Sofia In Your Pocket

Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps

SOFIA   April-June 2009  July- September 2009

Bulgarian Beers Cheers!

No 15

www.inyourpocket.com

Medical Tourism in Bulgaria Enjoy your  COMPLIMENTARY  COPY  of Sofia In Your Pocket 

White Smile, Dirt Cheap

Contents

ESSENTIAL

CITY

Whether you came here on a business trip or as tourist, welcome to our  city. Sofia has a lot to offer   for everybody. I would recommend you to read care fully through this fresh copy  of In Your Pocket where you have a nearly complete overview of places to stay, places to eat and where to spend your free moments. For every budget Sofia has

GUIDES

Contents Arriving in Sofia

7

Touching down

The Basics

8

Essential reading for those not sure where they are

History

12

How the past has shaped the present  Introducing Sofia Mayor of Sofia

13

Keeping in touch

14

Let your Mum know how you are

Culture & Events

16

Rila Monastery  Hot Djs on the beach” Bansko International Jazz Festival Bansko during summer?

&

Where to stay

24

Dining & Nightlife

Dining & Nightlife Restaurants 32 Where to wine and dine Cafés 41 Feed the addiction Nightlife 42 Enough to keep any pub crawlers on their hands and knees

What to see

49

3

an appropriate answer. Sofia during the summer months usually can be quite hot. Together with the rise in temperature also the southern temper goes up. So here a word of caution while you tramp our streets, look twice before you cross! Sofia is rich in opportunities for themed cultural itineraries relation to landscape and garden art. There are 38 monuments of the „green wealth” – one of the most significant ones is the Borisova Gradina (Boris’ garden) which is a cultural monument of national significance and dates 120 years back. Parks in Sofia are not only refreshing source of welcome shade, but  often also a rich source of culture and chance to get  in touch with the local population. If you need of further assistance I would kindly invite you to visit the National Tourist Information Centre. (p.6 ) The helpful stuff there distributes free advertising materials and maps about Bulgaria as a tourist  destination gives ansers to all sorts of queries. I wish you a wonderful time in our gorgeous capital city, Anelia Krushkova Chairperson Bulgarian State Agency for Tourism

Puzzle Golf 

57 58

Golfing in Bulgaria, Golf Jokes

Getting around

60

Making sense of transport 

Directory Shopping Health & Lifestyle Sports Business

65 68 71 73

Maps & Index Street index Index City map Public transpor t map Bulgaria map

Sofia In Your Po cket

4

Summer is upon us despite the resistance from the clouds and the mood of the city is one of relaxation & parties. As the temperature begins to soar, the layers of clothing  diminish and the desire to work seems to fall with every  degree that thermometer rises. The streets fill with people in the warm evenings and tables and chairs dot the pavement outside every bar, restaurant and café. The parks are swarming with people during the evenings & weekends, making the most of the warmth and long hours of daylight; you will see people drinking, mingling and even the occasional fire dancer. The city is at its most attractive with all of the trees in full bloom and the atmosphere during this time of year makes the city at its most vibrant.

Europe In Your Pocket

To help also hotels, restaurants and other business more pro-actively, we gave these the possibility for their possible promotions, to be freely included within the text of their  independently written review by us from In Your Pocket. We recommend you to keep your ‘Sofia In Your Pocket’ just  where it belongs – in your pocket, so you can also benefit    from these promotions. We from In Your Pocket Bulgaria disclaim however to be responsible for any of the offers made in this Pocket, or any other previous or future edition. In this edition you will find useful in formation to help you with suggestions on where to shake your boots, fill your stomach or catch up on your beauty sleep.

Cover story Church of the Holy Seven (Tsarkva Sveti Sedmochislenitsi). It is one of Sofia’s finest neo-Byzantine churches. Read more on p.53

Sofia International Airport (Letishte Sofia), 10km east  of the city centre, is di vided into two terminals - the aging  Terminal 1 and the modern Terminal 2, opened in 2006. The arrivals halls at both terminals boast cafés, car-hire and taxi counters, information desk, ATMs and exchange bureaux (although beware that rates here are not particularly generous, so it’s best to only change enough cash for  immediate survival). Getting to town: avoid the taxi touts, thronging the arrivals halls and head instead for the official ranks of yellow taxis parked outside (OK Sup ertrans and Taxi S Express), or visit their counters. The fare into town shouldn’t cost 

In Your Pocket is Europe’s biggest publisher of 

locally produced travel guides, producing more than 3.5 million guid es per year. With print guides to more than 50 cities across the continent, travellers ask for In Your Pocket guides by name: they trust our content and our flawless levels of  accuracy. In Your Pocket remains committed to its founding aim of covering the world with well researched, well written and informative city  guides. This year we will be launching new guides in Glasgow, Sarajevo and Vienna. If you think  that you can contribute to helping us realise our  dream, and think you have what it takes to publish your own In Your Pocket guide, get in touch with us at [email protected].

Editorial

GUIDES

Sofia In Your Pocket Mladost 4, bl. 473, vh. 2-3, parter  (opposite the Business Park) 1715 Sofia, Bulgaria tel.: + 359 2 881 01 02  fax: + 359 2 881 53 32 [email protected] www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1312-742X © Discover Bulgaria Ltd. Printed by Delta High Print EAD Published 4 times per year  15 000 copies

Sofia In Your Po cket

Relax. There seem to be more signs, writ ten in the English language on major roads, and there are more and more Bulgarians, who feel confid ent to speak “English”. After all, they have been watching American subbed movies for years, and even some gas-pumping people have university degrees. The more you get stuck in traffic  jams and the harder it i s to park, then you must be in the city centre.

By plane

The current financial situation is of course having its impact  on Sofia as much as anywhere else, but the Bulgarians are certainly hardened to difficult economic times and compared to the dark days of the mid to late 90’s, this is a drop in the ocean. As a result people are still eating  out, partying and living the summer life; namely, it’s business as usual. Even the elections seemed to be a quiet  distraction to the more important task of catching up with  friends at a trendy café in the centre or nice bar in the park.

CITY

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

arriving in soFia

Foreword

ESSENTIAL

74 75 76 78 79

Editor-in-chief  Steven MacAulay  Research Thomas Brailsford, Rumiana Benova, Maya Kozareva Layout & Design Margarit Antonov Photos Veronica de Boer  Cover Veronica de Boer 

Sales & Circulation Publisher Discover Bulgaria Ltd. General Manager Veronica de Boer  Marketing Manager and PR Petya Racheva Sales & Circulation To contact our sales team send an email to [email protected], or call our office and ask for the sales department. Available from Airports – Burgas, Varna and Sofia, airline companies, rent-a-cars, hotels, bars, restaurants, business centres, shopping malls, foreign embassies and international forums. To order your copy  online visit www.inyourpocket.com

Copyright notice Text and photos copyright Discover Bulgaria Ltd. – Bulgaria In Your Pocket 2009. Maps copyright cartographer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts  for the purpose of review, without written permission from the publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your  Pocket (Vokieciu 10-15, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76.

Editor’s note The editorial content of In Your Pocket  guides is independent from paid-for  advertising. Sponsored listings are clearly  marked as such. We welcome all readers’ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy  of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for  changes and errors.

sofia inyourpo cket com

Street smarts Street  Square Boulevard Highway  Bridge

Улица (ул.) Площад (пл.) Булевард (бул.) Магистрала Мост

Ulitsa (ul.) Ploshtad (pl.) Boulevard (bul.) Magistrala Most 

pick up tram No 1 or 7 outside the train station (see above). There is a taxi booking office just beside the main exit. Some international buses arrive at the Trafik-Market terminal mid-way between the main train and bus stations. As this is nothing more than a parking lot bordered by ticket offices

more than 16Lv ( € 8). Alternatively, you can catch the bus - No 84 from Terminal 1 or No 284 from Terminal 2. Both run to Orlov Most (C-5) on the eastern fringes of the city centre, departing roughly  every 10-15 minutes between 05:00 and 23:00. Tickets cost 1Lv from the kiosks beside the bus stop, or from the driver. You also have to buy a separate ticket for each bul ky  piece of luggage; otherwise, you run the risk of being fined by ticket inspectors.

By train Sofia’s Central Station (Tsentralna gara), open 05:00 - 24:00, is an unwelcoming concrete hangar 20-minute walk north of the city centre. Facilities include le ft-luggage, money exchange kiosks, ATMs, bars and fast-food outlets. Beware of pickpockets who hang around the station and the adjoining underpass. There are coin-operated left-luggage lockers in the basement (2Lv for 24hrs), and a left-luggage office (garderob) just off the eastern side of the main ticket  hall (open 06:00 - 23:00; 2Lv per item). Cheapest way of getting to town is to hop on tram No 1  or 7 (buy ticket from k iosks or from the driver - 1 Lv) from opposite the station forecourt - head for the sub terranean underpass to find the platform. Either of these will take you to pl. Sveta Nedelya, well placed for central Sofia’s amenities - get off when you see the Sheraton Hotel looming up on your left. The taxi drivers hovering outside the station are an unpredictable bunch; check that their meters are switched on or agree a flat fare before setting off; otherwise walk 200 metres east to the bus station (see below) where the taxi  firms are more reputable.

and café kiosks, you’ll have to walk to the main stations on either side to find any facilities.

By car  Regardless of your point of entry, you deserve plaudi ts for  being so brave. The first thing you need to do is reduce your  speed to avoid the many police chec ks on incoming roads. Follow the lead of other cars (not the ones who overtake and temporarily drive on the wrong side of the road) and get patiently in line should you encounter a traffic jam, which are unfortunately becoming more and m ore frequent, especially during rush hour. Parking can be difficult to find in the city, and you should be aware that the blue zones cost 1Lv per hour. Failure to pay can lead to clampi ng and your car being towed away after 2 hours. Parking vouchers are sold on the spot by parking attendants or you can  just send SMS to 1302 with your registration number ( for  Bulgarian and transit license plate numbers), and you will be notified when the time is up, giving you the chance to pay for the next hour.

By bus Most international and domestic buses arrive at the spanking new Central Bus Station (TsentralnaAvtogara), 200m east of the Central Railway Station. Compared to other points of arrival the bus station is comfortingly  civilized, with clean toilets, plenty of shops and cafés, a pharmacy, and an ATM. There is a 24-hour left-luggage office (2-3Lv depending on size of bag) in the main ticket  hall. To get into the centre of town from here, stroll either south down bul. Maria Luiza (15-20 min), or walk 200m west to

sofia.inyourpocket.com

BOOK ON: +359 2 981 46 26, [email protected], www.europcar.bg Free delivery / collection

“Please leave this copy of In Your Pocket where someone else might benefit from it.”

July - September  2009

5

4

arriving in soFia

Foreword Summer is upon us despite the resistance from the clouds and the mood of the city is one of relaxation & parties. As the temperature begins to soar, the layers of clothing  diminish and the desire to work seems to fall with every  degree that thermometer rises. The streets fill with people in the warm evenings and tables and chairs dot the pavement outside every bar, restaurant and café. The parks are swarming with people during the evenings & weekends, making the most of the warmth and long hours of daylight; you will see people drinking, mingling and even the occasional fire dancer. The city is at its most attractive with all of the trees in full bloom and the atmosphere during this time of year makes the city at its most vibrant.

Europe In Your Pocket

By plane Sofia International Airport (Letishte Sofia), 10km east  of the city centre, is di vided into two terminals - the aging  Terminal 1 and the modern Terminal 2, opened in 2006. The arrivals halls at both terminals boast cafés, car-hire and taxi counters, information desk, ATMs and exchange bureaux (although beware that rates here are not particularly generous, so it’s best to only change enough cash for  immediate survival). Getting to town: avoid the taxi touts, thronging the arrivals halls and head instead for the official ranks of yellow taxis parked outside (OK Sup ertrans and Taxi S Express), or visit their counters. The fare into town shouldn’t cost 

The current financial situation is of course having its impact  on Sofia as much as anywhere else, but the Bulgarians are certainly hardened to difficult economic times and compared to the dark days of the mid to late 90’s, this is a drop in the ocean. As a result people are still eating  out, partying and living the summer life; namely, it’s business as usual. Even the elections seemed to be a quiet  distraction to the more important task of catching up with  friends at a trendy café in the centre or nice bar in the park. To help also hotels, restaurants and other business more pro-actively, we gave these the possibility for their possible promotions, to be freely included within the text of their  independently written review by us from In Your Pocket. We recommend you to keep your ‘Sofia In Your Pocket’ just  where it belongs – in your pocket, so you can also benefit    from these promotions. We from In Your Pocket Bulgaria disclaim however to be responsible for any of the offers made in this Pocket, or any other previous or future edition. In this edition you will find useful in formation to help you with suggestions on where to shake your boots, fill your stomach or catch up on your beauty sleep.

In Your Pocket is Europe’s biggest publisher of 

locally produced travel guides, producing more than 3.5 million guid es per year. With print guides to more than 50 cities across the continent, travellers ask for In Your Pocket guides by name: they trust our content and our flawless levels of  accuracy. In Your Pocket remains committed to its founding aim of covering the world with well researched, well written and informative city  guides. This year we will be launching new guides in Glasgow, Sarajevo and Vienna. If you think  that you can contribute to helping us realise our  dream, and think you have what it takes to publish your own In Your Pocket guide, get in touch with us at [email protected].

Cover story Church of the Holy Seven (Tsarkva Sveti Sedmochislenitsi). It is one of Sofia’s finest neo-Byzantine churches. Read more on p.53

Editorial

ESSENTIAL

CITY

GUIDES

Sofia In Your Pocket Mladost 4, bl. 473, vh. 2-3, parter  (opposite the Business Park) 1715 Sofia, Bulgaria tel.: + 359 2 881 01 02  fax: + 359 2 881 53 32 [email protected] www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1312-742X © Discover Bulgaria Ltd. Printed by Delta High Print EAD Published 4 times per year  15 000 copies

Editor-in-chief  Steven MacAulay  Research Thomas Brailsford, Rumiana Benova, Maya Kozareva Layout & Design Margarit Antonov Photos Veronica de Boer  Cover Veronica de Boer 

Sales & Circulation Publisher Discover Bulgaria Ltd. General Manager Veronica de Boer  Marketing Manager and PR Petya Racheva Sales & Circulation To contact our sales team send an email to [email protected], or call our office and ask for the sales department. Available from Airports – Burgas, Varna and Sofia, airline companies, rent-a-cars, hotels, bars, restaurants, business centres, shopping malls, foreign embassies and international forums. To order your copy  online visit www.inyourpocket.com

Copyright notice Text and photos copyright Discover Bulgaria Ltd. – Bulgaria In Your Pocket 2009. Maps copyright cartographer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts  for the purpose of review, without written permission from the publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your  Pocket (Vokieciu 10-15, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76.

Editor’s note The editorial content of In Your Pocket  guides is independent from paid-for  advertising. Sponsored listings are clearly  marked as such. We welcome all readers’ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy  of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for  changes and errors.

Sofia In Your Po cket

6

Relax. There seem to be more signs, writ ten in the English language on major roads, and there are more and more Bulgarians, who feel confid ent to speak “English”. After all, they have been watching American subbed movies for years, and even some gas-pumping people have university degrees. The more you get stuck in traffic  jams and the harder it i s to park, then you must be in the city centre.

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

Street smarts Street  Square Boulevard Highway  Bridge

Улица (ул.) Площад (пл.) Булевард (бул.) Магистрала Мост

Ulitsa (ul.) Ploshtad (pl.) Boulevard (bul.) Magistrala Most 

pick up tram No 1 or 7 outside the train station (see above). There is a taxi booking office just beside the main exit. Some international buses arrive at the Trafik-Market terminal mid-way between the main train and bus stations. As this is nothing more than a parking lot bordered by ticket offices

more than 16Lv ( € 8). Alternatively, you can catch the bus - No 84 from Terminal 1 or No 284 from Terminal 2. Both run to Orlov Most (C-5) on the eastern fringes of the city centre, departing roughly  every 10-15 minutes between 05:00 and 23:00. Tickets cost 1Lv from the kiosks beside the bus stop, or from the driver. You also have to buy a separate ticket for each bul ky  piece of luggage; otherwise, you run the risk of being fined by ticket inspectors.

By train Sofia’s Central Station (Tsentralna gara), open 05:00 - 24:00, is an unwelcoming concrete hangar 20-minute walk north of the city centre. Facilities include le ft-luggage, money exchange kiosks, ATMs, bars and fast-food outlets. Beware of pickpockets who hang around the station and the adjoining underpass. There are coin-operated left-luggage lockers in the basement (2Lv for 24hrs), and a left-luggage office (garderob) just off the eastern side of the main ticket  hall (open 06:00 - 23:00; 2Lv per item). Cheapest way of getting to town is to hop on tram No 1  or 7 (buy ticket from k iosks or from the driver - 1 Lv) from opposite the station forecourt - head for the sub terranean underpass to find the platform. Either of these will take you to pl. Sveta Nedelya, well placed for central Sofia’s amenities - get off when you see the Sheraton Hotel looming up on your left. The taxi drivers hovering outside the station are an unpredictable bunch; check that their meters are switched on or agree a flat fare before setting off; otherwise walk 200 metres east to the bus station (see below) where the taxi  firms are more reputable.

and café kiosks, you’ll have to walk to the main stations on either side to find any facilities.

By car  Regardless of your point of entry, you deserve plaudi ts for  being so brave. The first thing you need to do is reduce your  speed to avoid the many police chec ks on incoming roads. Follow the lead of other cars (not the ones who overtake and temporarily drive on the wrong side of the road) and get patiently in line should you encounter a traffic jam, which are unfortunately becoming more and m ore frequent, especially during rush hour. Parking can be difficult to find in the city, and you should be aware that the blue zones cost 1Lv per hour. Failure to pay can lead to clampi ng and your car being towed away after 2 hours. Parking vouchers are sold on the spot by parking attendants or you can  just send SMS to 1302 with your registration number ( for  Bulgarian and transit license plate numbers), and you will be notified when the time is up, giving you the chance to pay for the next hour.

By bus Most international and domestic buses arrive at the spanking new Central Bus Station (TsentralnaAvtogara), 200m east of the Central Railway Station. Compared to other points of arrival the bus station is comfortingly  civilized, with clean toilets, plenty of shops and cafés, a pharmacy, and an ATM. There is a 24-hour left-luggage office (2-3Lv depending on size of bag) in the main ticket  hall. To get into the centre of town from here, stroll either south down bul. Maria Luiza (15-20 min), or walk 200m west to

BOOK ON: +359 2 981 46 26, [email protected], www.europcar.bg Free delivery / collection

“Please leave this copy of In Your Pocket where someone else might benefit from it.”

sofia.inyourpocket.com

July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

July - September  2009

BasiCs Alcohol

Smoking 

The archetypal national tipple is rakiya, which usually comes as either grozdova rakiya (grape brandy) or slivova (plum). It’s usually served up in 50g or 100g shots and is consumed alongside salad or some other form of nibble – wait-staff will consider you peculiar if you don’t order at least something to snack on while you’re slugging down spirits. As far as beer is concerned, Bulgaria produces several palatable if unexciting  lagers – Zagorka, Shumensko and Kamenitsa are the most  reliable of the big brands. Much more impressive are the dry  red wines, particularly Cabern et Sauvignon from Svishtov and Oryahovitsa, Merlot from Stambolovo, Gumza from Novo Selo, Mavrud from Asenovgrad, and Melnik from the village of sam e name. The Chardonnays and Traminers from Veliki Preslav are among the best of the whites.

Cafès, bars and restaurants are requi red by law to provide an area for non-smokers. In practice however this will probably  consist of one or two tables, surrounded on all sides by  nicotine addicts happily puf fing away.

Customs If you are travelling with in the EU, those over 18 can now take 10L of spirits, 90L of wine and 110L of beer. Most countries will not allow more than 200 cigarettes from Bulgaria. You’re not allowed to export antiques, artworks or coins of numismatic value unless you have a permit issued by  the Ministry of Culture. Due to fears about child trafficking, travellers with small children may be asked for documentary  evidence of their parental relationship before being allowed to leave the country.

Electricity  Bulgaria runs on a 220 volt electricity supply (so some visitors will need to bring a transformer). Standard continental two-prong plugs are used, so others will need to  furnish themselves with an adaptor, if they want to use their  hairdryer/phone/ charger/laptop.

Tourist information The helpful stuff there distributes free advertising  materials and maps about Bulgaria as a tourist destination gives ansers to all sorts of queries. I wish you a wonderful time in our gorgeous capital city,

The National Tourist Information Centre B-3, pl. Sveta Nedelya 1, tel. 933 58 45, fax 989 69 39, [email protected], ww w.bulgariatravel. w.bulgariatravel. org. The Tourist Information Centre has undergone a far-reaching facelift in the past few months, and now constitutes an inviting and altogether quite chic info-boutique, equipped with designer bar-stools for  tourists to perch on while helpful staff distribute free maps or search their databases for the answers to all sorts of queries. They aren’t authorized to make hotel reservations on tourists’ behalf, but they do distribute well-informed locally-published guides like this one. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Zig Zag Holidays B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 20B (entrance from ul. Lavele), tel. 980 51 02, fax 980 32 00, [email protected], www.zigzagbg. com. The staff at this private travel agency, specializing  in individual and alternative holidays are a mine of invaluable information - be aware however that they charge a 5Lv consultancy fee (which is deducted from the cost  of any arrangements you book through them). QOpen 08:30 - 19:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Sofia In Your Po cket

Visas Citizens of the EU, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA can stay in the country visa-free for 90 days. Nationals of other countries should contact the Bulgarian em bassies or  consulates in their home countries about visa arrangements. Note that visas cannot be obtained at the border. If you wish to extend your visit beyond the 90-day period you should apply for a long term stay or residence permit from the Immigration Office, bul. Maria Luiza 48, tel. 982 37 64. Open 09:00 – 17:00. Closed Sat & Sun.

Key phrases The following is a list of some of th e most common words and phrases a person is likely to need. Hello Goodbye Please You’re You’re welcome Thank you Excuse me Yes / No Cheers I don’t understand I don’t know Do you speak English? What’s up? Good morning! Good afternoon / evening! evening! Good night! Have you got…? Where can I buy…? How many / how much? Good / bad Expensive / cheap New / old Hot / cold

Zdravey  Dovizhdane Molya Pak zapovyadayte Blagodarya Izvinete Da / Ne Nazdrave Ne razbiram Ne znam Govorite li angliyski? Kakvo stava? Dobro utro! Dobar den / vecher! vecher! Leka nosht! Imate li…? Kade moga da kupya…? Kolko / Kolko struva? Dobro / losho Skapo / evtino Novo / staro Toplo / studeno

Days of week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Ponedelnik  Vtornik  Sryada Chetvartak  Petak  Sabota Nedelya

Numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 100 1000

edno dve tri chetiri pet  shest  sedem osem devet  deset  sto hilyada

sofia inyourpo cket com

5

6

BasiCs Alcohol

Smoking 

The archetypal national tipple is rakiya, which usually comes as either grozdova rakiya (grape brandy) or slivova (plum). It’s usually served up in 50g or 100g shots and is consumed alongside salad or some other form of nibble – wait-staff will consider you peculiar if you don’t order at least something to snack on while you’re slugging down spirits. As far as beer is concerned, Bulgaria produces several palatable if unexciting  lagers – Zagorka, Shumensko and Kamenitsa are the most  reliable of the big brands. Much more impressive are the dry  red wines, particularly Cabern et Sauvignon from Svishtov and Oryahovitsa, Merlot from Stambolovo, Gumza from Novo Selo, Mavrud from Asenovgrad, and Melnik from the village of sam e name. The Chardonnays and Traminers from Veliki Preslav are among the best of the whites.

Cafès, bars and restaurants are requi red by law to provide an area for non-smokers. In practice however this will probably  consist of one or two tables, surrounded on all sides by  nicotine addicts happily puf fing away.

Customs If you are travelling with in the EU, those over 18 can now take 10L of spirits, 90L of wine and 110L of beer. Most countries will not allow more than 200 cigarettes from Bulgaria. You’re not allowed to export antiques, artworks or coins of numismatic value unless you have a permit issued by  the Ministry of Culture. Due to fears about child trafficking, travellers with small children may be asked for documentary  evidence of their parental relationship before being allowed to leave the country.

Electricity  Bulgaria runs on a 220 volt electricity supply (so some visitors will need to bring a transformer). Standard continental two-prong plugs are used, so others will need to  furnish themselves with an adaptor, if they want to use their  hairdryer/phone/ charger/laptop.

Tourist information The helpful stuff there distributes free advertising  materials and maps about Bulgaria as a tourist destination gives ansers to all sorts of queries. I wish you a wonderful time in our gorgeous capital city,

The National Tourist Information Centre B-3, pl. Sveta Nedelya 1, tel. 933 58 45, fax 989 69 39, [email protected], ww w.bulgariatravel. w.bulgariatravel. org. The Tourist Information Centre has undergone a far-reaching facelift in the past few months, and now constitutes an inviting and altogether quite chic info-boutique, equipped with designer bar-stools for  tourists to perch on while helpful staff distribute free maps or search their databases for the answers to all sorts of queries. They aren’t authorized to make hotel reservations on tourists’ behalf, but they do distribute well-informed locally-published guides like this one. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Zig Zag Holidays B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 20B (entrance from ul. Lavele), tel. 980 51 02, fax 980 32 00, [email protected], www.zigzagbg. com. The staff at this private travel agency, specializing  in individual and alternative holidays are a mine of invaluable information - be aware however that they charge a 5Lv consultancy fee (which is deducted from the cost  of any arrangements you book through them). QOpen 08:30 - 19:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Visas Citizens of the EU, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA can stay in the country visa-free for 90 days. Nationals of other countries should contact the Bulgarian em bassies or  consulates in their home countries about visa arrangements. Note that visas cannot be obtained at the border. If you wish to extend your visit beyond the 90-day period you should apply for a long term stay or residence permit from the Immigration Office, bul. Maria Luiza 48, tel. 982 37 64. Open 09:00 – 17:00. Closed Sat & Sun.

Key phrases The following is a list of some of th e most common words and phrases a person is likely to need. Hello Goodbye Please You’re You’re welcome Thank you Excuse me Yes / No Cheers I don’t understand I don’t know Do you speak English? What’s up? Good morning! Good afternoon / evening! evening! Good night! Have you got…? Where can I buy…? How many / how much? Good / bad Expensive / cheap New / old Hot / cold

Zdravey  Dovizhdane Molya Pak zapovyadayte Blagodarya Izvinete Da / Ne Nazdrave Ne razbiram Ne znam Govorite li angliyski? Kakvo stava? Dobro utro! Dobar den / vecher! vecher! Leka nosht! Imate li…? Kade moga da kupya…? Kolko / Kolko struva? Dobro / losho Skapo / evtino Novo / staro Toplo / studeno

Days of week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Ponedelnik  Vtornik  Sryada Chetvartak  Petak  Sabota Nedelya

Numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 100 1000

edno dve tri chetiri pet  shest  sedem osem devet  deset  sto hilyada

Sofia In Your Po cket

8

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

sofia.inyourpocket.com

July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

July - September  2009

BasiCs Roads & Traffic Traffic police poli ce Most Bulgarians turn into psychopaths as soon as they get  behind the wheel of a car, although given the state of the road network one can hardly blame them. Cow-sized potholes, suicidal pedestrians and drunken cyclists riding on the wrong  side of the road are just some of the things to look out for – and with hazards like these you ne ed to swerve around like a stunt driver in order to stay in one piece. Streets in central Sofia can be clogged with traffic. Road signage is haphazard and street names are almost exclusively  in Cyrillic, so you need to research your route on a map before you set off. Finding a place to park can be a n ightmare. A lot socalled blue-zone parking areas are run by private companies. Parking vouchers (1Lv/hour) are sold on the spot by parking  attendants. In order to drive on Bulgarian roads outside Sofia you’ll need to purchase a vignette which must be displayed in the windscreen. You can get these from border crossings, all post offic es and OMV and Shell gas stations. For a car or SUV vignettes cost 10Lv for one week, 25Lv for one month, and 67Lv for a year. Speed limits are 130km/hr on ma in highways, 90km/hr on minor roads and 50km/hr in urban areas. Talking on a mobile phone while driving is strictly forbidden, as is driving under the influence of more than 0.5/1000 of  alcohol. Foreigners are well advised to obey the rules of the road even if they see locals behaving otherwise: the police rarely speak English and are unlikely to show any lenience. Police checks on major highways are common, especially  when entering or leaving Sofia at the weekend. Policema n are

Basic data Territory: Bulgaria takes up 110, 550 km2 of land. It  shares borders with Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Romania. Romania. The country is bordered to the east by a 354km-long stretch of Black Sea coastline. Rivers: The main rivers in the country are Danube, Maritsa, Mesta, Struma, Iskar, Yantra. There are more than 600 warm and cold mineral springs. Highest Point: Musala (2925m), south of Sofia in the Rila mountains. Population of Bulgaria: 7,385,367 (July 2006 est.) Population of Sofia: 1,377,531 (July 2006 est.) Local time: Bulgaria is part of the Eastern European Time Zone (GMT +2); when it is no on in Sofia it is 11:00 in Berlin, 10:00 in London and 05:00 in New York City. Religion: Traditional religion in the Republic of Bulgaria is Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Orthodox 85%, Muslim 8%, others 7%. allowed to charge on-the-spot fines up to 50 Lv.

Market values How do costs compare to back home? Here is handy list  of local prices to give you an idea. Leva Euro Loaf of white bread 1.00 0.50 Snickers bar 0.80 0.40 Vodka (.750ltr, Bulgaria n) 8.50 4.36 0.5ltr beer (bar) 2.00 1.02 0.5ltr beer (shop) 0.80 0.40 A pack of Marlboros 3.90 2.00 McDonald‘s Big Mac 3.59 1.84 Exchange rates (as of April 2009): US$1 - 1.47Lv;  €1 – 1.95Lv; £1 – 2.17Lv

Sofia In Your Po cket

The Cyrillic Alphabet Аа Бб Вв Гг Дд Ее Жж Зз Ии Йй Кк  Лл Мм Нн Оо Пп Рр Сс Тт Уу Фф Хх Цц Чч Шш Щщ  Ъъ Ьь Юю Яя

a b v g d e zh z i y k l m n o p r s t u f h ts ch sh sht a soften s ’o’ yu ya

as in as in as in as in as in as in as ’s’ in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in

arm bath van go dog  l et  mea sure zoo b it  yoke keep like map not  opera pen run sit  tap r ule f an an hand cu ts ch church urch short  short  sma shed b ut  yoga yoga you yard yard

National holidays January 1: New Year’s Day (Nova godina) March 3: Liberation Day (Liberation from the Ottoman rule) (Denyat na osvobozhdenieto) April 19: Easter (Velikden) May 1: Labour Day (Denyat na truda) May 6: St. George’s Day (Gergyovden; Day of the Bulgarian Army) May 24: St. St. Cyril and Methodius (Sveti Sveti Kiril i Metodiy; Day of the Cyrillic Alphabet and Bulgarian Education and Culture) September 6: Unification Day (Saedinenieto; marking the unification of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia in 1885) September 22: Independence Day (Denyat na nezavisimostta) December 24,25,26: Christmas (Koleda)

Important phone numbers Fire: 160 Ambulance: 150 Police: 166 Road assistance: 146 Anti-corruption unit: +359 2 982 22 22 , www.nocorr. mvr.bg  Telephone information: 11800 Breakdown Breakdown Service: 02/91146 or 146 or 146 if you’re calling   from a Bulgarian mobile

sofia inyourpo cket com

8

BasiCs Roads & Traffic Traffic police poli ce Most Bulgarians turn into psychopaths as soon as they get  behind the wheel of a car, although given the state of the road network one can hardly blame them. Cow-sized potholes, suicidal pedestrians and drunken cyclists riding on the wrong  side of the road are just some of the things to look out for – and with hazards like these you ne ed to swerve around like a stunt driver in order to stay in one piece. Streets in central Sofia can be clogged with traffic. Road signage is haphazard and street names are almost exclusively  in Cyrillic, so you need to research your route on a map before you set off. Finding a place to park can be a n ightmare. A lot socalled blue-zone parking areas are run by private companies. Parking vouchers (1Lv/hour) are sold on the spot by parking  attendants. In order to drive on Bulgarian roads outside Sofia you’ll need to purchase a vignette which must be displayed in the windscreen. You can get these from border crossings, all post offic es and OMV and Shell gas stations. For a car or SUV vignettes cost 10Lv for one week, 25Lv for one month, and 67Lv for a year. Speed limits are 130km/hr on ma in highways, 90km/hr on minor roads and 50km/hr in urban areas. Talking on a mobile phone while driving is strictly forbidden, as is driving under the influence of more than 0.5/1000 of  alcohol. Foreigners are well advised to obey the rules of the road even if they see locals behaving otherwise: the police rarely speak English and are unlikely to show any lenience. Police checks on major highways are common, especially  when entering or leaving Sofia at the weekend. Policema n are

Basic data Territory: Bulgaria takes up 110, 550 km2 of land. It  shares borders with Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Romania. Romania. The country is bordered to the east by a 354km-long stretch of Black Sea coastline. Rivers: The main rivers in the country are Danube, Maritsa, Mesta, Struma, Iskar, Yantra. There are more than 600 warm and cold mineral springs. Highest Point: Musala (2925m), south of Sofia in the Rila mountains. Population of Bulgaria: 7,385,367 (July 2006 est.) Population of Sofia: 1,377,531 (July 2006 est.) Local time: Bulgaria is part of the Eastern European Time Zone (GMT +2); when it is no on in Sofia it is 11:00 in Berlin, 10:00 in London and 05:00 in New York City. Religion: Traditional religion in the Republic of Bulgaria is Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Orthodox 85%, Muslim 8%, others 7%. allowed to charge on-the-spot fines up to 50 Lv.

Market values How do costs compare to back home? Here is handy list  of local prices to give you an idea. Leva Euro Loaf of white bread 1.00 0.50 Snickers bar 0.80 0.40 Vodka (.750ltr, Bulgaria n) 8.50 4.36 0.5ltr beer (bar) 2.00 1.02 0.5ltr beer (shop) 0.80 0.40 A pack of Marlboros 3.90 2.00 McDonald‘s Big Mac 3.59 1.84 Exchange rates (as of April 2009): US$1 - 1.47Lv;  €1 – 1.95Lv; £1 – 2.17Lv

The Cyrillic Alphabet Аа Бб Вв Гг Дд Ее Жж Зз Ии Йй Кк  Лл Мм Нн Оо Пп Рр Сс Тт Уу Фф Хх Цц Чч Шш Щщ  Ъъ Ьь Юю Яя

a b v g d e zh z i y k l m n o p r s t u f h ts ch sh sht a soften s ’o’ yu ya

arm bath van go dog  l et  mea sure zoo b it  yoke keep like map not  opera pen run sit  tap r ule f an an hand cu ts ch church urch short  short  sma shed b ut  yoga yoga you yard yard

National holidays January 1: New Year’s Day (Nova godina) March 3: Liberation Day (Liberation from the Ottoman rule) (Denyat na osvobozhdenieto) April 19: Easter (Velikden) May 1: Labour Day (Denyat na truda) May 6: St. George’s Day (Gergyovden; Day of the Bulgarian Army) May 24: St. St. Cyril and Methodius (Sveti Sveti Kiril i Metodiy; Day of the Cyrillic Alphabet and Bulgarian Education and Culture) September 6: Unification Day (Saedinenieto; marking the unification of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia in 1885) September 22: Independence Day (Denyat na nezavisimostta) December 24,25,26: Christmas (Koleda)

Important phone numbers Fire: 160 Ambulance: 150 Police: 166 Road assistance: 146 Anti-corruption unit: +359 2 982 22 22 , www.nocorr. mvr.bg  Telephone information: 11800 Breakdown Breakdown Service: 02/91146 or 146 or 146 if you’re calling   from a Bulgarian mobile

Sofia In Your Po cket

10

as in as in as in as in as in as in as ’s’ in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

introduCing introdu Cing soFia history

history History  Antiquity In antiquity, Bulgaria, the land of Orpheus and Spartacus, belongs to the Kingdom of Macedonia. 4th century BC The territory of c ontemporary Bulgaria Bulgaria is conquered by the Macedonians, lead by Philip II and his son Alexander the Great. During ng the first century AD these lands become Roman provinces. provinces. 632 The History of Bulgaria as a separate country begins with the establishment of Old Great Bulgaria (also known as Onoguria). 681 First Bulgarian Kingdom is established by Khan Asparuh. 865 Bulgaria becomes a Christian country. Tsar Boris I accepts Orthodox Christianity. 9th-10th centuries “The Golden Age” period under the rule of  Tsar Tsar Simeon the Great. The Slavic writing is officially accepted throughout the country. Literature schools, imposing temples and monasteries are built. Bulgaria has an outlet on three seas - the Black sea, Aegean Sea and the Adriatic. The capi tal is moved to Veliki Preslav, which during that period could be compared with the beauty and glory of Constantinople. Constantinople. 1018 Bulgaria falls under Byzantine rule until 1185. 1185 The Second Bulgarian Kingdom (1185-1396) (1185-1396) is founded after two brothers, Asen and Peter. The capital city of the new kingdom become s Veliko Turnovo. 12th-13th centuries centuriesUnder Under the rule of the Tsar Tsar Kaloyan (11971207) and Tsar Ivan Asen II (1218-1241), Bulgaria becomes a dominant power in the Balkans. 1393 The Ottomans occupy the Bulgarian capital Veliko Turnovo after a three-month siege. 1396 The Kingdom of Vidin is occupied, bringing the Second Bulgarian Empire and Bulgarian independence to an end. 14th-18th centuries By the end of the 14 th century, the Turks control all of Bulgaria. Ottoman rule continues for five centuries. The Age of the Bulgarian National Revival begins. 18th century centuryThe In spite of the resistance of the cen tral Turkish Turkish authorities and the Greek clergy (the so-called phanariots), the struggle for an independent church, the publication of books and, later on, of  periodicals in the Bul garian language, the establishment of lay  Bulgarian schools and the official recognition of the language and culture, become real steps to the revival of the nation. One important landmark was the writing of the Slav-Bulgarian History (1762) by monk Paissi of Hilendar. 1876 Bulgarian revolutionaries launch the April Uprising at  Koprivshtitsa. Koprivshtitsa. The Turks suppress it with unprecedented brutality. About 15,000 Bulgarians are massacred at Plovdiv and 58 villages destroyed. Outraged European allies come to Bulgaria’s rescue in the la te 1870s. Russia, the chief savi our, suffers 200,000 casualties in the conflict. 1877-1878 The Russian-Turkish war leads to the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire. March 1878 The Treaty of San Stefano provides for an independent Bulgarian state, which spans the geographical regions of Moesia, Thrace and Macedonia. July 1878 The Treaty of Berlin, under the supervision of Otto von Bismarck of Germany and Benjamin Disraeli of Britain, splits Bulgaria into three parts: an independent Principality of  Bulgaria based in Sofia, the autonomous Ottoman province of Eastern Roumelia; and Macedonia, which remains under  direct Ottoman rule. April 1879 The Turnovo Constitution is passed by the First  Grand National Assembly. June 1879 Alexander Battenberg becomes prince of Bulgaria, and Sofia becomes the capital of the new Bulgarian state. September 1885 Eastern Rumelia declares union with Bulgaria. 1887 A coup replaces Alexander Battenberg with Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

Sofia In Your Po cket

July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

Recent History In June 2001, 2001, the Bulgarian monarchy makes an unprecedented comeback when former king Simeon II is elected prime minister. Unable to ease economics hardships for the majority, however, he too sees his popularity plummet after a few months in power. In the same election, the country’s Turkish minority is represented in the government for the first time, and the president  encourages Bulgarians to be more tolerant of TurkishBulgarians. Progress continues under President Georgi Parvanov, albeit slower than most hope. Membership of  NATO is granted in 2004 2004,, and entry into the European Union follows in 2007 2007.. July 27, 2005 the Bulgarian Parliament chose Sergey  Stanishev of the Bulgarian Socialist Party as the new Prime Minister in a coalition government with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. August 15, 2005 the BSP and National Movement Simeon II formed a stable government, along with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. This coalition has a large majority in parliament  with 169 of the 240 deputies. Parliamentary elections will be held in Bulgaria on July 5, 2009. 2009.

September 1908 Ferdinand upgrades Bulgaria from principality to kin gdom and declares himself Tsar. 1912-1913 The Nationalist Prime Minister, Minister, Ivan Geshov,   forms an alliance with Greece and Serbia to attack the Ottomans and to drive them out of Macedonia and Thrace. The Balkan Wars are sparking. The alliance soon fall out, with Greeks and Serbs expelling Bulgarian forces from Macedonia, and then dividing up the spoils. 1915-1918 Bulgaria joins the German side in World War I. A  Serb-French-British offensive in Macedonia causes Bulgaria’s collapse. Ferdinand abdicates in favour of son Boris III. 1919 Elections are won by the Peasant party of Aleksandar  Stamboliyski promising widespread social change. 1923-1934 Democratically elected governments are toppled via coups that bring authoritarian regimes to power. 1941 Bulgaria enters World War II on the side of the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis. The country is the only ally of  Hitler’s Germany which did not allow the killing of its Jewish citizens. It was thanks to king Boris III and to the Bulgarian governments that no hostilities are waged in the c ountry’s territory. 1944 After World War II, as a result of the Yalta agreements between the Great Powers, Bulgaria Bulgaria ends up in the field of  influence of the Soviet Union. Years of the communist rule of Todor Zhivkov 1953-1989 Years who headed both the party and the state. 10 November 1989 Under pressure from domestic and international circumstances Todor Zhivkov is forced to resign. Bulgaria once again takes the road of democratic development. 7 December 1989 The Union of Democratic Forces (SDS) is  formed as a unification of 13 opposition organisations. June 1990 First free parliamentary elections. 12 July 1991 A new democratic Constitution is passed. 13 October 1991 First free local authorities elections. 1992 First free presidential elections. Zhelyu Zhelev is elected head of state. Stoyanov, proposed b y the SDS, 3 November 1996 Petar Stoyanov, is elected wi th President of the Republic of Bulgaria with a landslide majority. 19 April 1997 The Parliamentary elections are won by the Democratic Forces United. A government is formed headed by Ivan Kostov as Prime-Minister. Bulgaria starts on the road of genuine democratic reforms.

sofia inyourpo cket com

The history of Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital and largest city, spans thousands of years from antiquity to modern times. Throughout  its existence, the city has always been a commercial, industrial, cultural and economic centre of  the Balkans region. Sofia has always been well known for its mineral resources, neighbouring  mountains and historical sights.

Antiquity  Sofia is originally a Thracian settlement called Serdica , named after the Thracian tribe Serdi that had populated it. 4th century BC For a short period the city is possessed by  Philip of Macedonia and his son Alexander the Great. 29 AD Sofia is conquered by the Romans and renamed Ulpia  Serdica . It becomes a municipium, or centre of an administrative region, during the reign of Emperor Trayan (98-117). 447 The city is destroyed by the Huns, but is rebuilt by Byzantine Emperor Justinian and renamed Triadi tsa . Although also often destroyed by the Slavs, the town remains under  Byzantine dominion until 809.

Middle Ages 809 Sofia becomes par t of the First Bulgarian Kingdom during  the reign of Khan Krum. Krum . 1018 The city again falls to the Byzantine Empire. Empire . 12th-14th centuries Sofia is a thriving centre of trade and crafts. It is renamed Sofia  (meaning “wisdom” in Greek) in 1376 after the Church of St Sophia. However, it is called both “Sofia” and “Sredets” until the 16th century, when the new name gradually replaced the old one.

Ottoman rule 1382 Sofia is conquered by the Ottoman sultan Murad I. Many Ottoman buildings emerge during the period. Very   few of them have survived, including only a single mosque, Banya Bashi. The Ottoman rule saw a major demographic growth, as the city grew from a total population of 6,000 (1620s) through 55,000 (middle 17 th century) to 70-80,000 (18 th century data from foreign travellers, albeit possibly  exaggerated). 16th century Sofia is a thriving trade centre inhabited by  Turks, Turks, Bulgarians, Romaniote, Ashkenazi, and Sephardic Jews, Armenians, Greeks and Ragusan merchants. During the next century the city’s population included even Albanians and Persians. 17th century The Vatican establishes the Bishopric of Sofia   for Ottoman subjects belonging to the Catholic millet in Rumelia, which existed until 1715 when most Catholics had emigrated to Habsburg or Tsarist territories. 1878 Sofia is liberated by Russian forces in 1878, during the Russian-Turkish War (1877-1878) 1879 The city becomes the capital of the autonomous Principality of Bulgaria, which becomes Kingdom of Bulgaria in 1908. 1900 The City Council approves the emblem of Sofia and the motto “It Grows but Does not Age”. 1925 The gravest act of terrorism in Bulgarian history, the St Nedelya Church assault, is carried out by the Bulgarian Communist Party, claiming the lives of 150 and injuring  another 500.

sofia.inyourpocket.com

Mayor of Sofia Mr. Boyko Borisov is the current mayor of Sofia City and the informal leader of the party “Citizens for European Development in Bulgaria” (GERB in Bulgarian), the acronym meaning Coat of Arms in English. With his mandate approaching its end, Mr. Borisov is about to officially  enter the parliamentary elections, planned for June this year, running for the position of prime minister. Despite his rather controversial pe rsonality, he is one of the most  popular figures in Bulgarian politics today. Mr. Borisov graduated from the National Military Academy and was a member of the communist party. After the fall of communism, in 1991, he founded a private security company, which later guarded people like Todor Zhivkov and Simeon II. From 2001 until 2005 he was Chief Secretary of  the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior, but resigned in order  to enter the elections for mayor of Sofia.

World War II Sofia is bombed by Allied aircraf t in late 1943 and early 1944, as well as later occupied by the Soviet Union. Bulgaria’s regime, which has allied the country with Nazi Germany, is overthrown and Sofia becomes capital of the Communist-ruled People’s Republic of Bulgaria (1944–1989).

Totalitarian regime (9 September 1944-10 November 1989) During the years of communism, Sofia becomes the nation’s major  economic, academic and cultural centre. From its years of socialist growth, however, the capital inherited a great  deal of problems, which are at present the priorities of the democratically - elected council of Sofia. 1992 In honour of the celebration of St. Sofia the Martyr, the Government chose September 17 th as the Day of Sofia. The  flag of Sofia Municipality is also conse crated on that day. The Day of Sofia is also celebrated like the Day of saints Vyara, Nadezhda and Lyubov. According to non official information nowadays Sofia has a population about 3 million people. Most of them come to the capital for work and business opportunities.

www.inyourpocket.com July - September  2009

11

10

introduCing introdu Cing soFia history

history History 

Recent History

Antiquity In antiquity, Bulgaria, the land of Orpheus and Spartacus, belongs to the Kingdom of Macedonia. 4th century BC The territory of c ontemporary Bulgaria Bulgaria is conquered by the Macedonians, lead by Philip II and his son Alexander the Great. During ng the first century AD these lands become Roman provinces. provinces. 632 The History of Bulgaria as a separate country begins with the establishment of Old Great Bulgaria (also known as Onoguria). 681 First Bulgarian Kingdom is established by Khan Asparuh. 865 Bulgaria becomes a Christian country. Tsar Boris I accepts Orthodox Christianity. 9th-10th centuries “The Golden Age” period under the rule of  Tsar Tsar Simeon the Great. The Slavic writing is officially accepted throughout the country. Literature schools, imposing temples and monasteries are built. Bulgaria has an outlet on three seas - the Black sea, Aegean Sea and the Adriatic. The capi tal is moved to Veliki Preslav, which during that period could be compared with the beauty and glory of Constantinople. Constantinople. 1018 Bulgaria falls under Byzantine rule until 1185. 1185 The Second Bulgarian Kingdom (1185-1396) (1185-1396) is founded after two brothers, Asen and Peter. The capital city of the new kingdom become s Veliko Turnovo. 12th-13th centuries centuriesUnder Under the rule of the Tsar Tsar Kaloyan (11971207) and Tsar Ivan Asen II (1218-1241), Bulgaria becomes a dominant power in the Balkans. 1393 The Ottomans occupy the Bulgarian capital Veliko Turnovo after a three-month siege. 1396 The Kingdom of Vidin is occupied, bringing the Second Bulgarian Empire and Bulgarian independence to an end. 14th-18th centuries By the end of the 14 th century, the Turks control all of Bulgaria. Ottoman rule continues for five centuries. The Age of the Bulgarian National Revival begins. 18th century centuryThe In spite of the resistance of the cen tral Turkish Turkish authorities and the Greek clergy (the so-called phanariots), the struggle for an independent church, the publication of books and, later on, of  periodicals in the Bul garian language, the establishment of lay  Bulgarian schools and the official recognition of the language and culture, become real steps to the revival of the nation. One important landmark was the writing of the Slav-Bulgarian History (1762) by monk Paissi of Hilendar. 1876 Bulgarian revolutionaries launch the April Uprising at  Koprivshtitsa. Koprivshtitsa. The Turks suppress it with unprecedented brutality. About 15,000 Bulgarians are massacred at Plovdiv and 58 villages destroyed. Outraged European allies come to Bulgaria’s rescue in the la te 1870s. Russia, the chief savi our, suffers 200,000 casualties in the conflict. 1877-1878 The Russian-Turkish war leads to the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire. March 1878 The Treaty of San Stefano provides for an independent Bulgarian state, which spans the geographical regions of Moesia, Thrace and Macedonia. July 1878 The Treaty of Berlin, under the supervision of Otto von Bismarck of Germany and Benjamin Disraeli of Britain, splits Bulgaria into three parts: an independent Principality of  Bulgaria based in Sofia, the autonomous Ottoman province of Eastern Roumelia; and Macedonia, which remains under  direct Ottoman rule. April 1879 The Turnovo Constitution is passed by the First  Grand National Assembly. June 1879 Alexander Battenberg becomes prince of Bulgaria, and Sofia becomes the capital of the new Bulgarian state. September 1885 Eastern Rumelia declares union with Bulgaria. 1887 A coup replaces Alexander Battenberg with Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

In June 2001, 2001, the Bulgarian monarchy makes an unprecedented comeback when former king Simeon II is elected prime minister. Unable to ease economics hardships for the majority, however, he too sees his popularity plummet after a few months in power. In the same election, the country’s Turkish minority is represented in the government for the first time, and the president  encourages Bulgarians to be more tolerant of TurkishBulgarians. Progress continues under President Georgi Parvanov, albeit slower than most hope. Membership of  NATO is granted in 2004 2004,, and entry into the European Union follows in 2007 2007.. July 27, 2005 the Bulgarian Parliament chose Sergey  Stanishev of the Bulgarian Socialist Party as the new Prime Minister in a coalition government with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. August 15, 2005 the BSP and National Movement Simeon II formed a stable government, along with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. This coalition has a large majority in parliament  with 169 of the 240 deputies. Parliamentary elections will be held in Bulgaria on July 5, 2009. 2009.

