Our ideas for one-day escapes to Vitosha show you the best places to check out only using public transport. Cultural or natural, exploration is always a way to clear your head and dive deep into a new world.

Here are 2 ideas for cultural visits and 2 for nature’s calm, all suitable for a one-day trip.

Boyana Church – UNESCO heritage sight

The Church of Saint Nicholas and Saint Panteleimon, also known as Boyana Church, is famous for its medieval frescoes. 

Several building stages can be distinguished in the structure of Boyana Church. A small cross-domed church was built between the 10th – 11th centuries, known as the Old church. It was renovated in the 12th century. In the 13th century, a narthex and a small upper-floor chapel were added to the western façade of the Old Church. In the middle of the 19th century a two-storied anteroom was constructed, dedicated to Saint Nicholas and Saint Panteleimon. The Boyana Church operated until 1954. Boyana church is unique with the multitude of colors, versatility and images of profound psychological complexity.

The cultural monument is under UNESCO protection, inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1979.

NB For groups you need to contact in advance for a reservation. The church is small and not more than 10-15 are allowed simultaneously. The entrance is 10lv for 15 minutes.

From bus stop Hladilnika or Metro station Vitosha – bus № 64

From bus station Tsar Boris III Blvrd – bus № 63 and 107

Dragalevtsi Monastery of the Holy Mother of God

The Monastery was established in the time of the Second Bulgarian State during the so-called Golden age of Tsar Ivan-Alexander – 14th century. After Sofia fell to the Ottomans in 1382, the monastery was dissolved and its buildings destroyed. It was rebuilt in the second half of the 15th century with the financial support of local feudal lord. Today only the monastery church survives from what was a significantly more extensive complex of buildings in the 15th century. The church was expanded in 1818 and 1932 In the late 19th century, Dragalevtsi Monastery was often visited by national hero Vasil Levski, who used it as a centre for his revolutionary activities. The monastery is currently inhabited by nuns.

From bus stop Hladilnika or Metro station Vitosha – buses № 93 

You can take the bus to the station (Lift) Dravalevtsi, after which you have around 10 minutes walking.

Aleko hut 

Going up to Aleko hut (1810m) is a nice relaxed 20-30 minutes ride on a cabin lift or bus. You can also get a taxi for around 25 leva in direction. The hut takes its name from a famous Bulgarian satire writer who also happened to be a passionate tourist and organized the first official organized touristic hiking in 1895. The expedition was to Mount Cherni Vrah (Black peak) – Vitosha’s highest peak of 2290 m.  With its amazing view it is perfect for walks, picnics and just relaxing in the sun. In the winter the hut welcomes ski and snowboard riders having its own Ski School and the proximity of the pistes. There is also all year open restaurant.

Bus stop Hladilnika/ Metro station Vitosha – buses № 66

(only weekends and national holidays in the summer)

Lift (only weekends and national holidays in the summer)

First lift going up – 8.30 am

Last lift going up – 4.30 pm

Last lift going down – 5.30 pm

Pancharevo Lake

Pancharevo – Sofia people’s beloved one-day escape. With its brand new walking and bicycling alley on its south side Pancharevo is a part of a complex with catering and spa p

remises which can make your day not only relaxing but also healthy and energizing. Its natural mineral springs lie on the western shore of the lake, while at the southern end there is a hydroelectric power station. And in case you are a passionate fisherman there is a fish farm where you can catch your own fish for a fee. Pancharevo lake originates from the stemmed river Iskar, the longest river in Bulgaria. All around is a great spot for picnics and walks. 

Buses № 1, 3 and 4

Contact us to get  a specially designed self-guided tour which will make you feel and experience Sofia and Vitosha as the true explorer you are!

The post Walking around Vitosha: 4 easy one-day trips from Sofia appeared first on Get Self-Guided.

1. Time-saving

Research could be stressful and sometimes you do not have that kind of time to dig and dig until you find all the things you want to see, all the places you want to go and all the things you want to do. Instead you can trust professionals in designing just the trip you are dreaming of and then let you explore with no fear of missing out.

