I’m planning a city budget Bulgarian trip, any advice?
Q Any advice on taking a budget break to Bulgarian cities such as Plovdiv and Sofia?
Paul W
A Bulgaria, like neighbouring Romania, is a Balkan nation that deserves far more attention from UK travellers. It is also outstanding value, with costs for everything from coffee to accommodation about one-third of what you might pay in western Europe.
Sofia, the capital, is a city of broad avenues and grand buildings. It is well worth a two- or three-day break, as well as an excellent starting point for any deeper exploration of Bulgaria. What it lacks in premier league tourist attractions, Sofia makes up with friendliness and surprises – including some relics of the communist era alongside exquisite places of worship. Furthermore, at this time of year it is the European capital with the closest skiing opportunities: just southwest of the centre, Mount Vitosha rises to almost 2,300m.
Close by is the village-turned-suburb of Boyana, location for arguably the greatest cultural treasure in the Balkans: Boyana Church, a tiny, 13th-century chapel that is the location for some startling murals, and a Unesco-listed monument. If you plan a trip for summer to Sofia, make time for an expedition to the Rila Monastery: a 10th-century complex with more superb frescoes and Bulgaria’s holiest shrine. You could even hike there across the Rila Mountains.
Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second city, was European Capital of Culture in 2019 and has much to recommend it – from its Roman monuments (including a theatre in remarkably good condition) to cobbled streets lined with wooden houses. The city’s setting, in and around a muddle of hills, is part of the charm.
You can easily combine the two by train: an attractive journey that takes under three hours and costs less than £5. From Plovdiv, the Black Sea coast is a further five hours by rail, and also well worth exploring.
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