September 1908 Ferdinand upgrades Bulgaria from principality to kin gdom and declares himself Tsar. 1912-1913 The Nationalist Prime Minister, Minister, Ivan Geshov,   forms an alliance with Greece and Serbia to attack the Ottomans and to drive them out of Macedonia and Thrace. The Balkan Wars are sparking. The alliance soon fall out, with Greeks and Serbs expelling Bulgarian forces from Macedonia, and then dividing up the spoils. 1915-1918 Bulgaria joins the German side in World War I. A  Serb-French-British offensive in Macedonia causes Bulgaria’s collapse. Ferdinand abdicates in favour of son Boris III. 1919 Elections are won by the Peasant party of Aleksandar  Stamboliyski promising widespread social change. 1923-1934 Democratically elected governments are toppled via coups that bring authoritarian regimes to power. 1941 Bulgaria enters World War II on the side of the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis. The country is the only ally of  Hitler’s Germany which did not allow the killing of its Jewish citizens. It was thanks to king Boris III and to the Bulgarian governments that no hostilities are waged in the c ountry’s territory. 1944 After World War II, as a result of the Yalta agreements between the Great Powers, Bulgaria Bulgaria ends up in the field of  influence of the Soviet Union. Years of the communist rule of Todor Zhivkov 1953-1989 Years who headed both the party and the state. 10 November 1989 Under pressure from domestic and international circumstances Todor Zhivkov is forced to resign. Bulgaria once again takes the road of democratic development. 7 December 1989 The Union of Democratic Forces (SDS) is  formed as a unification of 13 opposition organisations. June 1990 First free parliamentary elections. 12 July 1991 A new democratic Constitution is passed. 13 October 1991 First free local authorities elections. 1992 First free presidential elections. Zhelyu Zhelev is elected head of state. Stoyanov, proposed b y the SDS, 3 November 1996 Petar Stoyanov, is elected wi th President of the Republic of Bulgaria with a landslide majority. 19 April 1997 The Parliamentary elections are won by the Democratic Forces United. A government is formed headed by Ivan Kostov as Prime-Minister. Bulgaria starts on the road of genuine democratic reforms.

Sofia In Your Po cket

12

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

The history of Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital and largest city, spans thousands of years from antiquity to modern times. Throughout  its existence, the city has always been a commercial, industrial, cultural and economic centre of  the Balkans region. Sofia has always been well known for its mineral resources, neighbouring  mountains and historical sights.

Antiquity  Sofia is originally a Thracian settlement called Serdica , named after the Thracian tribe Serdi that had populated it. 4th century BC For a short period the city is possessed by  Philip of Macedonia and his son Alexander the Great. 29 AD Sofia is conquered by the Romans and renamed Ulpia  Serdica . It becomes a municipium, or centre of an administrative region, during the reign of Emperor Trayan (98-117). 447 The city is destroyed by the Huns, but is rebuilt by Byzantine Emperor Justinian and renamed Triadi tsa . Although also often destroyed by the Slavs, the town remains under  Byzantine dominion until 809.

Middle Ages 809 Sofia becomes par t of the First Bulgarian Kingdom during  the reign of Khan Krum. Krum . 1018 The city again falls to the Byzantine Empire. Empire . 12th-14th centuries Sofia is a thriving centre of trade and crafts. It is renamed Sofia  (meaning “wisdom” in Greek) in 1376 after the Church of St Sophia. However, it is called both “Sofia” and “Sredets” until the 16th century, when the new name gradually replaced the old one.

Ottoman rule 1382 Sofia is conquered by the Ottoman sultan Murad I. Many Ottoman buildings emerge during the period. Very   few of them have survived, including only a single mosque, Banya Bashi. The Ottoman rule saw a major demographic growth, as the city grew from a total population of 6,000 (1620s) through 55,000 (middle 17 th century) to 70-80,000 (18 th century data from foreign travellers, albeit possibly  exaggerated). 16th century Sofia is a thriving trade centre inhabited by  Turks, Turks, Bulgarians, Romaniote, Ashkenazi, and Sephardic Jews, Armenians, Greeks and Ragusan merchants. During the

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DHL G-9, ul. Prodan Tarakchiev Tarakchiev 10, tel. +359 0 700 17 700., [email protected], www.dhl.bg. QOpen 09:00 - 17:30, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.

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Matritsata C-2, ul. Neofit Rilski 70, www.ma3x.net. QOpen 00:00

- 24:00. 2Lv/hr.

Site C-2, bul. Vitosha 45, tel. +359 2 986 08 96, info@ siteout.net, www.siteout.net.Quiet, www.siteout.net. Quiet, comfortable sp ot in a courtyard just off the street. Coffee and other drinks. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. Price: 2Lv/hr.

Virtus C-2, ul. Khan Asparuh 53, www.virtus.hit.bg. QOpen 00:00

- 24:00. 2Lv/hr.

ISPs Bitex D-2, ul. Frityof Nansen 9, tel. +359 2 980 02 38, [email protected], www.bitex.com. Dial-up services, wireless Internet, leased lines, hosting, web design.

CableTEL G-7, zh.k. Lozenets, bul. Nikola Vaptsarov 51A, tel. +359 2 480 01 11, [email protected], www. cabletel.bg. LAN and cable internet, IP telephony, cable and digital TV. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 21:00.

World War II Sofia is bombed by Allied aircraf t in late 1943 and early 1944, as well as later occupied by the Soviet Union. Bulgaria’s regime, which has allied the country with Nazi Germany, is overthrown and Sofia becomes capital of the Communist-ruled People’s Republic of Bulgaria (1944–1989).

Totalitarian regime (9 September 1944-10 November 1989) During the years of communism, Sofia becomes the nation’s major  economic, academic and cultural centre. From its years of socialist growth, however, the capital inherited a great  deal of problems, which are at present the priorities of the democratically - elected council of Sofia. 1992 In honour of the celebration of St. Sofia the Martyr, the Government chose September 17 th as the Day of Sofia. The  flag of Sofia Municipality is also conse crated on that day. The Day of Sofia is also celebrated like the Day of saints Vyara, Nadezhda and Lyubov. According to non official information nowadays Sofia has a population about 3 million people. Most of them come to the capital for work and business opportunities.

www.inyourpocket.com July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

Megalan Network H-8, ul. Yordan Yosifov 4, Business

Sofia may not be the best place in the world, in terms of  communication, but still the days of carrier pigeons are long gone. There are several free Wi-Fi zones in town: The park ”Gen. Vladimir Zaimov”, B-5 The park “Doktorskata Gradinka”, B-5 Central Bus Station, F-8 Shopping Center “Tsentralni hali”, A-2 NDK “Mostat na vlyubenite” (Lover’s Bridge), D-2

Bulgaria 0.35 Lv 0.55 Lv

Power Net B-1, ul. Ovche pole 122, fl.3, tel. +359 2 987 65 43/+359 43/+359 78 125 880, [email protected], www.powernet.bg. LAN and cable Internet, free dial-up, web services.

Spectrum Net G-8, bul. G.M.Dimitrov 36, tel. +359 2 489 06 00, [email protected], www.spnet.net. All kinds of  Internet services.

Laptop rental

Postal rates Postcards Letters

cenre Mania, fl.1, tel. +359 0800 18 400/+359 400/+359 0800 20 400, [email protected], www.megalan.bg.

Europe 1.00 Lv 1.00 Lv

USA & Others 1.40 Lv 1.40 Lv

Mobile phones Globul Mladost-4, Business Park, building 6, tel. +359 2 942 80 00, fax +359 2 942 80 10, CustomerCare@ globul.bg, www.globul.bg.One www.globul.bg. One of the main mobile operators. You You can buy their b-c onnect pre-pai d cards. For information tel. +359 (0) 89 123.

MTel ul. Kukush 1, tel. +359 888 088 088, fax +359 +359 888 500 885, [email protected], www.mtel. bg. Another major mobile opera tor.They sell prepaid cards for  the Prima network, available at most kiosks and shops.

Vivatel C-1, bul. Totleben Totleben 8, tel. +359 087 123, www. vivatel.bg. Bulgaria’s third mobile phone operator, started in 2005.

Phone rental Intrafonica Bulgaria near Sofia International Airport,

Bulgarian main city codes Blagoevgrad Burgas Dobrich Gabrovo Haskovo Yambol Kyustendil

73 56 58 66 38 46 78

Lovech Pazardzhik  Pernik  Pleven Plovdiv Ruse Silistra

68 34 76 64 32 82 86

Sliven Sofia Stara Zagora Varna V. Tarnovo Vidin Vratsa

44 2 42 52 62 94 92

The above codes should be pref ixed with 0 if dialing from inside Bulgaria.

Rent-a-Laptop F-6, bul. Dj. Neru 28 office 56, tel. +359 2 827 25 40/+359 889 589 596, office@rentalaptop. bg, www.rentalaptop.bg.Laptop www.rentalaptop.bg. Laptop rental, technical support  and delivery to airport or hotel. Order online, deliver y and pickup anytime. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

TNT G-9, ul. Nedelcho Bonchev 35, tel. +359 0700 11 666, fax +359 2 933 91 44, [email protected], ww w. tnt.com/country/bg_bg.html. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00.

Mr. Boyko Borisov is the current mayor of Sofia City and the informal leader of the party “Citizens for European Development in Bulgaria” (GERB in Bulgarian), the acronym meaning Coat of Arms in English. With his mandate approaching its end, Mr. Borisov is about to officially  enter the parliamentary elections, planned for June this year, running for the position of prime minister. Despite his rather controversial pe rsonality, he is one of the most  popular figures in Bulgarian politics today. Mr. Borisov graduated from the National Military Academy and was a member of the communist party. After the fall of communism, in 1991, he founded a private security company, which later guarded people like Todor Zhivkov and Simeon II. From 2001 until 2005 he was Chief Secretary of  the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior, but resigned in order  to enter the elections for mayor of Sofia.

keeping in touCh

Free Wi-Fi zones W

City Express C-3, ul. Gladston 58, tel. +359 2 912 12,

Mayor of Sofia

next century the city’s population included even Albanians and Persians. 17th century The Vatican establishes the Bishopric of Sofia   for Ottoman subjects belonging to the Catholic millet in Rumelia, which existed until 1715 when most Catholics had emigrated to Habsburg or Tsarist territories. 1878 Sofia is liberated by Russian forces in 1878, during the Russian-Turkish War (1877-1878) 1879 The city becomes the capital of the autonomous Principality of Bulgaria, which becomes Kingdom of Bulgaria in 1908. 1900 The City Council approves the emblem of Sofia and the motto “It Grows but Does not Age”. 1925 The gravest act of terrorism in Bulgarian history, the St Nedelya Church assault, is carried out by the Bulgarian Communist Party, claiming the lives of 150 and injuring  another 500.

keeping in touCh

tel. +359 2 49 13 330, customer.service@intrafonica. com, www.intrafonica.com. Short- to mid-term GSM cell phone rentals, local SIM cards and Mobile Internet ser vices delivered via GPRS, thus avoiding inflated roaming rates and incoming call charges. Rental packages are delivered either  to your hotel or to alternative address of your choice. Orders online available. QOpen 09:30 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Post  Central Post Office B-3, ul. Gurko 6, tel. +359 2 980 12 25, www.bgpost.bg. 08:00 - 13:00.

Q Open

07:00 - 20:30, Sun

International country codes Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Czech Rep. Denmark  Finland France Germany  Greece

43 32 359 385 420 45 358 33 49 30

Hungary  36 Ireland 353 Israel 972 Italy  39 Japan 61 Macedonia 389 Netherlands31 Netherlands31 Norway  47 Poland 48 Portugal 351

Romania 40 Russia 7 Serbia 381 Slovenia 386 Spain 34 Sweden 46 Switzerland 41 Turkey  90 UK 44 USA/Canada 1

The above codes should be prefixed with 00 if dialing from inside Bulgaria.

Bulgarian Bulgaria n resort resor t codes Albena Balchik  Bansko Borovets Golden sands Nessebar 

579 579 749 750 52 554

Pamporovo Sozopol St. St. Konstantin and Elena Sunny beach

3095 550 52 554

The above codes should be prefixed with 00 if dialing from inside Bulgaria.

Digital Systems B-3, ul. Triaditsa 4, tel. +359 2 981 13 01, fax +359 2 980 68 89, [email protected], www.digsys.bg. Wireless network, cable internet, virtual private networks, IP telephony, web services. Sofia In Your Po cket

sofia inyourpo cket com

sofia.inyourpocket.com

11

July - September  2009

13

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keeping in touCh Couriers

keeping in touCh Megalan Network H-8, ul. Yordan Yosifov 4, Business

Free Wi-Fi zones W

City Express C-3, ul. Gladston 58, tel. +359 2 912 12, www.city-express.com. QOpen 09:30 - 20:00.

DHL G-9, ul. Prodan Tarakchiev Tarakchiev 10, tel. +359 0 700 17 700., [email protected], www.dhl.bg. QOpen 09:00 - 17:30, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.

Direct F-7, ul. Rayna Knyaginya 7, tel. +359 2 928 98 98, [email protected], www.direct.bg. 09:00 - 17:30.

Q Open

Flying Cargo Bulgaria Ltd. (FedEx)G-9, ul. Nedelcho Bonchev 10, tel. +359 0 800 11 000, fax +359 +359 2 973 13 66, www.flyingcargo-bg.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

In Time /UPS/ G-9, ul. Nedelcho Bonchev 41, tel. +359 2 960 99, fax +359 2 960 98 99, intime@intime. bg, www.intime.bg. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 08:00 14:00. Closed Sun. Speedy D-3, bul. Cherni vrah 67, tel. +359 7001 7001, www.speedy.bg. Tel. 07001 8001 - for international delivary services. QOpen 09:00 - 18:30, Sat 09:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. Tip Top F-7, bul. Lomsko shose 35, tel. +359 2 936 99 99, fax +359 2 936 98 10, [email protected], www. courier.bg. QOpen 09:00 - 17:30, Sat 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.

Sofia may not be the best place in the world, in terms of  communication, but still the days of carrier pigeons are long gone. There are several free Wi-Fi zones in town: The park ”Gen. Vladimir Zaimov”, B-5 The park “Doktorskata Gradinka”, B-5 Central Bus Station, F-8 Shopping Center “Tsentralni hali”, A-2 NDK “Mostat na vlyubenite” (Lover’s Bridge), D-2

Bulgaria 0.35 Lv 0.55 Lv

Power Net B-1, ul. Ovche pole 122, fl.3, tel. +359 2 987 65 43/+359 43/+359 78 125 880, [email protected], www.powernet.bg. LAN and cable Internet, free dial-up, web services.

Spectrum Net G-8, bul. G.M.Dimitrov 36, tel. +359 2 489 06 00, [email protected], www.spnet.net. All kinds of  Internet services.

Laptop rental

Postal rates Postcards Letters

cenre Mania, fl.1, tel. +359 0800 18 400/+359 400/+359 0800 20 400, [email protected], www.megalan.bg.

Europe 1.00 Lv 1.00 Lv

USA & Others 1.40 Lv 1.40 Lv

Internet cafes Garibaldi C-3, ul. Graf Ignatiev 6, tel. +359 2 989 42 85, [email protected], www.garibaldicafe.net.Eighteen www.garibaldicafe.net.Eighteen computers plus scanning, printing and low-rate international phone calls. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. Price: 3.60Lv/hr.

Matritsata C-2, ul. Neofit Rilski 70, www.ma3x.net. QOpen 00:00

- 24:00. 2Lv/hr.

Site C-2, bul. Vitosha 45, tel. +359 2 986 08 96, info@ siteout.net, www.siteout.net.Quiet, www.siteout.net. Quiet, comfortable sp ot in a courtyard just off the street. Coffee and other drinks. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. Price: 2Lv/hr.

Virtus C-2, ul. Khan Asparuh 53, www.virtus.hit.bg. QOpen 00:00

- 24:00. 2Lv/hr.

ISPs Bitex D-2, ul. Frityof Nansen 9, tel. +359 2 980 02 38, [email protected], www.bitex.com. Dial-up services, wireless Internet, leased lines, hosting, web design.

CableTEL G-7, zh.k. Lozenets, bul. Nikola Vaptsarov 51A, tel. +359 2 480 01 11, [email protected], www. cabletel.bg. LAN and cable internet, IP telephony, cable and digital TV. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 21:00.

Mobile phones Globul Mladost-4, Business Park, building 6, tel. +359 2 942 80 00, fax +359 2 942 80 10, CustomerCare@ globul.bg, www.globul.bg.One www.globul.bg. One of the main mobile operators. You You can buy their b-c onnect pre-pai d cards. For information tel. +359 (0) 89 123.

MTel ul. Kukush 1, tel. +359 888 088 088, fax +359 +359 888 500 885, [email protected], www.mtel. bg. Another major mobile opera tor.They sell prepaid cards for  the Prima network, available at most kiosks and shops.

Vivatel C-1, bul. Totleben Totleben 8, tel. +359 087 123, www. vivatel.bg. Bulgaria’s third mobile phone operator, started in 2005.

Phone rental Intrafonica Bulgaria near Sofia International Airport,

Bulgarian main city codes Blagoevgrad Burgas Dobrich Gabrovo Haskovo Yambol Kyustendil

73 56 58 66 38 46 78

Lovech Pazardzhik  Pernik  Pleven Plovdiv Ruse Silistra

68 34 76 64 32 82 86

Sliven Sofia Stara Zagora Varna V. Tarnovo Vidin Vratsa

44 2 42 52 62 94 92

The above codes should be pref ixed with 0 if dialing from inside Bulgaria.

Rent-a-Laptop F-6, bul. Dj. Neru 28 office 56, tel. +359 2 827 25 40/+359 889 589 596, office@rentalaptop. bg, www.rentalaptop.bg.Laptop www.rentalaptop.bg. Laptop rental, technical support  and delivery to airport or hotel. Order online, deliver y and pickup anytime. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

TNT G-9, ul. Nedelcho Bonchev 35, tel. +359 0700 11 666, fax +359 2 933 91 44, [email protected], ww w. tnt.com/country/bg_bg.html. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00.

13

tel. +359 2 49 13 330, customer.service@intrafonica. com, www.intrafonica.com. Short- to mid-term GSM cell phone rentals, local SIM cards and Mobile Internet ser vices delivered via GPRS, thus avoiding inflated roaming rates and incoming call charges. Rental packages are delivered either  to your hotel or to alternative address of your choice. Orders online available. QOpen 09:30 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Post  Central Post Office B-3, ul. Gurko 6, tel. +359 2 980 12 25, www.bgpost.bg. 08:00 - 13:00.

Q Open

07:00 - 20:30, Sun

International country codes Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Czech Rep. Denmark  Finland France Germany  Greece

43 32 359 385 420 45 358 33 49 30

Hungary  36 Ireland 353 Israel 972 Italy  39 Japan 61 Macedonia 389 Netherlands31 Netherlands31 Norway  47 Poland 48 Portugal 351

Romania 40 Russia 7 Serbia 381 Slovenia 386 Spain 34 Sweden 46 Switzerland 41 Turkey  90 UK 44 USA/Canada 1

The above codes should be prefixed with 00 if dialing from inside Bulgaria.

Bulgarian Bulgaria n resort resor t codes Albena Balchik  Bansko Borovets Golden sands Nessebar 

579 579 749 750 52 554

Pamporovo Sozopol St. St. Konstantin and Elena Sunny beach

3095 550 52 554

The above codes should be prefixed with 00 if dialing from inside Bulgaria.

Digital Systems B-3, ul. Triaditsa 4, tel. +359 2 981 13 01, fax +359 2 980 68 89, [email protected], www.digsys.bg. Wireless network, cable internet, virtual private networks, IP telephony, web services. Sofia In Your Po cket

14

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

Culture & events If you can manage to tear yourself away from the fashion and sport channels to which the TVs in Sofia’s cafes and bars seem permanently tuned, there is a huge amount of  high-quality culture awaiting your enjoyment. Tickets for  all events are extremely af fordable by western standarts, so there’s really no excuse for giving such a rich cultural menu a miss.

Culture & events

The Bulgarian symbol

Goethe-Institut Sofia B-4, ul. Budapeshta 1, tel. +359 2 939 01 00, fax +359 2 939 01 99, info@sofia. goethe.org, www.goethe.de/sofia. Challenging and off-beat contemporary art shows, in the German cultural centre. QOpen , Mon, Fri 10:00 - 14:00, Tue, Wed, Thu 14:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. 154 526, [email protected], www. greencatgallery.com.

Maksim B-2, ul. Lom 1, tel. +359 2 988 10 62, info@ maxim-gallery.com, www.maxim-gallery.com. Contemporary work by leading Bulgarian painters and sculptors, in a beautiful split-level space. QOpen 11:00 - 18:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Rakursi C-3, ul. Khan Krum 4A, tel. +359 2 981 26 17, [email protected], www.rakursi.com. Small private gallery specializing in contemporary Bulgarian art, representing sizeable stable of established and emerging artists. Extensive collection of paintings, graphics, photographs and sculptures at all prices. QOpen 11:00 - 19:30, Sat 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun.

Sculpture park G-8, ul. Aleksandar Zhendov 2, tel. +359 2 948 20 36, [email protected]. bg, www.sic.mfa.government.bg. In the Sculpture park  outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs s are exhibited over 90 works created by Bulgarian sculptors from the 1930’s until the present days and other monuments. QOpen , Sat, Sun 11:00 - 17:00. Shipka 6 B-5, ul. Shipka 6, tel. +359 2 846 71 13, fax +359 2 946 02 12, [email protected], www.sbhart.com. Located in the upper storeys of the Bulgarian Artists’ Union building, this hosts a wide variety of shows by artists from Bulgaria and beyond. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon.

and more. Near the Vardar metro station. Another branch at  H-8, Mladost-4, Business Park Sofia. Q (7-12Lv). PK

Ticket offices

Cinema City B-1, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 101,

National Palace of Culture D-2, pl. Bulgaria 1, tel. 916 63 69. 69 . QOpen 8:00 – 19:00 Orange music store B-3, Orange Center, 2nd floor, ul. Graf Ignatiev 18, tel. 985 41 41, orangemusic@ netbg.com. netbg.com. Qopen 9:00 – 21:00 Ticketstream B-2, ul. Tsar Samuil 50, tel. 981 38 59, www.ticketstream.bg. QOpen: 9:30 – 18:00

tel. +359 2 981 19 11, fax +359 2 981 57 77, [email protected], [email protected], www.cinemacity.bg.State-of-the-art  www.cinemacity.bg.State-of-the-art  multiscreen in the Mall of Sofia shopping complex, surrounded by fast-food outlets and other places to spend your money. Also includes the Mtel Imax cinema, where you can sit back  in your 3-D spectacles and have your brain scrambled by the twenty-four-metre-w twenty-four-metre-wide ide screen. Q (7-12Lv). P

Art galleries

GreenCat Gallery C-5, ul. Varbiza Varbiza 6, tel. +359 886

July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

The Rila Monastery or officially: The Monastery Saint John of Rila (Bulgarian: Рилски манастир, Rilski manastir) is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the northwestern Rila Mountains, 117 km (73 mi) south of the capital Sofia in the valley of the Rilska River at an elevation of 1,147 m above sea level. The monastery  is named after the famous Bulgaria saint and hermit John of Rila.

Founded in the 10th century, the Rila Monastery  is regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most important  cultural, historical and architectural monuments.

Cineplex D-2, bul. Arsenalski 2, tel. +359 2 964 30 07, www.cineplex.bg. Nine-screen cinema on the top floor of  the City Center Sofia shopping mall. Not too far from the city  centre, and with loads of eating and drinking opportunities opportunities in the mall itself. Q (6-12Lv). P

Odeon C-1, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 1, tel. +359 2 989 24 69. Showing old movies and nothing else, this is a great  place to sit back and enjoy a big-screen nostalgia-fest. Q (4-6 Lv).

Euro Cinema B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 17, tel. +359 2 980 41 61, [email protected] [email protected]. Well-chosen menu of classy European flicks and non-mainstream choices. Q (4-5Lv).

B-5, ul. Panayot Volov 2, tel. +359 2 944 50 85, [email protected], [email protected], www.musictheatre.bg. www.musictheatre.bg. The National Musical Theatre is an institution of ballet, musicals and operetta which is now more than 60 years old. There are 300 people: singers, musicians, dancers, directors, painters and technical staff, who work day and night to amuse your  eyes and ears. They give 20 performances each week and about 150 thousand people are happy to enjoy them each year. The dancing and singing group makes annual tours in Bulgaria and Europe.

House of Cinema (Dom na kinoto) A-3, ul. Ekzarh Yosif 37, tel. +359 2 980 39 11. This is the place for the real movie buffs. If it won a prize at an obscure European  festival, it will probably be shown here. Q (6-7 Lv).

Kino Vlaykova C-5, ul. Tsar Ivan Asen 11, tel. +359 2 944 39 23. An old-fashioned, single-screen cinema in the leafy Ivan Asen district, screening a mixture of ar t films and Hollywood flicks. The cinema’s bar also serves as local pub and snooker hall. Q (3-5Lv).

National Musical Theatre (Stefan Makedonski)

www.inyourpocket.com

Free Downloads There’s far more to In Your Pocket than this print version of our latest guide. We print guides in more than 50 cities across Europe, and In Your Pocket offers the vast majority of them for  free download, in PDF, at our website. A number  of guides are now also available as post-PDF, post-PDF, iPaper documents. Just visit our website at  inyourpocket.com for all our available downloads.

Sibank Galeria B-3, ul. Slavyanska 2, tel. +359 2 939 92 80. Tucked away behind the National Theatre in the headquarters of a major bank, this gallery concentra tes on big  names from the contemporary Bulgarian art world. Expec t the kind of head-scratching installations and conceptual works that are in short supply elsewhere. QOpen 11:00 - 19:00, Sat, Sun 15:00 - 19:00. The Red House (Chervenata kashta) C-4, ul. Lyuben Karavelov 15, tel. +359 2 988 81 88, info@ redhouse-sofia.org, www.redhouse-sofia.org. An early  twentieth-century twentieth-century mansion now serving as a cutting-edge cultural centre for Sofia’s arty set. There’s a meaty menu of exhibitions, small-scale small-scale concerts, video screenings and drama. QOpen 15:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Cinemas Arena Zapad F-7, bul. Todor Aleksandrov 64, tel. +359 2 920 99 99, www.kinoarena.com. Biggest of the multiplexes, with 15 screens, on-site pizzeria, ice cream parlour 

Sofia In Your Po cket

sofia inyourpo cket com

sofia.inyourpocket.com

July - September  2009

15

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Culture & events If you can manage to tear yourself away from the fashion and sport channels to which the TVs in Sofia’s cafes and bars seem permanently tuned, there is a huge amount of  high-quality culture awaiting your enjoyment. Tickets for  all events are extremely af fordable by western standarts, so there’s really no excuse for giving such a rich cultural menu a miss.

Culture & events

The Bulgarian symbol

Goethe-Institut Sofia B-4, ul. Budapeshta 1, tel. +359 2 939 01 00, fax +359 2 939 01 99, info@sofia. goethe.org, www.goethe.de/sofia. Challenging and off-beat contemporary art shows, in the German cultural centre. QOpen , Mon, Fri 10:00 - 14:00, Tue, Wed, Thu 14:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. 154 526, [email protected], www. greencatgallery.com.

Maksim B-2, ul. Lom 1, tel. +359 2 988 10 62, info@ maxim-gallery.com, www.maxim-gallery.com. Contemporary work by leading Bulgarian painters and sculptors, in a beautiful split-level space. QOpen 11:00 - 18:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Rakursi C-3, ul. Khan Krum 4A, tel. +359 2 981 26 17, [email protected], www.rakursi.com. Small private gallery specializing in contemporary Bulgarian art, representing sizeable stable of established and emerging artists. Extensive collection of paintings, graphics, photographs and sculptures at all prices. QOpen 11:00 - 19:30, Sat 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun.

Sculpture park G-8, ul. Aleksandar Zhendov 2, tel. +359 2 948 20 36, [email protected]. bg, www.sic.mfa.government.bg. In the Sculpture park  outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs s are exhibited over 90 works created by Bulgarian sculptors from the 1930’s until the present days and other monuments. QOpen , Sat, Sun 11:00 - 17:00. Shipka 6 B-5, ul. Shipka 6, tel. +359 2 846 71 13, fax +359 2 946 02 12, [email protected], www.sbhart.com. Located in the upper storeys of the Bulgarian Artists’ Union building, this hosts a wide variety of shows by artists from Bulgaria and beyond. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon.

Ticket offices

Cinema City B-1, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 101,

National Palace of Culture D-2, pl. Bulgaria 1, tel. 916 63 69. 69 . QOpen 8:00 – 19:00 Orange music store B-3, Orange Center, 2nd floor, ul. Graf Ignatiev 18, tel. 985 41 41, orangemusic@ netbg.com. netbg.com. Qopen 9:00 – 21:00 Ticketstream B-2, ul. Tsar Samuil 50, tel. 981 38 59, www.ticketstream.bg. QOpen: 9:30 – 18:00

tel. +359 2 981 19 11, fax +359 2 981 57 77, [email protected], [email protected], www.cinemacity.bg.State-of-the-art  www.cinemacity.bg.State-of-the-art  multiscreen in the Mall of Sofia shopping complex, surrounded by fast-food outlets and other places to spend your money. Also includes the Mtel Imax cinema, where you can sit back  in your 3-D spectacles and have your brain scrambled by the twenty-four-metre-w twenty-four-metre-wide ide screen. Q (7-12Lv). P

Art galleries

GreenCat Gallery C-5, ul. Varbiza Varbiza 6, tel. +359 886

and more. Near the Vardar metro station. Another branch at  H-8, Mladost-4, Business Park Sofia. Q (7-12Lv). PK

The Rila Monastery or officially: The Monastery Saint John of Rila (Bulgarian: Рилски манастир, Rilski manastir) is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the northwestern Rila Mountains, 117 km (73 mi) south of the capital Sofia in the valley of the Rilska River at an elevation of 1,147 m above sea level. The monastery  is named after the famous Bulgaria saint and hermit John of Rila.

Founded in the 10th century, the Rila Monastery  is regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most important  cultural, historical and architectural monuments.

Cineplex D-2, bul. Arsenalski 2, tel. +359 2 964 30 07, www.cineplex.bg. Nine-screen cinema on the top floor of  the City Center Sofia shopping mall. Not too far from the city  centre, and with loads of eating and drinking opportunities opportunities in the mall itself. Q (6-12Lv). P

Odeon C-1, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 1, tel. +359 2 989 24 69. Showing old movies and nothing else, this is a great  place to sit back and enjoy a big-screen nostalgia-fest. Q (4-6 Lv).

Euro Cinema B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 17, tel. +359 2 980 41 61, [email protected] [email protected]. Well-chosen menu of classy European flicks and non-mainstream choices. Q (4-5Lv).

B-5, ul. Panayot Volov 2, tel. +359 2 944 50 85, [email protected], [email protected], www.musictheatre.bg. www.musictheatre.bg. The National Musical Theatre is an institution of ballet, musicals and operetta which is now more than 60 years old. There are 300 people: singers, musicians, dancers, directors, painters and technical staff, who work day and night to amuse your  eyes and ears. They give 20 performances each week and about 150 thousand people are happy to enjoy them each year. The dancing and singing group makes annual tours in Bulgaria and Europe.

House of Cinema (Dom na kinoto) A-3, ul. Ekzarh Yosif 37, tel. +359 2 980 39 11. This is the place for the real movie buffs. If it won a prize at an obscure European  festival, it will probably be shown here. Q (6-7 Lv).

Kino Vlaykova C-5, ul. Tsar Ivan Asen 11, tel. +359 2 944 39 23. An old-fashioned, single-screen cinema in the leafy Ivan Asen district, screening a mixture of ar t films and Hollywood flicks. The cinema’s bar also serves as local pub and snooker hall. Q (3-5Lv).

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National Musical Theatre (Stefan Makedonski)

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Free Downloads There’s far more to In Your Pocket than this print version of our latest guide. We print guides in more than 50 cities across Europe, and In Your Pocket offers the vast majority of them for  free download, in PDF, at our website. A number  of guides are now also available as post-PDF, post-PDF, iPaper documents. Just visit our website at  inyourpocket.com for all our available downloads.

Sibank Galeria B-3, ul. Slavyanska 2, tel. +359 2 939 92 80. Tucked away behind the National Theatre in the headquarters of a major bank, this gallery concentra tes on big  names from the contemporary Bulgarian art world. Expec t the kind of head-scratching installations and conceptual works that are in short supply elsewhere. QOpen 11:00 - 19:00, Sat, Sun 15:00 - 19:00. The Red House (Chervenata kashta) C-4, ul. Lyuben Karavelov 15, tel. +359 2 988 81 88, info@ redhouse-sofia.org, www.redhouse-sofia.org. An early  twentieth-century twentieth-century mansion now serving as a cutting-edge cultural centre for Sofia’s arty set. There’s a meaty menu of exhibitions, small-scale small-scale concerts, video screenings and drama. QOpen 15:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Cinemas Arena Zapad F-7, bul. Todor Aleksandrov 64, tel. +359 2 920 99 99, www.kinoarena.com. Biggest of the multiplexes, with 15 screens, on-site pizzeria, ice cream parlour 

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Culture & events

Culture & events

Hot DJs on the beach - Sunny Beach

Bansko International Jazz Festival - 08.08-13.08.2009

Summertime Dance Explosion Solar 09 The row of parties will start on 25th of July with main guest  Pete Tong on Cacao Beach. The Bulgarian DJs Juan Alvarez  and Liubo Ursini will heat up the fans.

The most famous trance DJ will explode the whole of Sunny  Beach and even Nessebar with his magic music. DJ Tiesto succeeded in changing the notion of the house and Trans music. He is the only DJ in the world, chosen 3 times for “The Best DJ on Earth” by the prestigious “DJ Magazine”. He is also the first DJ to play live on a ceremony for opening of  the Olympic Game s (Athens 2004) and was nominated for a Grammy award for his album “Elements of Life” in 2008. 08.08 Victor Calderone, Cacao Beach, Sunny beach

25.07 Pete Tong, Cacao Beach, Sunny Beach His incredible feel for hit sound made him the favourite of thousands of fans around all continents. His shows on “BBC Radio 1” - “Essential Mix” and “Essential Selection”, became legendary because of the production of his own label - “FFRR Records”. His famous sets on international  festivals and the blowing parties in club Pacha in Ibisa, where he lived for years, will always be remembered.

The New York house legend Victor Calderone will b e a guest  on the festival for a second time. As a producer and DJ he differentiates from his colleagues with his constant st rive to go beyond the boundaries of the genre. He became a star  after his hits “Give It Up”, “Bea t Me Harder” and “Resonate”. He will enchant you with his sexy style, inspired performance and sets which combine the old and the new in tribal and minimal techno beats. 15.08 DJ Mark Knight and DJ Martijn Ten Velden,

31.07 Robbie Rivera, Bedroom, Sunny Beach Robbie will flood club Bedroom with his electro house sounds. He remixed some of  the hits of the world famous artists as Faithless, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Ricky  Martin, Santana, Pink and others. The pick of his career is the label Juicy Music known by the productions of  high quality house, progressive and electronic music. His parties Juicy Miami and Juicy Ibiza are a real magnet  to the fans of electronic music. Next to being a DJ and producer Robbie made also 3 radio shows. Cacao Beach, Sunny Beach On the 15th of August will be the closing party of Summertime Dance Explosion Solar ’09 and the night is reser ved for  2 stars – DJ Mark Knigh t and DJ Martijn Ten Velden. They are unique as a team and repeatedl y have brought the Bulgarian public to ecstasy. The last time they have been in Bulgaria was on New Year’s Eve Eve in the Yalta Club. They arrive he re as the representatives of the l eading world label for electronic music Toolroom Records, established in 2004 from Mark  Knight. In 2008 the explosive carrier of Mark gets him to the 42nd place in the Top 100 of DJ Mag. Their energizing  performance is a guarantee to get the party spirits going  and to be remembered till next summer. 02.08 DJ Tiesto, Cacao Beach, Sunny Beach

Sofia In Your Po cket

July - September  2009

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Since its first edition in 1997, The Bulgarian ski resort of  Bansko hosts an International Jazz Festival branded “the music of the free people”. Under the inspiration by Dr  Iliev’s idea to transform Bansko into a centre of significant  cultural importance, the festival is fulfilling its purpose year  after year.. The number of participants and quality of p erformances has been steadily increasing and this year is no exception with a line-up that includes the Janne Ersson Big Band. This year  the festival takes place from 8th - 13 of August. MAIN STAGE - VAPCAROV SQUARE BANSKO (all conce rts start at 7.30 p.m.) Vasil Petrov & Mery Taneva and big band Blagoevgrad – Bulgaria 8.8.2009 OTTO HEJNIC TRIO (Czech Republic, Slovakia) 8.08.2009 Besides being fine instrumentalists, the members of  the OTTO HEJNIC TRIO are also original, contemporary  composers. The trio plays its own inventive, imaginative  jazz. The leading figure is Otto Hejnic – an exceptional drummer. The young virtuoso pianist, composer and musician is Ondrej Krajnak. Stefan Bartus is one of the few “white”  jazz double bass players with a black st yle of playing, the so-called black feeling. CLARE TEAL and her band (UK) 8.08.2009 Clare Teal is a singer with an impressive voice, a composer  with her own signature and, last but not least – an amazing  person with a “craz y” sense of humour. Born in Yorkshire, UK, she made her fist steps as a vocalist at the a ge of 15. Clare’s new album Get Happy features both her own compositions as well as cover versions. They include Love Hurts and Cheek  to Cheek, which she performs with an enviable feeling for  style. At the same time, she d elivers an amazing modern interpretation of classic jazz. MACIEJ SIKALA TRIO (Poland) 9.08.2009 Maciej Sikala graduated the jazz department of the Music Academy in Katowice in 1987. Since 1998 has been playing in trio with Piotr Lemanczyk  and Tomasz Sowinski both his own compositions and jazz  standards. Piotr Lemanczyk – double bass, bass guitar, guitar, composer, and arranger. Tomasz Sowinski – a graduate of  the Music Academy in Gdansk. MARIO STANTCHEV TRIO (France) 9.8.2009 Pianist Mario Stantchev was born in Bulgaria, where he was educated. Mario left Bulgaria three decades ago and has since been living and working in France where he is performing as well as teaching. He lectures at the jazz  department he founded at the National Conservatoire Conservatoire in Lyon. At present, this is one of the most renowned specialisededucationalestablishmentsin Europe.Together  Together  with his numerous friends and fans in Bulgaria, Mario will mark two round anniversaries – his 60th birthday which he celebrated last year and 30 years in France. Keiko Borjeson and WomaJazz 9.8.2009 Keiko Borjeson began her career as a classical musician. Born in Tokyo, Tokyo, aged only fi ve she made her debu t on National Television with Beethoven’s “Fur Elise”. Kazuko Yasukawa – one of the best-known Japanese peda gogues – was her  teacher for many years.

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Last year, Keiko became a great friend of Bulgaria. During  the 11th Jazz Festival in Bansko, she presented music from her last album Not Alone. This year the singer will perform together with Woma Jazz – an attractive and successful women’s jazz formation. Its members include Irene Robbins – piano and vocal, Silvia Bolognesi – bass, and the dancer  Acai Arop Lombardi. At the heart of this project are the temperamental Keiko and Irene – two ladies with strong  scenic presence and invention. Kamelia Todorova – Bulgaria 10.8.2009 Vocal group JAZZEX (Ukraine) 10.08.2009 JAZZEX is a synonym of high professionalism, huge experience in various music genres, an example of creative collaboration, inspired by six artistic individualities. The vocalists present the best of the past and present – world  famous hits and modern rhy thms, Slavic folklore..... in fact – a vast music universe. The groups’ debut album Bee JAZZEX was released in December 2007. JUDY LEWIS TRIO (Israel) 10.08.2009 Judy Lewis began her career as a jazz musician some 10 years ago – a difficult time in her personal life. Judy was looking after her four children on her own, working a 40-hour  week and doing all she could to promote her own music. She is now about to release her fif th, and has won the reputation of a unique musician. Judy started playing the piano at age seven, quickly realising  that this would be her vocation. She won a number of  music prizes already as a child. She enrolled in New York’s prestigious Columbia University where she studied for two years, but was strongly attracted to religion already as a   freshman. Gradually music took second place and Judy  moved to Jerusalem where she studied religion. Two years later she married a studen t rabbi and had four children. For  For  about 10 years she was member of one of the most ac tive sects in Jerusalem. In 1995 she divorced, left the religious society and returned to her true vocation. She completed her  musical education and toured with classical programmes for  three years. One day – for the first time in her life – she went  to a jazz concert and suddenly realised that that’s what she had been l ooking for. Her experience as a classical musician and her p enchant for progressive rock shaped her individual style as a jazz pianist. Brother Hood – Switzerland 11.8.2009 FOUR BONES JAZZ COMBO (Hungary) 11.08.2009 FOUR BONES JAZZ appeared in 2002 as a quartet. With their academic education, the four trombone players are truly devoted to their music instruments. They have had successful appearances at forums in Hungary, as well as in Austria, Britain, Romania, China and Germany. Four Bones Trombone Quartet boasts a varied repertoire, which ranges from the early Renaissance to contemporary music, through classical melodies, lively  rhythms and, of course, jazz. Occasionally the quartet is  joined by a rhy thm section, and the formation is known as the FOUR BONES JAZZ COMBO. In Bansko we will see the combo, together with Zita Gereben. CANDY DULFER and her band (Netherlands) 11.08.2009 Born in Amsterdam, she is the daughter of renowned jazz  saxophone player Hans Dulfer. Dulfer. Candy started playing the saxophone aged seven, and at the age of 14 she already 

July - September  2009

17

16

Culture & events

Culture & events

Hot DJs on the beach - Sunny Beach

Bansko International Jazz Festival - 08.08-13.08.2009

Summertime Dance Explosion Solar 09 The row of parties will start on 25th of July with main guest  Pete Tong on Cacao Beach. The Bulgarian DJs Juan Alvarez  and Liubo Ursini will heat up the fans.

The most famous trance DJ will explode the whole of Sunny  Beach and even Nessebar with his magic music. DJ Tiesto succeeded in changing the notion of the house and Trans music. He is the only DJ in the world, chosen 3 times for “The Best DJ on Earth” by the prestigious “DJ Magazine”. He is also the first DJ to play live on a ceremony for opening of  the Olympic Game s (Athens 2004) and was nominated for a Grammy award for his album “Elements of Life” in 2008. 08.08 Victor Calderone, Cacao Beach, Sunny beach

25.07 Pete Tong, Cacao Beach, Sunny Beach His incredible feel for hit sound made him the favourite of thousands of fans around all continents. His shows on “BBC Radio 1” - “Essential Mix” and “Essential Selection”, became legendary because of the production of his own label - “FFRR Records”. His famous sets on international  festivals and the blowing parties in club Pacha in Ibisa, where he lived for years, will always be remembered.

The New York house legend Victor Calderone will b e a guest  on the festival for a second time. As a producer and DJ he differentiates from his colleagues with his constant st rive to go beyond the boundaries of the genre. He became a star  after his hits “Give It Up”, “Bea t Me Harder” and “Resonate”. He will enchant you with his sexy style, inspired performance and sets which combine the old and the new in tribal and minimal techno beats. 15.08 DJ Mark Knight and DJ Martijn Ten Velden,

31.07 Robbie Rivera, Bedroom, Sunny Beach Robbie will flood club Bedroom with his electro house sounds. He remixed some of  the hits of the world famous artists as Faithless, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Ricky  Martin, Santana, Pink and others. The pick of his career is the label Juicy Music known by the productions of  high quality house, progressive and electronic music. His parties Juicy Miami and Juicy Ibiza are a real magnet  to the fans of electronic music. Next to being a DJ and producer Robbie made also 3 radio shows. Cacao Beach, Sunny Beach On the 15th of August will be the closing party of Summertime Dance Explosion Solar ’09 and the night is reser ved for  2 stars – DJ Mark Knigh t and DJ Martijn Ten Velden. They are unique as a team and repeatedl y have brought the Bulgarian public to ecstasy. The last time they have been in Bulgaria was on New Year’s Eve Eve in the Yalta Club. They arrive he re as the representatives of the l eading world label for electronic music Toolroom Records, established in 2004 from Mark  Knight. In 2008 the explosive carrier of Mark gets him to the 42nd place in the Top 100 of DJ Mag. Their energizing  performance is a guarantee to get the party spirits going  and to be remembered till next summer. 02.08 DJ Tiesto, Cacao Beach, Sunny Beach

Sofia In Your Po cket

18

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Since its first edition in 1997, The Bulgarian ski resort of  Bansko hosts an International Jazz Festival branded “the music of the free people”. Under the inspiration by Dr  Iliev’s idea to transform Bansko into a centre of significant  cultural importance, the festival is fulfilling its purpose year  after year.. The number of participants and quality of p erformances has been steadily increasing and this year is no exception with a line-up that includes the Janne Ersson Big Band. This year  the festival takes place from 8th - 13 of August. MAIN STAGE - VAPCAROV SQUARE BANSKO (all conce rts start at 7.30 p.m.) Vasil Petrov & Mery Taneva and big band Blagoevgrad – Bulgaria 8.8.2009 OTTO HEJNIC TRIO (Czech Republic, Slovakia) 8.08.2009 Besides being fine instrumentalists, the members of  the OTTO HEJNIC TRIO are also original, contemporary  composers. The trio plays its own inventive, imaginative  jazz. The leading figure is Otto Hejnic – an exceptional drummer. The young virtuoso pianist, composer and musician is Ondrej Krajnak. Stefan Bartus is one of the few “white”  jazz double bass players with a black st yle of playing, the so-called black feeling. CLARE TEAL and her band (UK) 8.08.2009 Clare Teal is a singer with an impressive voice, a composer  with her own signature and, last but not least – an amazing  person with a “craz y” sense of humour. Born in Yorkshire, UK, she made her fist steps as a vocalist at the a ge of 15. Clare’s new album Get Happy features both her own compositions as well as cover versions. They include Love Hurts and Cheek  to Cheek, which she performs with an enviable feeling for  style. At the same time, she d elivers an amazing modern interpretation of classic jazz. MACIEJ SIKALA TRIO (Poland) 9.08.2009 Maciej Sikala graduated the jazz department of the Music Academy in Katowice in 1987. Since 1998 has been playing in trio with Piotr Lemanczyk  and Tomasz Sowinski both his own compositions and jazz  standards. Piotr Lemanczyk – double bass, bass guitar, guitar, composer, and arranger. Tomasz Sowinski – a graduate of  the Music Academy in Gdansk. MARIO STANTCHEV TRIO (France) 9.8.2009 Pianist Mario Stantchev was born in Bulgaria, where he was educated. Mario left Bulgaria three decades ago and has since been living and working in France where he is performing as well as teaching. He lectures at the jazz  department he founded at the National Conservatoire Conservatoire in Lyon. At present, this is one of the most renowned specialisededucationalestablishmentsin Europe.Together  Together  with his numerous friends and fans in Bulgaria, Mario will mark two round anniversaries – his 60th birthday which he celebrated last year and 30 years in France. Keiko Borjeson and WomaJazz 9.8.2009 Keiko Borjeson began her career as a classical musician. Born in Tokyo, Tokyo, aged only fi ve she made her debu t on National Television with Beethoven’s “Fur Elise”. Kazuko Yasukawa – one of the best-known Japanese peda gogues – was her  teacher for many years.

