Russian-inspired and relatively new (1924), Alexander Nevsky Memorial
Church has become the most recognized landmark in Sofia.
© Joyce McGreevy

Wanderlust Leads to Sofia

If you visit Sofia, Bulgaria, prepare for the inevitable response.

“Bulgaria? Bul-GAR-ia? Where IS Bulgaria, exactly?”

The only European country never to change its name, Bulgaria is in the Southeastern European peninsula known as the Balkans.

Balkan means “a chain of wooded mountains,” and Bulgaria epitomizes this. One-third forested and teeming in biodiversity, Bulgaria borders the Black Sea to the east, Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south.

“Why Bulgaria?”  This could take a while, given the rich culture, thoughtful people, affordable prices, fabulous food, excellent public transportation, and natural wonders.

South of Sofia, Rila’s glacial lakes mirror the sky 6,000-8,000 feet above sea level.
“Seven Rila Lakes in Rila Mountain” by Filip Stoyanov is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Collage of Cultures

Start with mind-blowing history. Bulgaria is a collage of ancient cultures: Greek, Roman, Slav, Bulgar and, above all, Thracian. Orpheus the musician was Thracian. So was Spartacus the warrior.

In 342 A.D., when Sofia was called Serdica, Alexander the Great’s father loved it so much that he declared, “Serdica is my Rome.” By the 1200s, the Bulgarian Empire was the dominant power in Balkan Europe.

Then came conquest by the Ottoman Empire, re-emergence as an independent state, and the post-WWII years under Soviet Communism.

A single view encompasses ancient Roman ruins, Byzantine churches,
Ottoman mosques, and signs of post-Communist commerce.
© Joyce McGreevy

In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell and so did the Eastern Bloc. Westerners may be surprised to learn that the transition to parliamentary democracy was far from celebratory. Shortages, crime, and uncertainty hurt living standards until the mid-2000s.

Bulgaria’s admission to the European Union in 2007 and ongoing reforms have been welcomed. If the performance of some post-Soviet governments have proved unsatisfactory, today’s Bulgarians are free to protest.

One urbanite installed on his balcony a giant sculpture of a hand pointing a certain finger toward the National Assembly. That’s a universe away from when the mildest political joke could lead to arrest, or worse.

The imposing former Communist HQ, now an archive, brought new meaning to “Party House.”
After 1989, the giant red star was removed by helicopter and replaced with the Bulgarian flag.
© Joyce McGreevy

Likewise, the post-1989 diaspora, which saw 1 million Bulgarians emigrate, has slowed. Bulgarians who travel abroad (565,000 in 2015) now have more reasons than ever to return.

College is free, the tech industry is thriving, and creative small businesses are on the rise. According to Eurostat, unemployment in Bulgaria is steadily decreasing, from 9.8 to 7.4 percent in the last year.

Ancient and Eternally New

Remember this if wanderlust inspires you to visit Sofia, Bulgaria: Cities are works in progress. Initial views from the airport taxi are dismaying—peeling stucco, exclamatory graffiti, the skeletons of Communist-built apartment blocks.

But here, too, are signs of restoration, renewal, and reinvention.

Vibrant murals and leafy green public gardens. Dazzling Orthodox church interiors, honey-colored mosques, and Art Nouveau synagogues. Street music and courtyard cafés. Grape arbors and roses encasing wrought-iron balconies. Markets where tomatoes actually taste like tomatoes.

From metal gates to utility boxes, any surface can be a canvas for Sofia’s muralists.
© Joyce McGreevy

It’s like hearing the melody line within a layered jazz composition. Once you perceive Sofia’s beauty, it surges to the forefront.

Sofia disproves the notion that you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

It sets crumbling sidewalks at your feet and raises golden domes over your head. It begins interactions with solemn expressions, then breaks into smiles. It sends dishes out of kitchens slowly, the better to create unforgettable feasts. It surrounds you in a maze of streets, then makes it a pleasure to wander.

Sofia boasts the longest boulevard in Europe–but don’t miss the charming side streets.
© Joyce McGreevy

In Bulgaria, even brusqueness isn’t always what it seems. On a rural day-trip I asked about buses back to Sofia. Suddenly, station personnel barked commands and practically carried me onboard. Sheesh.

Turns out the last bus of the day was about to depart and they were making sure I didn’t get stranded. It became one more reason to say Mnogo blagodarya, “Thank you so much!”

Perhaps the best way to be in Bulgaria is to find your “aylak.” That’s a Turkish word Bulgarians use as slang for going with the flow.

Zoya Organic led Sofia’s trend toward grocery-cafés that offer vegan and gluten-free menus.
© Joyce McGreevy

Beyond “Fascinating Facts”

Travel blogs about Bulgaria are replete with “fascinating facts”: Bulgarians nod for no and shake heads for yes. Sofia has an actual yellow brick road. “OMG, Bulgarians play the bagpipes!”

Go beyond factoids and learn from locals. Sofia’s walking tours are among the world’s best and cover everything from arts and culture, traditional and contemporary dining, nature hikes, and even a candid history of Communism. (The latter stops at a leading North American coffee chain.)

Fun and sociable, the tours are also in-depth. Most are free. Tipping is good manners, but you won’t be pressured.

The benefits go beyond photo ops. Consider the perspective of Martin Zashev, whose nonprofit association has welcomed visitors to Bulgaria from more than 125 countries: “We believe in a world to know, to understand, and to improve. When people know each other—their cultural and historical backgrounds—they understand each other. And when you understand each other, you don’t fight.”

Personable guides like Martin Zashev of Free Sofia Tour and Hristina Bareva of Balkan Bites (below)
offer insights that you won’t find in any guidebook. 
both images © Joyce McGreevy

Sofia Moments

Many who visit Sofia consider it a stopover to Black Sea beach resorts. That’s a pity. Stay a while, and along with architectural treasures, you’ll experience moments that become great memories.

Summer evenings when the air smells of rose oil and grilled red peppers. Filling a bottle with cold, refreshing water from an ornate fountain. Seeing the full moon illuminate Mount Vitosha.

My Sofia moment happened at a café near my Airbnb apartment. When I bused my own table the counterman looked surprised. Had I committed a gaffe?

“You’re becoming Bulgarian,” he said. Then smiled.

I’ll take that over a beach selfie any day. Oh, I see: When you visit Sofia, Bulgaria, wanderlust leads to lingering.

May Sofia flourish!
© Joyce McGreevy

Explore Free Sofia Tour and Balkan Bites.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.