2. Cost efficiency

Having a guide present during your trip is great, but sometimes it can be too expensive. Small groups or solo travelers cannot always afford to have a guide, so the self-guided option could drastically optimize the trip costs.

3. Independence

There is a great amount of freedom that comes with self-guided tours. It is surely much higher of having a guided tour, but still it is not as independent as being a completely independent traveller. However travelling independently is not for everyone and unless you’re completely cut out for it, it could be quite stressful with a lot of room for error.

With a self-guided tour, you get the feeling of independence along with the safety of knowing that everything is organised and arranged for you.

4. Choice of Routes

When you are not part of a thoroughly mapped route you can apply your own vision how to get from A to B. Especially when you are feeling challenged or curious you can always have a variety of walking routes being able to choose from gentle, moderate and difficult tours, allowing you to choose how far you walk each day!

5. Flexibility

Guided tours often tie you down to a date when there is a larger group of people going. With a self-guided tour, you can choose whatever day you want to start on. Moreover you are free to pick your sightseeing stops along the way, decide to linger a little over for lunch, or set off an hour earlier to catch the best time of day.

You’re basically free to stop wherever you like, whenever you like and how often you like as well taking as many pictures you like. The freedom of the tour is all yours!

6. Interaction

If you are on your own there won’t be as much social interaction as on a guided tour with a group, but don’t hurry with conclusions that this will make you feel lonely. The truth is that when on a self-guided tour you’re far more free to interact with the locals of the area you’re visiting, and this is the best way to really dive deep into the experience. Interacting with the locals gives you a much more authentic experience, while also giving you the ability to choose when you want to interact, and who with.

7. Accommodation

With a self-guided tour, your accommodation can be fully booked before you even start travelling. You’ll be assured of a comfortable place to rest your head after a day of travelling.

8. Self-Satisfaction

The self-satisfaction that comes with completing a self-guided tour is far greater than that of a guided tour. You truly feel a sense of accomplishment as you have navigated your way along the trail of your choice.

Due to these and many more benefits self-guided travel is becoming more and more popular among travellers who love exploring.

If you are one of them – contact us and get your custom self-guided tour for any destination in Bulgaria.

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Back to the very Bulgarian dishes. Here are some pillars of the Bulgarian cuisine to look out for during your stay in Sofia. Whether stuff you can get from the store or a Bulgarian national dish to order while exploring the traditional restaurants – here’s a list of our favorite traditional foods.

Yogurt

Yes, you’ve probably already heard it. Bulgaria is the mother of yogurts. Only here you can try real yogurt which is full of super healthy nutrients and bacteria that is crucial for your gut and overall health. You can find yogurt in every grocery store and a lot of restaurants offer yogurt based desserts. You can also have it in its liquid form “airan”.

Tarator

We’re not done with yogurt! This cold summer soup is light, refreshing and perfect for the hot seasons yet you can find it at any time of the year. It’s made from yogurt mixed with water with added cucumbers, as well as dill and garlic in some recipes. Chances are you’ll find tarator in every restaurant, unless it’s a non-Bulgarian cuisine place.

Soups

Speaking of tarator, we should add that Bulgarians loooooove soups… Whether chicken or veal, or veggie ones, soups are a great way to satisfy your appetite or heal your hangover. One of the most popular culinary remedies for the party night aftermath is the tripe soup with milk-based broth, called “shkembe”. We wish we could claim ownership, but it’s popular all over the Balkans. Another two types of soup that are very popular around here are lentils and beans soup. Again, soups are a must for nearly all restaurants in Sofia. If you want to delve deeper into the soup variety, you can try one of the specialized soup places such as Supa Star or the Supa Bar.

Banitsa

Whether for breakfast, as a snack or even dessert – Bulgarians love their banitsa and their banitsa loves them back. It’s most often a savory pastry with different filling. On Christmas and New Year’s Eve we put fortunes inside each piece that are supposed to mark your future in the next year. As far as banitsa places are concerned – they are just everywhere. You can have a proper banitsa in every neighborhood in Sofia, however, our favorite central spots are Furna and HleBar.