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Culture & events had her own group - Funky Stuff. While still a teenager, Candy  recorded for international labels and at 20 she was already  touring the world. She started off playing soprano saxophone, but later switched to alto saxophone, which is still her favourite instrument. In America she gained popularity thanks to Prince. The mega-star invited her to join his proje cts, rocketing her  to fame. She is still often called “Prince’s girl”, and she is still his favourite sax player. Her music synthesizes rock and beat, blues, pop and jazz. Her latest projec t is called Funked up&Chilled Out. The blond diva will be playing Bansko after  three big concert tours – in Japan, Europe and the US. Michaela Rabitsch & Robert Pawlik Quartet 12.08.2009 Michaela Rabitsch is the “female Chat Baker of ourtime” – this is how the US Jazzscene magazine called her. She graduated the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz, studying   jazz and trumpet with Peter Tuscher Tuscher and Ingrid Jensen. Robert  Pawlik studied jazz guitar at the Conservatory in Vienna and at the American Institute of Music with Les Wise and Karl Ratzer. Their latest album Moods appeared in 2008. In it Michaela and Robert present ten original songs, inspired by their own life. Melancholic or full of energy and optimism, the pieces change their mood – just as in reality. This is the programme the quartet will present in Bansko. AXEL ZWINGENBERGER (Germany) 12.08.2009 Since the age of 19, pianist Axel Zwingenberger has been travelling the world as a genuine ambassador of Boogie Woogie. Born in 1955 in Hamburg, Germany he has played in some 50 countries in Asia, Africa, America and across Europe. He is currently the b est Boogie Woogie pianist in the world. In the early 1980s, the great Lionel Hampton invited him to join him in a concert tour of Europe, as well as in recordings for  American companies. Axel has released 29 CDs. They include recordings with greats such as Big Joe Turner, Jay McShann, Champion Jack Dupree and Sippie Wallace, to name but a few. He has eight solo albums. MANHATTAN TRANSFER (USA) 12.08.2009 As soon as they appeared in 1969, Manhattan Transfer  marked a new trend in the vocal recreation of jazz. The US group is named after one of the best known novels of John Dos Passos, whose action takes place in New York. Published in 1925, it recreates personal stories which happen in the so-called “golden age” of jazz. The group that still turns its concerts into a happening all over the world. The choice of  name was dictated by the common roots of the vocalists Manhattan New York. JAMIE DAVIS (USA) 13.08.2009 Jamie Davis is one of today’s greatest jazz vocalists. He has sung with some of the world’s best known names in the genre. Has worked with Patty Austin, Tony Tony Bennett, George Benson, the Count Basie Orchestra, Rosemary Clooney and Billy Cobham. Davis is called the “chocolate baritone” due to his fine deep timbre. He has taken part in festivals and concerts both in the USA as well as overseas. Most frequently he travels as lead vocalist for the Count Basie Orchestra. Jamie Davis’ latest disc is called Vibe O ver Perfection. It was released in 2008. ROY POWELL PEAK EXPERIENCE TRIO (Norway) 13.8.2009 The Norwegian trio was set up by p opular British pianist Roy  Powell. The musicians perform his original compositions, which are a blend of rock, funk and fusion. The other members of the group are Per Mathisen and Ivan Makedonov. Roy Powell was born in the UK. He studied piano and composition at the Royal Northern College of Music. Per 

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17

Last year, Keiko became a great friend of Bulgaria. During  the 11th Jazz Festival in Bansko, she presented music from her last album Not Alone. This year the singer will perform together with Woma Jazz – an attractive and successful women’s jazz formation. Its members include Irene Robbins – piano and vocal, Silvia Bolognesi – bass, and the dancer  Acai Arop Lombardi. At the heart of this project are the temperamental Keiko and Irene – two ladies with strong  scenic presence and invention. Kamelia Todorova – Bulgaria 10.8.2009 Vocal group JAZZEX (Ukraine) 10.08.2009 JAZZEX is a synonym of high professionalism, huge experience in various music genres, an example of creative collaboration, inspired by six artistic individualities. The vocalists present the best of the past and present – world  famous hits and modern rhy thms, Slavic folklore..... in fact – a vast music universe. The groups’ debut album Bee JAZZEX was released in December 2007. JUDY LEWIS TRIO (Israel) 10.08.2009 Judy Lewis began her career as a jazz musician some 10 years ago – a difficult time in her personal life. Judy was looking after her four children on her own, working a 40-hour  week and doing all she could to promote her own music. She is now about to release her fif th, and has won the reputation of a unique musician. Judy started playing the piano at age seven, quickly realising  that this would be her vocation. She won a number of  music prizes already as a child. She enrolled in New York’s prestigious Columbia University where she studied for two years, but was strongly attracted to religion already as a   freshman. Gradually music took second place and Judy  moved to Jerusalem where she studied religion. Two years later she married a studen t rabbi and had four children. For  For  about 10 years she was member of one of the most ac tive sects in Jerusalem. In 1995 she divorced, left the religious society and returned to her true vocation. She completed her  musical education and toured with classical programmes for  three years. One day – for the first time in her life – she went  to a jazz concert and suddenly realised that that’s what she had been l ooking for. Her experience as a classical musician and her p enchant for progressive rock shaped her individual style as a jazz pianist. Brother Hood – Switzerland 11.8.2009 FOUR BONES JAZZ COMBO (Hungary) 11.08.2009 FOUR BONES JAZZ appeared in 2002 as a quartet. With their academic education, the four trombone players are truly devoted to their music instruments. They have had successful appearances at forums in Hungary, as well as in Austria, Britain, Romania, China and Germany. Four Bones Trombone Quartet boasts a varied repertoire, which ranges from the early Renaissance to contemporary music, through classical melodies, lively  rhythms and, of course, jazz. Occasionally the quartet is  joined by a rhy thm section, and the formation is known as the FOUR BONES JAZZ COMBO. In Bansko we will see the combo, together with Zita Gereben. CANDY DULFER and her band (Netherlands) 11.08.2009 Born in Amsterdam, she is the daughter of renowned jazz  saxophone player Hans Dulfer. Dulfer. Candy started playing the saxophone aged seven, and at the age of 14 she already 

July - September  2009

Culture & events Mathisen studied at the renowned Berklee College of Music, Boston, USA. Ivan Makedonov is a Bulgarian, born in 1975 in Burgas. After graduating in classical piano and percussion, he moved to Norway, where he has been living for 15 years now. The group has had two successful tours in Bulgaria, playing  more than eight different towns. Bansko during summer? Yes! Bansko has much more to offer than ski and snow boarding during the winter months. If you already know the winter destination Bansko you may already know that Bansko is situated amidst endless natural beauty. Still this is a hidden part in what Bansko offers his guests. Bansko’s natural surrounding is part of the Pirin National Park. A park of such high importance that it is listed as World Heritage national park encompassing the larger part of the Pirin Mountain range. In this area of 274 km² are 2 nature reserves Bayuvi Dupki and Yulen. The altitude varies between the 1008 and 2914 m eters. Much of the area is forested, with the best conifer woods in Bulgaria, holding important populations of the Balkan endemic species Macedonian Pine, Bosnian Pine and Bulgarian Fir. Animals include the Deer, the Capricorn, the Wolf and the Brown Bear.

Restaurants Dedo Pene C-2, ul. Aleksandar Buynov 1, tel. +359 749 88 348/+359 8 8 795 970, fax +359 749 82223, info@ dedopene.com, www.dedopene.com.Dedo www.dedopene.com.Dedo Pene has established itself as a must-visit Bansko location over the years, not least because of its enjoyably eccentric interior - antlers, old radios, a startled-looking stuffed marten, and bits of wood that resemble human sexual organs are just some of the decorations to look out for. Pretty much everything in the local culinary repertoire is available here - from kapama and chomlek to the deliciously eccentric makedonski makedonski mandzhi (diced chicken cooked with prunes). For dessert, try the banitsa (flaky pastr y  pie) stuffed with bits of lokum (Turkish delight). The atmosphere is always lively and the folk music frequently excelle nt, ensuring that Dedo Pene is always worth a try. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. (8-25Lv). JAIEXS KDX hhh

Bansko during summer? Bansko during summer? Yes! Bansko has much more to offer than ski and snow boarding during the winter  months. If you already know the winter destination Bansko you may already know that  Bansko is situated amidst  endless natural beauty. Still this is a hidden part in what  Bansko offers his guests. Bansko’s natural surrounding  is part of the Pirin National Park. A park of such high importance that it is listed as World Heritage national park  encompassing the larger  part of the Pirin Mountain range. In this area of 274 km² are 2 nature reserves Bayuvi Dupki and Yulen. The altitude varies between the 1008 and 2914 meters. Much of the area is forested, with the best conifer woods in Bulgaria, holding important populations of the Balkan endemic species Macedonian Pine, Bosnian Pine and Bulgarian Fir. Animals include the Deer, the Capricorn, the Wolf and the Brown Bear. The park has an amazing variety of plant, animal and fish species on its territory, making it one of the most botanically, zoologically and ontologically interesting areas on the Balkan Peninsula. Peninsula. Whoever thought that Edelweiss only grows in the Swiss Alps definitely should pay a visit. Not less than 1300 plant species can be observed within the park. Besides this, about 300 moss species and a large amount of algae have been determined. About 2090 fauna species and subspecies are to be seen in the park, among them 300 rare species, 214 common and 175 relicts, as well as 15 that were included in in ternational endangered species lists. If fish has more your interest it is worth knowing that the park hosts 6 fish species constituting 

6% of the whole freshwater fish species of Bulgaria. For the amphibian lovers we report 8 species and 11 species of  reptiles to be present within the protected area. Animal life is not complete without also mentioning the birds, from the tiny sparrow to the mighty eagle which can be spotted in this unique area. Bansko area has also a lot to show as for history, from simple 1-2 room house museums to culturally unique monasteries like the world famous Rila monastery part of the Unesco World Heritage list. If mountaineering, mountain-biking, horse riding, Nordic walking, or even hunting are amongst the activities you are in to, the region around Bansko is all you need. The local Bansko tourist agency will be happy to assist you in finding the right  guides for you. Horse riding for sure will be a high light of your  holiday were you will have the chance to see breathtaking  scenery in the Kresna gorge on a horseback. What about romantic picnics to make you feel close to nature, amidst the trees and wild mountain rivers. Up-route to the ski tracks Bansko even has its own official picnic area, with tables and barbeque facilities. The Dancing Bears Rehabilitation Belitsa Park supported by  the Foundation Brigit te Bardot and the “Four Paws” Foundation is one of the ‘must’ visits. Bears in Bulgaria do not dance any  more in captivity. Here in their own park they have their own territory similar to to their natural habitat. A charity well worth your support. The last dancing bear has been brought to the park in 2007. Physical and mental relaxation that is what Bansko is about during the summer months. Various hotels offer offer Spa treatments, and each has its own speciality. Give yourself  the gift of b eing treated to your hearts delights. Bansko has grown into an international community, for this reason you for  sure will find a kitchen to your taste, from traditional Bulgarian to haute cuisine Greek style. Bansko during summer is a guaranteed destination that will provide you with an unforgettable experience.

great place to spend your winter or summer holidays. Mind that there is a minimum required stay of 3 nights during  the season and a week in the off-season. Q50 rooms (50 apartments €38 - 90). TRILGBDXW hhhh

Elitsa ul. Gotse Delchev 12, tel. +359 749 88 391/+359 888 009 090, fax +359 749 95 026, [email protected], www.hotel-elitsa.com. This hotel

Obetsanovata kashta C-2, pl. Vazrazhdane, tel. +359 749 82 236/+359 78 317 555, [email protected]. One of the oldest mehanas in town with water feature in the dining  hall. There’s a lip-licking variet y of grilled pork, veal and turkey  dishes on the menu, and a whole pig or lamb on a spit if you order 24 hours in advance. They offer game like wild boar, deer, and rabbit. Don’t miss out on the warm wine with blueberries. Party animals should be aware that Obetsanovata kashta is one of the best places in town for shkembe chorba, the spicy tripe soup used by locals as a hangover cure. QOpen 09:00 - 04:00. (13-25Lv). JAIEBXSW

Hotels

Pirin Lodge Gramadeto Area, tel. +359 749 95 031/+359 897 311 381, [email protected], www.pirinlodge.com. A place where you will be warmly 

sofia inyourpo cket com

welcomed in the small community of p eople, originating from different countries, and who own most of the apartments. Thus each apartment carries the spirit of diverse cultures and tastes and you will get the feeling of a country home. All of the apartments have cosy marble fireplaces, real wooden  floors, one or two bedrooms and spacious living rooms with sofas, dining table and kitchenette. There is a wellness centre with a whirlpool, a sauna and a steam bath, a laundry  room with washers and dr yers, children’s playground playground and an outdoor lane for Bavarian curling in winter and French jeu de boules /boccia in summer. Additional services include massage, shuttle to the lift, firewood delivery to the apartment, grocery shopping, use of swimming pool facilities at nearby hotel and airport pick-up and drop-off. All-in-all a

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Culture & events had her own group - Funky Stuff. While still a teenager, Candy  recorded for international labels and at 20 she was already  touring the world. She started off playing soprano saxophone, but later switched to alto saxophone, which is still her favourite instrument. In America she gained popularity thanks to Prince. The mega-star invited her to join his proje cts, rocketing her  to fame. She is still often called “Prince’s girl”, and she is still his favourite sax player. Her music synthesizes rock and beat, blues, pop and jazz. Her latest projec t is called Funked up&Chilled Out. The blond diva will be playing Bansko after  three big concert tours – in Japan, Europe and the US. Michaela Rabitsch & Robert Pawlik Quartet 12.08.2009 Michaela Rabitsch is the “female Chat Baker of ourtime” – this is how the US Jazzscene magazine called her. She graduated the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz, studying   jazz and trumpet with Peter Tuscher Tuscher and Ingrid Jensen. Robert  Pawlik studied jazz guitar at the Conservatory in Vienna and at the American Institute of Music with Les Wise and Karl Ratzer. Their latest album Moods appeared in 2008. In it Michaela and Robert present ten original songs, inspired by their own life. Melancholic or full of energy and optimism, the pieces change their mood – just as in reality. This is the programme the quartet will present in Bansko. AXEL ZWINGENBERGER (Germany) 12.08.2009 Since the age of 19, pianist Axel Zwingenberger has been travelling the world as a genuine ambassador of Boogie Woogie. Born in 1955 in Hamburg, Germany he has played in some 50 countries in Asia, Africa, America and across Europe. He is currently the b est Boogie Woogie pianist in the world. In the early 1980s, the great Lionel Hampton invited him to join him in a concert tour of Europe, as well as in recordings for  American companies. Axel has released 29 CDs. They include recordings with greats such as Big Joe Turner, Jay McShann, Champion Jack Dupree and Sippie Wallace, to name but a few. He has eight solo albums. MANHATTAN TRANSFER (USA) 12.08.2009 As soon as they appeared in 1969, Manhattan Transfer  marked a new trend in the vocal recreation of jazz. The US group is named after one of the best known novels of John Dos Passos, whose action takes place in New York. Published in 1925, it recreates personal stories which happen in the so-called “golden age” of jazz. The group that still turns its concerts into a happening all over the world. The choice of  name was dictated by the common roots of the vocalists Manhattan New York. JAMIE DAVIS (USA) 13.08.2009 Jamie Davis is one of today’s greatest jazz vocalists. He has sung with some of the world’s best known names in the genre. Has worked with Patty Austin, Tony Tony Bennett, George Benson, the Count Basie Orchestra, Rosemary Clooney and Billy Cobham. Davis is called the “chocolate baritone” due to his fine deep timbre. He has taken part in festivals and concerts both in the USA as well as overseas. Most frequently he travels as lead vocalist for the Count Basie Orchestra. Jamie Davis’ latest disc is called Vibe O ver Perfection. It was released in 2008. ROY POWELL PEAK EXPERIENCE TRIO (Norway) 13.8.2009 The Norwegian trio was set up by p opular British pianist Roy  Powell. The musicians perform his original compositions, which are a blend of rock, funk and fusion. The other members of the group are Per Mathisen and Ivan Makedonov. Roy Powell was born in the UK. He studied piano and composition at the Royal Northern College of Music. Per 

Culture & events Mathisen studied at the renowned Berklee College of Music, Boston, USA. Ivan Makedonov is a Bulgarian, born in 1975 in Burgas. After graduating in classical piano and percussion, he moved to Norway, where he has been living for 15 years now. The group has had two successful tours in Bulgaria, playing  more than eight different towns. Bansko during summer? Yes! Bansko has much more to offer than ski and snow boarding during the winter months. If you already know the winter destination Bansko you may already know that Bansko is situated amidst endless natural beauty. Still this is a hidden part in what Bansko offers his guests. Bansko’s natural surrounding is part of the Pirin National Park. A park of such high importance that it is listed as World Heritage national park encompassing the larger part of the Pirin Mountain range. In this area of 274 km² are 2 nature reserves Bayuvi Dupki and Yulen. The altitude varies between the 1008 and 2914 m eters. Much of the area is forested, with the best conifer woods in Bulgaria, holding important populations of the Balkan endemic species Macedonian Pine, Bosnian Pine and Bulgarian Fir. Animals include the Deer, the Capricorn, the Wolf and the Brown Bear.

Restaurants Dedo Pene C-2, ul. Aleksandar Buynov 1, tel. +359 749 88 348/+359 8 8 795 970, fax +359 749 82223, info@ dedopene.com, www.dedopene.com.Dedo www.dedopene.com.Dedo Pene has established itself as a must-visit Bansko location over the years, not least because of its enjoyably eccentric interior - antlers, old radios, a startled-looking stuffed marten, and bits of wood that resemble human sexual organs are just some of the decorations to look out for. Pretty much everything in the local culinary repertoire is available here - from kapama and chomlek to the deliciously eccentric makedonski makedonski mandzhi (diced chicken cooked with prunes). For dessert, try the banitsa (flaky pastr y  pie) stuffed with bits of lokum (Turkish delight). The atmosphere is always lively and the folk music frequently excelle nt, ensuring that Dedo Pene is always worth a try. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. (8-25Lv). JAIEXS KDX hhh

Bansko during summer? Bansko during summer? Yes! Bansko has much more to offer than ski and snow boarding during the winter  months. If you already know the winter destination Bansko you may already know that  Bansko is situated amidst  endless natural beauty. Still this is a hidden part in what  Bansko offers his guests. Bansko’s natural surrounding  is part of the Pirin National Park. A park of such high importance that it is listed as World Heritage national park  encompassing the larger  part of the Pirin Mountain range. In this area of 274 km² are 2 nature reserves Bayuvi Dupki and Yulen. The altitude varies between the 1008 and 2914 meters. Much of the area is forested, with the best conifer woods in Bulgaria, holding important populations of the Balkan endemic species Macedonian Pine, Bosnian Pine and Bulgarian Fir. Animals include the Deer, the Capricorn, the Wolf and the Brown Bear. The park has an amazing variety of plant, animal and fish species on its territory, making it one of the most botanically, zoologically and ontologically interesting areas on the Balkan Peninsula. Peninsula. Whoever thought that Edelweiss only grows in the Swiss Alps definitely should pay a visit. Not less than 1300 plant species can be observed within the park. Besides this, about 300 moss species and a large amount of algae have been determined. About 2090 fauna species and subspecies are to be seen in the park, among them 300 rare species, 214 common and 175 relicts, as well as 15 that were included in in ternational endangered species lists. If fish has more your interest it is worth knowing that the park hosts 6 fish species constituting 

great place to spend your winter or summer holidays. Mind that there is a minimum required stay of 3 nights during  the season and a week in the off-season. Q50 rooms (50 apartments €38 - 90). TRILGBDXW hhhh

Elitsa ul. Gotse Delchev 12, tel. +359 749 88 391/+359 888 009 090, fax +359 749 95 026, [email protected], www.hotel-elitsa.com. This hotel

749 82 236/+359 78 317 555, [email protected]. One of the oldest mehanas in town with water feature in the dining  hall. There’s a lip-licking variet y of grilled pork, veal and turkey  dishes on the menu, and a whole pig or lamb on a spit if you order 24 hours in advance. They offer game like wild boar, deer, and rabbit. Don’t miss out on the warm wine with blueberries. Party animals should be aware that Obetsanovata kashta is one of the best places in town for shkembe chorba, the spicy tripe soup used by locals as a hangover cure. QOpen 09:00 - 04:00. (13-25Lv). JAIEBXSW

Hotels

Pirin Lodge Gramadeto Area, tel. +359 749 95 031/+359 897 311 381, [email protected], www.pirinlodge.com. A place where you will be warmly 

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welcomed in the small community of p eople, originating from different countries, and who own most of the apartments. Thus each apartment carries the spirit of diverse cultures and tastes and you will get the feeling of a country home. All of the apartments have cosy marble fireplaces, real wooden  floors, one or two bedrooms and spacious living rooms with sofas, dining table and kitchenette. There is a wellness centre with a whirlpool, a sauna and a steam bath, a laundry  room with washers and dr yers, children’s playground playground and an outdoor lane for Bavarian curling in winter and French jeu de boules /boccia in summer. Additional services include massage, shuttle to the lift, firewood delivery to the apartment, grocery shopping, use of swimming pool facilities at nearby hotel and airport pick-up and drop-off. All-in-all a

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Culture & events is located in the direct proximity of both the town centre and the Gondola, amongst numerous mehanas. Elitsa of  fers a modern interior in rooms and public areas. For sure a good value for money. Do consider to book the romantic room with the Jacuzzi. The staff are friendly and speak  reasonable English. Open all-year so also recommended   for a summer visit. Q19 rooms (18 doubles €26 - 31, 1  Maisonette: €67). PJAILGBKDXW hhh

6% of the whole freshwater fish species of Bulgaria. For the amphibian lovers we report 8 species and 11 species of  reptiles to be present within the protected area. Animal life is not complete without also mentioning the birds, from the tiny sparrow to the mighty eagle which can be spotted in this unique area. Bansko area has also a lot to show as for history, from simple 1-2 room house museums to culturally unique monasteries like the world famous Rila monastery part of the Unesco World Heritage list. If mountaineering, mountain-biking, horse riding, Nordic walking, or even hunting are amongst the activities you are in to, the region around Bansko is all you need. The local Bansko tourist agency will be happy to assist you in finding the right  guides for you. Horse riding for sure will be a high light of your  holiday were you will have the chance to see breathtaking  scenery in the Kresna gorge on a horseback. What about romantic picnics to make you feel close to nature, amidst the trees and wild mountain rivers. Up-route to the ski tracks Bansko even has its own official picnic area, with tables and barbeque facilities. The Dancing Bears Rehabilitation Belitsa Park supported by  the Foundation Brigit te Bardot and the “Four Paws” Foundation is one of the ‘must’ visits. Bears in Bulgaria do not dance any  more in captivity. Here in their own park they have their own territory similar to to their natural habitat. A charity well worth your support. The last dancing bear has been brought to the park in 2007. Physical and mental relaxation that is what Bansko is about during the summer months. Various hotels offer offer Spa treatments, and each has its own speciality. Give yourself  the gift of b eing treated to your hearts delights. Bansko has grown into an international community, for this reason you for  sure will find a kitchen to your taste, from traditional Bulgarian to haute cuisine Greek style. Bansko during summer is a guaranteed destination that will provide you with an unforgettable experience.

Obetsanovata kashta C-2, pl. Vazrazhdane, tel. +359

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Culture & events have a small cosy tavern serving traditional Bansko dishes. The cook, chicho Stancho (uncle Stancho), claims he cooks by secret recipes and with special forest herbs. The be st part  of this cosy hotel is the wellness centre. They have Jacuzzi, 2 steam rooms, sauna, relaxation area, hammam bed, beauty  salon and fitness and they offer all types of treatments and procedures - from Talasso and aroma therapies, to chocolate and anti-cellulite massages. They also have rooms service, laundry and ironing and free shuttle to the Gondola. Q25 rooms (25 apartments €13 - 31). AR6IFGB

Premier Luxury Mountain Resort E-4, ul. Karaman-

Chicho Cane ul. Knyaz Boris I 13, tel. +359 749 88 177/+359 898 n913 070, [email protected]. On walking distance from the centre of Bansko, where it all happens during the day and especially during th e après-ski hours, you’ll  find this traditional Bansko style family ho tel. Within this small hotel all luxury is at hand, including a traditional Bulgarian restaurant (Mehana) with a barbeque area where you can enjoy great moments feeling the traditional atmosphere of Bansko. The all-year round hotel has a summer garden attached to it with views to Pirin Mountain and the feeling  of the refreshing air. Sauna, steam bath and Jacuzzi are also available. Rooms come with a nice interior and flat screen TV’s.Q15 rooms (12 doubles €11, 3 apartments €41).

itsa 11, Gramadeto area, tel. +359 2 490 22 07/+359 07/+359 2 490 22 07, fax +359 2 490 22 04, [email protected], miermountainresort.com, www.premiermountainresort. com. With a lovely view to the surrounding mountains and  forests, this apart hotel offers a true 4 star experience with grace. The hotel opened on May 1st, 2009 and is located in the newly built part of Bansko about 15 min walking distance from the centre and the gondola. gondola. The apartments are  furnished elegantly and with imagination. There is a bedroom with twin beds and a living room with sofa, dining table and a kitchenette. The furniture is built to last rather than just look  good. The bathrooms are with shower cabins and some are with bathtubs. They have a great wellness centre - Asana Spa -with steam bath, sauna, relaxation area, massage and aromatherapy. There is a bar, buffet and a-la-carte restaurant. The Greek gourmet chef is the award-winner Yiannis Baksevanis and he certainly de serves our applause. Ask for the lamb chops and the strawberry mousse. The service is excellent  and personalized. We hope it will stay that way even when the crowds hit the slopes this winter. For sure a hotel where you can also spend your summer holidays and a great starting  point for early morning mountain walks. Q144 rooms (61  suites €50 - 80, 51 One room apartment: €80 - 95, 21 Two room apartment: €100 - 115, 2 Maisonette with 1 bedroom:  €125, 6 Maisonette with 2 bedrooms: €165, 3 Maisonette with 3 bedrooms: €235). PTHARUIFLGB�

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Mountain Romance ul. Zahari Stoyanov 54, tel. +359 749 91 299/+359 885 992 333, mountain_romance@

mail.bg, www.hotel-mr.com. Located in the new part of  Bansko, this hotel makes a nice vacation place for winter or  summer holidays alike. The place is just 10 min away from the Gondola and 15 min away from the historical part of the city. They have studios and apartments with kitchenette, twin or double beds, sofa, telephone and satellite TV. The bathrooms are either with shower cabins or bath tubs. They 

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Culture & events is located in the direct proximity of both the town centre and the Gondola, amongst numerous mehanas. Elitsa of  fers a modern interior in rooms and public areas. For sure a good value for money. Do consider to book the romantic room with the Jacuzzi. The staff are friendly and speak  reasonable English. Open all-year so also recommended   for a summer visit. Q19 rooms (18 doubles €26 - 31, 1  Maisonette: €67). PJAILGBKDXW hhh

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have a small cosy tavern serving traditional Bansko dishes. The cook, chicho Stancho (uncle Stancho), claims he cooks by secret recipes and with special forest herbs. The be st part  of this cosy hotel is the wellness centre. They have Jacuzzi, 2 steam rooms, sauna, relaxation area, hammam bed, beauty  salon and fitness and they offer all types of treatments and procedures - from Talasso and aroma therapies, to chocolate and anti-cellulite massages. They also have rooms service, laundry and ironing and free shuttle to the Gondola. Q25 rooms (25 apartments €13 - 31). AR6IFGB

Premier Luxury Mountain Resort E-4, ul. Karaman-

Chicho Cane ul. Knyaz Boris I 13, tel. +359 749 88 177/+359 898 n913 070, [email protected]. On walking distance from the centre of Bansko, where it all happens during the day and especially during th e après-ski hours, you’ll  find this traditional Bansko style family ho tel. Within this small hotel all luxury is at hand, including a traditional Bulgarian restaurant (Mehana) with a barbeque area where you can enjoy great moments feeling the traditional atmosphere of Bansko. The all-year round hotel has a summer garden attached to it with views to Pirin Mountain and the feeling  of the refreshing air. Sauna, steam bath and Jacuzzi are also available. Rooms come with a nice interior and flat screen TV’s.Q15 rooms (12 doubles €11, 3 apartments €41).

itsa 11, Gramadeto area, tel. +359 2 490 22 07/+359 07/+359 2 490 22 07, fax +359 2 490 22 04, [email protected], miermountainresort.com, www.premiermountainresort. com. With a lovely view to the surrounding mountains and  forests, this apart hotel offers a true 4 star experience with grace. The hotel opened on May 1st, 2009 and is located in the newly built part of Bansko about 15 min walking distance from the centre and the gondola. gondola. The apartments are  furnished elegantly and with imagination. There is a bedroom with twin beds and a living room with sofa, dining table and a kitchenette. The furniture is built to last rather than just look  good. The bathrooms are with shower cabins and some are with bathtubs. They have a great wellness centre - Asana Spa -with steam bath, sauna, relaxation area, massage and aromatherapy. There is a bar, buffet and a-la-carte restaurant. The Greek gourmet chef is the award-winner Yiannis Baksevanis and he certainly de serves our applause. Ask for the lamb chops and the strawberry mousse. The service is excellent  and personalized. We hope it will stay that way even when the crowds hit the slopes this winter. For sure a hotel where you can also spend your summer holidays and a great starting  point for early morning mountain walks. Q144 rooms (61  suites €50 - 80, 51 One room apartment: €80 - 95, 21 Two room apartment: €100 - 115, 2 Maisonette with 1 bedroom:  €125, 6 Maisonette with 2 bedrooms: €165, 3 Maisonette with 3 bedrooms: €235). PTHARUIFLGB�

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Mountain Romance ul. Zahari Stoyanov 54, tel. +359 749 91 299/+359 885 992 333, mountain_romance@

mail.bg, www.hotel-mr.com. Located in the new part of  Bansko, this hotel makes a nice vacation place for winter or  summer holidays alike. The place is just 10 min away from the Gondola and 15 min away from the historical part of the city. They have studios and apartments with kitchenette, twin or double beds, sofa, telephone and satellite TV. The bathrooms are either with shower cabins or bath tubs. They 

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where to stay Sofia’s accommodation scene has been transformed by  a rash of hotel building in recent years, and there is now a big choice in all categories. The advertised star ratings are reasonably accurate guide to quality in most cases, although they don’t always mean that all the rooms in particular establishment are up to the stated standard. Hotels invariably list their prices in euros, although you can pay the equivalent rate in leva if you wish.

Cream of the crop Arena di Serdica B-3, ul. Budapeshta 2-4, MSerdika, tel. +359 2 810 77 77/+359 2 810 77 88, fax +359 2 810 77 70, [email protected], www.arenadiserdica.com. This hotel really is one of a kind, imagine going to breakfast walking in the footsteps of Roman gladiators. That’s what you get at the Arena di Serdica. During  the initial excavation of the foundations, they discovered a Roman amphitheatre. Not put off by this inconvenience, they built the hotel around it. And they’ve done a wonderful   job. The excavations are huge and take up a large part of  the subterranean floor. It’s not unlike staying in a museum. And, it’s a great place for expositions, launches and such as it generates a truly cultured atmosphere. The rooms aren’t  bad either. They’re beautifully decorated in terracotta and a deep yellow that reflects the incoming sunlight, giving the rooms a fairly unique homely feel. They’re well sized even by  5 star standards and come with all the expected mod cons. The Arena di Serdica offers all the usual fitness centre and sauna stuff (not unexpected in a Roman ruin, I suppose), and is excellently situated near the Alexander Nevski Cathedral. They also boast a truly lovely restaurant on the top floor, with superb cuisine and wines at a very good price. A bit of a hidden gem amongst Sofian restaurants and well worth a visit  even if you’re not staying there. All in all, the Arena di Serdica offers what very few hotels in the worl can offer; top notch modern amenities in a classical setting. Really ly a class apart. Q63 rooms (35 singles €150 - 230, 6 doubles €150 - 230, 14 suites €300, 1 apartment €420, 7 Junior suite: €280).

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where to stay Symbol key P Air conditioning 

 A Credit cards accepted

O Casino

H Conference facilities

T Child friendly 

U Facilities for the disabled

R Internet 

L Guarded parking 

F Fitness centre

G Non-smoking rooms

K Restaurant 

M Nearest metro station

D Sauna

C Swimming pool

6 Animal friendly 

W Wi-Fi connection

a rent-a-car service.Q245 rooms (202 singles €110 - 190, 26 doubles €110 - 190, 16 Junior suite: €230 - 310, 1 Presidential suite: €1200). PHAR6UFLGKDCW

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Holiday Inn Sofia H-8, bul. Aleksandar Malinov 111, tel. +359 2 807 07 07, fax +359 2 807 07 08, info@ holidayinnsofia.bg,ww w.holidayinnsofia.bg. w.holidayinnsofia.bg.Dependable standards of 5-star comfort and service from an experienced chain. Rooms feature flat-screen TVs, wireless internet and bathrooms with separate bath and shower. shower. Located next  to Business Park Sofia in Mladost it’s a popular choice for  business folk, and the centre of town is only a 20-minute taxi ride away. International cuisine in the all-day Brasserie and InCanto restaurant provide excuses to linger on-site, as do the fully-equipped gym and 19-metre swimming swimming pool. The range of conference facilities on offer make this a choice venue  for hard-headed get-togethers. Breakfast and VAT tax is not  included.Q130 rooms (116 doubles €70 - 100, 4 suites  €120 - 150, 10 Executive rooms: €90 - 120). PHARU�

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Kempinski Hotel Zografski Sofia G-7, bul. Dzheims

+359 2 811 08 11, fax +359 2 811 08 01, reservations@ Quality writ  grandhotelsofia.bg,ww w.grandhotelsofia.bg. w.grandhotelsofia.bg.Quality large. It is bang in the middle of town - on the doorstep of the National Theatre, the City Art Gallery, within walking distance  from the Bulgaria Concert Hall and the Alexander Nevsky  Cathedral. The staff are professional from top to bottom, the rooms are huge, and the classy furnishings are built to last rather than just look good. The spacious bathrooms come with both bathtub and shower. The ground-floor Grand Cafe, facing out towards the City Garden, serves up some spectacular cakes. Q122 rooms (105 doubles €150 - 340, 3 suites €400 - 540, 12 Junior suite: €230 - 370, 2 Presidential suite: €500 - 640). PTJHARUFLEGB�

Baucher 100, tel. +359 2 969 22 22, fax +359 2 969 22 23, [email protected], www. kempinski-sofia.com. Five-star comforts can be taken for  granted here, although the hulking, high-rise nature of the place will not suit those who want a cosy intimate retreat. Rooms are currently decorated in onyx-blue and green, although some floors are being gradually refitted in b eige. Now part of a German chain, the Zografski was originally built  by Japanese investors and designed by the famous architect  Kisho Kurokava in the 1980s, and you’ll still find a few unique ly  oriental touches here - notabl y the Japanese garden, one of a kind on the Balkan peninsula. They have 10 conference halls with a separate entrance, 5 restaurants, 3 bars and the largest hotel swimming pool in Sofia. Q442 rooms (singles €160, 418 doubles €180, 5 triples €220, 20 Junior suite: €240, 1  Presidential suite: €950). PHAR6UFLEGB�

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Hilton D-2, bul. Bulgaria 1, tel. +359 2 933 50 00, fax

Radisson SAS Grand Hotel B-4, pl. Narodno sabranie

+359 2 933 51 11, [email protected], hilton.co.uk/sofia. Enduringly popular choice with visiting  businessfolk, with a handily central location and the attentionto-detail service that you would expect from the chain. Rooms come in a soothing combinati on of blues, yellows and greens, and the generously-proportioned generously-proportioned bathrooms feature both shower cabin and bathtub (so you can wash yourself twice at the same time!). Guests have free use of pool and gym, and all rooms come with coffee and tea-making facilities. There are a bar, exacutive floors and an executive VIP lounge, washing and dry cleaning, 24/7 room service, shops, a b eauty  saloon, a travel agency, souvenir and luxury goods shops and

4, tel. +359 2 933 43 34, fax +359 2 933 43 35, i nfo. [email protected], www.sofia.radissonsas.com. Occupying the prime site opposite Bulgaria’s parliament and the Aleksandar Nevski Memorial Church, the Radisson offers the kind of understated luxury that the chain is famous for: soothing colours, deep-mattressed beds, classy marble  floored bathrooms (featuring both bathtub and shower), and electric kettles in every room. Standard rooms on the south side of the building are perfectly adequate, but it’s the business class doubles and junior suites on the north side that come with fabulous views of Narodno sabranie square. Notwithstanding the surrounding nightlife (both Flannnagans

Grand Hotel Sofia B-3, ul. Gurko 1, MSerdika, tel.

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Pub and the London Casino are on the ground floor of the same building), the hotel itself is nicely quiet. Q133 rooms (singles €130 - 205, doubl es €156 - 220, suites €260 - 290).

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Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan B-3, pl. Sveta Nedelya 5, MSerdika, tel. +359 2 981 65 41, fax +359 2 980 64 64, [email protected], www. luxurycollection.com/sofia. Sofia’s longest-established luxury hotel, and part of the Sheraton chain for a decade and a half, this urban landmark in the heart of downtown Sofia combines traditional five-star frills with high-tech amenities. The building itself is a showpiece of 1950s architectural style, featuring sweeping staircases, long and spacious corridors, and chandeliers on every floor. “Classic” rooms are contemporary in style with blue and orange decor and classy  bathrooms. “Executive” rooms boast near-antique furniture,  flat-screen TVs and coffee-and-tea-making facilities. Spacious ground-floor lobby areas and a chic cafe-restaurant provide the icing on the cake . Rates do not include br eakfast and VAT VAT tax. Q184 rooms (164 doubles €330 - 425, 11 Junior suite:   €445 - 460, 8 Executive suite: €490 - 505, 1 Presidential suite: €1210 - 1310). POJHAR6UFLG� KDXW hhhhh

[email protected], www.hotelexposofia.com. Not in the crowded center, center, but situated only 15 minutes from it and 10 minutes from the airport, this art decorated hotel offers offers cozy and luxury rooms and apartments. Its proximty  to Inter Expo and Congress Center makes it perfect for your  business trip. The hotel has two restaurants, a lobby bar, casino with piano bar, sauna and fitness. From the large windows you can enjoy the view to Vitosha mountain. Along  with the paintings on the walls and the stylish furniture you have all the nec essary “equipment” for your business stay - “a signature room” made for signing contracts and business meetings, wi-fi internet and 3 conference halls. Q99 rooms (63 doubles €90 - 138, 5 suites €145 - 177, 27 Executive rooms: €110 - 163, 4 Junior suite: €165 - 197).

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Casa Boyana G-6, ul. Ivanitza Dantchev 23, Boyana, tel. +359 2 805 08 00, fax +359 2 805 08 05, hotel@ casaboyana.com, www.casaboyana.com. A boutiquestyle hotel in the mountain-side suburb of Boyana, close to the National History Museum and with great city-facing  views from the windows of its restaurant. Rooms come with Italian furniture, bold colours and swanky bathrooms, and the attention-to-detail staff are as helpful as can be. Q16 rooms (7 singles €105, 7 doubles €125, 2 suites €165).

Upmarket 

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Anel B-2, bul. Todor Aleksandrov 14, tel. +359 2 911

Central B-2, bul. Hristo Botev 52, tel. +359 2 981 23

99 00, fax +359 2 911 99 06, [email protected], www.hotelanel.com.If www.hotelanel.com.If you want to stay in a top-class hotel, which has more character than the international chains, then this modern building on the fringes of downtown Sofia just  about fits the bill. It’s stuffed to the gills with contemporary  Bulgarian paintings and sculptures and has the feel of a top international gallery when you first cross the threshold. The rooms themselves come in bold blues and browns, and there’s an exotic on-site Spa centre with a water-surrounded café-bar approached by bridge. Q57 rooms (8 singles €270, 31 doubles €290 - 300, 1 Presidential Suite €1000, 6 Junior  Suite €320, 3 Panorama Suite €340, 8 Executive suite €370).

64/+359 888 507 209, fax +359 2 986 45 61, central@ central-hotel.com, www.central-hotel.com. A relatively  new hotel in a convenient downtown location, this is reasonably good value for the facilities on offer. Rooms are decorated in modern, functional style; most have showers rather than  full-size bathtubs. They allow smaller size pets. Q28 rooms (17 singles €95, 17 doubles €110, 17 triples €138, 3 suites  €120 - 175, 3 apartments €120 - 175). PYJHA6E�

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Central Forum G-7, bul. Tsar Boris III 41, tel. +359 2

fax +359 2 981 19 09, [email protected], [email protected], ww w.artotel. biz. A joint Bulgarian-Spanish project occupying a re-vamped 1930s apartment block. Fine textures, unusual shapes, leather furniture, fireplaces and a smattering of contemporary  paintings justify the hotel’s name. Just a block away from bul. Vitosha, the location is as central as they come, and some rooms on the upper storeys come with excellent roof-level views of the surrounding surrounding cityscape. Q22 rooms (5 singles  €105 - 145, 10 doubles €110 - 150, 3 suites €155 - 160).

954 44 44/+359 888 506 102, fax +359 2 954 33 33, [email protected], central@central-hote l.com, www.central-hotel.com. www.central-hotel.com.ReRecently renovated block in a part-residential, al, part-commercial area about 1km southwest of the downtown action. The rooms are not all that spacious but come in stress-reducing  creamy colours. Unusually for what claims to be a four star, most rooms come wi th shower, so you’ll need to fork out for a “luxury” room if you nee d to soak in a real bathtub. On the plus side we were rather excited to see electric kettles in some of the rooms - something of a first for Bulgaria. Smaller size pets are allowed.Q51 rooms (12 singles €95, 12 doubles  €110, 12 triples €138, 6 suites €120 - 175, 6 apartments  €120 - 175). PYHAR6UFLEGBKDXW

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Best Western Hotel Europe H-9, ul. Liditse 1, tel.

Central Park Hotel C-2, bul. Vitosha 106, tel. +359

+359 2 970 15 00, fax +359 2 970 15 11, [email protected], www.hotel-europe-bg.com. Contemporary building in a suburban street offering rooms decorated in cheerful citrus-fruit colours. colours. Some have large bathrooms with bathtubs, although you can’t always bank on getting  one of these. The top floor Sky Bar has fantastic views west towards the city and south towards Mount Vitosha. They have an ou tdoor swimming ng pool and Jacuzzi. Q119 rooms (40 singles €80, 40 doubles €100, 25 triples €110, 4 suites €140, 5 apartments €145, 3 Junior suite €125, 2 Presidential Suite €160). PTYHAR6UFLG�

2 805 81 81, fax +359 2 805 87 87, reservations@ centralparkhotel.bg, www.centralparkhotel.bg.This www.centralparkhotel.bg. This newish 4-star hotel enjoys an enviable city-centre location right in front of the National Palace of Culture and a stone’s throw from the main shopping, eating and drinking areas. The rooms are comfortable and well-equipped, most coming with views of the nearby park and (in some cases) Mount Vitosha in the distance. The restaurant does a good line in modern European cuisine, cuisine, complemented by a strong selection of  wines. A full range of business services and secretarial assistance is offered by the business center. Q77 rooms (29 singles €165 - 205, 45 doubles €185, 3 suites €240 - 260).

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Art ‘Otel C-2, ul. Gladston 44, tel. +359 2 980 60 00,

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Best Western Hotel Expo G-8, bul. Tsarigradsko shose

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149, tel. +359 2 817 81, fax +359 2 974 30 90, reserva-

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where to stay Sofia’s accommodation scene has been transformed by  a rash of hotel building in recent years, and there is now a big choice in all categories. The advertised star ratings are reasonably accurate guide to quality in most cases, although they don’t always mean that all the rooms in particular establishment are up to the stated standard. Hotels invariably list their prices in euros, although you can pay the equivalent rate in leva if you wish.

Cream of the crop Arena di Serdica B-3, ul. Budapeshta 2-4, MSerdika, tel. +359 2 810 77 77/+359 2 810 77 88, fax +359 2 810 77 70, [email protected], www.arenadiserdica.com. This hotel really is one of a kind, imagine going to breakfast walking in the footsteps of Roman gladiators. That’s what you get at the Arena di Serdica. During  the initial excavation of the foundations, they discovered a Roman amphitheatre. Not put off by this inconvenience, they built the hotel around it. And they’ve done a wonderful   job. The excavations are huge and take up a large part of  the subterranean floor. It’s not unlike staying in a museum. And, it’s a great place for expositions, launches and such as it generates a truly cultured atmosphere. The rooms aren’t  bad either. They’re beautifully decorated in terracotta and a deep yellow that reflects the incoming sunlight, giving the rooms a fairly unique homely feel. They’re well sized even by  5 star standards and come with all the expected mod cons. The Arena di Serdica offers all the usual fitness centre and sauna stuff (not unexpected in a Roman ruin, I suppose), and is excellently situated near the Alexander Nevski Cathedral. They also boast a truly lovely restaurant on the top floor, with superb cuisine and wines at a very good price. A bit of a hidden gem amongst Sofian restaurants and well worth a visit  even if you’re not staying there. All in all, the Arena di Serdica offers what very few hotels in the worl can offer; top notch modern amenities in a classical setting. Really ly a class apart. Q63 rooms (35 singles €150 - 230, 6 doubles €150 - 230, 14 suites €300, 1 apartment €420, 7 Junior suite: €280).

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where to stay Symbol key P Air conditioning 

H Conference facilities

T Child friendly 

U Facilities for the disabled

R Internet 

L Guarded parking 

F Fitness centre

G Non-smoking rooms

K Restaurant 

M Nearest metro station

D Sauna

C Swimming pool

6 Animal friendly 

W Wi-Fi connection

a rent-a-car service.Q245 rooms (202 singles €110 - 190, 26 doubles €110 - 190, 16 Junior suite: €230 - 310, 1 Presidential suite: €1200). PHAR6UFLGKDCW

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Holiday Inn Sofia H-8, bul. Aleksandar Malinov 111, tel. +359 2 807 07 07, fax +359 2 807 07 08, info@ holidayinnsofia.bg,ww w.holidayinnsofia.bg. w.holidayinnsofia.bg.Dependable standards of 5-star comfort and service from an experienced chain. Rooms feature flat-screen TVs, wireless internet and bathrooms with separate bath and shower. shower. Located next  to Business Park Sofia in Mladost it’s a popular choice for  business folk, and the centre of town is only a 20-minute taxi ride away. International cuisine in the all-day Brasserie and InCanto restaurant provide excuses to linger on-site, as do the fully-equipped gym and 19-metre swimming swimming pool. The range of conference facilities on offer make this a choice venue  for hard-headed get-togethers. Breakfast and VAT tax is not  included.Q130 rooms (116 doubles €70 - 100, 4 suites  €120 - 150, 10 Executive rooms: €90 - 120). PHARU�

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Kempinski Hotel Zografski Sofia G-7, bul. Dzheims

+359 2 811 08 11, fax +359 2 811 08 01, reservations@ Quality writ  grandhotelsofia.bg,ww w.grandhotelsofia.bg. w.grandhotelsofia.bg.Quality large. It is bang in the middle of town - on the doorstep of the National Theatre, the City Art Gallery, within walking distance  from the Bulgaria Concert Hall and the Alexander Nevsky  Cathedral. The staff are professional from top to bottom, the rooms are huge, and the classy furnishings are built to last rather than just look good. The spacious bathrooms come with both bathtub and shower. The ground-floor Grand Cafe, facing out towards the City Garden, serves up some spectacular cakes. Q122 rooms (105 doubles €150 - 340, 3 suites €400 - 540, 12 Junior suite: €230 - 370, 2 Presidential suite: €500 - 640). PTJHARUFLEGB�

Baucher 100, tel. +359 2 969 22 22, fax +359 2 969 22 23, [email protected], www. kempinski-sofia.com. Five-star comforts can be taken for  granted here, although the hulking, high-rise nature of the place will not suit those who want a cosy intimate retreat. Rooms are currently decorated in onyx-blue and green, although some floors are being gradually refitted in b eige. Now part of a German chain, the Zografski was originally built  by Japanese investors and designed by the famous architect  Kisho Kurokava in the 1980s, and you’ll still find a few unique ly  oriental touches here - notabl y the Japanese garden, one of a kind on the Balkan peninsula. They have 10 conference halls with a separate entrance, 5 restaurants, 3 bars and the largest hotel swimming pool in Sofia. Q442 rooms (singles €160, 418 doubles €180, 5 triples €220, 20 Junior suite: €240, 1  Presidential suite: €950). PHAR6UFLEGB�

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Hilton D-2, bul. Bulgaria 1, tel. +359 2 933 50 00, fax

Radisson SAS Grand Hotel B-4, pl. Narodno sabranie

+359 2 933 51 11, [email protected], hilton.co.uk/sofia. Enduringly popular choice with visiting  businessfolk, with a handily central location and the attentionto-detail service that you would expect from the chain. Rooms come in a soothing combinati on of blues, yellows and greens, and the generously-proportioned generously-proportioned bathrooms feature both shower cabin and bathtub (so you can wash yourself twice at the same time!). Guests have free use of pool and gym, and all rooms come with coffee and tea-making facilities. There are a bar, exacutive floors and an executive VIP lounge, washing and dry cleaning, 24/7 room service, shops, a b eauty  saloon, a travel agency, souvenir and luxury goods shops and

4, tel. +359 2 933 43 34, fax +359 2 933 43 35, i nfo. [email protected], www.sofia.radissonsas.com. Occupying the prime site opposite Bulgaria’s parliament and the Aleksandar Nevski Memorial Church, the Radisson offers the kind of understated luxury that the chain is famous for: soothing colours, deep-mattressed beds, classy marble  floored bathrooms (featuring both bathtub and shower), and electric kettles in every room. Standard rooms on the south side of the building are perfectly adequate, but it’s the business class doubles and junior suites on the north side that come with fabulous views of Narodno sabranie square. Notwithstanding the surrounding nightlife (both Flannnagans

Grand Hotel Sofia B-3, ul. Gurko 1, MSerdika, tel.

