Blagodarya vi Bulgaria

Bulgaria wasn’t a country we knew a lot about, let alone one we could confidently point out on a map. But when we met Derya, a passionate Bulgarian and a top ambassador for her homeland working at EURO2024, it didn’t take long for her to convince us to add this new country to our travel list. The opportunity arose to also meet our good friend Greer there so the timing couldn’t have been better. It felt fitting to return to the Balkan Peninsula with Greer, nearly two years after our adventure trekking through the Peaks of the Balkans together.

Our journey began in Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital. After landing, we quickly figured out the efficient metro system, which brought us to the charming guesthouse we would call home for the week. Although the owner didn’t speak any English, she was a master of conversations through Google Translate and we felt warmly welcomed. The guesthouse’s convenient location made it easy to explore the central city and access the main bus terminal, setting the stage for a memorable week ahead.

Derya had given us a long list of food recommendations which we were very much looking forward to discovering. On our first night, however, we opted for something a little more familiar, finding a Mexican restaurant ;). This was the last place we expected to find a decent taco! We decided the first night didn’t really count as being in Bulgaria, and after our experience with local food in Slovakia, we wanted to ease ourselves into this new and unfamiliar country.

After a good night’s sleep, we started the day with a visit to the first cafe on our recommendation list for brunch. The highlight of the menu was Bulgarian yoghurt, a national treasure famous for its creamy texture. What makes Bulgarian yoghurt so special is the bacteria, native to the region, which gives it its distinct flavor and health benefits. It is so iconic that it is considered part of Bulgaria’s cultural heritage and is even said to contribute to the longevity of its population! Paired with a simple yet strange cheese and egg toast that Jelley ordered, it was the perfect introduction to Bulgaria’s culinary experiences.

Our first impressions of Sofia were surprisingly positive. The city had a great vibe, with an energy that hinted at new beginnings, even though some buildings showed signs of disrepair from the challenging transition from communist rule to democracy in 1989. Sofia is nestled at the foothills of the striking Vitosha Mountain range, which reminded us of cities like Santiago, Chile. Many of the buildings reflected a Soviet architectural style, with massive concrete structures and imposing sculptures. Despite encountering a few questionable characters, as you might in any major city, the charming trams painted in bright colors rattled through the streets, and the lush public parks added a refreshing contrast to the grit of the communist-era buildings. Overall we rated Sofia! The warm weather and beautiful autumn foliage helped too - late September was a perfect time to visit.

With Greer not joining us until later in the evening, we decided to make the most of our time by signing up for a free walking tour (classic!). Continuing the theme of our Europe trip, we were eager to delve deeper into this fascinating and unfamiliar country.

Our walking tour guide was an energetic young man with a law degree, earned after five years of study. Although he chose not to pursue a legal career, his passion for his city and country shone through as he led us through Sofia. At just 25 years old, he described the city as 'always evolving and never aging', sharing his pride in how it has improved throughout his lifetime. He offered insightful local stories and perspectives, and we particularly enjoyed his thoughtful summary of Bulgaria in two words: contrast and color.

Throughout the tour, he drew from personal anecdotes, often reflecting on the differing views of Bulgaria’s generations. He spoke about the nostalgia his grandparents still feel for the Soviet communist era. It seemed strange to him that the older generation could miss those times, but they often recall the perceived stability, better social systems, healthcare, education, and a sense of being cared for by the state. Plus, the transition period after the fall of communism and broken country trying to rebuild throughout the 90s and early 2000s was not a pretty one. Yet, the darker side of the communist period was not ignored. He shared the story of his own grandfather, who refused to give up his land to the communist regime. This act of defiance led to years of imprisonment in a brutal labor camp, marked by hardship, starvation, and torture. When his grandfather finally returned home, he was forever changed, and his family carried the scars of that time. Every Bulgarian family, our guide explained, has its own unique recollection of the communist era.

Some Fun Facts we learned on the walking tour:

• Sofia is one of Europe’s oldest cities, dating back 6,000 years, with remnants of a Neolithic village discovered before the Thracians arrived.

• Originally called Serdika, Sofia was built on hot mineral springs, which initially attracted the Romans. Emperor Constantine the Great favored the city, and was quoted as saying "Serdika is my Rome." He considered making it his capital before choosing Istanbul for its more strategic location.