Bulgarian tomatoes

Even though they’re not a dish, we’ve heard it many times from our foreign friends – Bulgarian tomatoes are delish! They’re succulent and juicy like no other tomatoes. We don’t know if it’s the climate or the soil or a combination of the two. You can still run into the fake tomatoes in the stores but if you hit up the farmer’s markets, you’ll be able to grab a couple real ones and feel the difference, especially in the summertime.

Lyutenitsa

Spreads are popular all over the Balkan peninsula and it’s often hard to trace their specific origins. Among the ones that we consider ours is lyutenitsa – a spread made of pureed peppers, tomatoes, carrots, garlic, vegetable oil, sugar and salt. If you find a local with a stable family tradition they might even invite you to their family ritual of lyutenitsa making, which takes place in the late summer – early fall. Lyutenitsa is something you would get from the store and eat tons of it on a toast with some white Bulgarian cheese crumbled on top of it. Our favorite lyutenitsa brand is Gurmenitsa, but in any case whichever brand you try, you won’t be sorry!

“Skara” – Bulgarian Barbecue for Hungry Souls

“Skara” is all those barbecued meats that you can get anywhere from a park festival to a traditional Bulgarian restaurant. The king and queen of Bulgarian skara are “kebapche” and “kyufte”. Our recommendation when it comes to skara is the Skara Bar, where you can enjoy well-prepared skara options in a nice and modern atmosphere. When it comes to kyufte, our top choice is Q-ftetaria – a hip, fresh place where they cook all kinds of kyufte, even vegetarian ones.

Salads

Last but no least – salads. Salads are a crucial part of the Bulgarian traditional cuisine. Whether in the summer or in the winter time, Bulgarians love to order or make a salad, sit down with a small glass of booze and discuss whatever extremely important issue is on their minds. “Shopska” is the most remarkable Bulgarian salad you can order in restaurants at any time, any place. It’s typically made of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, white cheese, parsley and a dressing. In the winter time we love having “turshia” – pickles made of seasonal veggies such as cauliflower and peppers.

If you want to have a meal by meal traditional Bulgarian menu, you can try some of the traditional Bulgarian restaurants around town, such as MoMA, Hadzi Draganovite Izbi or Pod Lipite. And don’t forget to keep it moving after the food. One great way to do so – our self-guided tours! Check them out or contact our consultants if you need more specific help!

The post Your Delicious Guide to Traditional Bulgarian Food appeared first on Get Self-Guided.

The good news is that Bulgaria has one of the fastest wifi connections in the whole world. On top of that, that there are many spots around town with free wifi, which makes it easy for you to take your laptop out and get the work done wherever that email gets you – in a cafe, restaurant or even in the street or in the park.

New coffee places pop up every month and there are plenty of laptop-friendly cafes to choose from. Here’s our top choice of work-friendly cafes in Sofia for those of you who don’t leave anywhere without their laptop.

From Barista Coffee & More

Arguably one of the most favorite places of foreign visitors of Sofia. The cafe offers plenty of power outlets, free wifi and a general laptop-friendly atmosphere that gathers foreigners and locals who need to get some work done. Customers can choose between a wide variety of coffee, tea and refreshing drinks. The craft coffee they offer is roasted and ground on the site. There is a wide variety of food options available including pastries, croissants, sandwiches and salads. From Barista Coffee & More has two locations – one central on Bacho Kiro Str. and one in Business Park Sofia.

Salted Cafe Sofia

Away from the noisy touristy streets yet still in the center of Sofia, Salted Cafe offers a pleasant vintage-industrial atmosphere and enough sitting place with power outlets. Salted is famous for its delicious raw vegan cakes and has a rich menu of seasonal smoothies and refreshing drinks, as well as coffee specialties. There’s also a seasonal lunch menu, sandwiches and salads, for vegans and vegetarians.