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 A Credit cards accepted

O Casino

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Pub and the London Casino are on the ground floor of the same building), the hotel itself is nicely quiet. Q133 rooms (singles €130 - 205, doubl es €156 - 220, suites €260 - 290).

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Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan B-3, pl. Sveta Nedelya 5, MSerdika, tel. +359 2 981 65 41, fax +359 2 980 64 64, [email protected], www. luxurycollection.com/sofia. Sofia’s longest-established luxury hotel, and part of the Sheraton chain for a decade and a half, this urban landmark in the heart of downtown Sofia combines traditional five-star frills with high-tech amenities. The building itself is a showpiece of 1950s architectural style, featuring sweeping staircases, long and spacious corridors, and chandeliers on every floor. “Classic” rooms are contemporary in style with blue and orange decor and classy  bathrooms. “Executive” rooms boast near-antique furniture,  flat-screen TVs and coffee-and-tea-making facilities. Spacious ground-floor lobby areas and a chic cafe-restaurant provide the icing on the cake . Rates do not include br eakfast and VAT VAT tax. Q184 rooms (164 doubles €330 - 425, 11 Junior suite:   €445 - 460, 8 Executive suite: €490 - 505, 1 Presidential suite: €1210 - 1310). POJHAR6UFLG� KDXW hhhhh

Dedeman Sofia Princess F-7, bul. Maria Luiza 131, tel. +359 2 933 88 88, fax +359 2 933 87 77, sofia@ dedeman.com,ww w.dedeman.com/Sofia.aspx. w.dedeman.com/Sofia.aspx.IfIf you’re the kind of person for whom size matters then the Princess is probably your kind of place. It’s the biggest hotel in Sofia, it also boasts the biggest casino in the Balkans - so it’s the perfect place to throw your money away in lavish style. Rich colours, tasseled curtains and fluffy cushions give the rooms a satisfyingly luxuriant feel. Q 601 rooms (589 doubles  €85 - 125, 12 apartments €135 - 170). POHARU�

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Greenville Hotel & Apartment Houses G-7, ul. Atanas Dukov 36, tel. +359 2 819 19 19, fax +359 2 819 19 18, [email protected], www.greenville-sofia. com. A 3-building complex set in leafy parkland south of  the centre, offering a mixture of standard rooms and studio apartments. The rooms are light and luxurious, with flower  bouquets and oil paintings adding a homely touch. Q113

Casa Boyana G-6, ul. Ivanitza Dantchev 23, Boyana, tel. +359 2 805 08 00, fax +359 2 805 08 05, hotel@ casaboyana.com, www.casaboyana.com. A boutiquestyle hotel in the mountain-side suburb of Boyana, close to the National History Museum and with great city-facing  views from the windows of its restaurant. Rooms come with Italian furniture, bold colours and swanky bathrooms, and the attention-to-detail staff are as helpful as can be. Q16 rooms (7 singles €105, 7 doubles €125, 2 suites €165).

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Central B-2, bul. Hristo Botev 52, tel. +359 2 981 23

99 00, fax +359 2 911 99 06, [email protected], www.hotelanel.com.If www.hotelanel.com.If you want to stay in a top-class hotel, which has more character than the international chains, then this modern building on the fringes of downtown Sofia just  about fits the bill. It’s stuffed to the gills with contemporary  Bulgarian paintings and sculptures and has the feel of a top international gallery when you first cross the threshold. The rooms themselves come in bold blues and browns, and there’s an exotic on-site Spa centre with a water-surrounded café-bar approached by bridge. Q57 rooms (8 singles €270, 31 doubles €290 - 300, 1 Presidential Suite €1000, 6 Junior  Suite €320, 3 Panorama Suite €340, 8 Executive suite €370).

64/+359 888 507 209, fax +359 2 986 45 61, central@ central-hotel.com, www.central-hotel.com. A relatively  new hotel in a convenient downtown location, this is reasonably good value for the facilities on offer. Rooms are decorated in modern, functional style; most have showers rather than  full-size bathtubs. They allow smaller size pets. Q28 rooms (17 singles €95, 17 doubles €110, 17 triples €138, 3 suites  €120 - 175, 3 apartments €120 - 175). PYJHA6E�

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Central Forum G-7, bul. Tsar Boris III 41, tel. +359 2

fax +359 2 981 19 09, [email protected], [email protected], ww w.artotel. biz. A joint Bulgarian-Spanish project occupying a re-vamped 1930s apartment block. Fine textures, unusual shapes, leather furniture, fireplaces and a smattering of contemporary  paintings justify the hotel’s name. Just a block away from bul. Vitosha, the location is as central as they come, and some rooms on the upper storeys come with excellent roof-level views of the surrounding surrounding cityscape. Q22 rooms (5 singles  €105 - 145, 10 doubles €110 - 150, 3 suites €155 - 160).

954 44 44/+359 888 506 102, fax +359 2 954 33 33, [email protected], central@central-hote l.com, www.central-hotel.com. www.central-hotel.com.ReRecently renovated block in a part-residential, al, part-commercial area about 1km southwest of the downtown action. The rooms are not all that spacious but come in stress-reducing  creamy colours. Unusually for what claims to be a four star, most rooms come wi th shower, so you’ll need to fork out for a “luxury” room if you nee d to soak in a real bathtub. On the plus side we were rather excited to see electric kettles in some of the rooms - something of a first for Bulgaria. Smaller size pets are allowed.Q51 rooms (12 singles €95, 12 doubles  €110, 12 triples €138, 6 suites €120 - 175, 6 apartments  €120 - 175). PYHAR6UFLEGBKDXW

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Best Western Hotel Europe H-9, ul. Liditse 1, tel.

Central Park Hotel C-2, bul. Vitosha 106, tel. +359

+359 2 970 15 00, fax +359 2 970 15 11, [email protected], www.hotel-europe-bg.com. Contemporary building in a suburban street offering rooms decorated in cheerful citrus-fruit colours. colours. Some have large bathrooms with bathtubs, although you can’t always bank on getting  one of these. The top floor Sky Bar has fantastic views west towards the city and south towards Mount Vitosha. They have an ou tdoor swimming ng pool and Jacuzzi. Q119 rooms (40 singles €80, 40 doubles €100, 25 triples €110, 4 suites €140, 5 apartments €145, 3 Junior suite €125, 2 Presidential Suite €160). PTYHAR6UFLG�

2 805 81 81, fax +359 2 805 87 87, reservations@ centralparkhotel.bg, www.centralparkhotel.bg.This www.centralparkhotel.bg. This newish 4-star hotel enjoys an enviable city-centre location right in front of the National Palace of Culture and a stone’s throw from the main shopping, eating and drinking areas. The rooms are comfortable and well-equipped, most coming with views of the nearby park and (in some cases) Mount Vitosha in the distance. The restaurant does a good line in modern European cuisine, cuisine, complemented by a strong selection of  wines. A full range of business services and secretarial assistance is offered by the business center. Q77 rooms (29 singles €165 - 205, 45 doubles €185, 3 suites €240 - 260).

Art ‘Otel C-2, ul. Gladston 44, tel. +359 2 980 60 00,

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Best Western Hotel Expo G-8, bul. Tsarigradsko shose

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149, tel. +359 2 817 81, fax +359 2 974 30 90, reserva-

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where to stay

Crystal Palace Boutique Hotel B-5, ul. Shipka 14, tel.

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Anel B-2, bul. Todor Aleksandrov 14, tel. +359 2 911

where to stay +359 2 948 94 88, fax +359 2 948 94 90, reservations@ crystalpalace-sofia.com,, www.crystalpalace-sofia.com. crystalpalace-sofia.com The Crystal Palace emerged somewhat controversially from the conversion of a nineteenth-century apartment block, which involved mounting a huge glass-and-steel superstructure on top of the historic historic building. Conser vation issues aside, it’s one of the best hotels in the city as far as service and elegance are concerned, offering sunny, spacious rooms with repro furniture and all the creature comforts. The health-and-fitness club, moodily lit and decorated in coffee and cinnamon shades, is the ideal place to wind down after  a hard day spent closing deals. Q63 rooms (53 doubles  €170 - 210, 10 suites €250 - 270). PHARFLEG�

[email protected], www.hotelexposofia.com. Not in the crowded center, center, but situated only 15 minutes from it and 10 minutes from the airport, this art decorated hotel offers offers cozy and luxury rooms and apartments. Its proximty  to Inter Expo and Congress Center makes it perfect for your  business trip. The hotel has two restaurants, a lobby bar, casino with piano bar, sauna and fitness. From the large windows you can enjoy the view to Vitosha mountain. Along  with the paintings on the walls and the stylish furniture you have all the nec essary “equipment” for your business stay - “a signature room” made for signing contracts and business meetings, wi-fi internet and 3 conference halls. Q99 rooms (63 doubles €90 - 138, 5 suites €145 - 177, 27 Executive rooms: €110 - 163, 4 Junior suite: €165 - 197).

Upmarket 

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Maxi Park Hotel & Spa H-8, bul. Simeonovsko shose rooms (singles €160 - 180, 96 doubles €180 - 200, 17  suites €240). PTHARUFLGBKDXCW

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Les Fleurs Boutique Hotel B-2, bul. Vitosha 21, tel. +359 2 810 08 00, fax +359 2 810 08 01, reservation@ A stylelesfleurshotel.com, lesfleurshotel.com, www.lesfleurshotel.co www.lesfleurshotel.com. m.A conscious boutique hotel in a prime downtown position, Les Fleurs looks as if it has jumped straight from the pages of  an Italian interior design magazine. Artistic flair extends to every detail, from the floral motifs inlaid into the hardwood  floorboards to the glass-bead table lamps, flat-screen TVs, and swish bathrooms with cylindrical shower cubicles. Balconied top floor rooms have great views of the city centre. All rooms are irregularly shaped, and the corridors bend their  way across the building rather than leading directly from A  to B. The dodgy-looking black uniforms worn by the front-ofhouse staff make up the only element of the hotel that doesn’t  quite fit. Q31 rooms (13 singles €145 - 170, 10 doubles  €155 - 180, 2 suites €270, 6 Executive). . PJARUILGBKXW hhhh

Light A-3, ul. Veslets 37, tel. +359 2 917 90 90, fax +359 2 917 90 10, [email protected], www.hotels. light.bg. Classy modern hotel in a quiet cobbled street that  seems miles away from the bustle of central Sofia. The public areas are boldly contemporary but the rooms themselves have a chintzy cosiness - note however that some come with a shower cabinet while others have a nice big bathtub. Q31 rooms (10 singles €90, 18 doubles €115, 2 suites  €140 - 150, 1 Presidential suite €180). PJHARU�

110, tel. +359 2 892 00 00, fax +359 2 892 00 50, [email protected], www.maxisofia.com. If  you want to stay in the middle of a fully-equipped leisure complex then you can’t go far wrong with the Olymp, plunked in the middle of a landscaped park dotted with swimming  pools and gazebos. The rooms come in fresh colours and brave modern shapes, and many of them have good views of  Mount Vitosha to the south. It’s a 15-minute drive to the city  centre from here, but with a restaurant decorated in the style of a nineteenth-century Russian parlour, and a glass-roofed cafe area stuffed with potted plants, there’s plenty to explore on-site. Q62 rooms (singles €96, 52 doubles €126, 2 suite s  €180 - 220, 8 Business: €126 - 156). POTHARU�

[email protected], www.hotelsvetasofia.com.A  www.hotelsvetasofia.com.A  recently renovated nineteenth-century building on a characterful, pedestrianized shopping street, this is as pleasant a downtown location as you’ll find. The rooms are decorated in bright blue and yellow, with light and comfortable bathrooms. Note that regular doubles have showers, “luxury” rooms come with proper bathtubs. Q76 rooms (30 singles €90, 30 doubles €100, 6 triples €120, 3 suites €160, 1 Presidential Suite €250, 6 Junior Suite €110). PYJHAR6U�

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Park Hotel Vitosha H-8, ul. Rosario 1, MMusagenitsa, tel. +359 2 816 88 88, fax +359 2 962 29 25, [email protected], www.vitoshaparkhotel. com. Brand-new Scandinavian-style designer hotel full of  light colours and nice wooden surfaces. Rooms are fitted with cooking facilities, and the on-site wellness amenities are perfect if you’re in need of a bit of pampering. In park-like surroundings on the southeastern edge of the city. Q170 rooms (60 singles €89, 80 doubles €119, 24 suites €119 - 139, 6 Vip studios: €100). PHARFLGBKDXCW

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Triada G-8, ul. Venera 5, tel. +359 2 970 67 67, fax +359 2 970 67 10, [email protected], www.hoteltriada. com. Relatively new building offering big, light rooms decorated in different nuances of blue. The top-floor sky bar has excellent views of Sofia’s mountainous surroundings. The hotel offers offers perfect condi tions for business meetings and seminars. The restaurant offers every thematic evenings with live music.Q62 rooms (9 singles €65 - 99, 48 doubles €90 - 119, 5 apartments €100 - 150). PHARUFLEG�

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Mid-range Alexander Palace H-7, ul. Nartsis 1, Dragalevtsi, tel.

Residence Oborishte G-8, ul. Oborishte 63, tel. +359 2 814 48 88, fax +359 2 846 82 44, contact@ residence-oborishte.com, residence-oborishte.co m, www.residence-oborishte. com. Supremely comfortable and relaxing establishment  made up almost entirely of two-room apartments, with warm rich colours predominating throughout. The just-married apartment with an inviting bathtub by the wide double bed almost had us rushing to the registry office. An informal make-yourself-at-home atmosphere adds to the welcoming   feel. Q9 rooms (doubles €80 - 180, suites €80 - 180, Junior  Suite: €80 - 180, King Suite : €80 - 180). PARIGB�

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Sofia Plaza F-7, bul. Hristo Botev 154, tel. +359 2 813 79 79, fax +359 2 813 79 12, office@hotelsofiaplaza. com, w ww.hotelsofiaplaza.com ww.hotelsofiaplaza.com.. It’s about time there was a comfortable mid-price hotel in the vicinity of Sofia’s main railway station, and Sofia Plaza seems to fit the bill. Its 50 rooms have been squeezed into what is essentially a tall thin building, but the result is cosy rather than cramped. The rooms themselves feature blue carpets, peachy furnishings and fabrics, TV, minibar, and enough desk-space on which to park the average laptop. Apartments come with kitchenettes and extra fold-down beds. Q50 rooms (10 singles €80, 36 doubles €110, 2 apartments €200 - 250, 2 Studio: €130).

Hotel ArsenA Bugaia, nba, suh bach . +359 554 46 610 +359 554 46 650 fa +359 554 46 550

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Sveta Sofia A-2, ul. Pirotska 18, tel. +359 2 983 50 33/+359 2 981 26 34, fax +359 2 983 17 23, market-

Sofia In Your Po cket

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+359 2 967 11 84, fax +359 2 967 31 46, reservations@ svetasofia-alexanders.com,, www.svetasofia-alexansvetasofia-alexanders.com ders.com.A ders.com. A small-sized modern building in the mountainside suburb of Dragalevtsi, a 20-minute drive from the centre. Rooms are spacious and the staff seem like a cheerful, helpful bunch. If you want a relaxing, secluded out-of-town location, then this fits the bill. Q18 rooms (doubles €26, apartments   €43, VIP apartmen t €72). PAFLKD hhh

Atlantic H-8, ul. 19 (devetnadeseta) 2, Simeonovo, tel. +359 2 961 34 00/+359 2 961 34 01, fax +359 2 961 21 32, [email protected], www.atlantic-bg.com. Located in the relative seclusion of Simeonovo, a suburb on the lower slopes of Mount Vitosha, this extremely plush place, braced by a pair of fancy turrets, makes for an ideal out-oftown retreat. Bathrooms are on the small side but rooms are otherwise extremely cosy. The top-floor restaurant offers great views towards the city. The apartments have Jacuzzi. Q20 rooms (10 doubles €55 - 65, 4 triples €85, 4 suites   €82, 4 apartments €90 - 95, 2 Presidential Suite: €105).

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Casa Ferrari Bed and BreakfastC-1, ul. Lyulin Planina 16, tel. +359 898 43 67 00, fax +359 2 980 84 14, info@ This centrally  casaferrari.com, casaferrari.com, www.casaferrari.com. www.casaferrari.com.This located small hotel is situated on a quiet street within walking distance of Sofia’s main tourist attractions. Decorated with classic Italian furnishings, an atmosphere is produced combining luxury with relaxed charm. In addition to the three tastefully styled guest rooms, is a large, bright breakfast  room, an ideal place for getting the day off to a good start, or  reminiscing about your trip’s highlights. The married couple, who serve as your hosts, are congenial and very helpful in

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where to stay

where to stay

Crystal Palace Boutique Hotel B-5, ul. Shipka 14, tel. +359 2 948 94 88, fax +359 2 948 94 90, reservations@ crystalpalace-sofia.com,, www.crystalpalace-sofia.com. crystalpalace-sofia.com The Crystal Palace emerged somewhat controversially from the conversion of a nineteenth-century apartment block, which involved mounting a huge glass-and-steel superstructure on top of the historic historic building. Conser vation issues aside, it’s one of the best hotels in the city as far as service and elegance are concerned, offering sunny, spacious rooms with repro furniture and all the creature comforts. The health-and-fitness club, moodily lit and decorated in coffee and cinnamon shades, is the ideal place to wind down after  a hard day spent closing deals. Q63 rooms (53 doubles  €170 - 210, 10 suites €250 - 270). PHARFLEG�

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Dedeman Sofia Princess F-7, bul. Maria Luiza 131, tel. +359 2 933 88 88, fax +359 2 933 87 77, sofia@ dedeman.com,ww w.dedeman.com/Sofia.aspx. w.dedeman.com/Sofia.aspx.IfIf you’re the kind of person for whom size matters then the Princess is probably your kind of place. It’s the biggest hotel in Sofia, it also boasts the biggest casino in the Balkans - so it’s the perfect place to throw your money away in lavish style. Rich colours, tasseled curtains and fluffy cushions give the rooms a satisfyingly luxuriant feel. Q 601 rooms (589 doubles  €85 - 125, 12 apartments €135 - 170). POHARU�

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Greenville Hotel & Apartment Houses G-7, ul. Atanas Dukov 36, tel. +359 2 819 19 19, fax +359 2 819 19 18, [email protected], www.greenville-sofia. com. A 3-building complex set in leafy parkland south of  the centre, offering a mixture of standard rooms and studio apartments. The rooms are light and luxurious, with flower  bouquets and oil paintings adding a homely touch. Q113

Maxi Park Hotel & Spa H-8, bul. Simeonovsko shose rooms (singles €160 - 180, 96 doubles €180 - 200, 17  suites €240). PTHARUFLGBKDXCW

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Les Fleurs Boutique Hotel B-2, bul. Vitosha 21, tel. +359 2 810 08 00, fax +359 2 810 08 01, reservation@ A stylelesfleurshotel.com, lesfleurshotel.com, www.lesfleurshotel.co www.lesfleurshotel.com. m.A conscious boutique hotel in a prime downtown position, Les Fleurs looks as if it has jumped straight from the pages of  an Italian interior design magazine. Artistic flair extends to every detail, from the floral motifs inlaid into the hardwood  floorboards to the glass-bead table lamps, flat-screen TVs, and swish bathrooms with cylindrical shower cubicles. Balconied top floor rooms have great views of the city centre. All rooms are irregularly shaped, and the corridors bend their  way across the building rather than leading directly from A  to B. The dodgy-looking black uniforms worn by the front-ofhouse staff make up the only element of the hotel that doesn’t  quite fit. Q31 rooms (13 singles €145 - 170, 10 doubles  €155 - 180, 2 suites €270, 6 Executive). . PJARUILGBKXW hhhh

Light A-3, ul. Veslets 37, tel. +359 2 917 90 90, fax +359 2 917 90 10, [email protected], www.hotels. light.bg. Classy modern hotel in a quiet cobbled street that  seems miles away from the bustle of central Sofia. The public areas are boldly contemporary but the rooms themselves have a chintzy cosiness - note however that some come with a shower cabinet while others have a nice big bathtub. Q31 rooms (10 singles €90, 18 doubles €115, 2 suites  €140 - 150, 1 Presidential suite €180). PJHARU�

110, tel. +359 2 892 00 00, fax +359 2 892 00 50, [email protected], www.maxisofia.com. If  you want to stay in the middle of a fully-equipped leisure complex then you can’t go far wrong with the Olymp, plunked in the middle of a landscaped park dotted with swimming  pools and gazebos. The rooms come in fresh colours and brave modern shapes, and many of them have good views of  Mount Vitosha to the south. It’s a 15-minute drive to the city  centre from here, but with a restaurant decorated in the style of a nineteenth-century Russian parlour, and a glass-roofed cafe area stuffed with potted plants, there’s plenty to explore on-site. Q62 rooms (singles €96, 52 doubles €126, 2 suite s  €180 - 220, 8 Business: €126 - 156). POTHARU�

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[email protected], www.hotelsvetasofia.com.A  www.hotelsvetasofia.com.A  recently renovated nineteenth-century building on a characterful, pedestrianized shopping street, this is as pleasant a downtown location as you’ll find. The rooms are decorated in bright blue and yellow, with light and comfortable bathrooms. Note that regular doubles have showers, “luxury” rooms come with proper bathtubs. Q76 rooms (30 singles €90, 30 doubles €100, 6 triples €120, 3 suites €160, 1 Presidential Suite €250, 6 Junior Suite €110). PYJHAR6U�

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Park Hotel Vitosha H-8, ul. Rosario 1, MMusagenitsa, tel. +359 2 816 88 88, fax +359 2 962 29 25, [email protected], www.vitoshaparkhotel. com. Brand-new Scandinavian-style designer hotel full of  light colours and nice wooden surfaces. Rooms are fitted with cooking facilities, and the on-site wellness amenities are perfect if you’re in need of a bit of pampering. In park-like surroundings on the southeastern edge of the city. Q170 rooms (60 singles €89, 80 doubles €119, 24 suites €119 - 139, 6 Vip studios: €100). PHARFLGBKDXCW

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Triada G-8, ul. Venera 5, tel. +359 2 970 67 67, fax +359 2 970 67 10, [email protected], www.hoteltriada. com. Relatively new building offering big, light rooms decorated in different nuances of blue. The top-floor sky bar has excellent views of Sofia’s mountainous surroundings. The hotel offers offers perfect condi tions for business meetings and seminars. The restaurant offers every thematic evenings with live music.Q62 rooms (9 singles €65 - 99, 48 doubles €90 - 119, 5 apartments €100 - 150). PHARUFLEG�

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Mid-range Alexander Palace H-7, ul. Nartsis 1, Dragalevtsi, tel.

Residence Oborishte G-8, ul. Oborishte 63, tel. +359 2 814 48 88, fax +359 2 846 82 44, contact@ residence-oborishte.com, residence-oborishte.co m, www.residence-oborishte. com. Supremely comfortable and relaxing establishment  made up almost entirely of two-room apartments, with warm rich colours predominating throughout. The just-married apartment with an inviting bathtub by the wide double bed almost had us rushing to the registry office. An informal make-yourself-at-home atmosphere adds to the welcoming   feel. Q9 rooms (doubles €80 - 180, suites €80 - 180, Junior  Suite: €80 - 180, King Suite : €80 - 180). PARIGB�

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Sofia Plaza F-7, bul. Hristo Botev 154, tel. +359 2 813 79 79, fax +359 2 813 79 12, office@hotelsofiaplaza. com, w ww.hotelsofiaplaza.com ww.hotelsofiaplaza.com.. It’s about time there was a comfortable mid-price hotel in the vicinity of Sofia’s main railway station, and Sofia Plaza seems to fit the bill. Its 50 rooms have been squeezed into what is essentially a tall thin building, but the result is cosy rather than cramped. The rooms themselves feature blue carpets, peachy furnishings and fabrics, TV, minibar, and enough desk-space on which to park the average laptop. Apartments come with kitchenettes and extra fold-down beds. Q50 rooms (10 singles €80, 36 doubles €110, 2 apartments €200 - 250, 2 Studio: €130).

Hotel ArsenA Bugaia, nba, suh bach . +359 554 46 610 +359 554 46 650 fa +359 554 46 550

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Sveta Sofia A-2, ul. Pirotska 18, tel. +359 2 983 50 33/+359 2 981 26 34, fax +359 2 983 17 23, market-

Sofia In Your Po cket

26

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

Renaissance B-2, pl. Vazrazhdane 2, tel. +359 2 986 09 38, fax +359 2 986 09 39, [email protected], www.hotelrenaissance-bg.com. If  you don’t mind a bit of kitsch you’ll quite like this place, with its loud colours, copper engravings of renaissance paintings and retro furniture. Panoramic vie w of Sofia from the top-floor  terrace. Q29 rooms (14 singles €55, 14 doubles €65, 1  apartment €90). PHAGKW hhh

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late Plaza Hotel

Mladost 1, Soa corner of Aleksander Malinov Blvd & Andrey Sakharov Blvd phone 974 4948, 0886 83 12 82 [email protected], www.elateplaza.com

Budget  Brod H-8, bul. Simeonovsko shose 66, tel. +359 2 968

Elate Plaza Elate Plaza H-8, Mladost-1, corner of bul. Aleksandar Malinov and bul. Andrey Saharov, MMladost 1, tel. +359 2 974 49 48, [email protected], www.elateplaza.com. Five minutes drive south from the airport in a residential neighbourhood this is a smallish comfy and charming hotel. Rooms come in different  shapes and sizes, contemporary in style, decorated in wine-red, with light bathrooms. Suites have bathtubs. An informal make-yourself-at-home atmosphere and attentive staff complete the picture. The fitness centre is an additional plus. Q19 rooms (5 singles €45 - 65, 7 doubles €55 - 75, 3 triples €70 - 90, 1 suite €90 100, 1 apartment €85 - 130, 1 Junior suite €80 - 90, 1 

Lozenetz E-3, bul. Sveti Naum 23, tel. +359 2 965 44 44, fax +359 2 965 44 45, [email protected], www.lozenetzhotel.com. A contemporary building in a residential area just south of the city centre. Rooms are light  and spacious, although some of the bathrooms are a tight  squeeze. There is a small but relaxing garden attached to the restaurant. Q31 rooms (13 singles €52, 14 doubles €62, 1  apartment €75, 3 Junior suite suite €75, Extra bed). PHAL�

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Latinka G-8, ul. Latinka 28A, tel. +359 2 870 08 48, fax +359 2 870 08 56, [email protected], www. Sleek and modern outside, comfy  hotel-latinka-sofia.com.Sleek hotel-latinka-sofia.com. and charming within, this is an exceedingly good mid-range choice indeed. About 3km southeast of the centre, it’s only  5 minutes’ walk away from the huge expanse of greener greener y that  is Borisova Gradina park. Rooms are decked out in moodenhancing primary colours and come with telephone, cable TV, internet connection and mini-bar. Ask for one of the top floor rooms with attic ceiling if you want a bit of atmosphere.

+359 2 961 34 00/+359 2 961 34 01, fax +359 2 961 21 32, [email protected], www.atlantic-bg.com. Located in the relative seclusion of Simeonovo, a suburb on the lower slopes of Mount Vitosha, this extremely plush place, braced by a pair of fancy turrets, makes for an ideal out-oftown retreat. Bathrooms are on the small side but rooms are otherwise extremely cosy. The top-floor restaurant offers great views towards the city. The apartments have Jacuzzi. Q20 rooms (10 doubles €55 - 65, 4 triples €85, 4 suites   €82, 4 apartments €90 - 95, 2 Presidential Suite: €105).

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Casa Ferrari Bed and BreakfastC-1, ul. Lyulin Planina 16, tel. +359 898 43 67 00, fax +359 2 980 84 14, info@ This centrally  casaferrari.com, casaferrari.com, www.casaferrari.com. www.casaferrari.com.This located small hotel is situated on a quiet street within walking distance of Sofia’s main tourist attractions. Decorated with classic Italian furnishings, an atmosphere is produced combining luxury with relaxed charm. In addition to the three tastefully styled guest rooms, is a large, bright breakfast  room, an ideal place for getting the day off to a good start, or  reminiscing about your trip’s highlights. The married couple, who serve as your hosts, are congenial and very helpful in

July - September  2009

where to stay

planning the most effective way to see the sights in Sofia. All-in-all, the Casa Ferrari is a very pleasant home away from home. Q3 rooms (singles €60, doubles €85, triples €95).

98,[email protected],ww w.diterhotel.com. w.diterhotel.com.Located in a sensitively-restored nineteenth-century nineteenth-century house in a quiet  but superbly central street, this is a real find. Rooms come in mood-enhancing blues and oranges and are equipped with minibar, TV and safe. Generous provision of desk space is a major plus, as is the provision of state-of-the-art massage nozzles in the shower cubicles. The T-shaped room no. 302 (a single) will suit the idiosyncratic travellers down to the ground. Q 21 rooms (7 singles €78, 12 doubles   €98, 2 suites €108). PHARLGBKX hhh

Atlantic H-8, ul. 19 (devetnadeseta) 2, Simeonovo, tel.

sofia.inyourpocket.com

where to stay

Diter C-3, ul. Khan Asparuh 65, tel./fax +359 2 989 89

+359 2 967 11 84, fax +359 2 967 31 46, reservations@ svetasofia-alexanders.com,, www.svetasofia-alexansvetasofia-alexanders.com ders.com.A ders.com. A small-sized modern building in the mountainside suburb of Dragalevtsi, a 20-minute drive from the centre. Rooms are spacious and the staff seem like a cheerful, helpful bunch. If you want a relaxing, secluded out-of-town location, then this fits the bill. Q18 rooms (doubles €26, apartments   €43, VIP apartmen t €72). PAFLKD hhh

Q26 rooms (10 singles €50 - 55, 15 doubles €70 - 75, 1  apartment €80). PALGKW hhh

Legends G-7, bul. Cherni vrah 54-56, tel. +359 2 961 79 30, fax +359 2 961 79 33, [email protected], www.hotel-legends.bg. Situated in the Hladilnika ka district  4km south of the c entre, Legends offers all the business-class comforts but has the add ed advantages of medum-sizedhotel intimacy and medium-range prices. The bronzy-brown rooms come with desk space and bath-tubs. An internet  connection for your laptop costs an extra €5 per day. Despite the neighbourhood’s relative lack of decent bars and restaurants, transport links are good: trams no. 9 and no. 10 will whisk you into town, while bus no. 66 powers its way  up to Aleko on Mt Vitosha. Q49 rooms (3 singles €64 - 74, 40 doubles €76 - 86, 2 apartments €94 - 104, 4 Apartment  houses €104 - 114). PALK hhh

Meg Lozenetz D-3, ul. Krum Popov 84, tel. +359 2 965 19 70, fax +359 2 965 19 71, [email protected], ww w.meg-lozenetz.com. w.meg-lozenetz.com. Inviting mid-sized hotel in residential streets just south of the centre, near the City Center Sofia shopping mall. The deep carpeted rooms are decorated in warm colours and come with a lot of desk  space. They also come in irregular shapes, which makes a nice change from the perfect rectangles on offer elsewhere. The hotel restaurant looks semi-tropical with its rat tan chairs, wooden decking and house-plants house-plants - appropriately appropriately enough, it is home to an enormous green parrot. Q17 rooms (4 singles €75 - 90, 4 doubles €85 - 100, 4 triples €95 - 110, 4 suites €95 - 110, 1 apartment €135 - 150). PYAR6� UGKW hhh

19 80, fax +359 2 968 19 84, [email protected], www.hotelbrod.com. A suburban hotel of recent construction offering excellent value in this price range. All rooms are neatly kitted out in a mixture of pastel and terracotta shades - “luxury” rooms have good-sized bathtubs, while others come with a simple shower unit. Simeonovsko shose itself is hardl y  Sofia’s most inspiring street, but you’ll feel quite at home here once the friendly and helpful staff have told you where the local cafés, shops and bus-stops are. And taxis to/from here aren’t going to break the bank. Q46 rooms (13 singles €40 - 50, 24 doubles €48 - 60, 5 suites €56 - 70, 4 apartments  €64 - 80). PHALGBKXW hhh

Harmony E-1, bul. Arsenalski 4, tel. +359 2 866 53 77, fax +359 2 866 25 37, [email protected], www.hotels-harmony.com.You www.hotels-harmony.com. You won’t be drowned in luxur y  here but you’ll certainly find everything necessary for a pleasant and restful stay, and the small scale of the place makes you feel looked after. It’s right next do or to one of Sofia’s most  popular indoor and outdoor swimming pools, which you can use free of charge the first time, after which a small entrance  fee comes into operation. Q16 rooms (singles €42, doubles  €63, apartments €76). PHALK hhh

Madrid G-8, ul. Dragovitsa 12, tel. +359 2 944 89 52, fax +359 2 943 31 44, [email protected], www. madridbg.com. Intimate hotel in a quiet area just east of  the city centre, offering simply furnished en-suite rooms and little in the way of extras. Difficult to beat at this price. Q15 rooms (2 singles €20, 10 doubles €28, 2 triples €33, 1 quad  €40). PJAW h Niky C-2, ul. Neofit Rilski 16, tel. +359 2 952 30 58, fax +359 2 951 60 91, [email protected], www. hotel-niky.com.This hotel-niky.com.This superbly located and friendly place has a lot of admirers, so be sure to book in advance. The handful of single and double rooms come with modern furnishings, minibar, TV and WC/shower. However the majority of rooms are roomy apartment-style affairs featuring kitchenette and bathtub. The garden restaurant, famed for its grills, comes into its own in spring and summer. Q23 rooms (3 singles  €40 - 45, 3 doubles €45 - 50, 16 apartments €60 - 105, 1  double luxury €50 - 55). PARUGKW hhh Pop Bogomil A-4, ul. Pop Bogomil 5, tel. +359 2 983 11 65, fax +359 2 983 70 65, hotelpopbogomil@dir. bg, www.bulgariabedandbreakfast.com.Welcoming www.bulgariabedandbreakfast.com.Welcoming and intimate place in an area of cobbled residential streets a   few minutes’ walk from the city centre. Rooms are on the small side and feature mix-and-match furnishings that might  not quite make it into the pages of a design magazine, but  everything else about this hotel seems tidy and comfy. Some rooms have bathtubs, some have showers, so ask in advance if you’ve got a preference. Breakfast costs a few leva extra. Q10 rooms (doubles €30 - 33). LW hhh

Red Bed and Breakfast C-4, ul. Lyuben Karavelov 15,

redbandb.com. An early twentieth-century villa houses the Red House cultural centre as well as this charming B&B. The rooms come in a variety of different styles: some feature soothingly pale decor while others are kitted out in sensuous reds and greens. Toilet and bathroom are located in the hallway, but you do get breakfast delivered to your room. The top-floor terrace is a great place to hang out when the weather gets warmer. Q6 rooms (singles €25 - 35, doubles  €40 - 50). RKW hh

RotasaR G-8, ul. Liditse and Kosta Lulchev (at the corner), tel. +359 2 971 45 71, fax +359 2 971 45 74, [email protected], [email protected], www.rotasar.com.Smallish www.rotasar.com.Smallish hotel with a cosy feel, in a residential neighbourhood 2km east of the centre on the way to Sofia airport. Rooms come in different  sizes and colour schemes but are all equipped with a small TV, minibar and bathroom. Colourful contemporary prints in the rooms and hallways add a bit of character. Breakfast in the downstairs restaurant costs an extra €3. Q17 rooms (8 doubles €37 - 44, 6 apartments €57 - 67, 3 Studio: €51). PARGKXW hh

Shipka G-7, bul. Totleben 34A, tel. +359 2 915 14 87, fax +359 2 953 12 30, [email protected], www. hotel-shipka.com. Twenty minutes’ walk southwest of the centre, this Defence Ministry-owned establishment establishment is a bit  care-worn and institutionalised at first glance, bu t it’s far from being a boot camp. Rooms are adequate and come with TV,  fridge and WC/shower: those in the ‘lux’ category have the added benefits of plush carpets and jolly colour schemes. The fab subterranean fitness complex looks like a training  centre for special agents: saunas, steam baths, gym, wellness treatments and hairdresser’s saloon. Q134 rooms (126 doubles €34 - 50, 6 apartments €61, 2 Apartment VIP:  €93). PJHR6UFLBKDXW hhh

Sofia Garden Bed and Breakfast C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 21A, tel. +359 2 987 05 45/+359 888 378 930, [email protected], www.art-hostel.com. Located in the same centrally-located nineteenth-century  building as the ever-popular Art Hostel (see “Hostels” below), Sofia Garden offers simply-furnished but characterful rooms with wooden floorboards, distressed chairs and wardrobes, and high ceilings. Toilet and shower are across the hallway. There’s a communal hall with homely ceramic stove, and a small kitchen complete with kettle and toaster. Room price includesbreakfast. Q6 rooms (4 doubles €26 - 36, 2 quads  €14). TJHAR6GBKXW h

Out of town SPA Hotel Bankya Palace bul. Varna 70, Bankya, tel. +359 2 812 20 20, fax +359 2 997 70 64, hote l@ bankyapalace.com, www.bankyapalace.com. The Bankya Palace was renovated in 2005 and some parts of it are really state-of-the-art. Rooms are not too spacious, but are light and decorated in fresh colours. Most  bathrooms are with bathtubs. The on-site Spa centre of fers a large number of superb remedial, recuperation and relaxation programs (including aromatherapy, chocolate or honey massage, wine-therapy and thalasso-therapy). The complex has its own bowling hall and a big outdoor  swimming pool with mineral water. Q72 rooms (19 singles €42 - 53, 41 doubles €53 - 69, 12 apartments   €84 - 111). PHARUFLGBKDXCW

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tel./fax +359 2 988 81 88, [email protected], www.

Sofia In Your Po cket

sofia inyourpo cket com

sofia.inyourpocket.com

July - September  2009

27

where to stay

26

where to stay Renaissance B-2, pl. Vazrazhdane 2, tel. +359 2 986

planning the most effective way to see the sights in Sofia. All-in-all, the Casa Ferrari is a very pleasant home away from home. Q3 rooms (singles €60, doubles €85, triples €95).

09 38, fax +359 2 986 09 39, [email protected], www.hotelrenaissance-bg.com. If  you don’t mind a bit of kitsch you’ll quite like this place, with its loud colours, copper engravings of renaissance paintings and retro furniture. Panoramic vie w of Sofia from the top-floor  terrace. Q29 rooms (14 singles €55, 14 doubles €65, 1  apartment €90). PHAGKW hhh

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Diter C-3, ul. Khan Asparuh 65, tel./fax +359 2 989 89 98,[email protected],ww w.diterhotel.com. w.diterhotel.com.Located in a sensitively-restored nineteenth-century nineteenth-century house in a quiet  but superbly central street, this is a real find. Rooms come in mood-enhancing blues and oranges and are equipped with minibar, TV and safe. Generous provision of desk space is a major plus, as is the provision of state-of-the-art massage nozzles in the shower cubicles. The T-shaped room no. 302 (a single) will suit the idiosyncratic travellers down to the ground. Q 21 rooms (7 singles €78, 12 doubles   €98, 2 suites €108). PHARLGBKX hhh

late Plaza Hotel

Mladost 1, Soa corner of Aleksander Malinov Blvd & Andrey Sakharov Blvd phone 974 4948, 0886 83 12 82 [email protected], www.elateplaza.com

Budget  Brod H-8, bul. Simeonovsko shose 66, tel. +359 2 968

Elate Plaza Elate Plaza H-8, Mladost-1, corner of bul. Aleksandar Malinov and bul. Andrey Saharov, MMladost 1, tel. +359 2 974 49 48, [email protected], www.elateplaza.com. Five minutes drive south from the airport in a residential neighbourhood this is a smallish comfy and charming hotel. Rooms come in different  shapes and sizes, contemporary in style, decorated in wine-red, with light bathrooms. Suites have bathtubs. An informal make-yourself-at-home atmosphere and attentive staff complete the picture. The fitness centre is an additional plus. Q19 rooms (5 singles €45 - 65, 7 doubles €55 - 75, 3 triples €70 - 90, 1 suite €90 100, 1 apartment €85 - 130, 1 Junior suite €80 - 90, 1 

Lozenetz E-3, bul. Sveti Naum 23, tel. +359 2 965 44 44, fax +359 2 965 44 45, [email protected], www.lozenetzhotel.com. A contemporary building in a residential area just south of the city centre. Rooms are light  and spacious, although some of the bathrooms are a tight  squeeze. There is a small but relaxing garden attached to the restaurant. Q31 rooms (13 singles €52, 14 doubles €62, 1  apartment €75, 3 Junior suite suite €75, Extra bed). PHAL�

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Latinka G-8, ul. Latinka 28A, tel. +359 2 870 08 48, fax +359 2 870 08 56, [email protected], www. Sleek and modern outside, comfy  hotel-latinka-sofia.com.Sleek hotel-latinka-sofia.com. and charming within, this is an exceedingly good mid-range choice indeed. About 3km southeast of the centre, it’s only  5 minutes’ walk away from the huge expanse of greener greener y that  is Borisova Gradina park. Rooms are decked out in moodenhancing primary colours and come with telephone, cable TV, internet connection and mini-bar. Ask for one of the top floor rooms with attic ceiling if you want a bit of atmosphere.

Q26 rooms (10 singles €50 - 55, 15 doubles €70 - 75, 1  apartment €80). PALGKW hhh

Legends G-7, bul. Cherni vrah 54-56, tel. +359 2 961 79 30, fax +359 2 961 79 33, [email protected], www.hotel-legends.bg. Situated in the Hladilnika ka district  4km south of the c entre, Legends offers all the business-class comforts but has the add ed advantages of medum-sizedhotel intimacy and medium-range prices. The bronzy-brown rooms come with desk space and bath-tubs. An internet  connection for your laptop costs an extra €5 per day. Despite the neighbourhood’s relative lack of decent bars and restaurants, transport links are good: trams no. 9 and no. 10 will whisk you into town, while bus no. 66 powers its way  up to Aleko on Mt Vitosha. Q49 rooms (3 singles €64 - 74, 40 doubles €76 - 86, 2 apartments €94 - 104, 4 Apartment  houses €104 - 114). PALK hhh

Meg Lozenetz D-3, ul. Krum Popov 84, tel. +359 2 965 19 70, fax +359 2 965 19 71, [email protected], ww w.meg-lozenetz.com. w.meg-lozenetz.com. Inviting mid-sized hotel in residential streets just south of the centre, near the City Center Sofia shopping mall. The deep carpeted rooms are decorated in warm colours and come with a lot of desk  space. They also come in irregular shapes, which makes a nice change from the perfect rectangles on offer elsewhere. The hotel restaurant looks semi-tropical with its rat tan chairs, wooden decking and house-plants house-plants - appropriately appropriately enough, it is home to an enormous green parrot. Q17 rooms (4 singles €75 - 90, 4 doubles €85 - 100, 4 triples €95 - 110, 4 suites €95 - 110, 1 apartment €135 - 150). PYAR6� UGKW hhh

19 80, fax +359 2 968 19 84, [email protected], www.hotelbrod.com. A suburban hotel of recent construction offering excellent value in this price range. All rooms are neatly kitted out in a mixture of pastel and terracotta shades - “luxury” rooms have good-sized bathtubs, while others come with a simple shower unit. Simeonovsko shose itself is hardl y  Sofia’s most inspiring street, but you’ll feel quite at home here once the friendly and helpful staff have told you where the local cafés, shops and bus-stops are. And taxis to/from here aren’t going to break the bank. Q46 rooms (13 singles €40 - 50, 24 doubles €48 - 60, 5 suites €56 - 70, 4 apartments  €64 - 80). PHALGBKXW hhh

Harmony E-1, bul. Arsenalski 4, tel. +359 2 866 53 77, fax +359 2 866 25 37, [email protected], www.hotels-harmony.com.You www.hotels-harmony.com. You won’t be drowned in luxur y  here but you’ll certainly find everything necessary for a pleasant and restful stay, and the small scale of the place makes you feel looked after. It’s right next do or to one of Sofia’s most  popular indoor and outdoor swimming pools, which you can use free of charge the first time, after which a small entrance  fee comes into operation. Q16 rooms (singles €42, doubles  €63, apartments €76). PHALK hhh

Madrid G-8, ul. Dragovitsa 12, tel. +359 2 944 89 52, fax +359 2 943 31 44, [email protected], www. madridbg.com. Intimate hotel in a quiet area just east of  the city centre, offering simply furnished en-suite rooms and little in the way of extras. Difficult to beat at this price. Q15 rooms (2 singles €20, 10 doubles €28, 2 triples €33, 1 quad  €40). PJAW h Niky C-2, ul. Neofit Rilski 16, tel. +359 2 952 30 58, fax +359 2 951 60 91, [email protected], www. hotel-niky.com.This hotel-niky.com.This superbly located and friendly place has a lot of admirers, so be sure to book in advance. The handful of single and double rooms come with modern furnishings, minibar, TV and WC/shower. However the majority of rooms are roomy apartment-style affairs featuring kitchenette and bathtub. The garden restaurant, famed for its grills, comes into its own in spring and summer. Q23 rooms (3 singles  €40 - 45, 3 doubles €45 - 50, 16 apartments €60 - 105, 1  double luxury €50 - 55). PARUGKW hhh Pop Bogomil A-4, ul. Pop Bogomil 5, tel. +359 2 983 11 65, fax +359 2 983 70 65, hotelpopbogomil@dir. bg, www.bulgariabedandbreakfast.com.Welcoming www.bulgariabedandbreakfast.com.Welcoming and intimate place in an area of cobbled residential streets a   few minutes’ walk from the city centre. Rooms are on the small side and feature mix-and-match furnishings that might  not quite make it into the pages of a design magazine, but  everything else about this hotel seems tidy and comfy. Some rooms have bathtubs, some have showers, so ask in advance if you’ve got a preference. Breakfast costs a few leva extra. Q10 rooms (doubles €30 - 33). LW hhh

Red Bed and Breakfast C-4, ul. Lyuben Karavelov 15,

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redbandb.com. An early twentieth-century villa houses the Red House cultural centre as well as this charming B&B. The rooms come in a variety of different styles: some feature soothingly pale decor while others are kitted out in sensuous reds and greens. Toilet and bathroom are located in the hallway, but you do get breakfast delivered to your room. The top-floor terrace is a great place to hang out when the weather gets warmer. Q6 rooms (singles €25 - 35, doubles  €40 - 50). RKW hh

RotasaR G-8, ul. Liditse and Kosta Lulchev (at the corner), tel. +359 2 971 45 71, fax +359 2 971 45 74, [email protected], [email protected], www.rotasar.com.Smallish www.rotasar.com.Smallish hotel with a cosy feel, in a residential neighbourhood 2km east of the centre on the way to Sofia airport. Rooms come in different  sizes and colour schemes but are all equipped with a small TV, minibar and bathroom. Colourful contemporary prints in the rooms and hallways add a bit of character. Breakfast in the downstairs restaurant costs an extra €3. Q17 rooms (8 doubles €37 - 44, 6 apartments €57 - 67, 3 Studio: €51). PARGKXW hh

Shipka G-7, bul. Totleben 34A, tel. +359 2 915 14 87, fax +359 2 953 12 30, [email protected], www. hotel-shipka.com. Twenty minutes’ walk southwest of the centre, this Defence Ministry-owned establishment establishment is a bit  care-worn and institutionalised at first glance, bu t it’s far from being a boot camp. Rooms are adequate and come with TV,  fridge and WC/shower: those in the ‘lux’ category have the added benefits of plush carpets and jolly colour schemes. The fab subterranean fitness complex looks like a training  centre for special agents: saunas, steam baths, gym, wellness treatments and hairdresser’s saloon. Q134 rooms (126 doubles €34 - 50, 6 apartments €61, 2 Apartment VIP:  €93). PJHR6UFLBKDXW hhh

Sofia Garden Bed and Breakfast C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 21A, tel. +359 2 987 05 45/+359 888 378 930, [email protected], www.art-hostel.com. Located in the same centrally-located nineteenth-century  building as the ever-popular Art Hostel (see “Hostels” below), Sofia Garden offers simply-furnished but characterful rooms with wooden floorboards, distressed chairs and wardrobes, and high ceilings. Toilet and shower are across the hallway. There’s a communal hall with homely ceramic stove, and a small kitchen complete with kettle and toaster. Room price includesbreakfast. Q6 rooms (4 doubles €26 - 36, 2 quads  €14). TJHAR6GBKXW h

Out of town SPA Hotel Bankya Palace bul. Varna 70, Bankya, tel. +359 2 812 20 20, fax +359 2 997 70 64, hote l@ bankyapalace.com, www.bankyapalace.com. The Bankya Palace was renovated in 2005 and some parts of it are really state-of-the-art. Rooms are not too spacious, but are light and decorated in fresh colours. Most  bathrooms are with bathtubs. The on-site Spa centre of fers a large number of superb remedial, recuperation and relaxation programs (including aromatherapy, chocolate or honey massage, wine-therapy and thalasso-therapy). The complex has its own bowling hall and a big outdoor  swimming pool with mineral water. Q72 rooms (19 singles €42 - 53, 41 doubles €53 - 69, 12 apartments   €84 - 111). PHARUFLGBKDXCW

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tel./fax +359 2 988 81 88, [email protected], www.