• Thank you in Bulagarian is "Blagodarya vi"

• The city’s name actually comes from the Hagia Sofia, a landmark church (built before its counterpart in Istanbul, but in the same style and by the same architect), which marked the Silk Road entrance to the city. It is often misattributed to 'Saint Sofia', and the city even features has a statue dedicated to her (hastily built to replace Stalin), which is incorrect.

• Much of Sofia's beauty lies underground, with ancient ruins continuously uncovered during metro and building construction. These historic layers of history make the city a delight for historians and a headache for developers.

• Bulgaria was a monarchy until the end of World War II, when communists came to power after the assassination of Czar Boris III. The worst terrorist attack in Bulgarian history, an explosion in Sofia’s cathedral, was meant to kill him but failed as he was delayed at another funeral.

• During World War II, Bulgaria aligned with Nazi Germany but resisted deporting its 50,000 Jewish citizens. Protests led by the Orthodox Church and citizens, including a bishop who threatened to lie on the train tracks, saved nearly all of them.

• Following World War II, Bulgaria became a Soviet satellite state with secret police and pervasive surveillance. It was never part of the USSR or Yugoslavia though.

• Sofia’s unique “Square of Tolerance” is home to a synagogue, mosque, Catholic church, and Orthodox church within sight of each other, reflecting Bulgaria’s diverse religious history and ability to respect and live alongside multiple faiths and religions.

• Bulgaria underwent a painful transition from communism to a free market. The collapse of its economy in 1996 led to hyperinflation of 2,000%, with wages as low as $2–3 per month.

• The Bulgarian Lev remains the national currency and is now pegged to the Euro.

• Political instability persists, with six elections having been held in the past three years.

• The population grew from 10,000 in 1878, after gaining independence from 500 years of Ottoman rule, to a peak of 9 million in 1990, but Bulgaria is now the fastest-shrinking country in Europe, with its population dropping to roughly 6 million today.

Wow, that's a lot of facts! Our walking tour ended at the stunning St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a landmark shimmering with real gold and capable of holding up to 5,000 people. It is the largest cathedral in Bulgaria, built as a tribute to the Russian, Ukrainian, and other soldiers who fought for Bulgaria’s independence. The final fun fact from our guide? Bulgaria was the original creator of the Cyrillic alphabet (the one that has all the strange letters) which was later adopted by the Russians! Feeling thoroughly informed and inspired, we left the tour eager to uncover even more of this fascinating country on our upcoming road trip through southern Bulgaria.

Greer joined us in Sofia at 2am, and after a few hours sleep we went together to the car rental office. The process to complete the paperwork and pick up our car took over an hour - the poor guy had to keep starting again as the system could not cope with an Australian passport, UK drivers license, then American passport and NZ drivers license all in one booking!

Eventually we made it on the road, and gosh the drive was scenic. We were greeted with stunning autumn colours and lovely roads winding around lakes and villages. We had read some horror stories online about driving in Bulgaria (and after our shared experience in a minor crash in Albania with a local driver a few years prior, we were a little on edge), but we were very impressed with the condition of the roads and respect from fellow drivers.  

After just a few hours drive, we reached the ski resort town of Borovets. It wasn’t very busy in the autumn season, and the majority of restaurants and accommodations were still in hibernation. We would be basing ourselves in an apartment here for the next 2 nights, with the intention to hike up Mount Musala the next day. At 2,995 metres (9826 ft), Mount Musala is the second tallest in the Balkan Peninsula, 2nd only to Mt Olympus in Greece. Rumour has it when a Bulgarian travels to Greece they kick a rock off the top of Olympus, and bring a rock of their own to add to the height of Musala so it can one day be crowned the tallest in the region (haha). The Balkan countries are nothing if not competitive amongst themselves!

While we arrived to the most beautiful of blue skies, the forecast for the coming days was for rain and perhaps even the first snow of the season! Our bad weather luck was following up from the Tatras.. We decided to make the most of the here & now, and ventured out for an afternoon stroll up the hillside, hopeful for views and a taste of the nature surrounding us. 

