This post is also available in:
Italiano (Italian)
I made my trip to Bulgaria in June 2019, solo and using public transportation, it lasted 5 days.
The stages were:
- Sofia
- Rila Monastery
- Plovdiv
- Varna
This is the google itinerary; I went to Rila on a day tour from Sofia.
It is a country that surprised me in a positive way, despite the fact that it is not very popular. I found it interesting, especially with the possibility of also going outside of Sofia, which is nice, but you see it with little time.
There are many Roman remains in Bulgaria, and in the capital they found some while digging the subway, and instead of burying it by pretending nothing happened, they made the station coexist with archaeology. Ancient Thrace was one of the most distant, and turbulent, Roman provinces.
Sofia, Boyana and Rila
As a day trip I booked a tour from home that passes by the Boyana Church and the beautiful Rila Monastery (featured photo).
Chatting with the guide who told us about everyday life and in particular about the transition from the communist regime to Western life was also very interesting. I use the plural because with me were two Roman girls with whom I befriended and with whom I went to a typical trattoria in Sofia for dinner that evening.
The trip to Bulgaria is colored by the energetic
Before I met with the two Roman girls I found a way to have one of my anecdotes to tell fresh. About the time I was in danger of being beaten. I was taking a walk through the city, it was late afternoon, sun still high and waiting at a traffic light I began to fiddle with the map.
A rugged-looking fellow, swearing at me in Bulgarian, gave me a shove, causing my map to fly away, which I took back on the fly. He was really mad at me, his tone was not friendly at all, and he made to approach, timidly held back by his friend.
Behind us was a rather distinguished gentleman who observed and said nothing. Even in surprise I was hesitant for a moment. Immediately I decided that the best solution was to ignore him even though I could not help but cast him a questioning glance. He began to get excited. The seconds passed slowly, they began to argue with each other with the aggressive guy who kept glaring at me maliciously. Finally the green light went off, I turned and with long strides, without running, trying to give the feeling that I was someone who had more to do than waste time with him, I crossed the street and distanced them by turning immediately toward the center.
Lucky or with good instincts I don’t know, of course I was close to getting a slap, and without knowing why! Not that I generally never had any, but in Bulgaria I would say no!
Luckily, while he was talking to me, I was not reminded of Aldo, John and James in their Bulgarian characters; if I had laughed it would have been a mess.
Plovdiv and Varna
On my own I moved to Plovdiv, where, however, the Roman theater was closed for a private party! But the old town really nice, even there with the Roman remains well enhanced.
And finally by overnight bus to Varna, where I wanted to go because it is mentioned in the first Dracula novel. The count has himself shipped by sea inside death boxes, right there, to go home from London.
I didn’t see any vampires pass by, at least inside death chests. I did, however, have lunch in a beached galleon and in the evening drank beer in a bathhouse on the Black Sea. It is a tourist resort with plenty of bars and restaurants, as is the same in Sofia. Thus I got a practical demonstration of why so many workers from Eastern Europe no longer come to do the summer season with us; they stay at home!
Home Together Traveling in Eastern Europe, Behind the Wall
Previous Stage What to do in Budapest. Get your ATM and credit card blocked as soon as you land
Next stage What to do in Ljubljana? Discover your travel companion
Trips taken, travel stories divided by continent
Anecdotes, divided by type in travel narratives
Countries visited in my travel stories
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.