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Apartment hotels Apartment House Iztok G-8, ul. Atanas Dalchev 6, tel. +359 2 970 01 00, fax +359 2 970 01 28, [email protected], www.apartmenthouseiztok.bg. Fully  serviced apartment block on the southeastern fringes of  the centre. The smallest studio apartments are no different  to a mid-price hotel room, but providing you steer clear of  these you should have no complaints. Expect lam floors, warm colours, and modern bathrooms with tubs. Break  fast is brought to your room, and there’s a strip of garden complete with kids’ play area out the back. Q32 rooms (4 singles €110, 4 doubles €120, 5 apartments €190, 8 Business studios: €135, 6 Family apartments €150, 5 Big family  apartments €170). Rates fall in proportion to length of stay.

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where to stay Variety E-3, ul. Yoan Ekzarh 20, tel. +359 2 963 31 51, fax +359 2 866 15 57, [email protected], www. variety-bg.com. Variety offer well over 20 properties in central Sofia and the inner-ring of suburban districts, with short- or long-term apartments ranging in size from 2- to 4-bedroom. Interiors are neat and tasteful, some feature a very high standard of interior design indeed. The apartments are fully serviced and secure. Q Prices vary between €40 and €70 depending on the size of the apartment, with discounts for long term stays. ALW

Hostels Art-Hostel C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 21A, tel. +359 2 987 05 45, ar [email protected], [email protected], ww w.art-hostel.com. The original idea behind this little place was that it would be a hostel-cum-art hostel-cum-art gallery where people could meet and exchange ideas. It doesn’t always live up to its cultural mission but it’s quirky, friendly and central all the same. There are two dormitories equipped with d ouble-decker bunks, and a communal sitting room with soft furnishings and occasional exhibitions. The weirdly decorated downstairs cafe-bar is reason enough to stay. Price includes a modest breakfast  (served at a nearby cafe-restaurant, not on the premises). Q Dorm bed €11. JAR6GBKW h Be My Guest C-4, ul. Ivan Vazov 13, tel. +359 2 989

Apartment House Dunav A-4, ul. Dunav 38, tel. +359 2 983 30 02, fax +359 2 983 38 04, [email protected],w ww.dunavapartmenthouse.com ww.dunavapartmenthouse.com.. A range of delightfully light and spacious apartments with parquet floors, neutral colours, kitchenette, TV and WC/  shower. The 2-bed family apartments on the top floor come with attractive attic windows. Breakfast can be delivered  from the nearby Tabiet restaurant, if you’re too lazy to cook  your own. Handily located in a downtown area characterized by quiet cobbled streets. Q14 rooms (14 apartments €58 - 88). Rates fall dramatically the longer you stay. PTAR

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Apartment House Sofia G-7, ul. Golo bardo 2-4, tel. +359 2 960 28 88, fax +359 2 960 28 60, info@apho usesofia.com, www.aphouse-sofia.com.Tidy www.aphouse-sofia.com. Tidy new block in a residential area just south of the cen tre, offering comfy apartments ranging in size from 2-person studios to 2-bedroom  family flats. All have laminated floors, pastel-coloured furnishings, TV, kitchenette, and bathrooms with full-sized tubs. Apartmen ts are serviced daily. If you don’t fancy self-catering, you can eat very well at the Carrera restaurant on the ground  floor. Q (28 apartments €120 - 180). Long-stay rates are substantially cheaper. PTARLK

Apartment rental City Hotels Ltd. C-5, bul. Evlogi Georgiev 85, tel. +359 888 509 199, [email protected], www.rentinsofia. com. This firm have around 30 apartments at their disposal, of varying sizes and at various locations around town. Judging  by the one we saw, furnishings are tasteful, colour schemes are soothing, and kitchens and bathrooms are fully equipped with modern gear. Apartments are serviced on a daily basis. Q The prices range from €40 for one bedroom apts, to  €60-80 for a 3-bedroom family dwelling. Prices decrease according to how long you stay.

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50 92, [email protected], www.bemyguest-hostel. com. Centrally-placed hostel with a rambling collection of rooms and a cosy if cramped living room. The dorms and doubles are functional in the extreme but funky ethno  furnishings will make you feel at home. The 5-bed split-level apartment, decorated with kooky paintings, is well worth getting hold of if you’re travelling as a family or with friends. A basic breakfast is included. Q €10 -12-15-20 per bed.

Orient Express Hostel C-2, ul. Hristo Belchev 8A fl.3, tel. +359 888 384 828/+359 828/+359 889 138 298, [email protected],, www.orientexpresshostel. [email protected] com. Right opposite a grocery shop open 24/7 and a few stories above one of the better bars in the city, Orient Express Hostel has the perfect central location. The building it occupies is from the 1920s with high ceilings and situated on a busy street with numerous cafes and re staurants. The rooms are decorated tastefully and have a modern luxurious look. Art hangs from the walls and big LCD screen T Vs are available with satellite channels. There is one spacious room with tall dorm beds, two big ger double bedrooms and a small room  for two. The common room and kitchen are merged into one and smoking is allowed only in there. A list of activities ready  to be organized upon request from the visitors, is posted on the wall. It includes pub crawl, paintball, paragliding, horse riding and bow shooting. If you prefer the atmosphere and prices most hostels offer, but you wouldn’t mind a notch of  luxury, this is your place Q (singles 20 - 25BGN, doubles 25 - 30BGN, Dorm bed 8 - 10BGN). PJNW Red Star Hostel C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 6, fl.3, tel. +359 889 138 298/+359 888 384 828, redstarhostel@ yahoo.com. In the very heart of Sofia downtown this hostel will meet your every basic need and it is be affordable. The rooms are neat and spacious decorated in warm pastel colours. The staff are there 24 hours a day ready to assist  you in whatever you need. There are four rooms with capacity  to host up to 18 people. There are no double rooms but you could rent a whole room as a couple. Breakfast is included in the price and served between 9 and 11 in the morning with the kitchen available to use at your whim. Laundry service costs 2.50 euro per load. There is no Wi-Fi, just a PC with Internet, which is docked in one of the bedrooms and unless the rest of the guests don’t mind the keyboard clatter it is

available available at any time. Prices vary between the high and low season, summer and winter accordingly. There are TVs all over the place and a common room for gatherings. Check ou t  time is 11:30 and there is no problem to leave your luggage  for the rest of the day.

Sofia Guesthous Guesthouse e C-3, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 27, tel. +359 2 403 01 00/+359 884 001 056, info@ sofiaguest.com, sofiaguest.com, www.sofiaguest.com. Spacious and relaxing hostel with fresh-smelling, fresh-smelling, air-conditioned dorms, a healthy number of toilets and showers on each floor, and a big sitting-room-cum-socializing area near the reception desk. Plus there’s a basement breakfast room and TV room. Use of internet terminal and washing machine for a small extra fee. Breakfast included. Q €10-18 per person.

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Hostel Mostel B-2, bul. Makedonia 2A, tel. +359 889 223 296, [email protected], www.hostelmostel. com. Lurking behind an unlikely-looking metal doorway, Hostel Mostel is one of Sofia’s hidden treasures, occupying a reconstructed nineteenth-century inn which plonked surreally  in a ci ty-centre courtyard. The simple, mattress-on-the-floor  mattress-on-the-floor  accommodation is neat and clean: individual dorms can be booked as private rooms by twosomes or threesomes for a  few extra euro during the low season. The spacious ground  floor social area, including pool table, internet terminal, kitchen, and oriental, cushion-strewn divan, is a major feature. Q €10-15 per person. JRGBW

Hostel Sofia B-2, ul. Pozitano 16, tel. +359 2 989 85 82,[email protected]’s [email protected]. Sofia’s first-ever backpacker  friendly hostel is still going strong, with two floors of pine floored, bunk-filled dorms (ranging in size from 12-bed to 4-bed) in a central apartment block. It still has the feel of a cosy private flat, with teddy-bear wallpaper in some of the dorms, lounge furniture stuffed into the hallway, and a small but fully-equipped kitchen. Breakfast included. Q €10 per  person. PJR6ILGBKXW

Internet Hostel B-3, ul. Alabin 50A, 2nd floor, tel. +359 889 138 298, fax +359 2 989 94 19, interhoste l@ yahoo.co.uk. A place that always seems to be full of nice and friendly young travellers. Clean and tidy rooms ranging  in size from a single to a six-bed dorm. It’s a bit difficult to  find at first: enter the shopping arcade at Alabin 50, look for  the plain white door on your left, then head up the stairs. Q From €9-10 per person - dorm room, €25-30 double room,  €30-35 for studio, €35-40 triple room. R

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where to stay

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Apartment hotels Apartment House Iztok G-8, ul. Atanas Dalchev 6, tel. +359 2 970 01 00, fax +359 2 970 01 28, [email protected], www.apartmenthouseiztok.bg. Fully  serviced apartment block on the southeastern fringes of  the centre. The smallest studio apartments are no different  to a mid-price hotel room, but providing you steer clear of  these you should have no complaints. Expect lam floors, warm colours, and modern bathrooms with tubs. Break  fast is brought to your room, and there’s a strip of garden complete with kids’ play area out the back. Q32 rooms (4 singles €110, 4 doubles €120, 5 apartments €190, 8 Business studios: €135, 6 Family apartments €150, 5 Big family  apartments €170). Rates fall in proportion to length of stay.

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where to stay Variety E-3, ul. Yoan Ekzarh 20, tel. +359 2 963 31 51, fax +359 2 866 15 57, [email protected], www. variety-bg.com. Variety offer well over 20 properties in central Sofia and the inner-ring of suburban districts, with short- or long-term apartments ranging in size from 2- to 4-bedroom. Interiors are neat and tasteful, some feature a very high standard of interior design indeed. The apartments are fully serviced and secure. Q Prices vary between €40 and €70 depending on the size of the apartment, with discounts for long term stays. ALW

Hostels Art-Hostel C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 21A, tel. +359 2 987 05 45, ar [email protected], [email protected], ww w.art-hostel.com. The original idea behind this little place was that it would be a hostel-cum-art hostel-cum-art gallery where people could meet and exchange ideas. It doesn’t always live up to its cultural mission but it’s quirky, friendly and central all the same. There are two dormitories equipped with d ouble-decker bunks, and a communal sitting room with soft furnishings and occasional exhibitions. The weirdly decorated downstairs cafe-bar is reason enough to stay. Price includes a modest breakfast  (served at a nearby cafe-restaurant, not on the premises). Q Dorm bed €11. JAR6GBKW h Be My Guest C-4, ul. Ivan Vazov 13, tel. +359 2 989

Apartment House Dunav A-4, ul. Dunav 38, tel. +359 2 983 30 02, fax +359 2 983 38 04, [email protected],w ww.dunavapartmenthouse.com ww.dunavapartmenthouse.com.. A range of delightfully light and spacious apartments with parquet floors, neutral colours, kitchenette, TV and WC/  shower. The 2-bed family apartments on the top floor come with attractive attic windows. Breakfast can be delivered  from the nearby Tabiet restaurant, if you’re too lazy to cook  your own. Handily located in a downtown area characterized by quiet cobbled streets. Q14 rooms (14 apartments €58 - 88). Rates fall dramatically the longer you stay. PTAR

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Apartment House Sofia G-7, ul. Golo bardo 2-4, tel. +359 2 960 28 88, fax +359 2 960 28 60, info@apho usesofia.com, www.aphouse-sofia.com.Tidy www.aphouse-sofia.com. Tidy new block in a residential area just south of the cen tre, offering comfy apartments ranging in size from 2-person studios to 2-bedroom  family flats. All have laminated floors, pastel-coloured furnishings, TV, kitchenette, and bathrooms with full-sized tubs. Apartmen ts are serviced daily. If you don’t fancy self-catering, you can eat very well at the Carrera restaurant on the ground  floor. Q (28 apartments €120 - 180). Long-stay rates are substantially cheaper. PTARLK

Apartment rental City Hotels Ltd. C-5, bul. Evlogi Georgiev 85, tel. +359 888 509 199, [email protected], www.rentinsofia. com. This firm have around 30 apartments at their disposal, of varying sizes and at various locations around town. Judging  by the one we saw, furnishings are tasteful, colour schemes are soothing, and kitchens and bathrooms are fully equipped with modern gear. Apartments are serviced on a daily basis. Q The prices range from €40 for one bedroom apts, to  €60-80 for a 3-bedroom family dwelling. Prices decrease according to how long you stay.

50 92, [email protected], www.bemyguest-hostel. com. Centrally-placed hostel with a rambling collection of rooms and a cosy if cramped living room. The dorms and doubles are functional in the extreme but funky ethno  furnishings will make you feel at home. The 5-bed split-level apartment, decorated with kooky paintings, is well worth getting hold of if you’re travelling as a family or with friends. A basic breakfast is included. Q €10 -12-15-20 per bed.

Red Star Hostel C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 6, fl.3, tel. +359 889 138 298/+359 888 384 828, redstarhostel@ yahoo.com. In the very heart of Sofia downtown this hostel will meet your every basic need and it is be affordable. The rooms are neat and spacious decorated in warm pastel colours. The staff are there 24 hours a day ready to assist  you in whatever you need. There are four rooms with capacity  to host up to 18 people. There are no double rooms but you could rent a whole room as a couple. Breakfast is included in the price and served between 9 and 11 in the morning with the kitchen available to use at your whim. Laundry service costs 2.50 euro per load. There is no Wi-Fi, just a PC with Internet, which is docked in one of the bedrooms and unless the rest of the guests don’t mind the keyboard clatter it is

available available at any time. Prices vary between the high and low season, summer and winter accordingly. There are TVs all over the place and a common room for gatherings. Check ou t  time is 11:30 and there is no problem to leave your luggage  for the rest of the day.

Sofia Guesthous Guesthouse e C-3, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 27, tel. +359 2 403 01 00/+359 884 001 056, info@ sofiaguest.com, sofiaguest.com, www.sofiaguest.com. Spacious and relaxing hostel with fresh-smelling, fresh-smelling, air-conditioned dorms, a healthy number of toilets and showers on each floor, and a big sitting-room-cum-socializing area near the reception desk. Plus there’s a basement breakfast room and TV room. Use of internet terminal and washing machine for a small extra fee. Breakfast included. Q €10-18 per person.

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Hostel Mostel B-2, bul. Makedonia 2A, tel. +359 889 223 296, [email protected], www.hostelmostel. com. Lurking behind an unlikely-looking metal doorway, Hostel Mostel is one of Sofia’s hidden treasures, occupying a reconstructed nineteenth-century inn which plonked surreally  in a ci ty-centre courtyard. The simple, mattress-on-the-floor  mattress-on-the-floor  accommodation is neat and clean: individual dorms can be booked as private rooms by twosomes or threesomes for a  few extra euro during the low season. The spacious ground  floor social area, including pool table, internet terminal, kitchen, and oriental, cushion-strewn divan, is a major feature. Q €10-15 per person. JRGBW

Hostel Sofia B-2, ul. Pozitano 16, tel. +359 2 989 85 82,[email protected]’s [email protected]. Sofia’s first-ever backpacker  friendly hostel is still going strong, with two floors of pine floored, bunk-filled dorms (ranging in size from 12-bed to 4-bed) in a central apartment block. It still has the feel of a cosy private flat, with teddy-bear wallpaper in some of the dorms, lounge furniture stuffed into the hallway, and a small but fully-equipped kitchen. Breakfast included. Q €10 per  person. PJR6ILGBKXW

Internet Hostel B-3, ul. Alabin 50A, 2nd floor, tel. +359 889 138 298, fax +359 2 989 94 19, interhoste l@ yahoo.co.uk. A place that always seems to be full of nice and friendly young travellers. Clean and tidy rooms ranging  in size from a single to a six-bed dorm. It’s a bit difficult to  find at first: enter the shopping arcade at Alabin 50, look for  the plain white door on your left, then head up the stairs. Q From €9-10 per person - dorm room, €25-30 double room,  €30-35 for studio, €35-40 triple room. R

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Orient Express Hostel C-2, ul. Hristo Belchev 8A fl.3, tel. +359 888 384 828/+359 828/+359 889 138 298, [email protected],, www.orientexpresshostel. [email protected] com. Right opposite a grocery shop open 24/7 and a few stories above one of the better bars in the city, Orient Express Hostel has the perfect central location. The building it occupies is from the 1920s with high ceilings and situated on a busy street with numerous cafes and re staurants. The rooms are decorated tastefully and have a modern luxurious look. Art hangs from the walls and big LCD screen T Vs are available with satellite channels. There is one spacious room with tall dorm beds, two big ger double bedrooms and a small room  for two. The common room and kitchen are merged into one and smoking is allowed only in there. A list of activities ready  to be organized upon request from the visitors, is posted on the wall. It includes pub crawl, paintball, paragliding, horse riding and bow shooting. If you prefer the atmosphere and prices most hostels offer, but you wouldn’t mind a notch of  luxury, this is your place Q (singles 20 - 25BGN, doubles 25 - 30BGN, Dorm bed 8 - 10BGN). PJNW

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restaurants

restaurants decked out in folk textiles and nineteenth-century nineteenth-century domestic nick-nacks. It’s an excellent place in which to sample the standard Bulgarian an repertoire of grilled meats, backed up by an array of healthy salads and some superb spicy bob (baked beans Balkan-style). Some of the cheaper wines are a bit rough though. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. (6-12Lv).

Symbol key P Air conditioning 

 A Credit cards accepted

E Live music

S Take away 

T Child friendly 

U Facilities for the disabled

G Non-smoking areas

L Guarded parking 

O Casino

M Nearest station

R Internet 

6 Animal friendly 

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Happy Bar & Grill B-3, ul. Golo Bardo 4, tel. +359 888

Armenian

Bulgarian Etno B-3, ul. Alabin 35, tel. +359 2 988 75 75, [email protected]. Spread out in a large basement in the heart of  the downtown shopping area, this is a rather elegant take on a familiar down-on-the-farm rustic theme. Starched napkins and fancy cutlery adorn the tables, while garlic and corn cobs hang on rough whitewashed walls in the background. The menu aims to provide down-to-earth home cooking   from around Europe (I’m sure we saw a Wiener Schnitzel in here somewhere), although the accent is on Bulgarian meat    favourites - it’s a nice change to see Bulgarian grill-snacks given the serious cuisine treatment. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. (10-35Lv). PJAGXSW Hadzhidraganovite Kashti F-7, ul. Kozloduy 75, tel. +359 2 931 31 48, [email protected], www.kashtite. com. Hugely enjoyable theme restaurant restaurant located mid-way  mid-way  between the town centre and the train station, consisting  ng  of four large rooms, each designed in the folk style of a particular region of Bulgaria. Traditional musicians drift from room to room during the course of the evening, ensuring  that no-one misses the show. The lengthy menu covers just  about everything in the Bulgarian culinary repertoire, and the list of rakias will have you scratching your head wondering which to try next. QOpen 11:30 - 02:00. (10-15Lv). PA6UIEBS

Halbite C-3, ul. Neofit Rilski 72, tel. +359 2 980 41 47, [email protected] of central Sofia’s most [email protected] ingly popular beer hall-cum-eateries, with a predominantly  Bulgarian menu - but without the kitsch touches you get in some of the more self-consciously touristy places. Expect  instead a relaxing jumble of rough-and-ready rough-and-ready wooden tables

Sofia In Your Po cket

places, that seems to occupy its own bubble in space and time - Ruritania in the 1950s being the most likely coordinates. The prices are stuck in the 1950s too - you can eat  handsomely here for the price of a salad in some other Sofia restaurants. restaurants. The menu is vaguely central European padded out with Bulgarian grills. For something authentically Czech order the goulash or pork served with knedliky - fantastically    filling sliced dumplings. The well-kept Staropramen beer is another reason to make the trip. QOpen 12:00 - 22:30. Closed Sat, Sun. (6-10Lv). JGBSW

Fun

New restaurants are opening all the time in Sofia, but  there aren’t enough good chefs to go round and standards tend to yo-yo as a result. Service is traditionally on the slow side, but things are picking up in this department. The prices in brackets refer to the average cost of a main course.

Egur, Egur B-4, ul. Dobrudzha 10, tel. +359 2 989 33 83, [email protected]. Armenian food, superbly prepared and presented with old-school elegance, in a restaurant, owned by Bulgarian-Armenian Bulgarian-Armenian jazz singer Hilda Kazasyan. No-holds-barred carnivores should plump for the Caucasian flame-grilled kebabs, although there’s plenty by way  of subtly-spiced stews and loads of vegetarian options involving aubergines, peppers, courgettes and other tasty    fresh things. There’s an extensive list of both Bulgarian and international wines, expensive vintage tipples included. ( 2 0 - 3 0 L v ) . PJ A  Q Open 12:00 - 24:00.

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restaurant Vratata and chairs, a generous choice of domestic and international beers, and rock or blues on the sound system. Very popular, so be sure to reserve at weekends, especially in the garden. garden. There’s another b ranch at C-1, bul. Praga 18. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. (5-15Lv). PJNGBXS

Manastirska Magernitsa C-3, ul. Khan Asparuh 67, tel. +359 2 980 38 38 83/+359 899 94 94 00, www. magernitsa.com.. Sheltered in an elegantly decorated nineteenth-century house, the restaurant offers offers an imaginative approach towards traditional Bulgarian cuisine - the owners have collected traditional recipes from Bulgarian monasteries monasteries and reproduced here. Al though the menu is so long that it takes an eternit y to decide what to eat, it features a lot of things you won’t find elsewhere and has plenty of  choice for vegetarians. Service can be slow, but you won’t    find many finer settings for a long leisurely meal. QOpen 11:00 - 02:00. (12-18Lv). PJABX

Tchergata B-5, ul. Shipka 34, tel. +359 2 944 77 77, fax +359 2 944 00 44, [email protected], www. tchergata.bg. This restaurant, located just several metres   from Sofia University, skillfully combines its modern interior  with folklore elements. The place is both cosy and spacious; it seats 200 people inside and 150 people in the summer garden. The menu is available both in English and in Bulgarian and the traditional Bulgarian meals, served in a very original way, prevail. A piece of advice: try the salad called Tchergata, served in a bread cup (7.50Lv), as well as some of the lamb specialties and the meals from the Rhodope Mountains. Relax on the cool terrace and enjoy  a glass of full-flavoured high-quality wine while your food is being prepared on the barbecue with charcoal. Cheers! QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. (8-20Lv). PJAILGB

French

PILNGBXSW

Pri Yafata B-2, ul. Solunska 28, tel. +359 2 980 17 27, [email protected], www.pri-yafata.com. Traditional Bulgarian cuisine served up in a suite of rooms

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Greek  Kumbare B-3, ul. Saborna 14, tel. +359 2 981 17 94/+359 897 806 390, [email protected], www.kumbare.com. Pretty much everything you would expect from a Greek restaurant is here in abundance, with a succulent  repertoire of grilled lamb and fish dishes accompanied by  luxuriant salads - all prepared under the watchful eye of the head chef. The loud and exuberant music will soon put you in the right mood to dive into the selection of ouzos and retsinas. Chandeliers, flowers, and Ionian columns create a winning Mediterranean ambience, an impression impression enhanced by the sharp-looking team of young men in starched white shirts that make up the wait-staff. Kumbare’s position on central Sofia’s main tourist route ensures a constant stream of diners - so you’d better make a reservation. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, “Kumbare” means “best man”, and is also the name of a traditional Greek desser t prepared from cake fingers, mascarpone and nuts. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. (7-34Lv). PJABXSW

Chinese

Pod Lipite D-5, ul. Elin Pelin 1, tel. +359 2 866 50 53, www.podlipitebg.com. One of Sofia’s longest-established and most enjoyable traditional restaurants, with a suite of  rooms done out in the style of a timber-beamed small-town tavern. The menu is extensive and doesn’t really have any  weak points - the succulent shashlik-style skewer-grilled kebabs constitute one particular treat. Vegetarians can assemble a handsome feast from the courgette-, auber gine- and pepper-based dishes listed as starters. Service is brisk and enthusiastic, and live folk music is a feature at weekends. The place gets packed out even at lunchtimes, so it’s wise to reserve in advance. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00. (8-20Lv).

18 10 68, [email protected], www.happy.bg.If www.happy.bg.If you’re the kind of person who likes bright neon lights, laminated menues and electric guitars on the walls, then this is most emphaticall y  the place for you. Expect to dine on grilled chicken and pork  dishes, followed by an array of excellent sweets. The large choice of alcoholic substances ensures that this is a popular  venue in which to spin out an evening. It’s a huge place that’s constantly busy, so be prepared to squeeze in wherever the wait-staff can find you a place.Home delivery : www.hapni.bg  QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. (6-12Lv). PJAGBSW

L’Etranger A-3, ul. Tsar Simeon 78, tel. +359 2 983 14 17/+359 887 523 376, 376, bistrot_letranger @hotmail.com. Homely bistro offering very reasonable food - good place for  a quick lunch or a more leisurely three-course meal. The chef  is a Frenchman who owns the place together with his Bulgarian wife, so it’s a real family restaurant. Good service and meals that live up to expectations. QOpen 12:00 - 15:00, 18:00-22:00, Sat 18:00 - 22:00. Close d Sun. (14-22Lv). PA 

Czech

Cheshki Club B-5, ul. Krakra 15, tel. +359 2 944 13 83, [email protected], www.csklub.bg. With its plain wood furnishings, plain tablecloths and busy waiters, the Czech Club is one of those reassuringly old-fashioned

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Devette Drakona B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 8A, tel. +359 2 981 88 78. Ignore the gaudy signs advertising the “Gentlemen’s Club” on the ground floor of the building and head upstairs to find one of Sofia’s better oriental eateries. The excellent, if familiar repertoire of pork, beef and duck  dishes has never disappointed, and the décor’s quite nice too: soothing shades of Burgundy prevail, and apart from a pair of enormous vases each big enough to house a fairsized panda, there’s a reassuring absence of far-eastern kitsch. The no-smoking corner is relatively well secluded. QOpen 11:30 - 23:30. (4-12Lv). PJNGXSW Kitayski Drakon (Chinese Dragon) B-2, ul. Ivailo 19, tel. +359 899 006 061/+359 2 953 07 60, vel@vel-bg. vel@vel-bg. com, www.vel-bg.com. The food is of course Chinese and they have lots of spicy dishes. The menu is impressive with more than 200 dishes, most of which have the choi ce of small or large portion. For deliver y you can order by phone or online. They have another restaurant on ul. Slavyanska Beseda 3. QOpen 11:00 - 22:30. (4-10Lv). PNB

July - September  2009

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restaurants

restaurants decked out in folk textiles and nineteenth-century nineteenth-century domestic nick-nacks. It’s an excellent place in which to sample the standard Bulgarian an repertoire of grilled meats, backed up by an array of healthy salads and some superb spicy bob (baked beans Balkan-style). Some of the cheaper wines are a bit rough though. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. (6-12Lv).

Symbol key P Air conditioning 

 A Credit cards accepted

E Live music

S Take away 

T Child friendly 

U Facilities for the disabled

G Non-smoking areas

L Guarded parking 

O Casino

M Nearest station

R Internet 

6 Animal friendly 

PAEBSW

Happy Bar & Grill B-3, ul. Golo Bardo 4, tel. +359 888

Armenian

Bulgarian Etno B-3, ul. Alabin 35, tel. +359 2 988 75 75, [email protected]. Spread out in a large basement in the heart of  the downtown shopping area, this is a rather elegant take on a familiar down-on-the-farm rustic theme. Starched napkins and fancy cutlery adorn the tables, while garlic and corn cobs hang on rough whitewashed walls in the background. The menu aims to provide down-to-earth home cooking   from around Europe (I’m sure we saw a Wiener Schnitzel in here somewhere), although the accent is on Bulgarian meat    favourites - it’s a nice change to see Bulgarian grill-snacks given the serious cuisine treatment. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. (10-35Lv). PJAGXSW Hadzhidraganovite Kashti F-7, ul. Kozloduy 75, tel. +359 2 931 31 48, [email protected], www.kashtite. com. Hugely enjoyable theme restaurant restaurant located mid-way  mid-way  between the town centre and the train station, consisting  ng  of four large rooms, each designed in the folk style of a particular region of Bulgaria. Traditional musicians drift from room to room during the course of the evening, ensuring  that no-one misses the show. The lengthy menu covers just  about everything in the Bulgarian culinary repertoire, and the list of rakias will have you scratching your head wondering which to try next. QOpen 11:30 - 02:00. (10-15Lv). PA6UIEBS

Halbite C-3, ul. Neofit Rilski 72, tel. +359 2 980 41 47, [email protected] of central Sofia’s most [email protected] ingly popular beer hall-cum-eateries, with a predominantly  Bulgarian menu - but without the kitsch touches you get in some of the more self-consciously touristy places. Expect  instead a relaxing jumble of rough-and-ready rough-and-ready wooden tables

Sofia In Your Po cket

32

restaurant Vratata and chairs, a generous choice of domestic and international beers, and rock or blues on the sound system. Very popular, so be sure to reserve at weekends, especially in the garden. garden. There’s another b ranch at C-1, bul. Praga 18. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. (5-15Lv). PJNGBXS

Manastirska Magernitsa C-3, ul. Khan Asparuh 67, tel. +359 2 980 38 38 83/+359 899 94 94 00, www. magernitsa.com.. Sheltered in an elegantly decorated nineteenth-century house, the restaurant offers offers an imaginative approach towards traditional Bulgarian cuisine - the owners have collected traditional recipes from Bulgarian monasteries monasteries and reproduced here. Al though the menu is so long that it takes an eternit y to decide what to eat, it features a lot of things you won’t find elsewhere and has plenty of  choice for vegetarians. Service can be slow, but you won’t    find many finer settings for a long leisurely meal. QOpen 11:00 - 02:00. (12-18Lv). PJABX

Tchergata B-5, ul. Shipka 34, tel. +359 2 944 77 77, fax +359 2 944 00 44, [email protected], www. tchergata.bg. This restaurant, located just several metres   from Sofia University, skillfully combines its modern interior  with folklore elements. The place is both cosy and spacious; it seats 200 people inside and 150 people in the summer garden. The menu is available both in English and in Bulgarian and the traditional Bulgarian meals, served in a very original way, prevail. A piece of advice: try the salad called Tchergata, served in a bread cup (7.50Lv), as well as some of the lamb specialties and the meals from the Rhodope Mountains. Relax on the cool terrace and enjoy  a glass of full-flavoured high-quality wine while your food is being prepared on the barbecue with charcoal. Cheers! QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. (8-20Lv). PJAILGB

French

Pod Lipite D-5, ul. Elin Pelin 1, tel. +359 2 866 50 53, www.podlipitebg.com. One of Sofia’s longest-established and most enjoyable traditional restaurants, with a suite of  rooms done out in the style of a timber-beamed small-town tavern. The menu is extensive and doesn’t really have any  weak points - the succulent shashlik-style skewer-grilled kebabs constitute one particular treat. Vegetarians can assemble a handsome feast from the courgette-, auber gine- and pepper-based dishes listed as starters. Service is brisk and enthusiastic, and live folk music is a feature at weekends. The place gets packed out even at lunchtimes, so it’s wise to reserve in advance. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00. (8-20Lv).

PILNGBXSW

Pri Yafata B-2, ul. Solunska 28, tel. +359 2 980 17 27, [email protected], www.pri-yafata.com. Traditional Bulgarian cuisine served up in a suite of rooms

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Bare-topped tables and a minimum of décor provide a suitably    functional environment in which to feast upon cheap, filling  and well-prepared food. The menu sticks to tried-and-trusted pork and chicken favourites - with the welcome addition of  some fiery Sechuan dishes you won’t find elsewhere in town. Last time we were here the staff were playing a sequence of pounding techno tracks that seemed to be on a permanent loop - if this was intended as a digestional aid it was certainly a new one on us. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. (6-12Lv).

PNGXS

Indian Kohinoor C-2, ul. Khan Asparuh 3, tel. +359 2 53 25 41, [email protected], www.kohinoor.bg. 1st street off  Hristo Botev at the Five Corners lies the Kohinoor. And, like its namesake it’s a real diamond. The menu is as predictable as most Indian menus and the food is great. Huge portions too. Nice spacious downstairs restaurant with great space between the tables and an excellent bathroom. The ba throom alone is worth a visit. The food is brilliant. Service comes with a real smile. And, with a bill that is actually a pleasure to pay, all in all it’s worth a visit. QOpen 11:30 - 23:30. Closed Sat, Sun. (8-15Lv). PJAGBXSW

Taj Mahal B-4, ul. 11-i avgust 11, tel. +359 2 987 36 32, [email protected], www.tajmahal.bg. Very  good tikka masalas, rogan joshes and other familiar dishes in a relaxing three-storey location. There are plenty of vegetarian options, great samosas, decent naan bread and other authentic extras. Although the soothing orangey interior doesn’t  go overboard with theatrical touches, the same cannot be said for the background music, with sitar versions of rock  classics looping through the meal. Most expats agree that the  food and service are some of the best in town, although the bill can be a little difficult to swallow.QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Mon 18:00 - 24:00. (15-18Lv). PABSW

International Am-Gul C-5, ul. San Stefano 3, tel. +359 2 943 44 16, [email protected], www.am-gul.com. An old house in the center of Sofia, converted into a restaurant. Actually, the place is separated into two parts in different buildings. One of them is covered with a partly glass ceiling, a fountain in the middle of the room and a big barbe cue. The other part  is the second floor of a house, separated into three rooms with no doors between them - you feel like you’re at a private party, but sitting on different different tables. There are two fireplaces and retro style interior. The menu is rich with pizzas, salads and barbecued dishes. Portions are really big and tasty. So, enjoy your wine! QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. (5.00-16.00Lv).

IGXSW

Butchers C-5, ul. Sheynovo 4A, tel. +359 +359 887 104 378. This place does indeed look like a butchers’ shop at first glance, with a bloke in an apron standing behind a counter stocked with Spanish hams, Mediterranean delicatessen goodies and fine wines. Behind the counter a private-looking passageway leads through to a back room  filled with distressed furniture and bohemian-looking bohemian-looking winequaffing patrons. The menu is composed of whatever the chef feels like cooking that day: expect gourmet cold meats, exquisite quiches, and other Franco-Hispanic treats. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. (5-12Lv). Comercial C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 27, tel. +359 +359 897 931 291/+359 899 845 085, emivitanova@gma il.com, www.bistrocomercial.com. Modern European cuisine in a

Sofia In Your Po cket

18 10 68, [email protected], www.happy.bg.If www.happy.bg.If you’re the kind of person who likes bright neon lights, laminated menues and electric guitars on the walls, then this is most emphaticall y  the place for you. Expect to dine on grilled chicken and pork  dishes, followed by an array of excellent sweets. The large choice of alcoholic substances ensures that this is a popular  venue in which to spin out an evening. It’s a huge place that’s constantly busy, so be prepared to squeeze in wherever the wait-staff can find you a place.Home delivery : www.hapni.bg  QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. (6-12Lv). PJAGBSW

Greek  Kumbare B-3, ul. Saborna 14, tel. +359 2 981 17 94/+359 897 806 390, [email protected], www.kumbare.com. Pretty much everything you would expect from a Greek restaurant is here in abundance, with a succulent  repertoire of grilled lamb and fish dishes accompanied by  luxuriant salads - all prepared under the watchful eye of the head chef. The loud and exuberant music will soon put you in the right mood to dive into the selection of ouzos and retsinas. Chandeliers, flowers, and Ionian columns create a winning Mediterranean ambience, an impression impression enhanced by the sharp-looking team of young men in starched white shirts that make up the wait-staff. Kumbare’s position on central Sofia’s main tourist route ensures a constant stream of diners - so you’d better make a reservation. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, “Kumbare” means “best man”, and is also the name of a traditional Greek desser t prepared from cake fingers, mascarpone and nuts. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. (7-34Lv). PJABXSW

Chinese

L’Etranger A-3, ul. Tsar Simeon 78, tel. +359 2 983 14 17/+359 887 523 376, 376, bistrot_letranger @hotmail.com. Homely bistro offering very reasonable food - good place for  a quick lunch or a more leisurely three-course meal. The chef  is a Frenchman who owns the place together with his Bulgarian wife, so it’s a real family restaurant. Good service and meals that live up to expectations. QOpen 12:00 - 15:00, 18:00-22:00, Sat 18:00 - 22:00. Close d Sun. (14-22Lv). PA 

Czech

Cheshki Club B-5, ul. Krakra 15, tel. +359 2 944 13 83, [email protected], www.csklub.bg. With its plain wood furnishings, plain tablecloths and busy waiters, the Czech Club is one of those reassuringly old-fashioned

Devette Drakona B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 8A, tel. +359 2 981 88 78. Ignore the gaudy signs advertising the “Gentlemen’s Club” on the ground floor of the building and head upstairs to find one of Sofia’s better oriental eateries. The excellent, if familiar repertoire of pork, beef and duck  dishes has never disappointed, and the décor’s quite nice too: soothing shades of Burgundy prevail, and apart from a pair of enormous vases each big enough to house a fairsized panda, there’s a reassuring absence of far-eastern kitsch. The no-smoking corner is relatively well secluded. QOpen 11:30 - 23:30. (4-12Lv). PJNGXSW Kitayski Drakon (Chinese Dragon) B-2, ul. Ivailo 19, tel. +359 899 006 061/+359 2 953 07 60, vel@vel-bg. vel@vel-bg. com, www.vel-bg.com. The food is of course Chinese and they have lots of spicy dishes. The menu is impressive with more than 200 dishes, most of which have the choi ce of small or large portion. For deliver y you can order by phone or online. They have another restaurant on ul. Slavyanska Beseda 3. QOpen 11:00 - 22:30. (4-10Lv). PNB

July - September  2009

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restaurants Magnolia B-2, ul. Tri ushi 2, tel. +359 2 987 11 20.

places, that seems to occupy its own bubble in space and time - Ruritania in the 1950s being the most likely coordinates. The prices are stuck in the 1950s too - you can eat  handsomely here for the price of a salad in some other Sofia restaurants. restaurants. The menu is vaguely central European padded out with Bulgarian grills. For something authentically Czech order the goulash or pork served with knedliky - fantastically    filling sliced dumplings. The well-kept Staropramen beer is another reason to make the trip. QOpen 12:00 - 22:30. Closed Sat, Sun. (6-10Lv). JGBSW

Fun

New restaurants are opening all the time in Sofia, but  there aren’t enough good chefs to go round and standards tend to yo-yo as a result. Service is traditionally on the slow side, but things are picking up in this department. The prices in brackets refer to the average cost of a main course.

Egur, Egur B-4, ul. Dobrudzha 10, tel. +359 2 989 33 83, [email protected]. Armenian food, superbly prepared and presented with old-school elegance, in a restaurant, owned by Bulgarian-Armenian Bulgarian-Armenian jazz singer Hilda Kazasyan. No-holds-barred carnivores should plump for the Caucasian flame-grilled kebabs, although there’s plenty by way  of subtly-spiced stews and loads of vegetarian options involving aubergines, peppers, courgettes and other tasty    fresh things. There’s an extensive list of both Bulgarian and international wines, expensive vintage tipples included. ( 2 0 - 3 0 L v ) . PJ A  Q Open 12:00 - 24:00.

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restaurants Decoding the menu Starters and salads салата ) Shopska salata ( шопска ( шопска салата) Baked peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and white cheese. снежанка) Snezhanka ( снежанка) Yogurt, Yogurt, chopped cucumbers and garlic. катък ) Katak ( катък  Strained yogurt, mied with white cheese. Sometimes you can find it with baked peppers, garlic and oil in it. зелена салата) салата ) Zelena salata ( зелена Fresh green salad, fresh onions and olives. салата ) Ovcharska salata (овчарска салата) Cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, ham, peppers, eggs and cheese. редена салата) Redena salata ( редена Sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and a piece of white cheese. Soups боб чорба) чорба) Bob chorba ( боб Beans, different  kinds of vegetables and typical Bulgarian herbs. чорба) Shkembe chorba ( шкем ( шкем бе чорба) Tripe soup, boiled with milk and served with garlic, vinegar and grounded chilly pepper. супа топчета) топчета) Supa Topcheta ( супа Small meatballs, boiled with vegetables and herbs. таратор ) Tarator ( таратор) Cold soup made of  cucumbers, walnuts, oil and yogurt. зеленчукова супа) супа ) Zelenchukova supa ( зеленчукова Vegetable soup пилешка супа) супа) Pileshka supa ( пилешка Chicken soup супа леща) леща ) Supa Leshta ( супа Lentils, herbs and vegetables. Meat dishes (шишче) Shishche (шишче) Small pieces of chicken or pork meat, peppers and onions, lined up on a skewer  and grilled. пил Pileshki drobcheta ( пил ешки дробчета) дробчета) Chicken liver, fired with onions пържола) Parzhola ( пържола) Steak  кюфте) Kyufte ( кюфте) Flat meat balls with onions in it. Can be grilled or fried. кебапче) Kebapche ( кебапче) Grilled oblong meat  гювеч) Gyuvech ( гювеч) Vegetables, herbs and pieces of meat, baked in an earthenware dish. dish. гювече) Gyuveche : ( гювече) Small earthe nware dishes, filled with onions, tomatoes, cheese, sausages and an egg. Vegetarian dishes яйца по панагюрски панагюрски)) Eggs, Yaytsa po panagyurski ( яйца sauced with yogurt, garlic and a little fried red pepper. сирене по шопски) шопски) Sirene po shopski ( сирене White cheese, baked with tomatoes in a small pot. кашкавал пане) пане) Kashkaval pane ( кашкавал Yellow cheese  fried in eggs and bread-crumbs bread-crumbs чушки бюрек ) Chushki byurek ( чушки Peppers, filled with eggs and cheese задушени картофи) картофи ) Zadusheni kartofi ( задушени Potatoes, stewed with butter and served with garlic and dill мекици) Mekitsi ( мекици) Fried pieces of dough, usually served with jam or white cheese баница) Banitsa ( баница) Baked pastry, filled with miture of white cheese and eggs миш-маш) Mish mash ( миш-маш) Mied and fried peppers, tomatoes, onions, eggs and white cheese Desserts Kiselo mlyako s orehi I med ( кисело ( кисело мляко с орехи и мед) мед) Yogurt, sauced with honey and cracked walnuts. walnuts. крем карамел) карамел ) Krem Karamel ( крем Milk and eggs, baked over a caramel in small cups.

sofia inyourpo cket com

modern European setting: think whitewashed walls, moody  lighting, minimal furnishings and comfy cushioned benches. The fresh pasta is very good, but main courses are a bit  more hit-and-miss - let’s just say that the duck with orange sauce will get to your taste buds more quickly than their notquite-there-yet attempt at British-style fish and chips. Oh, and portions are on the small side too. However service is excellent and the location on trendy Shishman street means that it’s the perfect place for a bite to eat a fter shopping for  for   frocks - or before hitting the downtown bars. QOpen 11:30 - 23:30. (10-15Lv). PJA6GXSW

Cookies Bar & Dinner cafe pl. Slaveykov, tel. +359 2 488 17 22. A stylish place, where you can have either  lunch (they offer daily lunch menu) or just drink a cup of cof fee. It is a French-style place, with small tables for two and 3 comfortable bars. The café is airy enough; the staff are a little bit bored, bu t beautiful. There’s a large choice of dishes, good Mediterranean meals, soups, salads and, of course, cakes and cookies for dessert. You can just sit here, listening to Italian music and observe the crowds and the trams outside, without hearing them - the place is situated at the corner of a very busy area - just in front of Slaveykov square. QOpen 09:00 - 00:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 00:00. (8-10Lv). PJAGX

Divaka C-3, ul. Gladston 54, tel. +359 2 989 95 43. The “Savage” is extremely popular among younger locals   for its relaxed informal atmosphere and good, inexpensive   food. There’s a big choice of huge salads, the grilled pork  and chicken dishes are dependably delicious, and even the vegetarian shish-kebab is surprisingly tasty. There are other  branches at C-3 ul. Hristo Belchev 16 (a bright, minimalistically-decorated place that looks like a smart canteen for  yuppies); and at C-3, ul. 6-ti septemvri 41A. QOpen 10:00 - 23:30. (7-12Lv). PJNBX

Elate Plaza H-8, Mladost-1, corner of bul. Aleksandar

some more mystique to the atmosphere. The Music Hall has an elegant white grand piano. They organize karaoke every  Tuesday, Wednesday is Lady’s night, Thursday, Friday and Saturday’s guests are entertained by the Magnito’s Band, and various guest musicians play here on Sunday. QOpen 10:00 - 04:00. Admi ssion: 8Lv. PAEGBW

Maraia Bar & Diner D-4, Corner of bul. Bulgaria and ul. Hristo Smirnenski, tel. +359 +359 882 333 555, 555, info@ barmaraia.com, www.barmaraia.com.Elegant www.barmaraia.com.Elegant and stylish restaurant in the city centre. Whether you prefer this place  for your morning coffee or evening drink, you will be satisfied by both the service and the things that they served. Pastel tones predominate in the interior, which is entirely of natural materials - leather and wood. The bar looks like ship keel which comes to reinforce the sense of exotic deck of a yacht, designed by the owners. Stylish pictures, pleasant and quiet  music, supplemented the relaxing atmosphere. The menu includes salads, soups, vegetarian dishes, and fresh fish. Maraia has its own pastry shop. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. (10-30Lv). PAULGBXW

Marmo food & wine H-8, Mladost-2, bl. 218A, tel. +359 2 490 40 40/+359 40/+359 888 276 276, info@marmo. bg, www.marmo.bg. You can hardly find this place among  the concrete jungle of Mladost 2 district. Therefore, carefully   follow signs that will direct you to the restaurant. When you are there, however, you will feel enchanted by the elegance and tranquility. The interior is stylish in beige and dark chocolate brown. Quiet music, unobtrusive presen ce on the staff. Tables Tables rotate with comfortable booths, spe ctacular vases, and wood paneling adding interior comfort. The menu includes dishes  from the Greek, Italian, Indian cuisine, seafood and barbecue. They offer special seasonal spring menu, and every Thursday  sushi. We are waiting eagerly to try the delicious meals in the new summer garden. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. (8.50-23Lv).

PTAULGBXSW

Malinov and bul. Andrey Saharov, tel. +359 2 974 49 48, www.elateplaza.com. Glass-fronted bar & diner, stylishly  designed in white and dark red colours, with comfortable modern furniture. Alongside the traditional Bulgarian specialties, the restaurant offers a huge international menu of salads and starters, well-prepared steaks and chicken dishes. The service is helpful and friendly. It’s a superb place for a relaxed drink in the evening with its wide range of wines and spirits. QOpen 17:00 - 24:00. (8-25Lv). PALBW

MediterraneoB-5, ul. Oborishte 9B, tel. +359 2 944 95 82. Hidden in the courtyard, in what looks like a cosy garden shed, is this very suave and comfortable eatery specializing  in southern European cuisine. There’s a generous choice of  pastas, veal-cutlet dishes and fish on the menu, backed up by an attractive range of desserts. Also, i t’s one of the rare restaurants in Sofia where they automatically put a bottle of  real olive oil on the table. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (7-25Lv).

Checkpoint Charly C-4, ul. Ivan Vazov 12, tel. +359

Seasons D-2, Hilton, bul. Bulgaria 1, tel. +359 2 933 50 62. As you’d expect from an expensive restaurant in an international hotel chain, standards here are consistently hi gh. The modern European cuisine is as well prepared as they  come, the servic e is flawless, and the setting strikes the right  balance between comfort and elegance. On Sundays they  have brunch from 12:00-15:30 with life music and children’s indoor playground (50Lv/person).QOpen 06:30 - 23:30. (20-30Lv). PTJAULGXSW

2 988 03 70, [email protected]. With pictures of  cold-war Berlin on the walls, and copies of Rabotnichesko delo (Bulgaria’s communist-era communist-era daily newspaper) used as place-mats, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this was just  another ironic post-communist them e bar. It’s actually a great  restaurant, offering superbly prepared chicken, duck and steak dishes, and some delicious vegetarian vegetarian concoctions on the starter menu. There’s live jazz at the weekends, and  few diners leave here disappointed. QOpen 11:30 - 22:30. (15-25Lv). PJAGXSW

Magnito Bar & Dinner B-4, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 17, tel. +359 888 144 777, www.magnitobar.com.Magnito www.magnitobar.com. Magnito is located in the central city area and for an year already is among the most visited places in Sofia. Upstairs salon is a place where you can try different specialties, originally made sushi menu and enjoy the rich wine list. So called Dinning  room is entirely in white and black leather furniture with an elegant bar. In the underground part is where the Music Hall is located. Th e main colors here are gold and black. The lighting is moody, each table has a small candleholder, which give

sofia.inyourpocket.com

PJAEGBXSW

Trikrakoto Pile B-2, ul. Denkouglu 3, tel. +359 2 986 26 53/+359 884 587418, trikrakotopil [email protected]. Situated on a quiet street, not far from the bustle of bul. Vitosha, this tightly packed suite of rooms with no-nonsense wooden  furniture is a relaxing and informal venue for lunch or dinner  with friends. The name means ‘three-legged chicken’ which explains the strong presence of chicken dishes on the menu. Q Open 11:30 - 23:00. Closed Sun. (8-20Lv).

PJALW

Troyantsite B-5, ul. Shipka 46, tel. +359 2 944 19 34, [email protected], www.troyancite.com. Relaxing 

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restaurants Magnolia B-2, ul. Tri ushi 2, tel. +359 2 987 11 20. Bare-topped tables and a minimum of décor provide a suitably    functional environment in which to feast upon cheap, filling  and well-prepared food. The menu sticks to tried-and-trusted pork and chicken favourites - with the welcome addition of  some fiery Sechuan dishes you won’t find elsewhere in town. Last time we were here the staff were playing a sequence of pounding techno tracks that seemed to be on a permanent loop - if this was intended as a digestional aid it was certainly a new one on us. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. (6-12Lv).