We took an easy uphill trail and were rewarded with epic views of the mountains, and even Mt Musala teasing us in the distance! We were grateful to find a mountain bikers chairlift was nearing the end of its operations for the day, and we were luckily able to take a ride down for free which was great fun!

Borovets had a cool vibe to it and reminded us a lot of Hanmer Springs in New Zealand. There were limited restaurants open due to the off-season, but we found one local spot that offered another item from Derya’s food recommendation list - the Shopska salad, which we really enjoyed. 

The next day, with rain expected by midday, we set off early to explore Tsarska Bistritsa the former palace of the third monarchy of Bulgaria. Previously serving as a hunting lodge, the palace was nestled in a setting so serene and picturesque that it felt like stepping into a fairytale. Surrounded by lush forests and the hum of chirping birds, we could instantly see why royalty chose this spot. The air seemed fresher, the light softer, and the peacefulness unmatched. Wandering the grounds, we imagined the royal family enjoying this escape from the bustle of Sofia, perhaps strolling the same paths we walked or hosting grand hunting parties. Bulgaria no longer has an active royal family with political power, as the monarchy was abolished in 1946 after a referendum, following World War II. The blend of history and nature made it a magical stop, even on a cloudy morning.

After our visit to the palace, the rain arrived just as scheduled. We wanted to make the most of having a car though and decided to drive a little further along a slightly less developed gravel road to a do a little walking track, but unfortunately the light rain turned into a downpour so we had to return home to an evening of games and movies.

When we woke up, it was COLD! There was a beautiful dusting of snow on Mt Musala , but the clouds soon lifting for a gorgeous day. We were scheming as to how we could make it to the summit despite the conditions, but unfortunately it was not to be, as it was a Monday when the main chairlift did not operate, and there were not enough hours in the day the return hike entirely by foot. We were also unsure exactly how much snow might be up there, and given that it was the end of September, we weren’t really prepared for the extremely cold weather conditions.

We stuck to our initial plans and drove towards the famous Seven Rila Lakes of Bulgaria. We had planned to hike to a mountain hut right by the alpine lakes to stay overnight; however, a check of the recent reviews revealed some bad cases of food poisoning. We resolved to assess the situation once we reached the hut and return to a nearby village if it seemed too risky! The drive to the trailhead was around an hour, and it was another scenic journey complete with a stop at a helpful visitor center for the national park. Chairlifts are quite popular in European mountains, serve skiers in winter and hikers in summer. Although the shorter option was there, we chose to walk up to the alpine lakes instead. Luke led us along a gorgeous trail through the pine forest blanketed with a fresh coating of fluffy snow. The sun shone through the towering trees in gorgeous rays, illuminating the path ahead like something out of a heavenly dream.

As we emerged from the tree line, a bitterly cold wind greeted us, biting at our faces and making us grateful for our layers. In the distance, we could see the majestic Mt. Musala, completely blanketed in snow. The sight was breathtaking and further reassured us that skipping that challenging summit hike had been the right decision.

Continuing along the trail, we approached the mountain hut and the top of the chairlift.

We paused to enjoy the mountain sandwiches we had packed—perhaps the best sandwiches we’d ever made! Eating them surrounded by such spectacular scenery, even in the frigid wind, made the moment feel special. Eventually, the chill drove us into the hut, where a warm coffee became our much-needed reprieve. After assessing the conditions and weighing our options, we decided to complete the Rila Lakes loop track and then head back down the mountain for the night, choosing to forgo our reservation at the hut.

The Seven Rila Lakes are a stunning group of glacial lakes in Bulgaria’s northwestern Rila Mountains, sitting between 2,100 and 2,500 meters above sea level. Each lake is named for its distinct features. We had heard concerns about over-tourism and its impact on the natural habitat here, but since it was the end of the summer season and a Monday, we were pleasantly surprised to encounter only a handful of other visitors. Most of the time, it felt like we had this winter wonderland all to ourselves, which made the experience even more special and fully compensated the initial disappointed at skipping Mt. Musala.

The circuit hike around the Seven Rila Lakes began from the hut, and we managed to visit six of the seven, an impressive feat given the icy conditions. Each lake had a name reflecting its shape or feature, and we agreed that Babreka or "The Kidney" was the most aptly named. The snowy landscape made the hike feel surreal, and we couldn’t believe our luck at enjoying such serene beauty in near solitude.