+TOVA

Located on the quiet and relaxed Marin Drinov Str., +TOVA offers everything you might need for a long day working on your laptop – delicious coffee and pastries, accessible power outlets, wifi and plenty of books to rummage through in the breaks. As the place hosts regular exhibitions, book premieres and various events, it is full of artistic atmosphere that can inspire even those who feel really stuck and out of inspiration.

Chucky’s Coffee House

Chuky’s Coffee House is a relatively small cafe in the central area on Hristo Belchev Str., however it offers great coffee and cozy atmosphere for those of you who need a quiet hour on their laptops. The place specialty is coffee so if this is your thing than Chucky’s Coffee House is the place to be.

Costa Coffee & Starbucks

We’ve put those two together as they offer relatively similar atmosphere. They are both large coffee houses with a lot of coffee options, large sizes American style and plenty of comfortable places to work. The good news about these two coffee chains is you can find them anywhere around town. Every shopping mall has one or the other, so if you’re down for some shopping and you need a couple of hours to get some work done, you can do it in Costa Coffee or Starbucks.

These are some of our favorite laptop-friendly places in Sofia. But don’t forget – work is not everything. Once you’re done with those tedious tasks, feel free to explore the city, laptop-free. If you need a hand in doing so – try Get Self-Guided’s tours and enjoy your own urban adventure.

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First of all, in case you need it, the emergency telephone is 112.

Pickpockets in Sofia city center

Pickpockets usually hang out in the area between Serdica station and the big market called “Jenski Pazar” and in the area around Halite (Covered market) and the mineral waters. The area is quite characteristic of Sofia and we do not want to turn it off for you, just the opposite, we would like to prepare you, so that you don’t tempt any pickpockets. Simple precautions will help you a lot: just keep your money safe – don’t leave them in the back of your backpack while it’s on your back, keep them in front of you.  Public transportation is another place where you should be careful, especially when it’s crowded and the same tactic would be enough to save you problems.

Ticket inspectors

Talking about the public transportation, be careful not to get into trouble with the ticket inspectors. Sometimes they try to cheat. Yes, that’s right. Although they work for an institution, they have their tricks. One of them is to illegally charge you extra for your backpack or suitcase. You should know your rights: with your ticket of 1.60 leva (80 euro cents) you can carry up to 2 pieces of hand luggage for free if for each of them is valid the following: the sum of their three dimensions should be 140 cm or less.

In case you have violated the rule and you have to pay, you can try first to ask them for a regular ticket. If they don’t agree, and there’s no other way, you should get a fine ticket.

Another problem happens sometimes in the bus from the airport. The driver may tell you that you have to wait till the next stop to buy a ticket from him. If you agree on that and the ticket inspectors come in the meantime, don’t give up, pay a regular ticket don’t agree to pay the fine. Maybe you will have to listen to their explanations in Bulgarian, but just keep calm and fight for your rights.

Taxi Drivers

If you’ve survived through the day, it’s time to prepare you for the “dangers of the night”. Probably the most creative frauds are the taxi drivers. First and most important never take a taxi on Vitosha blvd. Another place where you should be more careful is the Central Railways Station. If you are in one of those locations, it’s better to use a phone to call a taxi or just go a little bit away from the area. Always check if the fair is written on the window, it should be around 0.70-0.90 stotinki (cents) per km.

You can call a taxi through the app taxi.me

Or use one of those:

Yellow taxi – 00359 91119    

Ok Supertrans – 00359 9732121

When the taxi brings you to your place is the key moment to watch carefully, they have several tricks.

Sometimes they do not put on any light and if you give them a big note, they change it in their hands for a smaller one, so they can ask you for more money – for instance, you give them 20 leva, but suddenly they turn the light on and show you that you gave them only two leva.

Another trick is, when they give you change they use the old Bulgarian notes and tell you that they are still in circulation. They are not used any more so don’t take them. You can see them below. Probably they have many more tricks, so that they can always take you by surprise, but if you are attentive enough, they won’t be able to cheat.

So now that you are prepared for the “dark side” of the city, we hope you never fall into any of those situations.

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