PNGXS

Indian Kohinoor C-2, ul. Khan Asparuh 3, tel. +359 2 53 25 41, [email protected], www.kohinoor.bg. 1st street off  Hristo Botev at the Five Corners lies the Kohinoor. And, like its namesake it’s a real diamond. The menu is as predictable as most Indian menus and the food is great. Huge portions too. Nice spacious downstairs restaurant with great space between the tables and an excellent bathroom. The ba throom alone is worth a visit. The food is brilliant. Service comes with a real smile. And, with a bill that is actually a pleasure to pay, all in all it’s worth a visit. QOpen 11:30 - 23:30. Closed Sat, Sun. (8-15Lv). PJAGBXSW

Taj Mahal B-4, ul. 11-i avgust 11, tel. +359 2 987 36 32, [email protected], www.tajmahal.bg. Very  good tikka masalas, rogan joshes and other familiar dishes in a relaxing three-storey location. There are plenty of vegetarian options, great samosas, decent naan bread and other authentic extras. Although the soothing orangey interior doesn’t  go overboard with theatrical touches, the same cannot be said for the background music, with sitar versions of rock  classics looping through the meal. Most expats agree that the  food and service are some of the best in town, although the bill can be a little difficult to swallow.QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Mon 18:00 - 24:00. (15-18Lv). PABSW

International Am-Gul C-5, ul. San Stefano 3, tel. +359 2 943 44 16, [email protected], www.am-gul.com. An old house in the center of Sofia, converted into a restaurant. Actually, the place is separated into two parts in different buildings. One of them is covered with a partly glass ceiling, a fountain in the middle of the room and a big barbe cue. The other part  is the second floor of a house, separated into three rooms with no doors between them - you feel like you’re at a private party, but sitting on different different tables. There are two fireplaces and retro style interior. The menu is rich with pizzas, salads and barbecued dishes. Portions are really big and tasty. So, enjoy your wine! QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. (5.00-16.00Lv).

IGXSW

Butchers C-5, ul. Sheynovo 4A, tel. +359 +359 887 104 378. This place does indeed look like a butchers’ shop at first glance, with a bloke in an apron standing behind a counter stocked with Spanish hams, Mediterranean delicatessen goodies and fine wines. Behind the counter a private-looking passageway leads through to a back room  filled with distressed furniture and bohemian-looking bohemian-looking winequaffing patrons. The menu is composed of whatever the chef feels like cooking that day: expect gourmet cold meats, exquisite quiches, and other Franco-Hispanic treats. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. (5-12Lv). Comercial C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 27, tel. +359 +359 897 931 291/+359 899 845 085, emivitanova@gma il.com, www.bistrocomercial.com. Modern European cuisine in a

restaurants Decoding the menu Starters and salads салата ) Shopska salata ( шопска ( шопска салата) Baked peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and white cheese. снежанка) Snezhanka ( снежанка) Yogurt, Yogurt, chopped cucumbers and garlic. катък ) Katak ( катък  Strained yogurt, mied with white cheese. Sometimes you can find it with baked peppers, garlic and oil in it. зелена салата) салата ) Zelena salata ( зелена Fresh green salad, fresh onions and olives. салата ) Ovcharska salata (овчарска салата) Cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, ham, peppers, eggs and cheese. редена салата) Redena salata ( редена Sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and a piece of white cheese. Soups боб чорба) чорба) Bob chorba ( боб Beans, different  kinds of vegetables and typical Bulgarian herbs. чорба) Shkembe chorba ( шкем ( шкем бе чорба) Tripe soup, boiled with milk and served with garlic, vinegar and grounded chilly pepper. супа топчета) топчета) Supa Topcheta ( супа Small meatballs, boiled with vegetables and herbs. таратор ) Tarator ( таратор) Cold soup made of  cucumbers, walnuts, oil and yogurt. зеленчукова супа) супа ) Zelenchukova supa ( зеленчукова Vegetable soup пилешка супа) супа) Pileshka supa ( пилешка Chicken soup супа леща) леща ) Supa Leshta ( супа Lentils, herbs and vegetables. Meat dishes (шишче) Shishche (шишче) Small pieces of chicken or pork meat, peppers and onions, lined up on a skewer  and grilled. пил Pileshki drobcheta ( пил ешки дробчета) дробчета) Chicken liver, fired with onions пържола) Parzhola ( пържола) Steak  кюфте) Kyufte ( кюфте) Flat meat balls with onions in it. Can be grilled or fried. кебапче) Kebapche ( кебапче) Grilled oblong meat  гювеч) Gyuvech ( гювеч) Vegetables, herbs and pieces of meat, baked in an earthenware dish. dish. гювече) Gyuveche : ( гювече) Small earthe nware dishes, filled with onions, tomatoes, cheese, sausages and an egg. Vegetarian dishes яйца по панагюрски панагюрски)) Eggs, Yaytsa po panagyurski ( яйца sauced with yogurt, garlic and a little fried red pepper. сирене по шопски) шопски) Sirene po shopski ( сирене White cheese, baked with tomatoes in a small pot. кашкавал пане) пане) Kashkaval pane ( кашкавал Yellow cheese  fried in eggs and bread-crumbs bread-crumbs чушки бюрек ) Chushki byurek ( чушки Peppers, filled with eggs and cheese задушени картофи) картофи ) Zadusheni kartofi ( задушени Potatoes, stewed with butter and served with garlic and dill мекици) Mekitsi ( мекици) Fried pieces of dough, usually served with jam or white cheese баница) Banitsa ( баница) Baked pastry, filled with miture of white cheese and eggs миш-маш) Mish mash ( миш-маш) Mied and fried peppers, tomatoes, onions, eggs and white cheese Desserts Kiselo mlyako s orehi I med ( кисело ( кисело мляко с орехи и мед) мед) Yogurt, sauced with honey and cracked walnuts. walnuts. крем карамел) карамел ) Krem Karamel ( крем Milk and eggs, baked over a caramel in small cups.

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modern European setting: think whitewashed walls, moody  lighting, minimal furnishings and comfy cushioned benches. The fresh pasta is very good, but main courses are a bit  more hit-and-miss - let’s just say that the duck with orange sauce will get to your taste buds more quickly than their notquite-there-yet attempt at British-style fish and chips. Oh, and portions are on the small side too. However service is excellent and the location on trendy Shishman street means that it’s the perfect place for a bite to eat a fter shopping for  for   frocks - or before hitting the downtown bars. QOpen 11:30 - 23:30. (10-15Lv). PJA6GXSW

Cookies Bar & Dinner cafe pl. Slaveykov, tel. +359 2 488 17 22. A stylish place, where you can have either  lunch (they offer daily lunch menu) or just drink a cup of cof fee. It is a French-style place, with small tables for two and 3 comfortable bars. The café is airy enough; the staff are a little bit bored, bu t beautiful. There’s a large choice of dishes, good Mediterranean meals, soups, salads and, of course, cakes and cookies for dessert. You can just sit here, listening to Italian music and observe the crowds and the trams outside, without hearing them - the place is situated at the corner of a very busy area - just in front of Slaveykov square. QOpen 09:00 - 00:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 00:00. (8-10Lv). PJAGX

Divaka C-3, ul. Gladston 54, tel. +359 2 989 95 43. The “Savage” is extremely popular among younger locals   for its relaxed informal atmosphere and good, inexpensive   food. There’s a big choice of huge salads, the grilled pork  and chicken dishes are dependably delicious, and even the vegetarian shish-kebab is surprisingly tasty. There are other  branches at C-3 ul. Hristo Belchev 16 (a bright, minimalistically-decorated place that looks like a smart canteen for  yuppies); and at C-3, ul. 6-ti septemvri 41A. QOpen 10:00 - 23:30. (7-12Lv). PJNBX

Elate Plaza H-8, Mladost-1, corner of bul. Aleksandar

some more mystique to the atmosphere. The Music Hall has an elegant white grand piano. They organize karaoke every  Tuesday, Wednesday is Lady’s night, Thursday, Friday and Saturday’s guests are entertained by the Magnito’s Band, and various guest musicians play here on Sunday. QOpen 10:00 - 04:00. Admi ssion: 8Lv. PAEGBW

Maraia Bar & Diner D-4, Corner of bul. Bulgaria and ul. Hristo Smirnenski, tel. +359 +359 882 333 555, 555, info@ barmaraia.com, www.barmaraia.com.Elegant www.barmaraia.com.Elegant and stylish restaurant in the city centre. Whether you prefer this place  for your morning coffee or evening drink, you will be satisfied by both the service and the things that they served. Pastel tones predominate in the interior, which is entirely of natural materials - leather and wood. The bar looks like ship keel which comes to reinforce the sense of exotic deck of a yacht, designed by the owners. Stylish pictures, pleasant and quiet  music, supplemented the relaxing atmosphere. The menu includes salads, soups, vegetarian dishes, and fresh fish. Maraia has its own pastry shop. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. (10-30Lv). PAULGBXW

Marmo food & wine H-8, Mladost-2, bl. 218A, tel. +359 2 490 40 40/+359 40/+359 888 276 276, info@marmo. bg, www.marmo.bg. You can hardly find this place among  the concrete jungle of Mladost 2 district. Therefore, carefully   follow signs that will direct you to the restaurant. When you are there, however, you will feel enchanted by the elegance and tranquility. The interior is stylish in beige and dark chocolate brown. Quiet music, unobtrusive presen ce on the staff. Tables Tables rotate with comfortable booths, spe ctacular vases, and wood paneling adding interior comfort. The menu includes dishes  from the Greek, Italian, Indian cuisine, seafood and barbecue. They offer special seasonal spring menu, and every Thursday  sushi. We are waiting eagerly to try the delicious meals in the new summer garden. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. (8.50-23Lv).

PTAULGBXSW

Malinov and bul. Andrey Saharov, tel. +359 2 974 49 48, www.elateplaza.com. Glass-fronted bar & diner, stylishly  designed in white and dark red colours, with comfortable modern furniture. Alongside the traditional Bulgarian specialties, the restaurant offers a huge international menu of salads and starters, well-prepared steaks and chicken dishes. The service is helpful and friendly. It’s a superb place for a relaxed drink in the evening with its wide range of wines and spirits. QOpen 17:00 - 24:00. (8-25Lv). PALBW

MediterraneoB-5, ul. Oborishte 9B, tel. +359 2 944 95 82. Hidden in the courtyard, in what looks like a cosy garden shed, is this very suave and comfortable eatery specializing  in southern European cuisine. There’s a generous choice of  pastas, veal-cutlet dishes and fish on the menu, backed up by an attractive range of desserts. Also, i t’s one of the rare restaurants in Sofia where they automatically put a bottle of  real olive oil on the table. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (7-25Lv).

Checkpoint Charly C-4, ul. Ivan Vazov 12, tel. +359

Seasons D-2, Hilton, bul. Bulgaria 1, tel. +359 2 933 50 62. As you’d expect from an expensive restaurant in an international hotel chain, standards here are consistently hi gh. The modern European cuisine is as well prepared as they  come, the servic e is flawless, and the setting strikes the right  balance between comfort and elegance. On Sundays they  have brunch from 12:00-15:30 with life music and children’s indoor playground (50Lv/person).QOpen 06:30 - 23:30. (20-30Lv). PTJAULGXSW

2 988 03 70, [email protected]. With pictures of  cold-war Berlin on the walls, and copies of Rabotnichesko delo (Bulgaria’s communist-era communist-era daily newspaper) used as place-mats, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this was just  another ironic post-communist them e bar. It’s actually a great  restaurant, offering superbly prepared chicken, duck and steak dishes, and some delicious vegetarian vegetarian concoctions on the starter menu. There’s live jazz at the weekends, and  few diners leave here disappointed. QOpen 11:30 - 22:30. (15-25Lv). PJAGXSW

Magnito Bar & Dinner B-4, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 17, tel. +359 888 144 777, www.magnitobar.com.Magnito www.magnitobar.com. Magnito is located in the central city area and for an year already is among the most visited places in Sofia. Upstairs salon is a place where you can try different specialties, originally made sushi menu and enjoy the rich wine list. So called Dinning  room is entirely in white and black leather furniture with an elegant bar. In the underground part is where the Music Hall is located. Th e main colors here are gold and black. The lighting is moody, each table has a small candleholder, which give

PJAEGBXSW

Trikrakoto Pile B-2, ul. Denkouglu 3, tel. +359 2 986 26 53/+359 884 587418, trikrakotopil [email protected]. Situated on a quiet street, not far from the bustle of bul. Vitosha, this tightly packed suite of rooms with no-nonsense wooden  furniture is a relaxing and informal venue for lunch or dinner  with friends. The name means ‘three-legged chicken’ which explains the strong presence of chicken dishes on the menu. Q Open 11:30 - 23:00. Closed Sun. (8-20Lv).

PJALW

Troyantsite B-5, ul. Shipka 46, tel. +359 2 944 19 34, [email protected], www.troyancite.com. Relaxing 

July - September  2009

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restaurants restaurant on two storeys with soothing décor and eager-toplease staff. An international menu of steaks, grilled chicken and freshwater fish dishes is augmented by a well-chosen selection of Bulgarian Bulgarian specialities - the dzholan (leg of beef  baked in a pot) and grille d buffalo meat balls are hard to fault. Vegetarians should opt for the zapekanka (tasty cheese and spinach bake). QOpen 11:30 - 24:00. Closed Sun. (6-12Lv).

restaurants Fast food

Italian

McDonald’s Rock’n’Roll D-2, bul. Bulgaria 1,

Vishnite D-4, ul. Hristo Smirnenski 45, tel. +359 2 963 49 84/+359 899 866 730, [email protected]. This tiny, four-table restaurant, located in a residential area just  south of the centre, is a firm favourite with Bulgarians who know a thing or two about food, so it’s wise to book before heading out. Expect flawless service, elegantly-laid tables piled with classy cutlery and glassware, and a small but wellchosen menu of modern European dishes, prepared with flair  and imagination. Sat. and Sun. you can book the restaurant   for private events. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. Closed Sat, Sun. (15-22Lv). PA 

Vratata (The Door) D-3, ul. Kokiche 13, tel. +359 889 235 866/+359 2 866 90 05, [email protected], www.restaurant-vratata.com.The www.restaurant-vratata.com. The restaurant is situated in a 100-year old house. Very elegant, cozy  and stylish place where, as the owners say, “East meets

Gioia B-2, ul. Tsar Samuil 60, tel. +359 2 986 08 54, [email protected], www.festaitaliana-bg.com. It is the perfect place to enjoy Italian cuisine with ingredients imported directly from Italy and desserts, prepared on the spot. It has a decade of serving clients, behind their backs. They have both a Bulgarian and Italian menus and the staff  speaks English, Bulgarian and Italian. It seems the owner  is quite concerned if his clients are satisfied by food and service. The restaurant has 60 seats and is calm, with a  friendly atmosphere. The menu offers fresh pasta, fish and seafood specialties and the wine list ranges from 30 to 70 Lv. Gioia is definitely on the leading spot in Sofia, when thinking of Italian food. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. pasta (14-35Lv).

PAUGX

Japanese Maraia Fusion Bar & Dinner B-4, ul. Rakovski 123,

West”. Varied cuisine such as game dishes, different kinds of European, Greek and Turkish meals and a number of  sophisticated sophisticated salads and desserts. The wine list is rich with Argentinean, Italian, Spanish and Bulgarian wines. The staff  are polite, without being slavish. An interesting and intimate detail is the key. Each client puts their key for The Door over  the fireplace. There are different keys, varied from big and old to small and ordinary. The atmosphere reproduces the aristocratic, bohemian face of old Sofia. Among the clients of  the restaurant is His Majesty Simeon Saks - Koburg -Gotha, of the Bulgarian royal family. This is a place, where you can  find elegance, personal treatment and good cuisine.Bring this issue of Sofia In Your Pocket with you and you will get 10% discount, especially for our readers.” Sled tova si ostava izrechenieto “For sure you will be back.For sure you will be b ack. Q Open 11:00 - 24:00. (12-30Lv). PA6UIG�

BXSW

Zhadnata Lamya D-3, ul. 13-ti mart 2, tel. +359 2 964 06 40. The name means “Thirsty Dragon”, which we took as an immediate invitation to down several flagons of  the excellent Czech Starobrno beer which is served on tap here. The food is a mix ture of Bulgarian and central European meat dishes, but the real pleasure of dining here comes from the friendly service and homely décor (note the fabulously  eccen tric picture gallery linin g the walls), all of which which adds to a highly enjoyable atmosphere. The fairy-tail atmosphere in the garden with all the lights inside the green bushesh and trees is worth to feel. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (6-24Lv). PNB

Sofia In Your Po cket

Pizza

KFC B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 28, www.kfc. bg. For delivery call 0700 11 999. Also at B-3 ul. Angel Kanchev 2, B-3, bul. Dondukov 5. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. PJLB

PJAGBXSW

tel. +359 2 980 62 60/+359 882 666 777, [email protected], www.barmaraia.com. Brand-new sushi restaurant in the downtown area just close to the Central Military club and Alexandar Nevskij Memorial Church. Warm   feelings embrace you as you enter thanks to welcoming  smiles and cozy surroundings of wood and leather. Try the sushi menu - Migiri Sushi and Sashimi set (14-23Lv) are handsomely presented and deliciously refreshing. We recommend also to try one of the hot Japanese specialties (choose them   from the different menu they offer) or the Gunkam Sushi. They also offer various fusion cuisine. Delicious prepared pork and veal meat, lamb and freshfish, starters, pasta & risotto are in the menu list. QOpen 08:00 - 02:00. (20-30Lv).

PAUGBXSW

Sakura G-7, Kempinski Hotel Zografski, bul. Dzheims Bauchar 100, tel. +359 2 969 24 20. This rather charming  place is located in a pavilion in the garden of the Kempinski hotel. It’s approached over a very picturesqu e bridge that you might expect to see adorning a set of willow-pattern crockery. Paper partitions, low tables (you can kneel on cushions or  sit on a stepped depression under the table) and nimble waitresses swishing around in kimonos help to set the mood. Assuming that you haven’t the time to fly to Tokyo and dine out there, the impressive range of sushi and main courses is authentic enough. A full meal with sake will set you back  a small fortune by Sofia standards, but for a great evening  out with a difference, it’s money well spent. QOpen 12:00 22:30. (15-30Lv). PALGBW

Sushi Bar B-2, ul. Denkouglu 18, tel. +359 2 981 84 42. Conveniently situate d just around the corner from the fashionable shops of bul. Vitosha, this smart but affordable oriental eatery offers a lengthy menu of different types of sushi, all excellently prepared and accompanied with por tions of fresh ginger and wasabe paste. Ordering a set menu will allow you to sample a broad range of what they offer. Noodle soups

sofia inyourpo cket com

next to NDK, tel. +359 884 000 305/+359 305/+359 2 960 40 20, www.mcdonalds.bg. Restaurant with Juke box, McDrive, found just next to NDK (National Palace of  Culture), under the Lover’s bridge. On the 14th of Feb they  organize 24 hour Rock’n’Roll marriage with McDonald’s certifi cate, a Cadillac drive and surprise present.QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. PTJAGBS

Mimas C-4, bul. Vasil Levski 68. Sofia’s first real takeaway burger joint and still the best. It’s packed at  lunchtimes and remains the venue of choic e for after-club munchies. Burgers come with a wad of deliciously greasy  French fries stuffed inside. Doner kebabs and felafel fill out the menu. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. JS

Trops Kashta C-4, ul. Gurko 38, www.tropshouse. bg. If you want a crash course in Bulgarian cuisine then this ever-reliable order-at-the-counter canteen will have mass-catering versions of most Balkan dishes on display. It may be lukewarm, but it’s cheap. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00. JG Tsentralni Hali B-3, bul. Maria Luiza 28. Head to the top floor of this covered market to find an array of counters serving sandwich es, pizza slices, basic grills, and Chinese noodles. There is no quicker and easier way of stuffing  your face. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. PG

and teriyaki dishes also available. (3.50-37Lv). PAGSW

QOpen

10:30 - 23:00.

Lebanese Tazka C-1, bul. Makedonia 48/+359 2 951 54 29, [email protected] took both a vegetarian and [email protected] a carnivore to this friendly restaurant and both came away  very happy indeed. The animal lover feasted on starters like houmous, baba ganouj, a delicately spiced aubergine and tomato salad, and fatayer (spinach pies), while her  companion’s bloodlust was more than satiated by the fatteh (chicken, chick peas and herbs covered in yoghurt). The arak (an aniseed-flavoured spirit which turns cloud y when you add water) went down very well indeed. Live music and belly  dancing pulls in the crowds at weekends, so be sure to book  ahead. Sundays are child-friendly..QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. (18-20Lv). PNGW

Moroccan Annette C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 27, tel. +359 2 980 40 98/+359 885 139 676, [email protected], www. annette.bg. A combination of North African music, flickering candlelight and star-shaped lanterns should lull you into the perfect frame of mind to enjoy an authentic Moroccan menu which takes in tajini, couscous and some lush healthy  salads. Finish off with Moroccan mint tea with c edar nuts, or a lengthy puff on the narghile. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. ( 8-18Lv). PJAGBXSW

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Victoria B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 7, tel. +359 2 986 32 00, [email protected], www.victoria.bg.This www.victoria.bg.This is many people’s favourite pizzeria in Sofia, due to its generously proportioned pizzas and reasonably high standards (the dough tastes sort-of Italian even if the toppings don’t). Soups, pastas and grilled Bulgarian staples help to fill out  the menu. Tends to get crowded, and you might have to wait   for a table. Also at G-8 ul. Ivan Asen II 66. City-wide deliveries on tel. +359 2 911 00 and tel. +359 (0) 887 911 000. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. (6-27Lv). PJAB

Russian Gara za Dvama B-4, ul. Georgi Benkovski 18, tel. +359 2 989 76 75, [email protected]. The restaurant, named after the cult Russian movie is designed as a train wagon- four separated coupes with real old train seats. The atmosphere is quite buzzing - loud merr ymakers, drinking original Russian and Ukraine vodka, eating typical Russian meals and singing Russian songs in full voice. The place is small, so you may need a reservation in advance. Staying in the small wagon-like boxes will make you feel as on if you’re a long train  journey in good company. It is not very airy, but do you think  it will make any difference with all these vodka, music and cheerful peopl e around? Good spirits are the most important. important. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00. (15-25Lv). PXW

Moskva B-3, ul. Lege 2, tel. +359 2 980 24 24/+359 896 860 340, [email protected], www.moskva.bg. This is the sort of place, which will make you feel totally decadent  almost as soon as you walk in to be welcomed by a crimson carpet, cherry curtains, elegant staff and live music being  played on a grand piano with violin accompaniment. The music, posh surroundings, first-class service, and excellent   food all combine to create an atmosphere that will transport  you back in time to imperial Tsarist Russia. You are only to be reminded of the present by the latest bathroom technology and a waiter, hinting the tip is not included in the bill. Expensive, but not excessively so, and although some of  the wine costs far more than a main course your “nazdrave” will produce a dull sound, definitely not the cling of crystal glasses. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. Closed Mon, Sun. (20-40Lv).

PJAUEGXS

Ruski Klub E-3, ul. Lozenska planina 22, tel. +359 2 866 50 74/+359 888 626 994, dobripetr ov@ yahoo.com. An unpretentious doorway on a quiet residential street leads through to this cosy little place where you’ll be soothed by friendly service and lilting Russian melodies. Embark on a round of vodkas, accompanied by  selyodka (marinated fish) before moving on to the gorgeous, home-made pelmeni (meat-filled dumplings) or the Steak  a la Français. They have excellent range of homemade sweets. Bring this issue of Sofia In Your Pocket with you and you will get 5% discount, especially for our readers. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00, Sat 19:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. (8-30Lv). JAGBXS Vagabond G-8, ul. Svetoslav Terter 5, tel. +359 2 944 14 65. This is one of those warm and intimate places where you feel as if you are dining in someone’s living room, while a  family friend busies themselves in the kitchen. Sashed velvet  curtains and curious murals of balloons in flight provide ad ded atmosphere. The menu is European-meets-Bulgarian with a healthy number of Russian favourites thrown in: a round of  vodka with marinated herrings on toast is the obligatory way  to kick off the evening. The pelmeni are excellen t too. Recommended main courses includ e Chicken Kiev and Moscow Cut-

July - September  2009

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restaurants restaurant on two storeys with soothing décor and eager-toplease staff. An international menu of steaks, grilled chicken and freshwater fish dishes is augmented by a well-chosen selection of Bulgarian Bulgarian specialities - the dzholan (leg of beef  baked in a pot) and grille d buffalo meat balls are hard to fault. Vegetarians should opt for the zapekanka (tasty cheese and spinach bake). QOpen 11:30 - 24:00. Closed Sun. (6-12Lv).

restaurants Fast food

Italian

McDonald’s Rock’n’Roll D-2, bul. Bulgaria 1,

Vishnite D-4, ul. Hristo Smirnenski 45, tel. +359 2 963 49 84/+359 899 866 730, [email protected]. This tiny, four-table restaurant, located in a residential area just  south of the centre, is a firm favourite with Bulgarians who know a thing or two about food, so it’s wise to book before heading out. Expect flawless service, elegantly-laid tables piled with classy cutlery and glassware, and a small but wellchosen menu of modern European dishes, prepared with flair  and imagination. Sat. and Sun. you can book the restaurant   for private events. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. Closed Sat, Sun. (15-22Lv). PA 

Vratata (The Door) D-3, ul. Kokiche 13, tel. +359 889 235 866/+359 2 866 90 05, [email protected], www.restaurant-vratata.com.The www.restaurant-vratata.com. The restaurant is situated in a 100-year old house. Very elegant, cozy  and stylish place where, as the owners say, “East meets

Gioia B-2, ul. Tsar Samuil 60, tel. +359 2 986 08 54, [email protected], www.festaitaliana-bg.com. It is the perfect place to enjoy Italian cuisine with ingredients imported directly from Italy and desserts, prepared on the spot. It has a decade of serving clients, behind their backs. They have both a Bulgarian and Italian menus and the staff  speaks English, Bulgarian and Italian. It seems the owner  is quite concerned if his clients are satisfied by food and service. The restaurant has 60 seats and is calm, with a  friendly atmosphere. The menu offers fresh pasta, fish and seafood specialties and the wine list ranges from 30 to 70 Lv. Gioia is definitely on the leading spot in Sofia, when thinking of Italian food. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. pasta (14-35Lv).

PAUGX

Japanese Maraia Fusion Bar & Dinner B-4, ul. Rakovski 123,

West”. Varied cuisine such as game dishes, different kinds of European, Greek and Turkish meals and a number of  sophisticated sophisticated salads and desserts. The wine list is rich with Argentinean, Italian, Spanish and Bulgarian wines. The staff  are polite, without being slavish. An interesting and intimate detail is the key. Each client puts their key for The Door over  the fireplace. There are different keys, varied from big and old to small and ordinary. The atmosphere reproduces the aristocratic, bohemian face of old Sofia. Among the clients of  the restaurant is His Majesty Simeon Saks - Koburg -Gotha, of the Bulgarian royal family. This is a place, where you can  find elegance, personal treatment and good cuisine.Bring this issue of Sofia In Your Pocket with you and you will get 10% discount, especially for our readers.” Sled tova si ostava izrechenieto “For sure you will be back.For sure you will be b ack. Q Open 11:00 - 24:00. (12-30Lv). PA6UIG�

BXSW

Zhadnata Lamya D-3, ul. 13-ti mart 2, tel. +359 2 964 06 40. The name means “Thirsty Dragon”, which we took as an immediate invitation to down several flagons of  the excellent Czech Starobrno beer which is served on tap here. The food is a mix ture of Bulgarian and central European meat dishes, but the real pleasure of dining here comes from the friendly service and homely décor (note the fabulously  eccen tric picture gallery linin g the walls), all of which which adds to a highly enjoyable atmosphere. The fairy-tail atmosphere in the garden with all the lights inside the green bushesh and trees is worth to feel. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (6-24Lv). PNB

tel. +359 2 980 62 60/+359 882 666 777, [email protected], www.barmaraia.com. Brand-new sushi restaurant in the downtown area just close to the Central Military club and Alexandar Nevskij Memorial Church. Warm   feelings embrace you as you enter thanks to welcoming  smiles and cozy surroundings of wood and leather. Try the sushi menu - Migiri Sushi and Sashimi set (14-23Lv) are handsomely presented and deliciously refreshing. We recommend also to try one of the hot Japanese specialties (choose them   from the different menu they offer) or the Gunkam Sushi. They also offer various fusion cuisine. Delicious prepared pork and veal meat, lamb and freshfish, starters, pasta & risotto are in the menu list. QOpen 08:00 - 02:00. (20-30Lv).

PAUGBXSW

Sakura G-7, Kempinski Hotel Zografski, bul. Dzheims Bauchar 100, tel. +359 2 969 24 20. This rather charming  place is located in a pavilion in the garden of the Kempinski hotel. It’s approached over a very picturesqu e bridge that you might expect to see adorning a set of willow-pattern crockery. Paper partitions, low tables (you can kneel on cushions or  sit on a stepped depression under the table) and nimble waitresses swishing around in kimonos help to set the mood. Assuming that you haven’t the time to fly to Tokyo and dine out there, the impressive range of sushi and main courses is authentic enough. A full meal with sake will set you back  a small fortune by Sofia standards, but for a great evening  out with a difference, it’s money well spent. QOpen 12:00 22:30. (15-30Lv). PALGBW

Sushi Bar B-2, ul. Denkouglu 18, tel. +359 2 981 84 42. Conveniently situate d just around the corner from the fashionable shops of bul. Vitosha, this smart but affordable oriental eatery offers a lengthy menu of different types of sushi, all excellently prepared and accompanied with por tions of fresh ginger and wasabe paste. Ordering a set menu will allow you to sample a broad range of what they offer. Noodle soups

Sofia In Your Po cket

36

Pizza

KFC B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 28, www.kfc. bg. For delivery call 0700 11 999. Also at B-3 ul. Angel Kanchev 2, B-3, bul. Dondukov 5. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. PJLB

PJAGBXSW

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

next to NDK, tel. +359 884 000 305/+359 305/+359 2 960 40 20, www.mcdonalds.bg. Restaurant with Juke box, McDrive, found just next to NDK (National Palace of  Culture), under the Lover’s bridge. On the 14th of Feb they  organize 24 hour Rock’n’Roll marriage with McDonald’s certifi cate, a Cadillac drive and surprise present.QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. PTJAGBS

Mimas C-4, bul. Vasil Levski 68. Sofia’s first real takeaway burger joint and still the best. It’s packed at  lunchtimes and remains the venue of choic e for after-club munchies. Burgers come with a wad of deliciously greasy  French fries stuffed inside. Doner kebabs and felafel fill out the menu. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. JS

Trops Kashta C-4, ul. Gurko 38, www.tropshouse. bg. If you want a crash course in Bulgarian cuisine then this ever-reliable order-at-the-counter canteen will have mass-catering versions of most Balkan dishes on display. It may be lukewarm, but it’s cheap. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00. JG Tsentralni Hali B-3, bul. Maria Luiza 28. Head to the top floor of this covered market to find an array of counters serving sandwich es, pizza slices, basic grills, and Chinese noodles. There is no quicker and easier way of stuffing  your face. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. PG

and teriyaki dishes also available. (3.50-37Lv). PAGSW

QOpen

10:30 - 23:00.

Lebanese Tazka C-1, bul. Makedonia 48/+359 2 951 54 29, [email protected] took both a vegetarian and [email protected] a carnivore to this friendly restaurant and both came away  very happy indeed. The animal lover feasted on starters like houmous, baba ganouj, a delicately spiced aubergine and tomato salad, and fatayer (spinach pies), while her  companion’s bloodlust was more than satiated by the fatteh (chicken, chick peas and herbs covered in yoghurt). The arak (an aniseed-flavoured spirit which turns cloud y when you add water) went down very well indeed. Live music and belly  dancing pulls in the crowds at weekends, so be sure to book  ahead. Sundays are child-friendly..QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. (18-20Lv). PNGW

Moroccan Annette C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 27, tel. +359 2 980 40 98/+359 885 139 676, [email protected], www. annette.bg. A combination of North African music, flickering candlelight and star-shaped lanterns should lull you into the perfect frame of mind to enjoy an authentic Moroccan menu which takes in tajini, couscous and some lush healthy  salads. Finish off with Moroccan mint tea with c edar nuts, or a lengthy puff on the narghile. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. ( 8-18Lv). PJAGBXSW

Victoria B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 7, tel. +359 2 986 32 00, [email protected], www.victoria.bg.This www.victoria.bg.This is many people’s favourite pizzeria in Sofia, due to its generously proportioned pizzas and reasonably high standards (the dough tastes sort-of Italian even if the toppings don’t). Soups, pastas and grilled Bulgarian staples help to fill out  the menu. Tends to get crowded, and you might have to wait   for a table. Also at G-8 ul. Ivan Asen II 66. City-wide deliveries on tel. +359 2 911 00 and tel. +359 (0) 887 911 000. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. (6-27Lv). PJAB

Russian Gara za Dvama B-4, ul. Georgi Benkovski 18, tel. +359 2 989 76 75, [email protected]. The restaurant, named after the cult Russian movie is designed as a train wagon- four separated coupes with real old train seats. The atmosphere is quite buzzing - loud merr ymakers, drinking original Russian and Ukraine vodka, eating typical Russian meals and singing Russian songs in full voice. The place is small, so you may need a reservation in advance. Staying in the small wagon-like boxes will make you feel as on if you’re a long train  journey in good company. It is not very airy, but do you think  it will make any difference with all these vodka, music and cheerful peopl e around? Good spirits are the most important. important. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00. (15-25Lv). PXW

Moskva B-3, ul. Lege 2, tel. +359 2 980 24 24/+359 896 860 340, [email protected], www.moskva.bg. This is the sort of place, which will make you feel totally decadent  almost as soon as you walk in to be welcomed by a crimson carpet, cherry curtains, elegant staff and live music being  played on a grand piano with violin accompaniment. The music, posh surroundings, first-class service, and excellent   food all combine to create an atmosphere that will transport  you back in time to imperial Tsarist Russia. You are only to be reminded of the present by the latest bathroom technology and a waiter, hinting the tip is not included in the bill. Expensive, but not excessively so, and although some of  the wine costs far more than a main course your “nazdrave” will produce a dull sound, definitely not the cling of crystal glasses. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. Closed Mon, Sun. (20-40Lv).

PJAUEGXS

Ruski Klub E-3, ul. Lozenska planina 22, tel. +359 2 866 50 74/+359 888 626 994, dobripetr ov@ yahoo.com. An unpretentious doorway on a quiet residential street leads through to this cosy little place where you’ll be soothed by friendly service and lilting Russian melodies. Embark on a round of vodkas, accompanied by  selyodka (marinated fish) before moving on to the gorgeous, home-made pelmeni (meat-filled dumplings) or the Steak  a la Français. They have excellent range of homemade sweets. Bring this issue of Sofia In Your Pocket with you and you will get 5% discount, especially for our readers. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00, Sat 19:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. (8-30Lv). JAGBXS Vagabond G-8, ul. Svetoslav Terter 5, tel. +359 2 944 14 65. This is one of those warm and intimate places where you feel as if you are dining in someone’s living room, while a  family friend busies themselves in the kitchen. Sashed velvet  curtains and curious murals of balloons in flight provide ad ded atmosphere. The menu is European-meets-Bulgarian with a healthy number of Russian favourites thrown in: a round of  vodka with marinated herrings on toast is the obligatory way  to kick off the evening. The pelmeni are excellen t too. Recommended main courses includ e Chicken Kiev and Moscow Cut-

July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

restaurants lets (cheese and ham wrapped in pork then breadcrumbed), although there’s a lot more b esides. Mains are served with an optional variety of weird and wonderful sauces such as a delicious green sauce flavoured with spinach and basil. QOpen 17:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. (8-26Lv). JING�

BXS

Seafood Aegean C-5, ul. Sheynovo 18, tel. +359 899 798 879, [email protected], www.aegean-restaurant.com.The www.aegean-restaurant.com.The name of this small, cosy and stylish restaurant is not chosen by chance- all the fish and seafood are directly delivered from the Greek Aegean sea . It is a real fish restaurant - they offer   fish dishes, seafood, some carefully chosen salads and di versity of wines. The place is separate d into 3 small venues, one of which has a fireplace. The quiet Greek music, the Uzo and the delicious fish dishes make it perfect for romantic or business meetings. The beautiful garden, sheltered between the old Sofia houses will be opened as soon as the spring comes. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. (15-35Lv). PJAIGBXW

Captain Cook C-1,bul.PenchoSlaveykov12-14,tel.+359 2 954 90 98/+359 882 999 001, www.captaincook.bg.

restaurants Out of town Boyansko Hanche H-6, pl. Sborishte, Boyana, tel. +359 2 956 30 16. Situated in the heart of the mountainside suburb of Boyana, not far from the historic Boyana Church, Boyansko hanche is a long-standing favourite among visitors, not least because it’s one of the handful of places in the capi tal where you can enjoy a reasonably authentic programme of folk songs and dances. Performances usually start at 9pm but not necessarily on every night of the week - so phone beforehand if you’re going specifically because of the music. The menu of  traditional Bulgarian fare with international-looking steaks doesn’t pull too many surprises, but doesn’t inspire many  complaints either. Q Open 11:00 - 23:30. (5-10Lv).

PTRILENB

Dedo Matso G-6, terminal station of tram 5, Knyazhevo. Situated at the foot of Vitosha Mountain in Knyazhevo distric t this place will really surprise you - from the outside it looks like a colourful caravan and you can never imagine what you’ll get once you are in - recipes, collected from all over the world, nice music, a fireplace, and it is only a part from the great atmosphere th e owner  creates - she makes you feel at home with her approach to the guests, sitting with them with a glass of wine in sweet talks under the pine-trees outside the small venue. The perfect place for escaping the hot and dusty city. QOpen 11:00 - 20:00. (4-6Lv). 6INBX Lebed ul. Samokovsko shose 83, Pancharevo, tel.

Fish dishes in Sofia’s mainstream restaurants generally leave a lot to be desired, so it’s nice to have specialist places like Captain Cook’s around. It’s in a slightly out-of-the-way location, but it is in the centre and the delicious range of grilled lled and pan-fried fish - both fresh- and saltwater varities - should make the trip worthwhile. Fish is priced by the 100g - so don’t rush to order until you’ve inspected what’s available in the chiller cabinet and asked a member of staff to plonk  it on the scales. Absolutely superb quality. During the warm months you can enjoy yourself also in the beautiful garden and why not take a dip in the open-air swimming pool next  door. Bring this issue of Sofia In Your Pocket with you and you will get 5% discount, especially for our readers.Enjoy! readers.Enjoy! QOpen 12:00-23:00 (10-35Lv). PA6UGBXSW

Serbian Pri Miro G-8, ul. Murphy 34, tel. +359 2 943 71 27/+359 889 512 512 964, zaretza@ab v.bg, www.restaurantmiro.com. Both Serbia and Bulgaria share a similar  culinary repertoire of grilled meats - it’s just that the Serbians do it with more style. The cevapcici (grilled meat rissoles) and pleskavice (minced meat patties) on offer at Miro’s are infinitely more succulent and spicy than anything you’ll  find in a traditional Bulgarian joint. Ajvar (a relish made from aubergines and hot peppers) makes the ideal accompaniment, and there’s an irresistible range of fiery plum brandies to wash it all down. Both service and atmosphere are classy, and an extra personal touch is provided by chef and owner  Miro himself, who likes to circulate among diners to see who is enjoying what. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (10-12Lv). PLNGBXSW

Sofia In Your Po cket

+359 2 992 11 11, [email protected], www.restaurantlebed.com. Five kilometers south of  the Coral Swimming Complex, Lebed (“The Swan”) was opened in 1961 as part of the preparations for that year’s World Student Games, and has enjoyed near-legendary  status ever since. Once the place where Bulgaria’s top pop stars used to entertain diners, it fell into decline until recent refurbishments provided the old bird with a new lease of culinary life. The menu (providing you can negotiate your way through the spelling mistakes)   features a lot of seafood and freshwater fish, although prices are on the steep side and staff are not noted for  their speed of service. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (10-40Lv).

PALGBXW

Vodenitzata Dragalevtsi (next to the chairlift), tel. +359 2 967 10 58/+359 58/+359 888 818 518, fax +359 2 967 50 07, [email protected]. Housed in an old mill near the Dragalevtsi chairlift, Vodenitsata is one of those restaurants that’s a destination in its own right. The stone clad interior is crammed with folksy  ornamentation, and the cuisine consists of superbly  prepared and presented Bulgarian classics. The breezy  garden, complete with water features, turtles an d fish, is a great place to while away a hot summer afternoon. Every  night a folklore ensemble provides a thrilling repertoire of traditional songs and dances, occasionally featuring  nestinari dancing on live coals - don’t try and join in no matter how many rakiyas you’ve had. QOpen 12:00 24:00. (10-20Lv). ALEB

Swiss Chalet Suisse G-9, bul. Botevgradsko shose 50, tel. +359 884 249 450, [email protected], www. chaletsuisse.eu. A must visit place for all cheese lovers. In case you are new to this kind of cuisine, no worries, the friendly staff will help you out and maybe even the

sofia inyourpo cket com

Wine, beer, rakia or boza… what to drink in Bulgaria Bulgaria has some typical drinks which can be found only here, and some that have a similar (but not the same) equivalent abroad. If you come to Bulgaria, we recommend you to try some of these:

Swiss owners themselves. They offer traditional Swiss cheese-fondue, Raclette, chocolate-fondue, Swiss salads, Roesti and Bündnerfleisch, different steaks and more. The restaurant restaurant indeed looks like a Chalet with wooden seating. Once inside you will forget the surrounding neighbourhood blocks. Not far from the centre, on the road to Varna. After  the Eko Petroleum gas station turn right, you can not miss it. QOpen 18:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. Closed Mon, Tue. (8-25Lv.).

Alcoholic drinks: wine, which is exported to many European • Bulgarian wine, countries. It is very tasty, with various sorts, some of  which are typical only for this region. We recommend Mavrud (this sort of wine cannot be found anywhere else) – a strong dark wine, suitable for red meat and cold winter evenings. Despite the good quality, Bulgarian wine is not expensive and is very appropriate for a present   from a holiday in Bulgaria. • Bulgarian beer: beer: many regions have their local beers, most of them with a typical genuine taste, so we sug gest  you choose from: Blagoevgrad Pirinsko, Strumsko pivo Burgas Burgasko pivo, Slavena Lom Almus, Shopsko, Sofia Mezdra Ledenika, MM, Varna, Haberman Pleven Storgozia, Ataman, Pleven Plovdiv Kamenitsa (Light, Extra, Dark, Red and Soft), Astika Shumen Shumensko Sofia Kmetsko (Light, Wheat, Red, Dark) Stara Zagora Zagorka, Ariana, Stolichno Veliko Tarnovo Nashensko, Balkan, Bolyarka • Rakia is often compared to brandy or tequila, but its not like anything else. Usually most Bulgarians drink it  in the evening, before or during the meal, accompanied by salad or pickles. It SHOULDN’T be drunk like tequila, but slowly, sipping, with delight. Most common types are grape and plum rakia. We recommend you also try  the fig and pear rakia, if you have the chance, which is unusually aromatic. • Almond liquer (which is slightly similar to amaretto, but different). It is quite sweet and is recommended unlimited consumption; however reasonable drinking is extremely pleasant.

ar to ouzo and absinthe, but should be • Mastika (similar drunk in a different manner: either with ayran or tarator  (see Bulgarian food section), or with mint liqueur (VERY  good cocktail for sea evenings, however very strong and can be dangerous for inexperienced drinkers. Actually it  doesn’t give you a feeling that you’re getting drunk; you  just suddenly realize that this is a fact.) This drink contains anise and has a sweet flavour.

Vegetarian Back Home B-5, ul. Vrabcha 24, tel. +359 2 843 03 53, [email protected], www.backhomebg.com. If you think that the vegetarian cuisine is boring, the young  people who work here will change your mind. Everything we tried was extremely tasty, made with imagination and care. The menu is very rich and varied through humus, sweet salads, chick-peas dishes and quite a long list of the traditional India drink Lassi - yogurt with whatever you can imagine in it - quite refreshing ng and satisfying every taste. In a contrast  to other vegetarian restaurants they didn’t forget the smokers and the wine and beer lovers - there is a smoking hall and wonderful warmed up wine with black pepper, clove and honey in it. Maybe you will need to be a little patient  until your order is ready, so enjoy the garden and the music Q Open 12:00 - 23.30. (6-8lv). PT6ENGBX�

SW

Dream House B-3, ul. Alabin 50A, tel. +359 2 980 81 63,dr [email protected], [email protected],ww w.dreamhouse-bg. w.dreamhouse-bg. com. This bright and cheery first-floor restaurant is initially  a bit difficult to find: once you’ve entered the small shopping  mall at ul. Alabin 50 you need to pass through the white door  on your left and proceed up the murk y stairwell. Dishes range  from a deliciously delicate bamboo soup to savoury spinach balls, and tofu in various sauces. Flavours are on the bland side - our biryani need ed a jug-full of chilli sauce to help i t go down. On Sunday afternoons there’s an all-you-can-eat buffet for 7  leva.Home delivery for the area around the restaurant only. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00. (5-7Lv). PAGSW Kibea C-3, ul. Dr. G. Valkovich 2A, tel. +359 2 980 30 67, [email protected], www.kibea.net. There’s always at least one meat dish on the menu at this upmarket  healthfood restaurant, restaurant, but its the exquisitely prepared vegan and macrobiotic dishes that get top billing. The cool minimalism minimalism of the interior provides the perfect environment  in which to focus on the classy concoctions which have made head chef Elliot Prag something of a local celebrity. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. (7-20Lv). PAG�

SW

Soft drinks: • Boza (actually with Turkish origin, but the Bulgarians drink it for so many years that it can be considered local). It is prepared from fermented whea t or millet. Its colour is beige and its taste is sweet-sour taste (some foreigners  find it quite peculiar).

yogurt (this is different from any other yogurt; • Bulgarian yogurt(this people have tried to export the world famous lactobacillus bulgaricus (named so because it was discovered in Bulgaria); the result was a different taste.) • Ayran (traditional local drink prepared from yogurt, salt, water, sometimes pepper). This is a very refreshing drink  good both for heat and chill.

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restaurants lets (cheese and ham wrapped in pork then breadcrumbed), although there’s a lot more b esides. Mains are served with an optional variety of weird and wonderful sauces such as a delicious green sauce flavoured with spinach and basil. QOpen 17:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. (8-26Lv). JING�

BXS

Seafood Aegean C-5, ul. Sheynovo 18, tel. +359 899 798 879, [email protected], www.aegean-restaurant.com.The www.aegean-restaurant.com.The name of this small, cosy and stylish restaurant is not chosen by chance- all the fish and seafood are directly delivered from the Greek Aegean sea . It is a real fish restaurant - they offer   fish dishes, seafood, some carefully chosen salads and di versity of wines. The place is separate d into 3 small venues, one of which has a fireplace. The quiet Greek music, the Uzo and the delicious fish dishes make it perfect for romantic or business meetings. The beautiful garden, sheltered between the old Sofia houses will be opened as soon as the spring comes. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. (15-35Lv). PJAIGBXW

Captain Cook C-1,bul.PenchoSlaveykov12-14,tel.+359 2 954 90 98/+359 882 999 001, www.captaincook.bg.

restaurants Out of town Boyansko Hanche H-6, pl. Sborishte, Boyana, tel. +359 2 956 30 16. Situated in the heart of the mountainside suburb of Boyana, not far from the historic Boyana Church, Boyansko hanche is a long-standing favourite among visitors, not least because it’s one of the handful of places in the capi tal where you can enjoy a reasonably authentic programme of folk songs and dances. Performances usually start at 9pm but not necessarily on every night of the week - so phone beforehand if you’re going specifically because of the music. The menu of  traditional Bulgarian fare with international-looking steaks doesn’t pull too many surprises, but doesn’t inspire many  complaints either. Q Open 11:00 - 23:30. (5-10Lv).

PTRILENB

Dedo Matso G-6, terminal station of tram 5, Knyazhevo. Situated at the foot of Vitosha Mountain in Knyazhevo distric t this place will really surprise you - from the outside it looks like a colourful caravan and you can never imagine what you’ll get once you are in - recipes, collected from all over the world, nice music, a fireplace, and it is only a part from the great atmosphere th e owner  creates - she makes you feel at home with her approach to the guests, sitting with them with a glass of wine in sweet talks under the pine-trees outside the small venue. The perfect place for escaping the hot and dusty city. QOpen 11:00 - 20:00. (4-6Lv). 6INBX Lebed ul. Samokovsko shose 83, Pancharevo, tel.