Parts of the trail were icy, and at first, we doubted we’d make it up the side path to a viewpoint. But later in the afternoon, a brief window of sunshine softened the snow just enough for us to ascend and take in a fresh perspective of the surroundings. As the sun dipped behind the peaks, the trail quickly iced over again, but by then, we were more than satisfied with the day’s adventure.

We liked the idea of taking the chairlift down as we’d been on our feet for nearly 6 hours, but it was late in the day and we accepted our fate that it would’ve stopped operating based on the hours advertised at the base. We were in luck! The operators weren’t too happy with us getting on without a ticket (unlike our other chairlift in Borovets), but we promised to pay their colleague at the ticket office at the base and we were met with two gangster/mafia looking guys to escort us to make our payment at the bottom (lol). Definitely worth it, and being able to take the 25 minute chairlift ride down was really fun and a special way to conclude a perfect day. So many highlights and no lowlights!

We easily found a place to stay in a small town at the base of the national park, but unfortunately it was not so easy to find a restaurant open for dinner on a Monday night! After being turned away from the only option open, a pizzeria, for not having a reservation, we asked a second time if we could please sit outside in the cold and they reluctantly agreed. What a relief! We were also pleased to discover that both the price and flavour was even better than in Borovets, and treated ourselves to the reward of dessert.

The next day, our roadtrip took us further around Rila Lakes National Park, with our first stop at the Stob Pyramids. Amazingly, we were the only people there - aside from the man in the ticket booth, who seemed very determined to collect entrance fees wherever we went! The 'pyramids' themselves were less like the famous ones in Egypt, and more reminiscent of the Omarama Clay Cliffs in New Zealand or the Hoodoos in Bryce Canyon, Utah.

These formations were pretty cool, their reddish peaks rising dramatically from the landscape. Adding to the charm, the Stob Pyramids came with a neat folk tale. Legend has it that they were formed during a wedding, where the groom fell in love with another woman. As he leaned in to kiss her, the bride’s family cursed the gathering, turning everyone to stone in their anguish. This hauntingly beautiful story added a magical layer to the already striking scenery, making the visit all the more memorable.

 We continued up the valley towards the Rila Monastery, one of Bulgaria’s most iconic landmarks and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Nestled in the Rila Mountains, this breathtaking complex is a significant cultural and historical treasure. Founded in the 10th century by the hermit Saint Ivan of Rila, it has served as a beacon of Bulgarian Orthodox Christianity through the centuries, surviving invasions, natural disasters, and political upheaval. The monastery’s rich history is reflected in its stunning frescoes, intricate woodwork, and impressive architecture.

We’d heard rumours that you could stay overnight in one of the monk’s rooms at the monastery, and we were super keen to try it. Unfortunately, despite Derya’s best efforts to call ahead locally, we couldn’t manage to reserve a room. Since it’s still an active monastery, accommodations are limited, we figured we missed out.

When we arrived, we wandered through the monastery, taking in the peaceful, spiritual vibe of the place. Visitors quietly admired the beautiful frescoes, and the calm atmosphere of the surrounding forest was delightful. One of the things we were most excited about was the mekitsi (or doughnuts) sold just outside the monastery. They came highly recommended, and they did not disappoint! They reminded us of fried bread we’d had in Nepal, served with jam and honey. Not the healthiest, but definitely delicious! 😂

The monastery was bustling with day-trippers from Sofia, so we decided to take a “short” walk up the valley to St. John’s Cave, where the monastery’s founder had spent 12 years living. The walk turned out to be about 11 km, which not everyone was thrilled about, but the autumn colors around us made it all worth it. By the time we got back, the crowds had thinned, and the monastery felt much more peaceful.

We returned to the monastery to ask again about staying the night. Fortunately, a monk/receptionist showed up, and we managed to get a room! Turns out, simply asking in person was the key (obviously haha). We handed over our passports, which he entered into an Excel spreadsheet, and he gave us our room key and said we could pay in the morning.

