monastery contains colourful murals and is revered as one of the hiding places of the ubiquitous anti-Turkish rebel leader Vasil Levski. The location is within the Vitosha National Park, about 1.5km south of the Dragalevtsi suburb of Sofia.
The monastery is reachable by public transport from Sofia by buses 66 or 93; the former runs only on weekends and holidays. Wear comfortable shoes: the monastery lies on a hill and you'll have to hike a bit to get up there.
2Activities
The main activities are hiking in summer and skiing in winter (mid-December to April). All of the park's areas have good hiking; Aleko, the country's highest ski resort, is best for skiing.
Hiking
There are great hikes all through the Vitosha Nature Park. The most dramatic starting points are at Zlatnite Mostove and Aleko (accessible via the Simeonovo gondola). Bookshops stock hiking maps, including the very helpful Vitosha Turisticheska Karta (1:50,000). The best walks include the following:
Boyana Church–Zlatnite Mostove At the church, ask for directions to the path that hugs the Boyana River and leads to the 15m-high Boyana Waterfall. From there, obvious paths lead to Zlatnite Mostove; about three hours in total.
Zlatnite Mostove–Mt Cherni Vrâh A challenging hike, via Kumata Hut and Mt Sedloto (2018m); about three hours.
Aleko–Goli Vrâh A short trail (30 minutes) between the top of the gondola from Simeonovo and the chairlift from Dragalevtsi.
Aleko–Mt Cherni Vrâh A popular, but steep, 90 minutes on foot.
Aleko–Zlatnite Mostove Follow the trail to Goli Vrâh, skirt around Mt Sredets (1969m) and pass Hotel Bor; about three hours.
Dragalevtsi chairlift–Goli Vrâh Follow the chairlift from the bottom; a three-hour steep climb.
Simeonovo GondolaCABLE CAR
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0882111480; www.planinite.info; 8/10 lv one-way/return; h9am-5pm Sat & Sun, incl holidays; g122, 123)
At 6270m, this modern six-seater cabin is reputedly the longest lift of its kind in the country. The trip to the top lasts about 30 minutes. You can jump off at the junctions of Vtora or Chetvarta, from where hiking trails lead deep into the park, and then continue the trip later with the same ticket.
Dragalevtsi ChairliftCABLE CAR
( GOOGLE MAP ; %02-967 1110; www.planinite.info; Dragalevski; 4/7 lv one-way/return; h9am-5pm Sat & Sun, incl holidays; g66, 93)
A two-person chairlift starts about 4km (by road) up from the centre of Dragalevtsi village; alternatively, it’s about 3km on foot if you take the obvious short cut up the hill. One chairlift (2 lv, 20 minutes) goes as far as Bai Krâstyo, from where another (2 lv, 15 minutes) carries on to Goli Vrâh (1837m).
A pleasant option is to take the chairlift to Goli Vrâh, walk to Aleko (30 minutes) and catch the gondola down to Simeonovo (or vice versa).
Skiing
At 1800m above sea level, Aleko (www.skivitosha.com; lift passes adult/child 35/21 lv) is Bulgaria’s highest ski resort, and its six slopes are only 22km from the centre of Sofia. There is rarely enough snow here for skiing before mid-December, but the season can often last into April. Aleko was named in honour of the renowned writer Aleko Konstantinov, who kick-started the hiking craze back in 1895 when he led a party of 300 fellow outdoors enthus
iasts to the top of Mt Cherni Vrâh.
The 29km of alpine ski runs (the longest of which is about 5km) range from easy to very difficult, and start as high as Mt Cherni Vrâh. Cross-country skiing is ideal along the 15km of trails, and snowboarding is also possible. As well as the Simeonovo gondola and Dragalevtsi chairlift there is a handful of other chairlifts and draglifts. A one-day lift pass costs about 35 lv.
The ski-rental shop at the start of the Simeonovo gondola and at Aleko both charge from 25 lv to 40 lv per day for a set of ski gear. A snowboard and boots costs 30 lv per day.
The ski school at Aleko caters mainly to Bulgarians, but instructors are multilingual. Five-day ski courses (four hours per day) are offered for around 140 lv.
4Sleeping & Eating
In Vitosha Nature Park there are several modern hotels, which are usually much cheaper than those in the city centre. Ideally you’ll have your own transport if you choose to stay here. Hikers can overnight at any of the numerous mountain huts.
There are restaurants scattered around, but it's a fun option to pack a lunch before heading out. Zlatnite Mostove, near the upper reaches of Vitosha Nature Park, is a popular spot for a picnic. Hotels and mountain chalets will almost always have a place to grab a meal.
Hostel AndroPENSION$
(%02-961 1506; www.hostel-andro.free.bg; ul Bor 10, Simeonovo; s/d from 30/50 lv; pi; g67)
There's just one room and two apartments at this homely little place, each with TV, fridge and sparkling modern bathroom. The location is near the foot of Mt Vitosha in the upscale Simeonovo neighbourhood about 8km south of the centre of Sofia.
Hizha AlekoHOSTEL$
(%02-967 1113; www.motensport.com; Aleko; dm/apt from 12/50 lv; pW)