Fish dishes in Sofia’s mainstream restaurants generally leave a lot to be desired, so it’s nice to have specialist places like Captain Cook’s around. It’s in a slightly out-of-the-way location, but it is in the centre and the delicious range of grilled lled and pan-fried fish - both fresh- and saltwater varities - should make the trip worthwhile. Fish is priced by the 100g - so don’t rush to order until you’ve inspected what’s available in the chiller cabinet and asked a member of staff to plonk  it on the scales. Absolutely superb quality. During the warm months you can enjoy yourself also in the beautiful garden and why not take a dip in the open-air swimming pool next  door. Bring this issue of Sofia In Your Pocket with you and you will get 5% discount, especially for our readers.Enjoy! readers.Enjoy! QOpen 12:00-23:00 (10-35Lv). PA6UGBXSW

Serbian Pri Miro G-8, ul. Murphy 34, tel. +359 2 943 71 27/+359 889 512 512 964, zaretza@ab v.bg, www.restaurantmiro.com. Both Serbia and Bulgaria share a similar  culinary repertoire of grilled meats - it’s just that the Serbians do it with more style. The cevapcici (grilled meat rissoles) and pleskavice (minced meat patties) on offer at Miro’s are infinitely more succulent and spicy than anything you’ll  find in a traditional Bulgarian joint. Ajvar (a relish made from aubergines and hot peppers) makes the ideal accompaniment, and there’s an irresistible range of fiery plum brandies to wash it all down. Both service and atmosphere are classy, and an extra personal touch is provided by chef and owner  Miro himself, who likes to circulate among diners to see who is enjoying what. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (10-12Lv). PLNGBXSW

Sofia In Your Po cket

+359 2 992 11 11, [email protected], www.restaurantlebed.com. Five kilometers south of  the Coral Swimming Complex, Lebed (“The Swan”) was opened in 1961 as part of the preparations for that year’s World Student Games, and has enjoyed near-legendary  status ever since. Once the place where Bulgaria’s top pop stars used to entertain diners, it fell into decline until recent refurbishments provided the old bird with a new lease of culinary life. The menu (providing you can negotiate your way through the spelling mistakes)   features a lot of seafood and freshwater fish, although prices are on the steep side and staff are not noted for  their speed of service. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (10-40Lv).

PALGBXW

Vodenitzata Dragalevtsi (next to the chairlift), tel. +359 2 967 10 58/+359 58/+359 888 818 518, fax +359 2 967 50 07, [email protected]. Housed in an old mill near the Dragalevtsi chairlift, Vodenitsata is one of those restaurants that’s a destination in its own right. The stone clad interior is crammed with folksy  ornamentation, and the cuisine consists of superbly  prepared and presented Bulgarian classics. The breezy  garden, complete with water features, turtles an d fish, is a great place to while away a hot summer afternoon. Every  night a folklore ensemble provides a thrilling repertoire of traditional songs and dances, occasionally featuring  nestinari dancing on live coals - don’t try and join in no matter how many rakiyas you’ve had. QOpen 12:00 24:00. (10-20Lv). ALEB

Swiss Chalet Suisse G-9, bul. Botevgradsko shose 50, tel. +359 884 249 450, [email protected], www. chaletsuisse.eu. A must visit place for all cheese lovers. In case you are new to this kind of cuisine, no worries, the friendly staff will help you out and maybe even the

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Wine, beer, rakia or boza… what to drink in Bulgaria Bulgaria has some typical drinks which can be found only here, and some that have a similar (but not the same) equivalent abroad. If you come to Bulgaria, we recommend you to try some of these:

Swiss owners themselves. They offer traditional Swiss cheese-fondue, Raclette, chocolate-fondue, Swiss salads, Roesti and Bündnerfleisch, different steaks and more. The restaurant restaurant indeed looks like a Chalet with wooden seating. Once inside you will forget the surrounding neighbourhood blocks. Not far from the centre, on the road to Varna. After  the Eko Petroleum gas station turn right, you can not miss it. QOpen 18:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. Closed Mon, Tue. (8-25Lv.).

Alcoholic drinks: wine, which is exported to many European • Bulgarian wine, countries. It is very tasty, with various sorts, some of  which are typical only for this region. We recommend Mavrud (this sort of wine cannot be found anywhere else) – a strong dark wine, suitable for red meat and cold winter evenings. Despite the good quality, Bulgarian wine is not expensive and is very appropriate for a present   from a holiday in Bulgaria. • Bulgarian beer: beer: many regions have their local beers, most of them with a typical genuine taste, so we sug gest  you choose from: Blagoevgrad Pirinsko, Strumsko pivo Burgas Burgasko pivo, Slavena Lom Almus, Shopsko, Sofia Mezdra Ledenika, MM, Varna, Haberman Pleven Storgozia, Ataman, Pleven Plovdiv Kamenitsa (Light, Extra, Dark, Red and Soft), Astika Shumen Shumensko Sofia Kmetsko (Light, Wheat, Red, Dark) Stara Zagora Zagorka, Ariana, Stolichno Veliko Tarnovo Nashensko, Balkan, Bolyarka • Rakia is often compared to brandy or tequila, but its not like anything else. Usually most Bulgarians drink it  in the evening, before or during the meal, accompanied by salad or pickles. It SHOULDN’T be drunk like tequila, but slowly, sipping, with delight. Most common types are grape and plum rakia. We recommend you also try  the fig and pear rakia, if you have the chance, which is unusually aromatic. • Almond liquer (which is slightly similar to amaretto, but different). It is quite sweet and is recommended unlimited consumption; however reasonable drinking is extremely pleasant.

ar to ouzo and absinthe, but should be • Mastika (similar drunk in a different manner: either with ayran or tarator  (see Bulgarian food section), or with mint liqueur (VERY  good cocktail for sea evenings, however very strong and can be dangerous for inexperienced drinkers. Actually it  doesn’t give you a feeling that you’re getting drunk; you  just suddenly realize that this is a fact.) This drink contains anise and has a sweet flavour.

Vegetarian Back Home B-5, ul. Vrabcha 24, tel. +359 2 843 03 53, [email protected], www.backhomebg.com. If you think that the vegetarian cuisine is boring, the young  people who work here will change your mind. Everything we tried was extremely tasty, made with imagination and care. The menu is very rich and varied through humus, sweet salads, chick-peas dishes and quite a long list of the traditional India drink Lassi - yogurt with whatever you can imagine in it - quite refreshing ng and satisfying every taste. In a contrast  to other vegetarian restaurants they didn’t forget the smokers and the wine and beer lovers - there is a smoking hall and wonderful warmed up wine with black pepper, clove and honey in it. Maybe you will need to be a little patient  until your order is ready, so enjoy the garden and the music Q Open 12:00 - 23.30. (6-8lv). PT6ENGBX�

SW

Dream House B-3, ul. Alabin 50A, tel. +359 2 980 81 63,dr [email protected], [email protected],ww w.dreamhouse-bg. w.dreamhouse-bg. com. This bright and cheery first-floor restaurant is initially  a bit difficult to find: once you’ve entered the small shopping  mall at ul. Alabin 50 you need to pass through the white door  on your left and proceed up the murk y stairwell. Dishes range  from a deliciously delicate bamboo soup to savoury spinach balls, and tofu in various sauces. Flavours are on the bland side - our biryani need ed a jug-full of chilli sauce to help i t go down. On Sunday afternoons there’s an all-you-can-eat buffet for 7  leva.Home delivery for the area around the restaurant only. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00. (5-7Lv). PAGSW Kibea C-3, ul. Dr. G. Valkovich 2A, tel. +359 2 980 30 67, [email protected], www.kibea.net. There’s always at least one meat dish on the menu at this upmarket  healthfood restaurant, restaurant, but its the exquisitely prepared vegan and macrobiotic dishes that get top billing. The cool minimalism minimalism of the interior provides the perfect environment  in which to focus on the classy concoctions which have made head chef Elliot Prag something of a local celebrity. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. (7-20Lv). PAG�

SW

Soft drinks: • Boza (actually with Turkish origin, but the Bulgarians drink it for so many years that it can be considered local). It is prepared from fermented whea t or millet. Its colour is beige and its taste is sweet-sour taste (some foreigners  find it quite peculiar).

yogurt (this is different from any other yogurt; • Bulgarian yogurt(this people have tried to export the world famous lactobacillus bulgaricus (named so because it was discovered in Bulgaria); the result was a different taste.) • Ayran (traditional local drink prepared from yogurt, salt, water, sometimes pepper). This is a very refreshing drink  good both for heat and chill.

July - September  2009

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CaFÉs Cafes Before & After C-3, ul. Hristo Belchev 12, tel. +359 2 981 60 88/+359 889 966 689,befor eandaf [email protected], ba.club-cabaret.net.With ba.club-cabaret.net.With art-nouveau wall decorations, and  furniture that wouldn’t look out of place in nineteenth-century  Paris, this place is a world away from central Sofia. Expect  coffee strong enough to give an elephant heart palpitations, luxuriant hot chocolate, and an appetizin g range of salads and snacks. The place is frequently taken over by tango lessons in the evening, which helps explain the alluring photographs of buttock-waggling dancers adorning the walls. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. (10 - 13Lv). PJAGXSW Bulgaria B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 4, tel. +359 2 988 53 07. Taking up most of the ground floor of the Grand Hotel Bulgaria, this is a comfortable and rather statel y place in which to overdose on caffeine and sweets. Slightly more expensive than average, but well worth bearing in mind if you’re planning a posh city-centre rendez vous. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. (12-18Lv). PTJNXSW

PJABSW

O’Nice B-3, ul. Stefan Karadzha 18, tel. +359 2 980 02 32, [email protected], www.onice.bg.This www.onice.bg.This place has a neat  atmosphere complemented by walls of fresh pastel colours and modern-looking interior. The bagel sandwiches it specializes in are imported from Germany and the United Kingdom and you can find at least nine different flavours offered every  day. One bagel may be insufficient to fill you up so take your  time to decide. The coffee is also a special blend, the fresh squeezed fruit juices are more than a dozen kinds and the croissants, baked every morning are imported from France. The bagel and juic e bar is appropriate for a quick stop at lunchbreak or on the way to work in the morning. The service will not slow you down or disappoint, and they deliver. It almost  sounds too nice. QOpen 07:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 20:00, Sun 11:00 - 20:00. (7-20Lv). PAGXW

Onda Coffee Break B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 8, tel. +359 2 987 49 20. This coffee bar is a bright, comfortable and really quite groovy place offering offering order-at-the-counter  order-at-the-counter  lattes, macchiatos, muffins, cookies, and other comfortingly   familiar concoctions. Surprisingly for Bulgaria, the sandwiches in the chiller cabinet are actually edible. Th e upstairs lounge comes with a great view of the Russian Church and its pimply bouquet of domes. QOpen 07:00 - 21:00. (5-10Lv).

Laguna (Vienski salon) C-3, ul. Hristo Belchev 13, tel. +359 2 980 30 01, [email protected], ww w.laguna-bg. com. Welcoming two-tier café whose in-your-face kitsch   furnishings will leave you grasping for words fit to describe them. Our editor compared this place to a mid-seventies Dr  Who set, but his glamorous assistant was too busy screaming  to take any notice. This is a great place to come and pig out  on pancakes and cakes they offer. QOpen 10:30 - 24:00. (4-10Lv). PJNGXSW

Starbucks café C-4, Corner of ul. Gurko a nd bul. Vasil

Lucky (Vienska sladkarnitsa) C-5, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 21, tel. +359 2 943 33 44/+359 44/+359 889 506 251. Bright, roomy and rather elegant café with a generous choice of fancy cakes and other sinful goodi es. Floor-to-ceiling 

sofia inyourpo cket com

windows make this a good vantage point from which to observe the traffic pulsing across the Orlov bridge. Waitresses dressed in fetching Bulgaro-Tyrolean dirndls help to comple te the picture. QOpen 08:30 - 22:00, Sun 10:30 - 22:00.

Coffee House B-4, ul. 6-i septemvri 1, tel. +359 2 986 66 12. Modern-st yle coffee-shop with a decent line in drink-in or takeaway espressos, lattes, mochas and the rest. Mouthwatering cakes and freshly-made sandwiches are superior  to the standardised fare on offer at some of Sofia’s other  high-street coffee shops. Vivid comic-book murals by graphic artist Yasen Zgurovski give the Coffee House an absolutely  unique vibe. Also at H-8, Busine ss Park Sofia. QOpen 07:30 - 20:00. PJNBW

Lavazza Club B-2, bul. Vitosha 13, tel. +359 2 987 34 33/+359 887 979 890, www.clublava zza.com. Situated in downtown Sofia this place is already crowded since early  in the morning. Its two floors, charming garden and young  pretty waitresses, obviously make it a preferred location by everybody from young couples to business people and  foreigners alike. The menu list offers a big selection of coffee, cappuccino, cocktails, sandwiches and fresh pastries and creams. Yummy. QOpen 07:30 - 23:00. PABXW

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PJGXW

Levski, tel. +359 2 986 32 94, www.starbucks.bg. When you enter the newly opened Starbucks café you may forget  that you are in Sofia - it looks exactly the way it looks all over  the world and what you expect it to be - coffee aroma, young  staff and loads of delicious cakes. There are seven tables outside, where even in winter you can enjoy your coffee break, despite the aw ful traffic around. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sat  08:00 - 22:00. PJGBW

The Bookies C-1, ul. Dospat 37, tel. +359 2 851 90 87. Great little place directly across from the NDK, off  Vitosha Boulevard. One of, if not the, finest gardens in Sofia. Beautifully enclosed just off the boulevard, the garden was designed by the owner and she has created a real beauty. Wooden 2 seater swing, a couple of trees, plenty of sundry   flora and greenery augment the direc tors chairs and sofas. sofas. It’s a beautiful sun trap too with some great shade. They knock  up a fabulous Mojito, amongst other cocktails, and they do a really top coffee. The garden seats about 40. The bar inside is a lovely little place. It seats about 20 and has a real coffee house atmosphere with bookshelves on the walls. The locals will greet guests with open arms, and much fun has apparently  been had down The Bookies. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 09:30 - 24:00. JBWSofia is simply swarming with quirky watering holes, cool designer bars and dance-till-youdisintegrate clubs. Just try not to get carried away.

Bars Apartament 52 C-3, ul. Parchevich 52, tel. +359 896 652 087. Sinking into the comfy corner sofas of this lounge bar is a pleasant way to end a hard day pacing the mean streets of central Sofia, although there never seems quite enough going on here to keep you for more than a couple of  drinks. A good place to kick-start the evening before moving  on elsewhere. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00. JAGBXW

Jul y - September 2009  

39

CaFÉs Cafes Before & After C-3, ul. Hristo Belchev 12, tel. +359 2 981 60 88/+359 889 966 689,befor eandaf [email protected], ba.club-cabaret.net.With ba.club-cabaret.net.With art-nouveau wall decorations, and  furniture that wouldn’t look out of place in nineteenth-century  Paris, this place is a world away from central Sofia. Expect  coffee strong enough to give an elephant heart palpitations, luxuriant hot chocolate, and an appetizin g range of salads and snacks. The place is frequently taken over by tango lessons in the evening, which helps explain the alluring photographs of buttock-waggling dancers adorning the walls. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. (10 - 13Lv). PJAGXSW Bulgaria B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 4, tel. +359 2 988 53 07. Taking up most of the ground floor of the Grand Hotel Bulgaria, this is a comfortable and rather statel y place in which to overdose on caffeine and sweets. Slightly more expensive than average, but well worth bearing in mind if you’re planning a posh city-centre rendez vous. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. (12-18Lv). PTJNXSW

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PJABSW

O’Nice B-3, ul. Stefan Karadzha 18, tel. +359 2 980 02 32, [email protected], www.onice.bg.This www.onice.bg.This place has a neat  atmosphere complemented by walls of fresh pastel colours and modern-looking interior. The bagel sandwiches it specializes in are imported from Germany and the United Kingdom and you can find at least nine different flavours offered every  day. One bagel may be insufficient to fill you up so take your  time to decide. The coffee is also a special blend, the fresh squeezed fruit juices are more than a dozen kinds and the croissants, baked every morning are imported from France. The bagel and juic e bar is appropriate for a quick stop at lunchbreak or on the way to work in the morning. The service will not slow you down or disappoint, and they deliver. It almost  sounds too nice. QOpen 07:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 20:00, Sun 11:00 - 20:00. (7-20Lv). PAGXW

Onda Coffee Break B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 8, tel. +359 2 987 49 20. This coffee bar is a bright, comfortable and really quite groovy place offering offering order-at-the-counter  order-at-the-counter  lattes, macchiatos, muffins, cookies, and other comfortingly   familiar concoctions. Surprisingly for Bulgaria, the sandwiches in the chiller cabinet are actually edible. Th e upstairs lounge comes with a great view of the Russian Church and its pimply bouquet of domes. QOpen 07:00 - 21:00. (5-10Lv).

Laguna (Vienski salon) C-3, ul. Hristo Belchev 13, tel. +359 2 980 30 01, [email protected], ww w.laguna-bg. com. Welcoming two-tier café whose in-your-face kitsch   furnishings will leave you grasping for words fit to describe them. Our editor compared this place to a mid-seventies Dr  Who set, but his glamorous assistant was too busy screaming  to take any notice. This is a great place to come and pig out  on pancakes and cakes they offer. QOpen 10:30 - 24:00. (4-10Lv). PJNGXSW

Starbucks café C-4, Corner of ul. Gurko a nd bul. Vasil

Lucky (Vienska sladkarnitsa) C-5, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 21, tel. +359 2 943 33 44/+359 44/+359 889 506 251. Bright, roomy and rather elegant café with a generous choice of fancy cakes and other sinful goodi es. Floor-to-ceiling  Sofia In Your Po cket

windows make this a good vantage point from which to observe the traffic pulsing across the Orlov bridge. Waitresses dressed in fetching Bulgaro-Tyrolean dirndls help to comple te the picture. QOpen 08:30 - 22:00, Sun 10:30 - 22:00.

Coffee House B-4, ul. 6-i septemvri 1, tel. +359 2 986 66 12. Modern-st yle coffee-shop with a decent line in drink-in or takeaway espressos, lattes, mochas and the rest. Mouthwatering cakes and freshly-made sandwiches are superior  to the standardised fare on offer at some of Sofia’s other  high-street coffee shops. Vivid comic-book murals by graphic artist Yasen Zgurovski give the Coffee House an absolutely  unique vibe. Also at H-8, Busine ss Park Sofia. QOpen 07:30 - 20:00. PJNBW

Lavazza Club B-2, bul. Vitosha 13, tel. +359 2 987 34 33/+359 887 979 890, www.clublava zza.com. Situated in downtown Sofia this place is already crowded since early  in the morning. Its two floors, charming garden and young  pretty waitresses, obviously make it a preferred location by everybody from young couples to business people and  foreigners alike. The menu list offers a big selection of coffee, cappuccino, cocktails, sandwiches and fresh pastries and creams. Yummy. QOpen 07:30 - 23:00. PABXW

PJGXW

Levski, tel. +359 2 986 32 94, www.starbucks.bg. When you enter the newly opened Starbucks café you may forget  that you are in Sofia - it looks exactly the way it looks all over  the world and what you expect it to be - coffee aroma, young  staff and loads of delicious cakes. There are seven tables outside, where even in winter you can enjoy your coffee break, despite the aw ful traffic around. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sat  08:00 - 22:00. PJGBW

The Bookies C-1, ul. Dospat 37, tel. +359 2 851 90 87. Great little place directly across from the NDK, off  Vitosha Boulevard. One of, if not the, finest gardens in Sofia. Beautifully enclosed just off the boulevard, the garden was designed by the owner and she has created a real beauty. Wooden 2 seater swing, a couple of trees, plenty of sundry   flora and greenery augment the direc tors chairs and sofas. sofas. It’s a beautiful sun trap too with some great shade. They knock  up a fabulous Mojito, amongst other cocktails, and they do a really top coffee. The garden seats about 40. The bar inside is a lovely little place. It seats about 20 and has a real coffee house atmosphere with bookshelves on the walls. The locals will greet guests with open arms, and much fun has apparently  been had down The Bookies. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 09:30 - 24:00. JBWSofia is simply swarming with quirky watering holes, cool designer bars and dance-till-youdisintegrate clubs. Just try not to get carried away.

Bars Apartament 52 C-3, ul. Parchevich 52, tel. +359 896 652 087. Sinking into the comfy corner sofas of this lounge bar is a pleasant way to end a hard day pacing the mean streets of central Sofia, although there never seems quite enough going on here to keep you for more than a couple of  drinks. A good place to kick-start the evening before moving  on elsewhere. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00. JAGBXW

Jul y - September 2009  

sofia.inyourpocket.com

nightliFe

nightliFe

Barabar B-5, ul. Shipka 43A, tel. +359 886 787 982.

Hambara C-3, ul. 6-i septemvri 22. Knock on the wooden

This small but perfectly formed café-bar may well be a 15-minute walk east of the centre, but its cosy-living-room atmosphere makes it well worth seeking out. The vintage Bulgarian film posters on the walls make a great change from the beer adverts and commercial logos cluttering up other  establishments of this ilk. The Bulgarian-Scottish bar crew serve up excellent toasted sandwiches too. In fridays there is live music. QOpen 09:30 - 24:00, Sat 17:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. PE

doorway in an alleyway behind the Hitriyat Petel restaurant  restaurant  and you’ll be ushered into this strange candle-lit barn full of  nocturnal humanoids sitting on high wooden stools. It may  seem as if you’ve stumbled onto the set of a vampire movie, but the hedonistic arty set who hang out here seem friendly. For those who like a bit of culture wi th their alcohol, Hambara’s sporadic programme of live jazz, studio theatre and other  arty happenings provides an added inducement to drop by. QOpen 19:00 - 02:00.

Bash Bar C-5, ul. Ivan Ase n II 31, tel. +359 2 943 43 97.

Chocolate C-3, ul. Rakovski 193, tel. +359 896 624

This small bar is the place for good music lovers and modern young people, who are b ored of going to discos, and foremost  and crowded places. The bar consists of two levels, as the  first is only bars and the second l evel is cosy, with with comfortable sofas and shaded light. QOpen 8.30 - 01.00. BXW

265, [email protected], www.chocolate. bg. Chocolate is an accurate description of the dominant  colour scheme, although the grassy fabrics and ethnic wall decorations made us think we were in a beach bar somewhere in the South Pacific. Pounding music, a drinks menu several pages long, and a stylish clientele help to make this a worthwhile inclusion on any downtown bar crawl. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00. PAW

Basic C-3, ul. Neofit Rilski 55, tel. +359 2 986 36 72. The welcoming array of deep white sofas will lure you into this stylish little spot just off ul. Rakovski - just make sure you don’t end up squatting on one of the cube-sized pouffes otherwise you’ll have backache come the morning. There’s an appetizingly wide range of cocktails and spirit shots, and the designer toilet is cool enough for even the sassiest of  supermodels to feel proud to drop their pants in. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 02:00. PA 

Bilkovata C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 22, tel. +359 2 986 49 05. Hardly anyone remembers the herbal pharmacy  which once stood here (Bilkovata means “The Herbal”), but  the basement bar on this spot is one of the most frequented places in Sofia. It’s sparsely furnished, smok y, and overcrowdovercrowded at weekends, but a combination of off-the-wall background music and gregarious drinkers lurching around help make it  one of those cult Sofia locations that you have to visit at least  once. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00. PJNBXW Blaze C-4, ul. Slavyanska 36, tel. +359 888 354 004. This brash, tight squeeze of a DJ bar has been around for years and never seem s to be in danger of going out of fashion. If you are dying to meet young trendy locals then you’re in the right  place here. Getting a drink at weekends can require superhuman patience, and waiting for the toilet can sometimes take so long, that you’re on first-name terms with everyone else in the queue, by the time you finally penetrate the porcelain sanctuary. QOpen 10:00 - 03:00. PW

By The Way C-3, ul. Rakovski 166, tel. +359 2 980 38 36, [email protected], www.bytheway.bg.If www.bytheway.bg. If you really  care about the quality of your cocktails then this split-level bar  is the place to come. The setting is stylish and cosy, and the high proportion of beautiful young things among the clientele makes it the perfect place for people-watching. QOpen 09:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 01:00. PAW

Cappuccino bar & dinner B-2, ul. Pozitano 8, tel. +359 896 645 362, [email protected] [email protected],, w ww.barcappuccino.net. Despite its short life, Cappuccino seems destined to become one of the most crowded new additions to Sofia. Preferred for business lunches, dinners, parties or   just for a cup of coffee or excellent cappuccino, the interior  is a mixture of expensive Italian furniture with a classical combination of midnight black and crisp white, delicate lighting and enviable sound system. The long menu specializes in Italian dishes, complemented by an excellent selection of  wine from all over world and a variety of cocktails, among the well-founded reasons this place will be sure to please even the most capricious visitors. QOpen 08:00 - 02:00, Sun 10:30 - 24:00. PAGXW Sofia In Your Po cket

McCarthy’s B-3, ul. Alabin 50A, tel. +359 878 666 130, [email protected], www.mc-carthys.com. Finally an Irish bar run by authentic Irish men. Just 10m from Mc’Donalds (on bul. Vitosha), turn right into the arcade, the  first door to the left - you will see the sign. Climb the stairs and you will dive right into the clamour of the cheerful crowd. It seems that time has stopped here - laughter, dancing and singing replace the hectic life outside. The place is cosy, decorated, the owners claim, as an old style Irish pub from the 70’s, no annoying TV-sets to keep you from singing  along. Large windows present you with a “spy” view to the Court House and the busy Alabin street. Pints of beer, great  atmosphere, cool people, live music on Sundays. This place is simply a must experience. QOpen 08:30 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. PJEXW

Mediterrani C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 37, tel. +359 +359 897 931 291. We’re not sure what they have to do with the Mediterranean, but the combination of whitewashed walls, black  couches and mellow music put us in the righ t mood to embark  on a relaxing evening of alcohol-oiled conversation. Initially  a bit difficult to find: head into the courtyard of the Mamma Mia pizzeria and dive down the stairs to your immediate left. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. PAGXW Memories C-2, ul. Knyaz Boris I 66, tel. +359 2 952 62 50. One of the few bars in Sofia with over 10 years of  history. The interior resembles an old English pub. Believe it or not the bar opens in the morning so it’s a good place   for coffee or tea. In the evening, especially during summer  nights, it’s quite difficul t to get a table as the place is perpetually full with young crowds. QOpen 09:00 - 01:00. (3-5Lv).

PJNGBXSW

Motto B-4, ul. Aksakov 18, tel. +359 2 987 27 23, [email protected], w ww.motto-bg.com. The [email protected], brick walls, comfy sofas and designer lampshades of this roomy bar and diner attain just the right mixture of snazziness and comfort. There’s a huge m enu of cocktails and spirits, and a selection of light dishes if you’re hungry. The service lags, especially when the place fills up with Sofia’s fashionable set, but then you’ll never be short of beautiful people to look  at. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00. PJABXW

Opera B-4, ul. Rakovski 113, tel. +359 2 988 21 41, [email protected], www.opera-bg.info.This www.opera-bg.info.This classy designer  bar in the basement of th e National Opera is well worth looking  in on at the weekends, when DJs spin plastic and revellers   flock round the bar. At other times it looks like a furniture

sofia inyourpo cket com

showroom, with rigid lines of fancy chairs and couches and not many people sitting in them. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00.

PABW

Orisha Bar & Dinner B-2, ul. Solunska 50, tel. +359 2 953 32 94/+359 886 31 88 91. This is a warm and welcoming place situated in the city center, near bul. Hristo Botev. The menu offers a wide range of cocktails from all over  the world with vodka, whisky, rum, gin, tequila and champagne. Most popular of them are Bronx Perfect, Alabama Slammer, Original Singapore Sling and a favourite of the American writer, Hemmingway Special. The nam es of the food from the menu are long and descriptive, with exotic sounding words. Seafood and chicken dishes are predominant. The bar’s name is interesting. An Orisha (orixa) is a spirit reflecting a particular aspect of God in the belief systems of Candomble in Brazil, and Santeria and Luccumi in Cuba and Puerto Rico among others. A friendly owner as well as house and chill out music add to the cozy atmosphere. An excellent excellent place  for business meetings and private parties. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. PNBW Tea House (Chay vav fabrikata) B-4, ul. Georgi Benkovski 11, tel. +359 887 051 080, teahousesof ia@gmail. com. Located behind an unlikely-looking metal door (look for  the sign hanging above), this combined café and art gallery is the per fect place to wind do wn over a brew. Yogi Yogi tea, of which innumerable varieties are available, seems to be the house   favourite, although there are several beverages of a more alcoholic nature to get acquainted with too, Antique furniture and oil paintings combine with post-industrial design touches to produce a slightly distressed, bohemian vibe. There’s usually some form of non-mainstream music on the CD system (world music, jazz or similar), and a regular programme of  off-beat and jazz musical events. Indian-influenced vegetarian   food, which they make on the spot, makes a welcome appearance on the evenings.Every Thursday Ayurvedic cuisine and every Thursday and Sunday Tea House is only for nonsmokers.QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00. (6-9Lv).

PLENGXSW

Toba&Co B-3, ul. Moskovska 6A, tel. +359 2 989 46 96, [email protected]. Head round the back of the National Art Gallery and you’ll come across this curious little café-bar, occupying the cast-iron pavilion in which the mercurial Tsar  Ferdinand Ferdinand once kept his butterflies. The cocktails aren’t that  great but who cares; everything else on the menu is perfectly  drinkable, the wooden chairs add a dash of Parisian-café  charm, and when DJs turn up they usually spin something  more interesting than Top-40 teen fodder. QOpen 09:00 - 05:00. PNB Upstairs C-2, bul. Vitosha 18, tel. +359 2 989 96 96, [email protected],ww w.uno-sofia.com/upstairs. w.uno-sofia.com/upstairs. First-floor bar overlooking Sofia’s busiest downtown shopping  street, with comfy lounge-bar furniture inside, and a line of  stools along the verandah providing the perfect vantage point   from which to observe the goings-on below. There’s a menu of   fancy food, and a list of cocktails that runs to several pages. Glamorous without making too big a deal out of it, this is just  what boulevard Vitosha needs. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00, Sun 10:00 - 02:00. ABW

Pubs Am-Gul C-5, ul. San Stefano 3, tel. +359 2 943 44 16, www.am-gul.com. An old house in the center of Sofia, converted into a restaurant. Actually, the place is separated into two parts in different buildings. One of them is covered with a partly glass ceilin g, a fountain in the middle of the room

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39

and a big barbecue. The other part is the second floor of a house, separated into three rooms with no doors bet ween them - you feel like you’re at a private party, but sitting on dif ferent tables. There are two fireplaces and retro st yle interior. The menu is rich with pizzas, salads and barbecued dishes. Portions are really bi g and tasty. So, enjoy your wine! QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. (5.00-16.00Lv). IGXSW

Flannagans B-4, Radisson SAS Hotel, pl. Narodno sabranie 4, tel. +359 2 933 47 40, flannagans.sofia@ radissonsas.com, www.sofia.radissonsas.com. Unusually for an establishment located on the ground floor of an international hotel, Flannagans succeeds in being a lively  and welcoming venue, even if the prices are a touch more expensive than elsewhere in town. The draught Guinness and Kilkenny are well-kept enough to keep you coming back, and the menu of quality pub food is better than the fare offered by many of Sofia’s “international” restaurants. Major international sporting events are given the big-screen treatment. QOpen 12:00 - 00:30. (20-40Lv). PAUGBXSW

Irish Harp B-2, ul. Sveta Sofia 7, tel. +359 2 989 92 26, www.irish-harp.biz. Smart but slightly lived-in, and with  friendly staff always ready to ask whether you need a refill, this is the kind of pub that you’ll find yourself drifting back to whether you’re eager for ex-pat chit-chat or simply in need of a relaxing drink. Murphys and Guinness on tap, and the  fancy drinks and cocktails aren’t bad either. With several TV screens tuned to sports channels, this is an ideal place to catch live matches, or simply nervously await the incoming   football results on Saturday af ternoons. QOpen 10:00 24:00. PJALEW J. J. Murphy’s B-2, ul. Karnigradska 6, tel. +359 2 980 28 70, fax +359 2 980 08 60. Restrained lighting, lots of  dark-brown wooden furniture, and a variety of environments (you can either prop up the bar, watch football on the big  screen, or sit in a quiet corner) all help make this place a comfortingly familiar home-from-home. They pull a mean pint  of Murphy’s, and if Bulgarian cuisine has left you pining for  Sheperd’s Pie, this is the place to tuck in. QOpen 12:00 24:00. PENGBXW

Clubs Babbles C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 22, tel. +359 2 980 65 79, ww w.babblesclub.com. w.babblesclub.com. Ultra-fab designer bar  which looks like a space-ship, a children’s cartoon or a kooky  Sixties’ film set, depending on how many drinks you’ve had already. It’s the brainchild of owner Kremena Halvadzhian, who also happens to be one of Bulgaria’s top stylists. The lively atmosphere is backed up with house music supplied by  popular Bulgarian DJs. If the cheerful colours aren’t enough to cheer you up, you can resort to a classical cock tail or straight  drink. QOpen 17:00 - 00:00. Black Box B-2, ul. Pirotska 5. Boasting three dancefloors, chillout area an d V.I.P. lounge, Black Box is somet hing of a haven for hard-core techno and drum & bass freaks - so if an after-work dance around the handbag is what you’re after then you’d be better off heading elsewhere. Most of the clientele appear to be under 20, but then Black Box’s sanitychallenging sound system and light show are something that  you have to be in the flush of youth to endure. Th e club is only  open when a specific DJ event is scheduled, so you really need to interrogate your in-the-know Sofia friends before making  tracks. QOpen 22:00 - 06:00. Brilyantin B-3, ul. Moskovska 3, tel. +359 2 986 31 12, www.briliantin.com. The name of this club is a

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40

nightliFe

nightliFe

Barabar B-5, ul. Shipka 43A, tel. +359 886 787 982.

Hambara C-3, ul. 6-i septemvri 22. Knock on the wooden

This small but perfectly formed café-bar may well be a 15-minute walk east of the centre, but its cosy-living-room atmosphere makes it well worth seeking out. The vintage Bulgarian film posters on the walls make a great change from the beer adverts and commercial logos cluttering up other  establishments of this ilk. The Bulgarian-Scottish bar crew serve up excellent toasted sandwiches too. In fridays there is live music. QOpen 09:30 - 24:00, Sat 17:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. PE

doorway in an alleyway behind the Hitriyat Petel restaurant  restaurant  and you’ll be ushered into this strange candle-lit barn full of  nocturnal humanoids sitting on high wooden stools. It may  seem as if you’ve stumbled onto the set of a vampire movie, but the hedonistic arty set who hang out here seem friendly. For those who like a bit of culture wi th their alcohol, Hambara’s sporadic programme of live jazz, studio theatre and other  arty happenings provides an added inducement to drop by. QOpen 19:00 - 02:00.

Bash Bar C-5, ul. Ivan Ase n II 31, tel. +359 2 943 43 97.

Chocolate C-3, ul. Rakovski 193, tel. +359 896 624

This small bar is the place for good music lovers and modern young people, who are b ored of going to discos, and foremost  and crowded places. The bar consists of two levels, as the  first is only bars and the second l evel is cosy, with with comfortable sofas and shaded light. QOpen 8.30 - 01.00. BXW

265, [email protected], www.chocolate. bg. Chocolate is an accurate description of the dominant  colour scheme, although the grassy fabrics and ethnic wall decorations made us think we were in a beach bar somewhere in the South Pacific. Pounding music, a drinks menu several pages long, and a stylish clientele help to make this a worthwhile inclusion on any downtown bar crawl. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00. PAW

Basic C-3, ul. Neofit Rilski 55, tel. +359 2 986 36 72. The welcoming array of deep white sofas will lure you into this stylish little spot just off ul. Rakovski - just make sure you don’t end up squatting on one of the cube-sized pouffes otherwise you’ll have backache come the morning. There’s an appetizingly wide range of cocktails and spirit shots, and the designer toilet is cool enough for even the sassiest of  supermodels to feel proud to drop their pants in. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 02:00. PA 

Bilkovata C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 22, tel. +359 2 986 49 05. Hardly anyone remembers the herbal pharmacy  which once stood here (Bilkovata means “The Herbal”), but  the basement bar on this spot is one of the most frequented places in Sofia. It’s sparsely furnished, smok y, and overcrowdovercrowded at weekends, but a combination of off-the-wall background music and gregarious drinkers lurching around help make it  one of those cult Sofia locations that you have to visit at least  once. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00. PJNBXW Blaze C-4, ul. Slavyanska 36, tel. +359 888 354 004. This brash, tight squeeze of a DJ bar has been around for years and never seem s to be in danger of going out of fashion. If you are dying to meet young trendy locals then you’re in the right  place here. Getting a drink at weekends can require superhuman patience, and waiting for the toilet can sometimes take so long, that you’re on first-name terms with everyone else in the queue, by the time you finally penetrate the porcelain sanctuary. QOpen 10:00 - 03:00. PW

By The Way C-3, ul. Rakovski 166, tel. +359 2 980 38 36, [email protected], www.bytheway.bg.If www.bytheway.bg. If you really  care about the quality of your cocktails then this split-level bar  is the place to come. The setting is stylish and cosy, and the high proportion of beautiful young things among the clientele makes it the perfect place for people-watching. QOpen 09:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 01:00. PAW

Cappuccino bar & dinner B-2, ul. Pozitano 8, tel. +359 896 645 362, [email protected] [email protected],, w ww.barcappuccino.net. Despite its short life, Cappuccino seems destined to become one of the most crowded new additions to Sofia. Preferred for business lunches, dinners, parties or   just for a cup of coffee or excellent cappuccino, the interior  is a mixture of expensive Italian furniture with a classical combination of midnight black and crisp white, delicate lighting and enviable sound system. The long menu specializes in Italian dishes, complemented by an excellent selection of  wine from all over world and a variety of cocktails, among the well-founded reasons this place will be sure to please even the most capricious visitors. QOpen 08:00 - 02:00, Sun 10:30 - 24:00. PAGXW

McCarthy’s B-3, ul. Alabin 50A, tel. +359 878 666 130, [email protected], www.mc-carthys.com. Finally an Irish bar run by authentic Irish men. Just 10m from Mc’Donalds (on bul. Vitosha), turn right into the arcade, the  first door to the left - you will see the sign. Climb the stairs and you will dive right into the clamour of the cheerful crowd. It seems that time has stopped here - laughter, dancing and singing replace the hectic life outside. The place is cosy, decorated, the owners claim, as an old style Irish pub from the 70’s, no annoying TV-sets to keep you from singing  along. Large windows present you with a “spy” view to the Court House and the busy Alabin street. Pints of beer, great  atmosphere, cool people, live music on Sundays. This place is simply a must experience. QOpen 08:30 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. PJEXW

Mediterrani C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 37, tel. +359 +359 897 931 291. We’re not sure what they have to do with the Mediterranean, but the combination of whitewashed walls, black  couches and mellow music put us in the righ t mood to embark  on a relaxing evening of alcohol-oiled conversation. Initially  a bit difficult to find: head into the courtyard of the Mamma Mia pizzeria and dive down the stairs to your immediate left. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. PAGXW Memories C-2, ul. Knyaz Boris I 66, tel. +359 2 952 62 50. One of the few bars in Sofia with over 10 years of  history. The interior resembles an old English pub. Believe it or not the bar opens in the morning so it’s a good place   for coffee or tea. In the evening, especially during summer  nights, it’s quite difficul t to get a table as the place is perpetually full with young crowds. QOpen 09:00 - 01:00. (3-5Lv).

PJNGBXSW

Motto B-4, ul. Aksakov 18, tel. +359 2 987 27 23, [email protected], w ww.motto-bg.com. The [email protected], brick walls, comfy sofas and designer lampshades of this roomy bar and diner attain just the right mixture of snazziness and comfort. There’s a huge m enu of cocktails and spirits, and a selection of light dishes if you’re hungry. The service lags, especially when the place fills up with Sofia’s fashionable set, but then you’ll never be short of beautiful people to look  at. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00. PJABXW

Opera B-4, ul. Rakovski 113, tel. +359 2 988 21 41, [email protected], www.opera-bg.info.This www.opera-bg.info.This classy designer  bar in the basement of th e National Opera is well worth looking  in on at the weekends, when DJs spin plastic and revellers   flock round the bar. At other times it looks like a furniture

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sofia.inyourpo cket.com

showroom, with rigid lines of fancy chairs and couches and not many people sitting in them. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00.

PABW

Orisha Bar & Dinner B-2, ul. Solunska 50, tel. +359 2 953 32 94/+359 886 31 88 91. This is a warm and welcoming place situated in the city center, near bul. Hristo Botev. The menu offers a wide range of cocktails from all over  the world with vodka, whisky, rum, gin, tequila and champagne. Most popular of them are Bronx Perfect, Alabama Slammer, Original Singapore Sling and a favourite of the American writer, Hemmingway Special. The nam es of the food from the menu are long and descriptive, with exotic sounding words. Seafood and chicken dishes are predominant. The bar’s name is interesting. An Orisha (orixa) is a spirit reflecting a particular aspect of God in the belief systems of Candomble in Brazil, and Santeria and Luccumi in Cuba and Puerto Rico among others. A friendly owner as well as house and chill out music add to the cozy atmosphere. An excellent excellent place  for business meetings and private parties. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. PNBW Tea House (Chay vav fabrikata) B-4, ul. Georgi Benkovski 11, tel. +359 887 051 080, teahousesof ia@gmail. com. Located behind an unlikely-looking metal door (look for  the sign hanging above), this combined café and art gallery is the per fect place to wind do wn over a brew. Yogi Yogi tea, of which innumerable varieties are available, seems to be the house   favourite, although there are several beverages of a more alcoholic nature to get acquainted with too, Antique furniture and oil paintings combine with post-industrial design touches to produce a slightly distressed, bohemian vibe. There’s usually some form of non-mainstream music on the CD system (world music, jazz or similar), and a regular programme of  off-beat and jazz musical events. Indian-influenced vegetarian   food, which they make on the spot, makes a welcome appearance on the evenings.Every Thursday Ayurvedic cuisine and every Thursday and Sunday Tea House is only for nonsmokers.QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00. (6-9Lv).

PLENGXSW

Toba&Co B-3, ul. Moskovska 6A, tel. +359 2 989 46 96, [email protected]. Head round the back of the National Art Gallery and you’ll come across this curious little café-bar, occupying the cast-iron pavilion in which the mercurial Tsar  Ferdinand Ferdinand once kept his butterflies. The cocktails aren’t that  great but who cares; everything else on the menu is perfectly  drinkable, the wooden chairs add a dash of Parisian-café  charm, and when DJs turn up they usually spin something  more interesting than Top-40 teen fodder. QOpen 09:00 - 05:00. PNB Upstairs C-2, bul. Vitosha 18, tel. +359 2 989 96 96, [email protected],ww w.uno-sofia.com/upstairs. w.uno-sofia.com/upstairs. First-floor bar overlooking Sofia’s busiest downtown shopping  street, with comfy lounge-bar furniture inside, and a line of  stools along the verandah providing the perfect vantage point   from which to observe the goings-on below. There’s a menu of   fancy food, and a list of cocktails that runs to several pages. Glamorous without making too big a deal out of it, this is just  what boulevard Vitosha needs. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00, Sun 10:00 - 02:00. ABW

Pubs Am-Gul C-5, ul. San Stefano 3, tel. +359 2 943 44 16, www.am-gul.com. An old house in the center of Sofia, converted into a restaurant. Actually, the place is separated into two parts in different buildings. One of them is covered with a partly glass ceilin g, a fountain in the middle of the room

and a big barbecue. The other part is the second floor of a house, separated into three rooms with no doors bet ween them - you feel like you’re at a private party, but sitting on dif ferent tables. There are two fireplaces and retro st yle interior. The menu is rich with pizzas, salads and barbecued dishes. Portions are really bi g and tasty. So, enjoy your wine! QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. (5.00-16.00Lv). IGXSW

Flannagans B-4, Radisson SAS Hotel, pl. Narodno sabranie 4, tel. +359 2 933 47 40, flannagans.sofia@ radissonsas.com, www.sofia.radissonsas.com. Unusually for an establishment located on the ground floor of an international hotel, Flannagans succeeds in being a lively  and welcoming venue, even if the prices are a touch more expensive than elsewhere in town. The draught Guinness and Kilkenny are well-kept enough to keep you coming back, and the menu of quality pub food is better than the fare offered by many of Sofia’s “international” restaurants. Major international sporting events are given the big-screen treatment. QOpen 12:00 - 00:30. (20-40Lv). PAUGBXSW

Irish Harp B-2, ul. Sveta Sofia 7, tel. +359 2 989 92 26, www.irish-harp.biz. Smart but slightly lived-in, and with  friendly staff always ready to ask whether you need a refill, this is the kind of pub that you’ll find yourself drifting back to whether you’re eager for ex-pat chit-chat or simply in need of a relaxing drink. Murphys and Guinness on tap, and the  fancy drinks and cocktails aren’t bad either. With several TV screens tuned to sports channels, this is an ideal place to catch live matches, or simply nervously await the incoming   football results on Saturday af ternoons. QOpen 10:00 24:00. PJALEW J. J. Murphy’s B-2, ul. Karnigradska 6, tel. +359 2 980 28 70, fax +359 2 980 08 60. Restrained lighting, lots of  dark-brown wooden furniture, and a variety of environments (you can either prop up the bar, watch football on the big  screen, or sit in a quiet corner) all help make this place a comfortingly familiar home-from-home. They pull a mean pint  of Murphy’s, and if Bulgarian cuisine has left you pining for  Sheperd’s Pie, this is the place to tuck in. QOpen 12:00 24:00. PENGBXW

Clubs Babbles C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 22, tel. +359 2 980 65 79, ww w.babblesclub.com. w.babblesclub.com. Ultra-fab designer bar  which looks like a space-ship, a children’s cartoon or a kooky  Sixties’ film set, depending on how many drinks you’ve had already. It’s the brainchild of owner Kremena Halvadzhian, who also happens to be one of Bulgaria’s top stylists. The lively atmosphere is backed up with house music supplied by  popular Bulgarian DJs. If the cheerful colours aren’t enough to cheer you up, you can resort to a classical cock tail or straight  drink. QOpen 17:00 - 00:00. Black Box B-2, ul. Pirotska 5. Boasting three dancefloors, chillout area an d V.I.P. lounge, Black Box is somet hing of a haven for hard-core techno and drum & bass freaks - so if an after-work dance around the handbag is what you’re after then you’d be better off heading elsewhere. Most of the clientele appear to be under 20, but then Black Box’s sanitychallenging sound system and light show are something that  you have to be in the flush of youth to endure. Th e club is only  open when a specific DJ event is scheduled, so you really need to interrogate your in-the-know Sofia friends before making  tracks. QOpen 22:00 - 06:00. Brilyantin B-3, ul. Moskovska 3, tel. +359 2 986 31 12, www.briliantin.com. The name of this club is a

July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

nightliFe tribute to the dancing skills of Travolta and Newton-John, as Brilyantin (“Brilliantine”) is the name by which Seventies’ musical Grease is known in Bulgaria. However you’re unlikely to see any latter-day hep-cats jiving away in their  best rock-and-roll frocks - Brilyantin is actually one of Sofia’s prime hang-outs for stylish young professionals, wannabe media types and expensive-cocktail conoisseurs. conoisseurs. Matt  black surfaces, the odd mirror-ball and a crowd-pleasing  mixture of retro, house and dance-pop are the order of  the day. Hard to get into at weekends - when you might  have to reserve a table or arrive soon after opening time. QOpen 17:00 - 04:00. PJA 

Club Liqueur B-3, ul. Pirotska 5 (corner with George Washington), tel. +359 888 888 358, valdesn@abv. bg, www.clubliqueur.com. The place plays retro, rock, evergreen, R&B and dance music. The decoration is modernistic with columns wrapped in silver, the bar and bar plots are illuminated, the high chairs are with leather seating. The overall luminous effects are state of the art in red, green and yellow. Occasionally Occasionally there is live music. There are also special alcohol promotion s for each day of the week. Just ask. QOpen 22:00 - 06:00. Closed Sun. Admission: 3-5Lv. The club offers: on Monday Studen ts’ party, on Tuesday - Black & Retro party, on Wednesday - BG music party an d on Thursday  ladies go in for free and they have Retro Commercial party.

PJEXW

Colorama Club A-4, ul. Angista 6, tel. +359 893 414 255. The club is a lit tle bit difficult to find - it se ems like you are entering a block to a private party. Going down the stairs there are sweating people, dressed for Latino dancing and a low ceiling. Here is th e place for all Latino dancers. Good rum, salsa and merenge and professional dancers, come here to exercise and to show their skills. Escape B-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 1, tel. +359 889 990 000, www.clubescapebg.com. Escape boasts a huge dancefloor, four bars on two levels, a bonegrinding sound system and an energized, foxy clientele. Thursday is retro-disco night, while top-ranking  house and techno DJs twiddle the knobs at weekends. QOpen 22:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. Admission: 10Lv. PJAL

Chervilo B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 9, tel. +359 2 981 66 33, [email protected], [email protected],w ww.chervilo.com.Ten-year-old veteran of the Sofia clubbing scene that shows no sign of going out of fashion. Alongside leadin g Bulgarian techno DJs, the club frequently hosts star guests from abroad, and attracts a correspondingly hip crowd. It is divided into three halls and though the major club ni ghts are held in the Main Room, some infectiously off-beat DJ events take place in a smaller space, the cute Baby Box. QOpen 22:30 - 06:00. Closed M on, Sun. Admission: 5-20 Lv. Lv. PJAEBW

Life House B-2, bul. Vitosha 12, tel. +359 888 241 016, www.clublifehouse.com. The name says it all - this is one of the top venues for house music in Sofia, with top local and international DJs doling out the beats. Design is post-industrial and service is of the kind usually experienced in Sofia clubs - slow but genial. QOpen 23:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. Admission: 2-15Lv. 2-15Lv. PA 

PR G-8, ul. Cherkovna 87, tel. +359 895 500 500, www. prclub-bg.com. Only a few months old and already seen as something of a j ewel in Sofia’s night-life crown, PR offers stylish interior, six bars and an amazing lighting rig. Enjoyable, all-inclu-

Sofia In Your Po cket

nightliFe sive mix of house and retro-disco rhythms, enhanced by the presence of some of Sofia’s most cheerful and friendly staff. QOpen 23:00 - 07:00. Closed Sun.

