Sofia: Fun, Charming And Very Budget Friendly

You have probably heard people saying that if you want to go on a budget holiday in Europe go to the countries that still don’t have the euro. Sofia is a proud example of a city offering so much to its visitors on such a low price- restaurants, bars, hotels, taxi, cinemas. The capital of Bulgaria is one of the most interesting and lively cities in Eastern Europe and even though it has been constantly redeveloped, Sofia still keeps the charm and beauty of its ancient history.

It is a great place to visit for history fans, food lovers and party people as it offers a wide variety of entertainments, cultural sights, traditional restaurants and tasty temptations.


Where to stay

The prices of the hotels in Sofia are considerably lower than in the major cities in central Europe and might start at about 35 euro for a double room. There are also plenty of nice hostels which offer a bed in a mixed dorm for as low as 10 euro. The “Hostel Mostel” hostel was recommended by several different travelers and according to its website you get quite a lot of free things like all you can eat breakfast and high speed Internet.


Where to eat

The food in Sofia is also one of those cheap pleasures you can enjoy in big quantities without constantly thinking of your budget. There are many nice restaurants but if you just want to eat in a decent, cheap place I will advise you to go to “Ugo”. It’s a food chain which has restaurants all over the town. It offers sort of a mixture between fast food and a restaurant. It has nice salads for about 3-4 euro, pizzas, main dishes and pastas for about 4-5 euro and a wide range of desserts.

Another option is to visit any traditional Bulgarian restaurant – they are quite cheap as well but you might need someone to recommend and explain the meals to you as they are very different from the main stream European meals. Bulgarian cuisine is really tasty and quite healthy as some of the products might even be home grown. A salad and a meal plus drinks will cost you about 10 euro.

Transport:

Sofia is one of the cities you should explore by foot but even if you decide to take the public transport this won’t affect your budget too much. Why?

Sofia has one of the cheapest public transports in Europe! According to Price of Travel’s list with the prices of single-ride public transportation prices in 80 tourist cities, Sofia is 26 in the world and 2nd in Europe. The price for a single-ride ticket is just 0,80$ which is about 50 cents. This also includes the underground system, which is one of the newest in Europe.

Explore the city for free?


One of the best ways to explore the real beauty of a city is by having someone to show you around, someone who knows all the good places and all the witty stories behind them. Don’t worry if you don’t have such a person because there is a group of young professionals in Sofia who would love to show you around for free. They offer guided tours in English every day: Mo-Fr 18:00 - 20:00 and twice on weekend days Sat- Sun: 11:00 – 13:00 and 18:00- 20:00. During the 2 hour tour you will see the main cultural and historic attractions of the city; will get acquainted with the history of Sofia and learn more about some customs and traditions. There are also few little-known stories included like why the bell of the Hagya Sofia church is hanging on a nearby tree. The tour route might vary depending on your interests and could also include some nice local bars or pubs. You only have to tip your tour guide at the end if you are satisfied.

Feel like having fun?

The night life is a must experience in Sofia not just because there are plenty of bars and pubs ready to satisfy everyone’s taste; not just because alcohol is really cheap, but because Bulgarians love to celebrate! A typical night out will start at about 10pm and could continue until the early morning when you go for a breakfast before heading to your bed. If you choose to go to a traditional Bulgarian club be prepared for a unique experience featuring Balkan music, wild dancing, very skilled dancers and there might even be drummers who would love to let you play on their drums in exchange for some tipping.

The entry fee for a normal club is about 2-3 euro (even free on some nights) but if it is a big party in an elite club the price could go up till 10 euro. A beer would cost you about 1 euro and a long drink about 3-4 euro, but listen to this: unlike most of the countries in Europe the small drink - like small Whiskey or Vodka is 50ml and the big one 100ml (It is 20ml and 40ml in other countries). Now this is what I call good money saving!

Other things to do for free in Sofia

Most of the main tourist sites in Sofia don’t have an entry fee. Take a walk around the remains of the ancient town wall which was built by the Thracians in the 7th century BC when the city was first established. A visit to one of the many beautiful churches in Sofia is also a “must do”. The main religion in Bulgaria is Christian Orthodox and the churches are simply exquisite – from the fully painted walls with religious motives to the monumental icon-covered screen/wall called “iconostas”, which separates the nave from the sanctuary.

If the weather is nice you can go to the mountain Vitosha in whose outskirts Sofia lies. The mountain has many tracking paths offering extreme experience and amazing views of the city. You can even try to climb the highest peak – “Cherni vryh” (“Black peak”) or just get on the cable cart that will take you underneath it. For the winter sports fans there is also a ski slope where you can ski even during the night.

What else is free?

Well, you can also do some window shopping in any of the 5 big new shopping malls or enjoy a nice walk in the parks where you will be sure to find at least one communist monument.

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