Staying overnight at the monastery was such a unique experience. We got to witness the monks’ sunset and sunrise rituals, and the bell ringing at 7 pm signaled the closing of the doors to tourists. Once the visitors were gone, it felt like we’d stumbled into some sort of secret club. It was amazing to walk through the monastery with no one else around except for the monks, who were quietly doing their evening prayers. As Greer put it, “Who needs to pay and line up to go to the Sistine Chapel to see ancient fresco paintings when you could just come here?!”. The frescoes were everywhere, and we also enjoyed the museum, which gave us a deeper understanding of the monastery’s history. Our “night at the monastery” was a really special experience, and we felt incredibly lucky to have had this opportunity.

It was time to return to Sofia, and finally meet up with our local Bulgarian friend Derya! We were buzzing to share our experiences with her, and catch on life over the past 2 months. She greeted us with the sweetest welcome gifts, including the famous rose water oil, and was the perfect host as we explored more of the capital city together. Derya also gave us some ‘not so fun facts’ about Bulgaria, our favourite of which being that one of the lakes in eastern Bulgaria was recently re-named after a betting company (lol). We had a nice wander around Sofia with Derya including a cute lunch. It was the icing on the cake to a wonderful visit!

We had a wonderful little roadtrip together, however, it was time for Greer to leave us. She had to head back to work in London but we decided to make 1 more stop in Bulgaria to visit before continuing on our Balkans adventure.

We took an early morning two-hour bus ride southeast of Sofia to Plovdiv, the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe, and Bulgaria’s second-largest city. Once again, we found ourselves in a historic city with only a little background knowledge and jumped straight into a walking tour through the charming town center. The tour was the perfect way to explore Plovdiv’s compact streets, which had been revitalized after receiving funding as the European Capital of Culture in 2019.

Here are some fun facts from our walking tour #2 (Plovdiv):

• The most impressive sight in Plovdiv is the Roman Amphitheatre, built in the 1st century AD. Though its existence was suspected for years, it wasn’t discovered until 1972 and was painstakingly restored to reopen in 1981 with an opera celebrating 14 centuries of Bulgarian history. It still hosts events and concerts in the summer season - although unfortunately we missed it by just 2 weeks! A great reason to return..

• The Roman Hippodrome, built in the 2nd century AD during Emperor Hadrian's reign, could seat half of Plovdiv's population at the time—about 60,000 people! Only a small section of the Hippodrome is visible today, but it once hosted gladiators, horse races, and chariot races. It was one of the 12 largest stadiums of its time.

• The Dzhumaya Mosque, built in the 1380s, predates all mosques in Istanbul and stands as a reminder of Plovdiv’s Ottoman past.

• Kapana district, was once the marketplace of the city during the Ottoman Empire before first burning down, then becoming further abandoned during the communist era but underwent a stunning revival in 2009 and is now known as Plovdiv’s creative and culinary centre of the city.

• In the 18th and 19th centuries, during Bulgaria’s revival period, Plovdiv became a hub for national independence and home to its wealthiest residents, especially in the Old Town.

• Plovdiv flourished as a key merchant city, connecting Europe and Asia through trade routes from Serbia to Constantinople.

• Like in many societies of he time, to avoid higher taxes, wealthy residents built smaller ground floors while expanding upper levels of their homes—an ingenious way to pay less!

• The Bulgaria-Turkey border is now the 2nd busiest land border in the world, with more than 4 million people and 400,000 vehicles crossing each year. That's 2nd only to the US-Mexico Border.

We enjoyed a few drinks after the walk with our tourmates, who were all from different countries across Europe and now lived together in Cologne, Germany. We shared a lot of laughs over drinks about our experiences in Germany stores being closed on Sundays and the aggressive speed of needing to bag your groceries. We then enjoyed a final delicious dinner in the cool, regentrified area of Kapana, before returning home via the night markets.

The next day, we enjoyed a lazy morning wandering around more of Plovdiv’s compact city center before heading back to Sofia and our home base at 'Hotel Paradise'. Our final night was a quiet one, before the early start the following morning. Our next destination was North Macedonia - a country we knew even less about but were very excited to visit. Conveniently, it shares a border with Bulgaria and even more conveniently for us, is outside the Schengen visa zone! Both great reasons for visiting, but we had no idea how much we would fall in love with this whacky, beautiful country!

Until Then,

 - A Kiwi and A Cali