Sofia
Beautiful and rough
Facts to keep in mind before sharing our experience in beautiful Sofia.
Bulgaria was dominated by the Ottomans for five centuries, then liberated by the Russians. In the post-war period it was part of the communist bloc. Its capital, Sofia, is one of the oldest in Europe, dating back to 800 BC.
The majority of its population is Orthodox Catholic, but there is a strong mix of beliefs. In fact, it was the center of millennia of Christian, Ottoman, Russian and Soviet struggles.
Already when we landed on the Ryan Air flight from Zagreb, we noticed the backwardness generated by communism.
Uber was not operating yet, so we had to negotiate with the cab driver. As in almost every port of arrival, cabs did not provide much sense of security. We agreed with the muscular driver that the price would be whatever the meter read. But when we arrived at the hotel, a confusing situation arose between the price of the trip in euro and in leva, the local currency, but it did not escalate and we resolved it quickly. But we took it as a clear sign that we should pay attention and be more alert.
Things get a little complicated considering that the Cyrillic alphabet is used there, so understanding is a bit tricky.
Now, upon entering the Balkan Palace a sense of pleasure reigned. First, it was the attentive receptionist Anastasya who welcomed us with an upgrade and an early check in, so we could freshen up in the beautiful room. The accommodation, a 1956 palace, is an ode to Soviet-influenced decor.
The strategic location of the hotel allowed us to visit the main attractions on foot.
Within a radius of two hundred meters there is an Orthodox Catholic church, a Roman Apostolic cathedral, a mosque, a synagogue, the impressive Roman ruins and the most important boulevard of the city.
We start with the small Church of St. George, Sveti Georgi; a temple from the 4th century, built in Constantine's time. During the Ottoman domination it was a mosque. Inside there are very old frescoes, with the typical Pantocrator.
Then we entered the Cathedral of Sveta-Nedelya, of the Holy Sunday, one of the orthodox cathedrals of the city.
On the corner stands the Statue of Sophia, mistaken for Hagia Sophia, but in fact representing the wisdom of the city inhabited by Thracians, Romans, Byzantines, Slavs, Russians and Bulgarians. The statue replaced a demolished sculpture of Lenin.
We continue to the Banya Bash Mosque, from the middle of the XVI century. Of course you enter without shoes and with your head covered. The name means “Many Baths”, because of the thermal baths that exist in this area of the city.
Just in front the Central Market, today converted into a modern supermarket. We bought some refreshing drinks and it was there when we remembered what we had already read. The cashier answered us by shaking her head from side to side, which in our culture means a “no”, but in Bulgaria it is the other way around, this is a “yes” and the “no” is the up and down movement.
Not using the translation app we bought a cherry flavored Coke, thinking it was a Zero, along with some revitalizing pistachios.
We passed by the city's synagogue the third largest in Europe, and then the extraordinary Regional History Museum. The building stands on the site of the public baths, which it replaced. To the right of the entrance are the thermal springs of boiling water. The locals collect it in buckets.
We continue to the Russian church of St. Nicholas the Miraculous, a tribute to Tsar Nicholas II for his liberation from the Ottomans. It was built in 1914 on the ruins of a mosque.
Another must-see that goes somewhat unnoticed because of its proximity to the huge cathedral of Alexander Nevsky is the Hagia Sophia Church, Hagia Sophia. It was rebuilt according to plans of Emperor Justinian in the sixth century. Outside is the Monument to the Unknown Soldier of the First World War.
And we finish the tour in the imposing Alexander Netvsky Cathedral, the main symbol of the city, seat of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Bulgaria. It has capacity for ten thousand faithful. Its construction began after the liberation from the Turks, with materials brought from Munich, Moscow, Vienna and Venice. Indeed, it honors the heroic Russians who liberated this beautiful city from the Turks.
The central dome of forty-five meters in diameter is of fine gold plating.
Returning to the hotel we passed another imposing building, the Vazov, the national theater named after the famous local writer.
With the help of the concierge we had managed to get a table reservation for dinner that evening at the very popular Shtastlivetsa restaurant in Vitoshka to indulge in Bulgarian cuisine.
We ordered green peppers stuffed with meat, cheese and lentils with a yogurt cream, which reminded us of the stuffed locoto from Cuzco, and a pan grilled cheese with truffle oil. We accompanied it with a fresh rosé wine from Bulgaria. The best was the sweet, a kunefe dolma with pistachio, a delicious flaky pastry.
The next day we planned to visit the Rila Monastery and the Bayona Church, must-see attractions for anyone visiting the Bulgarian capital.
On the way back, we took advantage of the sun and went for a drink at The Scene Rooftop of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Unforgettable fizz of whiskey, bourbon and almond, as well as the view of the city and especially the Alexander Netvsky Cathedral, with its beautiful golden domes.
Near the hotel we strolled around the attractions we had visited the day before, marveling at the beauty.
Sofia is fascinating and multifaceted. Although it preserves its buildings of typical Stalinist architecture, of hard and rigid lines, very communist, it is intermingled with the beauty of the buildings of the Orthodox churches or the majesty of its National Theater. At the same time, walking along the iconic pedestrian Vitoshka, with its stores of local brands, without Western chains, you can feel that quiet air of the city but very Eastern European. In addition, the mix of religions is perceived in their neighborhoods.
It is inevitable not to remember the bad reputation it has in terms of insecurity, but the truth is that we did not see any unpleasant situation.
What stands out of course is its Byzantine art, which inspired the great masters of Roman Christianity.
We had become so fascinated with the gastronomy, that perfect mix of Mediterranean and Turkish, that we decided to book a table at Космос Космос, the Cosmos restaurant, with its signature Bulgarian cuisine. A pork with a potato in its crust and a meat with mint and spinach. Exquisite.
The sweet moment was not far behind. At breakfast we had already tried the traditional banitsa, a dough stuffed with cheese, but at Cosmos it was a modern reversal of banitsa with yogurt and roses and boza ice cream, a drink made from bread yeast and water. Different and very local flavors. All of course with a Bulgarian pinot noir rosé. And best of all, at much more affordable prices than in the rest of Europe.
So toasting, as usual for @tripticity_ we said goodbye to the fascinating capital in extreme nostalgia.
But the next morning, before the flight to Belgrade, we let ourselves get lost once again in its grand boulevard and even got to know The Red Flat, an apartment that preserves the furniture and objects from the time of the communist regime and became, today, a kind of small museum. The interesting thing is that it is not only a collection of old objects, but the audio guide includes the history of the family that lived there. Even the smell of the old man can be felt in the small apartment on the second floor.
It was the best way to crown our visit to Sofia. We were already familiar with the city so we didn't hesitate to take the metro that took us easily to Sofia Airport, even paying with contact less on the phone, in less than half an hour.