Pulse Club A-2, ul. Tsar Samuil 50, tel. +359 898 52 01 50. This small and cozy night club offers a nice environment  in which to escape from the outside world. Designed to keep you on the dance floor, the club consists of one b ar and tables  facing the dance floor. At the entrance of the club there are three bed - like sofas, where you can chill out on soft cushions. Make sure you don`t leave your drink unattended ( even on the bar ), as your half full beer bottle will be gone in no time and of course the bartenders will know nothing of its mysterious disappearance. The cloakroom is tiny, so don`t rely on having your coat hanging nicely. There are theme parties every  Friday and they not only fill the place with a pleasant crowd, but they are also an atmosphere and experience you should not miss. For more information check our culture section. QOpen 22:00 - 08:00. Closed Sun.

Folk clubs Help B-2, ul. Hristo Botev 61, tel. +359 2 810 88 88, [email protected]. Housed in the Sin City [email protected] ment complex, an expensively renovated former theatre, Help is the biggest and flashiest of the folk venues. There’s a lobby bar playing western dance-pop and an enormous main hall crammed with tables (reserve in advance if you want  to be sure of one), with a mix of DJs and live musicians laying  down chalga beats. Attracts dressed-up ladies and meanlooking macho types, so attire yourself ac cordingly. QOpen 22:30 - 07:00. Admission: 5-30Lv. PALGBXW

NAI-klub B-4, pl. Narodno sabranie 10, tel. +359 2 981 27 47, [email protected]. Prepare for visual and aural overload in his cavernous subterranean space, with cave paintings on the walls, leopard-print tablecloths, and four giant   feet holding up the ceiling. A foundation-shaking selection of  Bulgarian and Serbian chart hits will have your hips swaying  convulsively af ter a few drinks.QOpen 22:00 - 07:00. Admission: 3Lv. Ladies go in for free.

Planeta B-3, ul. Graf Ignatiev 6, tel. +359 2 987 94 94, [email protected], [email protected], ww w.planeta-club. w.planeta-club. com. Not much in the way of fancy decor but hugely  enjoyable nevertheless, with a house band moving room table to table, and belly-dancers shaking their assets in the direction of anyone who looks like a generous tipper. Q Open 20:00 - 06:00. Admission: 3-10Lv.

Karaoke Backstage Karaoke Bar C-4, bul. Vasil Levski 100, tel. +359 896 84 01 61, [email protected]. A  spacious club with wide variety of songs. Live concerts are also organized there. The style is predominantly rock. Prices are not very low but the entrance fee is modest. The club is divided into 2 halls, one of them with a pool table. Food is not available, except for nuts. Yesterday Karaoke Bar B-3, ul. Rakovski 82, tel. +359 2 981 23 46, [email protected], www.pianobarvchera.com. A nice small place underground in a noisy 

www.inyourpocket.com sofia inyourpo cket com

central street. The list of songs is quite rich and various: people can choose from MTV hits to French chansons, Russian chastushki, Bulgarian pop music etc. However  drinks are not very cheep and Bulgarian alcohol is not  available. Sometimes it is far too overcrowded. An entrance   fee of 2 lv is included in the bill at the end. You can sing  karaoke there all nights except for Friday and Saturday. QOpen 18:00 - 04:00. PW

Live music clubs 8th Ball A-4, Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodiy 27. This underground basement cavern is a place for hardcore punks, hooligans and all types of tattooed weirdos. It is the place where fast, noisy, unknown and mostly young bands play with fierce passion. Don’t mess with the bartenders, they are as local and as tough as you will never be. QOpen 20:00 - 04.00. Admission: 4-5 BGN.

Social Jazz Club C-3, pl. Slaveykov 4, tel. +359 884 622 220, [email protected], [email protected], www.socialjazzclub. com. Buried beneath Sofia City Library is one of Sofia’s coolest music venues, offering a regular menu of live jazz  including some top names from Bulgaria and the Balkans. Although there is standing space in front of the stage, it’s best to reserve a table if you want to watch the gig in comfort. The bar serves imported drinks only and prices are on the high side, so do remember to visit the cash point before you arrive. QOpen 22:00 - 04:00. 5-15Lv. PENW Swingin’ Hall D-5, bul. Dragan Tsankov 8, tel. +359 2 963 06 96, [email protected]. Currently the best place in town to catch local rock, blues, jazz and world-music acts, with a six-day-a-week programme of live music. With three

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Casinos Casino Hawaii D-3, bul. Cherni Vrah 31 Hemus Hotel Sofia, tel. +359 2 963 37 63. Located in the Hemus Hotel, this casino offers table games - roulette, black ja ck, Caribbean poker, and slot machines. The staff speaks English and alcohol is free. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. P

Casino London B-4, Radisson SAS, pl. Narodno sabranie 4, tel. +359 2 980 70 75, fax +359 2 980 30 66. Roulette, black-jack, poker and more. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. A 

Casino Princess F-7, Sofia Princess Hotel, bul. Maria Luiza 131, tel. +359 2 933 87 00, fax +359 2 931 00 61. Southeast Europe’s answer to Las Vegas. Just don’t go crazy. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. A  Casino Rila B-3, Rila Hotel, ul. Kaloyan 6, tel. +359 2 981 80 67, fax +359 2 981 82 48. 10 total table games, restaurant. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. AK

Casino Viva B-3, Sheraton Hotel, pl. Sveta Nedelya 5, tel. +359 2 986 35 01. Good choice of slot machines and table games. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. A 

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tribute to the dancing skills of Travolta and Newton-John, as Brilyantin (“Brilliantine”) is the name by which Seventies’ musical Grease is known in Bulgaria. However you’re unlikely to see any latter-day hep-cats jiving away in their  best rock-and-roll frocks - Brilyantin is actually one of Sofia’s prime hang-outs for stylish young professionals, wannabe media types and expensive-cocktail conoisseurs. conoisseurs. Matt  black surfaces, the odd mirror-ball and a crowd-pleasing  mixture of retro, house and dance-pop are the order of  the day. Hard to get into at weekends - when you might  have to reserve a table or arrive soon after opening time. QOpen 17:00 - 04:00. PJA 

Club Liqueur B-3, ul. Pirotska 5 (corner with George Washington), tel. +359 888 888 358, valdesn@abv. bg, www.clubliqueur.com. The place plays retro, rock, evergreen, R&B and dance music. The decoration is modernistic with columns wrapped in silver, the bar and bar plots are illuminated, the high chairs are with leather seating. The overall luminous effects are state of the art in red, green and yellow. Occasionally Occasionally there is live music. There are also special alcohol promotion s for each day of the week. Just ask. QOpen 22:00 - 06:00. Closed Sun. Admission: 3-5Lv. The club offers: on Monday Studen ts’ party, on Tuesday - Black & Retro party, on Wednesday - BG music party an d on Thursday  ladies go in for free and they have Retro Commercial party.

PJEXW

Colorama Club A-4, ul. Angista 6, tel. +359 893 414 255. The club is a lit tle bit difficult to find - it se ems like you are entering a block to a private party. Going down the stairs there are sweating people, dressed for Latino dancing and a low ceiling. Here is th e place for all Latino dancers. Good rum, salsa and merenge and professional dancers, come here to exercise and to show their skills. Escape B-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 1, tel. +359 889 990 000, www.clubescapebg.com. Escape boasts a huge dancefloor, four bars on two levels, a bonegrinding sound system and an energized, foxy clientele. Thursday is retro-disco night, while top-ranking  house and techno DJs twiddle the knobs at weekends. QOpen 22:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. Admission: 10Lv. PJAL

Chervilo B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 9, tel. +359 2 981 66 33, [email protected], [email protected],w ww.chervilo.com.Ten-year-old veteran of the Sofia clubbing scene that shows no sign of going out of fashion. Alongside leadin g Bulgarian techno DJs, the club frequently hosts star guests from abroad, and attracts a correspondingly hip crowd. It is divided into three halls and though the major club ni ghts are held in the Main Room, some infectiously off-beat DJ events take place in a smaller space, the cute Baby Box. QOpen 22:30 - 06:00. Closed M on, Sun. Admission: 5-20 Lv. Lv. PJAEBW

Life House B-2, bul. Vitosha 12, tel. +359 888 241 016, www.clublifehouse.com. The name says it all - this is one of the top venues for house music in Sofia, with top local and international DJs doling out the beats. Design is post-industrial and service is of the kind usually experienced in Sofia clubs - slow but genial. QOpen 23:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. Admission: 2-15Lv. 2-15Lv. PA 

PR G-8, ul. Cherkovna 87, tel. +359 895 500 500, www. prclub-bg.com. Only a few months old and already seen as something of a j ewel in Sofia’s night-life crown, PR offers stylish interior, six bars and an amazing lighting rig. Enjoyable, all-inclu-

sive mix of house and retro-disco rhythms, enhanced by the presence of some of Sofia’s most cheerful and friendly staff. QOpen 23:00 - 07:00. Closed Sun.

Pulse Club A-2, ul. Tsar Samuil 50, tel. +359 898 52 01 50. This small and cozy night club offers a nice environment  in which to escape from the outside world. Designed to keep you on the dance floor, the club consists of one b ar and tables  facing the dance floor. At the entrance of the club there are three bed - like sofas, where you can chill out on soft cushions. Make sure you don`t leave your drink unattended ( even on the bar ), as your half full beer bottle will be gone in no time and of course the bartenders will know nothing of its mysterious disappearance. The cloakroom is tiny, so don`t rely on having your coat hanging nicely. There are theme parties every  Friday and they not only fill the place with a pleasant crowd, but they are also an atmosphere and experience you should not miss. For more information check our culture section. QOpen 22:00 - 08:00. Closed Sun.

Folk clubs Help B-2, ul. Hristo Botev 61, tel. +359 2 810 88 88, [email protected]. Housed in the Sin City [email protected] ment complex, an expensively renovated former theatre, Help is the biggest and flashiest of the folk venues. There’s a lobby bar playing western dance-pop and an enormous main hall crammed with tables (reserve in advance if you want  to be sure of one), with a mix of DJs and live musicians laying  down chalga beats. Attracts dressed-up ladies and meanlooking macho types, so attire yourself ac cordingly. QOpen 22:30 - 07:00. Admission: 5-30Lv. PALGBXW

NAI-klub B-4, pl. Narodno sabranie 10, tel. +359 2 981 27 47, [email protected]. Prepare for visual and aural overload in his cavernous subterranean space, with cave paintings on the walls, leopard-print tablecloths, and four giant   feet holding up the ceiling. A foundation-shaking selection of  Bulgarian and Serbian chart hits will have your hips swaying  convulsively af ter a few drinks.QOpen 22:00 - 07:00. Admission: 3Lv. Ladies go in for free.

Planeta B-3, ul. Graf Ignatiev 6, tel. +359 2 987 94 94, [email protected], [email protected], ww w.planeta-club. w.planeta-club. com. Not much in the way of fancy decor but hugely  enjoyable nevertheless, with a house band moving room table to table, and belly-dancers shaking their assets in the direction of anyone who looks like a generous tipper. Q Open 20:00 - 06:00. Admission: 3-10Lv.

Karaoke Backstage Karaoke Bar C-4, bul. Vasil Levski 100, tel. +359 896 84 01 61, [email protected]. A  spacious club with wide variety of songs. Live concerts are also organized there. The style is predominantly rock. Prices are not very low but the entrance fee is modest. The club is divided into 2 halls, one of them with a pool table. Food is not available, except for nuts. Yesterday Karaoke Bar B-3, ul. Rakovski 82, tel. +359 2 981 23 46, [email protected], www.pianobarvchera.com. A nice small place underground in a noisy 

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central street. The list of songs is quite rich and various: people can choose from MTV hits to French chansons, Russian chastushki, Bulgarian pop music etc. However  drinks are not very cheep and Bulgarian alcohol is not  available. Sometimes it is far too overcrowded. An entrance   fee of 2 lv is included in the bill at the end. You can sing  karaoke there all nights except for Friday and Saturday. QOpen 18:00 - 04:00. PW

Live music clubs 8th Ball A-4, Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodiy 27. This underground basement cavern is a place for hardcore punks, hooligans and all types of tattooed weirdos. It is the place where fast, noisy, unknown and mostly young bands play with fierce passion. Don’t mess with the bartenders, they are as local and as tough as you will never be. QOpen 20:00 - 04.00. Admission: 4-5 BGN.

Social Jazz Club C-3, pl. Slaveykov 4, tel. +359 884 622 220, [email protected], [email protected], www.socialjazzclub. com. Buried beneath Sofia City Library is one of Sofia’s coolest music venues, offering a regular menu of live jazz  including some top names from Bulgaria and the Balkans. Although there is standing space in front of the stage, it’s best to reserve a table if you want to watch the gig in comfort. The bar serves imported drinks only and prices are on the high side, so do remember to visit the cash point before you arrive. QOpen 22:00 - 04:00. 5-15Lv. PENW Swingin’ Hall D-5, bul. Dragan Tsankov 8, tel. +359 2 963 06 96, [email protected]. Currently the best place in town to catch local rock, blues, jazz and world-music acts, with a six-day-a-week programme of live music. With three

Casinos Casino Hawaii D-3, bul. Cherni Vrah 31 Hemus Hotel Sofia, tel. +359 2 963 37 63. Located in the Hemus Hotel, this casino offers table games - roulette, black ja ck, Caribbean poker, and slot machines. The staff speaks English and alcohol is free. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. P

Casino London B-4, Radisson SAS, pl. Narodno sabranie 4, tel. +359 2 980 70 75, fax +359 2 980 30 66. Roulette, black-jack, poker and more. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. A 

Casino Princess F-7, Sofia Princess Hotel, bul. Maria Luiza 131, tel. +359 2 933 87 00, fax +359 2 931 00 61. Southeast Europe’s answer to Las Vegas. Just don’t go crazy. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. A  Casino Rila B-3, Rila Hotel, ul. Kaloyan 6, tel. +359 2 981 80 67, fax +359 2 981 82 48. 10 total table games, restaurant. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. AK

Casino Viva B-3, Sheraton Hotel, pl. Sveta Nedelya 5, tel. +359 2 986 35 01. Good choice of slot machines and table games. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. A 

www.inyourpocket.com July - September  2009

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bars, two stages, and a brick-lined, cellar-like interior, it’s a great place for a night out whoever is on the bill. Friendly  party-inclined atmosphere draws musically-inclined nclined Sofians of all ages, and a generous sprinkling of ex-pats. QOpen 21:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon. Admission: 5Lv.

The Club G-8, ul. Nikolay Kopernik 2, tel. +359 2 872 09 46. Once a cult rock club, this cozy 2-store hut is where all good and professional Bulgarian musicians play. Close to the audience and with booze flowing from the bar. The owner is a respected Bulgarian alternative rock musician and producer, so sound quality is indisputable. Q Admission: 10 BGN.

Have Your Say

Gay and lesbian Sofia

If you have had an experience to remember at any of  the venues listed in this guide, be it good, bad, ugly  or downright sad, let the two million regular unique visitors to our website, www.inyourpocket.com, know about it. Every venue on our website now has a module below it for you to comment on the places we write about. You can agree or disagree with us, scold us or praise us, but do give us your feedback, its essential!

There are now several centrally-located gay venues in Sofia. Most are friendly places catering for a wide clientele rather than special interests. Up-to-date listing of parties in bars and clubs can be found at www.gay.bg. One characteristic of Sofia’s gays and lesbian communit y  is that many prefer to visit mixed clubs which are known   for attracting a tolerant, open-minded crowd: Chervilo, Escape and Yalta (see our main “Nightlife” listings for  details) are good examples of these.

Adonis B-2, ul. Knyaz Boris 122, tel. +359 898 305 932. Cute little place specializing in Balkan folkpop, popular with transvestites and a younger crowd. QOpen 22:00 - 06:00.

Adult entertainment 

Angels Club B-3, Sheraton Hotel, pl. Sveta Nedelya 5, tel. +359 2 987 15 30. Lots of nice dancing girls. 22:00 - 05:00. Admission: 7Lv. PJAL

QOpen

Club 18+ C-2, bul. Vitosha 18, tel. +359 2 846 82 54. Newish club on central Sofia’s main street with different DJ styles on different nights. QOpen 20:00 - 04:00.

Dolls G-7, bul. Dzheyms Bauchar 100, tel. +359 2 963 39 64, www.sofianights.com. Classy club with a long tradition, with a sizeable cast of dancing girls and a programme of erotic shows. QOpen 22:00 - 04:00. Admission: 7Lv. PA 

Essence B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 29, tel. +359 899 998 666, [email protected]. Lesbian club with a wide spectrum of music. QOpen closed, Fri, Sat 22:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. PGX

Taboo Club B-4, pl. Narodno sabranie 12, tel. +359 2 987 08 70, www.sofianights.com. Plush environment in which to enjoy an array of lovely dancers. Fruit salad - served

Exit Club B-6, ul. Lavele 16, tel. +359 +359 888 140

Guidelines to Bulgarian lifestyle, bars, clubs and discos 1. Try not to stare at women that are accompanied by their  boyfriends, no matter how beautiful they are, it might b e taken as an insult. 2. Try to avoid conflict if you notice Bulgarian people stare at your wife/girlfriend, or at yourself, usually they will be  just curious. Don’t forget some 19 years ago the majority  of people didn’t even meet foreigners from beyond the iron curtain, so you are still new and exciting. Bravo! 3. Don’t try to act overly macho, par ticularly in more provincial towns or cities. Unless of course you are Mike Tyson. 4. When in a bar do not shout or insult the waiters or other  staff members, it may be taken very deeply. 5. If you feel that someone is in some way being threatening or intimidating to you, it is often best to befriend them. In many cases locals feel threatened by foreigners and try to show themselves as tough but when you act  as equals and friends they will often almost immediately  drop this façade. 6. If however a conflict situation rises, leave immediately. Do not stay around and add on to the fire. Bulgarians are very social and family driven and under a common goal a big group of people is summoned very fast. 7. Good icebreakers are compliments on the country: The   food, the football, the women, the inventions created by  Bulgarians such as the Cyrillic alphabet and so on. As additional benefit you might get an interesting story or two. Make them talk, they love it. 8. Strong drinks (vodka, whisky etc.) come in quantities of 50ml for a small and 100ml for a large. In some places, unless you specifically ask for small you will be handed a large by default. 9. Rakia must only be drunk with shopska salad. Don’t ask  us why, it just should. If you order one without salad you may well be looked at as if you are from Mars. 10. The Bulgarian for “cheers” is nazdrave, which literally  means “to your health”. If someone proposes a toast (and

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this could happen innumerable times during the course of  the evening) you have to clink your glass with absolutely  everyone, no matter how many are sit ting round the table, making sure to look in the eye at the point of clinking. If you  fail to make eye contact, they will think you are disrespect  ful (or just an uninformed foreigner). The custom comes   from ancient times. In days gone by kings, khans and other important figures would look deep into the eyes of  the person they cheer to guess his intentions. Then they  would bang their glasses so hard, so that a drop of each drink gets into the other (mixin g the drinks would guarantee they are not poisoned). 11. Be prepared to mix your own drinks. Whilst in England a “vodka and coke” means a nice mixed drink from the bar, in BG it means 1 vodka (most likel y large) and 1 coke. Mix it  yourself to your own p erfect proportions. Cheers. 12. Bring a gas mask. Many Bulgarians are heavy smokers although this becomes less with new generations. Some bars can be closed in and stuffy places. Combine this with a crowd of 40 a day hardcore smokers and you get quite a fog. 13. Take Take advantage of the hospi tality of the Bulgarian soul. You might be invited to dinners, parties, cocktail parties, promotions, etc. Generally Bulgarians love foreigners. 14. In bars you can not bring drugs, guns or other forbidden substances. Pretty much like most places you have been in your life. 15. Big fat silver chains that you could anchor a boat with are an absolute must. That is i f you want to appear young, cool, like a gangster or simply simply need to anchor a b oat. 16. If you are going out on a Friday night to a bar and want to blend in like a local, it is essential that you haven’t shaved for at least 3 days. Dressing entirely in black is a bonus. 17. Girls, for you to catch the attention of Bulgarian men,  just act natural and dress sexy.

sofia inyourpo cket com

133,[email protected] [email protected]. Bar & Diner. Cosy place with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails and a DJ-party DJ-party every evening. Not to be confused with the Exit  Club on ul. Suborna, which is completely s traight. QOpen 08:00 - 04:00. PJNXW

Zagorka Beer – the leading Bulgarian beer Just 230 km. away from Sofia, in the heart of the historic region of Trace, there lays the city of Stara Zagora. Besides its rich historical inheritance, the city of straight streets, linden trees and p oets, as it is known in Bulgaria, is famous  for being among the birthplaces of one of the most popular  Bulgarian beers - Zagorka. History  It all started in 1902 with the opening of the “Biraria” /  the Beer House/. This is how people in Stara Zagora called the new brewing factory of lo cal entrepreneur doctor Kozhuharov. After he had tasted delicious Czech beer, he decided to build a brewery when he came back to his home town. It was after World War II when a new period in Zagorka history began. This was a period of reconstruction, mod ernization, and growth. A lot of investments were made. New automated heavy duty equipment was installed, which was at a level comparable with the highest world standards. At  the same time, the special attention and care for the quality  brought good results. Zagorka was the pioneer in beer marketing as well. For  the first time attention was paid to packaging and design. The portfolio of different tastes and flavors of beer was expanded. Zagorka – the Bulgarian beer - stepped on new markets – Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Libya, and others. Today, more than a century after its foundation, Zagorka is a leading Bulgarian beer brand. More than any other brand it symbolizes long standing tradition, experience and rich history of excellent and constant quality. Zagorka stands in high esteem and respect of Bulgarian beer connoisseurs. And even more – it is …The best beer of Bulgaria

sofia.inyourpocket.com

Zagorka has always been, and always will be, committe d to providing Bulgarian beer lovers with a drinking experience of the highest possible standards. With its amber color, full taste, and rich aroma Zagorka represents the original taste of the best Bulgarian beer. Throughout its history Zagorka has won a number of Bulgarian and international medals and awards, including the highest in the world quality selection - Monde selection. Zagorka is not only the highest quality lager, but also a leader and an innovator on the Bulgarian market. It was the first beer brand to launch cans and the first to be exported. As the general sponsor of the National football team, Zagorka confirms its image as the leading Bulgarian beer. In its support for the ‘Bulgarian Lions’, Zagorka has commit ted itself to providing Bulgarian football fans with unforgettable emotions. During the Bulgaria: Ireland football match on Jun e 06, with the help of Zagorka nearly 40,000 fans took part  in the making of the biggest national flag in the history of  Bulgarian football . In the last 14 years Zagorka has been participating actively  in the development of Bulgarian men’s tennis as well by  sponsoring the most prestigious local men’s tennis tournament – Zagorka Tennis Cup. In 2009 the tournament  grew to ATP Challengers tournament with a record prize  fund of 85,000 EUR that attracted a number of TOP 100 players in Sofia. This is why, more than any other beer brand, Zagorka is the symbol of long-lasting brewing traditions, an example of high quality beer and the undisputable leader on the Bulgarian beer market.

July - September  2009

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bars, two stages, and a brick-lined, cellar-like interior, it’s a great place for a night out whoever is on the bill. Friendly  party-inclined atmosphere draws musically-inclined nclined Sofians of all ages, and a generous sprinkling of ex-pats. QOpen 21:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon. Admission: 5Lv.

The Club G-8, ul. Nikolay Kopernik 2, tel. +359 2 872 09 46. Once a cult rock club, this cozy 2-store hut is where all good and professional Bulgarian musicians play. Close to the audience and with booze flowing from the bar. The owner is a respected Bulgarian alternative rock musician and producer, so sound quality is indisputable. Q Admission: 10 BGN.

Have Your Say

Gay and lesbian Sofia

If you have had an experience to remember at any of  the venues listed in this guide, be it good, bad, ugly  or downright sad, let the two million regular unique visitors to our website, www.inyourpocket.com, know about it. Every venue on our website now has a module below it for you to comment on the places we write about. You can agree or disagree with us, scold us or praise us, but do give us your feedback, its essential!

There are now several centrally-located gay venues in Sofia. Most are friendly places catering for a wide clientele rather than special interests. Up-to-date listing of parties in bars and clubs can be found at www.gay.bg. One characteristic of Sofia’s gays and lesbian communit y  is that many prefer to visit mixed clubs which are known   for attracting a tolerant, open-minded crowd: Chervilo, Escape and Yalta (see our main “Nightlife” listings for  details) are good examples of these.

Adonis B-2, ul. Knyaz Boris 122, tel. +359 898 305 932. Cute little place specializing in Balkan folkpop, popular with transvestites and a younger crowd. QOpen 22:00 - 06:00.

Adult entertainment 

Angels Club B-3, Sheraton Hotel, pl. Sveta Nedelya 5, tel. +359 2 987 15 30. Lots of nice dancing girls. 22:00 - 05:00. Admission: 7Lv. PJAL

45

QOpen

Club 18+ C-2, bul. Vitosha 18, tel. +359 2 846 82 54. Newish club on central Sofia’s main street with different DJ styles on different nights. QOpen 20:00 - 04:00.

Dolls G-7, bul. Dzheyms Bauchar 100, tel. +359 2 963 39 64, www.sofianights.com. Classy club with a long tradition, with a sizeable cast of dancing girls and a programme of erotic shows. QOpen 22:00 - 04:00. Admission: 7Lv. PA 

Essence B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 29, tel. +359 899 998 666, [email protected]. Lesbian club with a wide spectrum of music. QOpen closed, Fri, Sat 22:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. PGX

Taboo Club B-4, pl. Narodno sabranie 12, tel. +359 2 987 08 70, www.sofianights.com. Plush environment in which to enjoy an array of lovely dancers. Fruit salad - served

Exit Club B-6, ul. Lavele 16, tel. +359 +359 888 140

Guidelines to Bulgarian lifestyle, bars, clubs and discos 1. Try not to stare at women that are accompanied by their  boyfriends, no matter how beautiful they are, it might b e taken as an insult. 2. Try to avoid conflict if you notice Bulgarian people stare at your wife/girlfriend, or at yourself, usually they will be  just curious. Don’t forget some 19 years ago the majority  of people didn’t even meet foreigners from beyond the iron curtain, so you are still new and exciting. Bravo! 3. Don’t try to act overly macho, par ticularly in more provincial towns or cities. Unless of course you are Mike Tyson. 4. When in a bar do not shout or insult the waiters or other  staff members, it may be taken very deeply. 5. If you feel that someone is in some way being threatening or intimidating to you, it is often best to befriend them. In many cases locals feel threatened by foreigners and try to show themselves as tough but when you act  as equals and friends they will often almost immediately  drop this façade. 6. If however a conflict situation rises, leave immediately. Do not stay around and add on to the fire. Bulgarians are very social and family driven and under a common goal a big group of people is summoned very fast. 7. Good icebreakers are compliments on the country: The   food, the football, the women, the inventions created by  Bulgarians such as the Cyrillic alphabet and so on. As additional benefit you might get an interesting story or two. Make them talk, they love it. 8. Strong drinks (vodka, whisky etc.) come in quantities of 50ml for a small and 100ml for a large. In some places, unless you specifically ask for small you will be handed a large by default. 9. Rakia must only be drunk with shopska salad. Don’t ask  us why, it just should. If you order one without salad you may well be looked at as if you are from Mars. 10. The Bulgarian for “cheers” is nazdrave, which literally  means “to your health”. If someone proposes a toast (and

Sofia In Your Po cket

46

this could happen innumerable times during the course of  the evening) you have to clink your glass with absolutely  everyone, no matter how many are sit ting round the table, making sure to look in the eye at the point of clinking. If you  fail to make eye contact, they will think you are disrespect  ful (or just an uninformed foreigner). The custom comes   from ancient times. In days gone by kings, khans and other important figures would look deep into the eyes of  the person they cheer to guess his intentions. Then they  would bang their glasses so hard, so that a drop of each drink gets into the other (mixin g the drinks would guarantee they are not poisoned). 11. Be prepared to mix your own drinks. Whilst in England a “vodka and coke” means a nice mixed drink from the bar, in BG it means 1 vodka (most likel y large) and 1 coke. Mix it  yourself to your own p erfect proportions. Cheers. 12. Bring a gas mask. Many Bulgarians are heavy smokers although this becomes less with new generations. Some bars can be closed in and stuffy places. Combine this with a crowd of 40 a day hardcore smokers and you get quite a fog. 13. Take Take advantage of the hospi tality of the Bulgarian soul. You might be invited to dinners, parties, cocktail parties, promotions, etc. Generally Bulgarians love foreigners. 14. In bars you can not bring drugs, guns or other forbidden substances. Pretty much like most places you have been in your life. 15. Big fat silver chains that you could anchor a boat with are an absolute must. That is i f you want to appear young, cool, like a gangster or simply simply need to anchor a b oat. 16. If you are going out on a Friday night to a bar and want to blend in like a local, it is essential that you haven’t shaved for at least 3 days. Dressing entirely in black is a bonus. 17. Girls, for you to catch the attention of Bulgarian men,  just act natural and dress sexy.

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

133,[email protected] [email protected]. Bar & Diner. Cosy place with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails and a DJ-party DJ-party every evening. Not to be confused with the Exit  Club on ul. Suborna, which is completely s traight. QOpen 08:00 - 04:00. PJNXW

Zagorka Beer – the leading Bulgarian beer Just 230 km. away from Sofia, in the heart of the historic region of Trace, there lays the city of Stara Zagora. Besides its rich historical inheritance, the city of straight streets, linden trees and p oets, as it is known in Bulgaria, is famous  for being among the birthplaces of one of the most popular  Bulgarian beers - Zagorka. History  It all started in 1902 with the opening of the “Biraria” /  the Beer House/. This is how people in Stara Zagora called the new brewing factory of lo cal entrepreneur doctor Kozhuharov. After he had tasted delicious Czech beer, he decided to build a brewery when he came back to his home town. It was after World War II when a new period in Zagorka history began. This was a period of reconstruction, mod ernization, and growth. A lot of investments were made. New automated heavy duty equipment was installed, which was at a level comparable with the highest world standards. At  the same time, the special attention and care for the quality  brought good results. Zagorka was the pioneer in beer marketing as well. For  the first time attention was paid to packaging and design. The portfolio of different tastes and flavors of beer was expanded. Zagorka – the Bulgarian beer - stepped on new markets – Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Libya, and others. Today, more than a century after its foundation, Zagorka is a leading Bulgarian beer brand. More than any other brand it symbolizes long standing tradition, experience and rich history of excellent and constant quality. Zagorka stands in high esteem and respect of Bulgarian beer connoisseurs. And even more – it is …The best beer of Bulgaria

sofia.inyourpocket.com

24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence?

The Frenchman Ducorp, who worked as a railway engineer  near Sofia between 1873 and 1876, opened a small brewery  in Knyazhevo. Knyazhevo. The Czech Czech Jiř í  Prošek, who first came to Bulgaria in 1873 to work on the same railway line, noted that the local Shopi had the custom of brewing primitive beer at harvest time. And primitive it was. Their recipe: soak grain in water, leave it to sprout, dry it, add hot water and wild hops, let it   fermentate naturally and cool it. Bulgaria’s earliest commercial brewery was established in Plovdiv by the Swiss Rudolf Frick and Friedrich Sulzer  in 1876. It became a large and more mod ern factory between 1879–1881 with the help of another Swiss expert, Christian August Bomanti. Production began in 1882 in the Kamenitsa area near the cit y and continues today, its successor being the Kamenitza brewery. The first brewery in Varna dates back to 1884, when the contractors Kasabov and Vtichev opened up a small factory. The professional Czech brewer Franz-František Franz-František Milde established the Shumensko beer factory in Shumen in 1882, and helped in the foundation of the Bulgarian Brewing Association Association the same year. Jiř í Prošek and his brothers founded the Vitosha brewery in Sofia in 1884; they also bought Ducorp’s small brewery and owned the Dalbok Zimnik cellar. Today, the Vitosha brewery is known as Ariana. In 1899, Milde’s Bulgarian partners tried to deceive him, so he bought the Austrian Johann Habermann’s brewery in Rousse (established in 1876) and started producing beer there. Fearing his competition, his partners quickly paid their debts and Milde returned to Shumen, leaving his brother Sebastian as the Rousse  factory’s manager. In the late 19th and early 20th century, beer rapidly  grew in popularity among the Bulgarian an middle class, and a large number of beer houses were established in most big cities. After World War I, there were already 18 breweries in Bulgaria. Besides those already mentioned, these includ ed the Stara Zagora factory of Dr. Kozhuharov Kozhuharov (since 1902), the Czechs Malotin and Hozman’s factory in Lom, the Habermann and St Petka breweries in Rousse, the German Moritz Ratt’s Cherven Rak factory in Pleven, W. Ollinger’s in Koshava, others in Veliko Tarnovo and Gorna Oryahovitsa, etc. Following World War II, as Bulgaria became part of the Eastern Bloc, all breweries were nationalized. Since the democratic reforms in 1989, the Bulgarian beer market  has been dominated by some of the world’s largest  multinational beer companies, like InBev with Kamenitza, Astika, Slavena, Plevensko and Burgasko; Heineken with Zagorka, Ariana and Stolichno and Carlsberg with Pirinksko Pivo and Shumensko.

Sofia In Your Po cket

July - September  2009

what to see

nightliFe

The Hungarian exiles in Shumen, Bulgaria, led by Lajos Kossuth after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, brewed beer and are thought to have  found followers among the locals. However, their stay in the city was short and they  could not manage to introduce beer to the masses.

Zagorka has always been, and always will be, committe d to providing Bulgarian beer lovers with a drinking experience of the highest possible standards. With its amber color, full taste, and rich aroma Zagorka represents the original taste of the best Bulgarian beer. Throughout its history Zagorka has won a number of Bulgarian and international medals and awards, including the highest in the world quality selection - Monde selection. Zagorka is not only the highest quality lager, but also a leader and an innovator on the Bulgarian market. It was the first beer brand to launch cans and the first to be exported. As the general sponsor of the National football team, Zagorka confirms its image as the leading Bulgarian beer. In its support for the ‘Bulgarian Lions’, Zagorka has commit ted itself to providing Bulgarian football fans with unforgettable emotions. During the Bulgaria: Ireland football match on Jun e 06, with the help of Zagorka nearly 40,000 fans took part  in the making of the biggest national flag in the history of  Bulgarian football . In the last 14 years Zagorka has been participating actively  in the development of Bulgarian men’s tennis as well by  sponsoring the most prestigious local men’s tennis tournament – Zagorka Tennis Cup. In 2009 the tournament  grew to ATP Challengers tournament with a record prize  fund of 85,000 EUR that attracted a number of TOP 100 players in Sofia. This is why, more than any other beer brand, Zagorka is the symbol of long-lasting brewing traditions, an example of high quality beer and the undisputable leader on the Bulgarian beer market.

As well as these multinationals, Bulgaria, a young beer  drinking country, still has a long list of locally owned breweries. Worth mentioning are Bolyarka, Balkan, Habermann, Almus, MM, Ataman, Strumsko and Varna. Additionally, it should be mentioned that the interna tional beer brands dominate their own substantial piece of the market with Stella Artois, Beck’s, Heineken, Staropramen, Tuborg and Amstel. All of these brewed locally  in Bulgaria.

Sofia may not have the grandeur of a great world city, but  its tree-lined, frequently cobbled streets are chock full of  absorbing oddities. As you’d expect for a town that’s over  7,000 years old, the centre of Sofia is like a walk-through history lesson, with Romans, Byzantines, Bulgarians, Ottoman Turks and Soviet-inspired Soviet-inspired communists all having lef t  their architectural imprint.

Essential Sofia Alexandar Nevski Memorial Church (Hrampametnik Aleksandar Nevski) B-4, pl. Aleksandar

Numerous beer festivals are organized yearly in the major cities all around the country, for example in Sofia, Plovdiv, Pleven, Gabrovo, Sevlievo, Bansko, Vidin, etc. Beer is packed in various forms, with 0.33 and 0.5-litre glass bottles giving way to larger and typically more economical 1.5, 2.0 or 2.5-litre plastic bottles for home consumption, but still being popular in restaurants and bars, where draught beer is also very common, while cans are preferred because of the higher quality. Bulgarians developed their own way of beer drinking. The  following sentence we dug from the latest MI5 handbo ok   for spies: Along with your beer ask for a porti on of tsatsa (fish) or skara (barbecue), start talking and laughing  loudly af ter your fourth cold fellow, to make people around mistake you for a local. Oh, and please do not forget to cheer the Bulgarian way, by looking all around you at  each individual with a deep long stare in the eyes and a mumbled “nazdrave”. Thoughts about beer • Beer is the greatest invention. The bicycle is also not  bad, but it doesn’t go well with French fries. • You have to know your limits when drinking beer oth erwise you may drink too little. • Consume a woman with beer and a beer without  women. • The strength is hidden in be er, the wisdom in wine and the microbes in water. • With beer even a shed is heaven. • Better a beer in the hand than a woman on the phone. • A man without beer is like a flower without water. • Drink beer – the money will come by itself. • Beer is not like coffee - one glass is never enough. • Half an hour of healthy laughter does not substitute a litre of beer. • For the normal person 1 beer is just fine, 2 beers are a lot, 3 are not enough. • You cannot drink too much beer – only the toilet is too far. • A sea of beer is not enough – an ocean is better. • Eat a box of chocolate and you’ll realize how much better it is to drink a crate of beer. • The national consciousness may have a different colour, consistency and alcohol content. • When drinking good beer, a person still wants to live when he wakes up. • The non-alcoholic beer is the first step to the rub ber doll. • Look at the world through b eer and it will se em golden to you. • Life without beer is like beer without tapas. • 24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? With the support of the Union of Bulgarian Brewers. www.pivovari.com

sofia inyourpo cket com

martyrdom of St George run around the first-floor gallery, while a room full of exquisite medieval Bulgarian jewelry looks contemporary enough to provide today’s de signers with a rich seam of inspiration. The bilingual Bulgarian-English labeling  is unusually thorough, and the collection is just the right size to be easily digestible in one trip. QOpen 10:00 - 17:30. Admission: 10Lv. 10Lv.

Boyana Church (Boyanskata tsarkva) H-6, ul.

Nevski, tel. +359 2 988 17 04. Built by Russian architects, inspired by the glories of ancient Byzantium, this multi-domed cathedral has been Sofia’s visual trademark ever since its completion in 1924. It was built in memory of Russia’s nineteenth-century contribution to Bulgaria’s liberation, although the Aleksander referred to in the title, is actually a medieval prince of Novgorod, who battled Teutonic Knights. Decorated from floor to ceiling with frescoes and illuminated illuminated by flickering candles, the vast interior is as atmospheric as they come. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00. Daily Liturgy - 08:00 and 17:00; Vigil - Sat 18:30; Mass - Sun 09:30

Archaeological Museum (Arheologicheski muzey) B-3, ul. Saborna 2, tel . +359 2 988 24 06, fax +359 2 988 24 05, aim.sofianet.net. Housed in a beautifully restored  fifteenth-century mosque, this attractive display of Thracian, Greek, Roman and medieval Bulgarian artefacts is by far the most eye-pleasing museum that Sofia has to offer. Imposing  chunks of Greek and Roman masonry are strewn around the main hall, while upstairs lie many of the headline-grabbing  Thracian treasures, unearthed by Bulgarian archaeologists in recent years. Most mesmerizing of all is the solid gold burial mask of a fourth-century-BC Thracian ruler, excavated near the central Bulgarian town of Shipka in summer 2004. A series of Orthodox church paintings depicting the life and

sofia.inyourpocket.com

Boyansko ezero 1-3, tel. +359 2 959 09 39, fax +359 2 959 29 66, [email protected], www.boyanachurch. org. If medieval church art turns you on, then the UNESCOlisted Boyana church, will have you foaming at the mouth with excitement. Just about every square inch of the interior  is covered with bible scenes and saintly p ortraits, rendered by thirteenth-century artists. Nobody knows the identity  of the painters, but their mastery of realistic depiction and sophisticated use of colour puts them on a par with Italian artists of the early Renaissance. It is a tiny church consisting of two parts: the oldest dates  from the 10th century, when it served as the chap el of Boyana   fortress. A second floor was added in 1259 by the Sevastokrator (or local governor) Kaloyan, who used the church as his family chapel. It was Kaloyan, who commissioned the   frescoes for which Boyana church is famous. Restored in various stages over the past forty years, the main body of  the church was never open to the public in its entirety until December 2006. Highlights include portraits of Kaloyan and wife Desislava dressed in sumptuous robes, and the earliest known portrait  of the white-bearde d St John of Rila, Bulgaria’s national patron saint. QOpen 09:00 - 17:30. Admission: 10Lv. Combined ticket including National History Museum: 12Lv. Visitors are admitted to the church six at a time, a t ten-minute intervals, so be prepared to wait.

National Museum of History (Natsionalen istoricheski muzey) G-6, ul. Vitoshko Lale 16, Boyana, tel. +359 2 955 76 04, fax +359 2 955 76 02, nim.pr@

July - September  2009

47

46

what to see

nightliFe 24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? The Hungarian exiles in Shumen, Bulgaria, led by Lajos Kossuth after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, brewed beer and are thought to have  found followers among the locals. However, their stay in the city was short and they  could not manage to introduce beer to the masses. The Frenchman Ducorp, who worked as a railway engineer  near Sofia between 1873 and 1876, opened a small brewery  in Knyazhevo. Knyazhevo. The Czech Czech Jiř í  Prošek, who first came to Bulgaria in 1873 to work on the same railway line, noted that the local Shopi had the custom of brewing primitive beer at harvest time. And primitive it was. Their recipe: soak grain in water, leave it to sprout, dry it, add hot water and wild hops, let it   fermentate naturally and cool it. Bulgaria’s earliest commercial brewery was established in Plovdiv by the Swiss Rudolf Frick and Friedrich Sulzer  in 1876. It became a large and more mod ern factory between 1879–1881 with the help of another Swiss expert, Christian August Bomanti. Production began in 1882 in the Kamenitsa area near the cit y and continues today, its successor being the Kamenitza brewery. The first brewery in Varna dates back to 1884, when the contractors Kasabov and Vtichev opened up a small factory. The professional Czech brewer Franz-František Franz-František Milde established the Shumensko beer factory in Shumen in 1882, and helped in the foundation of the Bulgarian Brewing Association Association the same year. Jiř í Prošek and his brothers founded the Vitosha brewery in Sofia in 1884; they also bought Ducorp’s small brewery and owned the Dalbok Zimnik cellar. Today, the Vitosha brewery is known as Ariana. In 1899, Milde’s Bulgarian partners tried to deceive him, so he bought the Austrian Johann Habermann’s brewery in Rousse (established in 1876) and started producing beer there. Fearing his competition, his partners quickly paid their debts and Milde returned to Shumen, leaving his brother Sebastian as the Rousse  factory’s manager. In the late 19th and early 20th century, beer rapidly  grew in popularity among the Bulgarian an middle class, and a large number of beer houses were established in most big cities. After World War I, there were already 18 breweries in Bulgaria. Besides those already mentioned, these includ ed the Stara Zagora factory of Dr. Kozhuharov Kozhuharov (since 1902), the Czechs Malotin and Hozman’s factory in Lom, the Habermann and St Petka breweries in Rousse, the German Moritz Ratt’s Cherven Rak factory in Pleven, W. Ollinger’s in Koshava, others in Veliko Tarnovo and Gorna Oryahovitsa, etc. Following World War II, as Bulgaria became part of the Eastern Bloc, all breweries were nationalized. Since the democratic reforms in 1989, the Bulgarian beer market  has been dominated by some of the world’s largest  multinational beer companies, like InBev with Kamenitza, Astika, Slavena, Plevensko and Burgasko; Heineken with Zagorka, Ariana and Stolichno and Carlsberg with Pirinksko Pivo and Shumensko.

As well as these multinationals, Bulgaria, a young beer  drinking country, still has a long list of locally owned breweries. Worth mentioning are Bolyarka, Balkan, Habermann, Almus, MM, Ataman, Strumsko and Varna. Additionally, it should be mentioned that the interna tional beer brands dominate their own substantial piece of the market with Stella Artois, Beck’s, Heineken, Staropramen, Tuborg and Amstel. All of these brewed locally  in Bulgaria.

Sofia may not have the grandeur of a great world city, but  its tree-lined, frequently cobbled streets are chock full of  absorbing oddities. As you’d expect for a town that’s over  7,000 years old, the centre of Sofia is like a walk-through history lesson, with Romans, Byzantines, Bulgarians, Ottoman Turks and Soviet-inspired Soviet-inspired communists all having lef t  their architectural imprint.

Essential Sofia Alexandar Nevski Memorial Church (Hrampametnik Aleksandar Nevski) B-4, pl. Aleksandar

Numerous beer festivals are organized yearly in the major cities all around the country, for example in Sofia, Plovdiv, Pleven, Gabrovo, Sevlievo, Bansko, Vidin, etc. Beer is packed in various forms, with 0.33 and 0.5-litre glass bottles giving way to larger and typically more economical 1.5, 2.0 or 2.5-litre plastic bottles for home consumption, but still being popular in restaurants and bars, where draught beer is also very common, while cans are preferred because of the higher quality. Bulgarians developed their own way of beer drinking. The  following sentence we dug from the latest MI5 handbo ok   for spies: Along with your beer ask for a porti on of tsatsa (fish) or skara (barbecue), start talking and laughing  loudly af ter your fourth cold fellow, to make people around mistake you for a local. Oh, and please do not forget to cheer the Bulgarian way, by looking all around you at  each individual with a deep long stare in the eyes and a mumbled “nazdrave”. Thoughts about beer • Beer is the greatest invention. The bicycle is also not  bad, but it doesn’t go well with French fries. • You have to know your limits when drinking beer oth erwise you may drink too little. • Consume a woman with beer and a beer without  women. • The strength is hidden in be er, the wisdom in wine and the microbes in water. • With beer even a shed is heaven. • Better a beer in the hand than a woman on the phone. • A man without beer is like a flower without water. • Drink beer – the money will come by itself. • Beer is not like coffee - one glass is never enough. • Half an hour of healthy laughter does not substitute a litre of beer. • For the normal person 1 beer is just fine, 2 beers are a lot, 3 are not enough. • You cannot drink too much beer – only the toilet is too far. • A sea of beer is not enough – an ocean is better. • Eat a box of chocolate and you’ll realize how much better it is to drink a crate of beer. • The national consciousness may have a different colour, consistency and alcohol content. • When drinking good beer, a person still wants to live when he wakes up. • The non-alcoholic beer is the first step to the rub ber doll. • Look at the world through b eer and it will se em golden to you. • Life without beer is like beer without tapas. • 24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? With the support of the Union of Bulgarian Brewers. www.pivovari.com

Sofia In Your Po cket

48

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

martyrdom of St George run around the first-floor gallery, while a room full of exquisite medieval Bulgarian jewelry looks contemporary enough to provide today’s de signers with a rich seam of inspiration. The bilingual Bulgarian-English labeling  is unusually thorough, and the collection is just the right size to be easily digestible in one trip. QOpen 10:00 - 17:30. Admission: 10Lv. 10Lv.

Boyana Church (Boyanskata tsarkva) H-6, ul.

Nevski, tel. +359 2 988 17 04. Built by Russian architects, inspired by the glories of ancient Byzantium, this multi-domed cathedral has been Sofia’s visual trademark ever since its completion in 1924. It was built in memory of Russia’s nineteenth-century contribution to Bulgaria’s liberation, although the Aleksander referred to in the title, is actually a medieval prince of Novgorod, who battled Teutonic Knights. Decorated from floor to ceiling with frescoes and illuminated illuminated by flickering candles, the vast interior is as atmospheric as they come. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00. Daily Liturgy - 08:00 and 17:00; Vigil - Sat 18:30; Mass - Sun 09:30

Archaeological Museum (Arheologicheski muzey) B-3, ul. Saborna 2, tel . +359 2 988 24 06, fax +359 2 988 24 05, aim.sofianet.net. Housed in a beautifully restored  fifteenth-century mosque, this attractive display of Thracian, Greek, Roman and medieval Bulgarian artefacts is by far the most eye-pleasing museum that Sofia has to offer. Imposing  chunks of Greek and Roman masonry are strewn around the main hall, while upstairs lie many of the headline-grabbing  Thracian treasures, unearthed by Bulgarian archaeologists in recent years. Most mesmerizing of all is the solid gold burial mask of a fourth-century-BC Thracian ruler, excavated near the central Bulgarian town of Shipka in summer 2004. A series of Orthodox church paintings depicting the life and

sofia.inyourpocket.com

what to see abv.bg., www.historymuseum. www.historymuseum.org. org. Located in a parkshrouded former government palace on the northern side of the Okolovrusten put (Sofia’s main ring road), Bulgaria’s National History Museum offers a highly enjoyable chronological journey through oh, at least eight millennia of human civilization on the Balkan peninsula. The building itself is a fascinating oddity, having served Bulgaria’s communist  leaders as an official residence until 1989. 1989. If anybod y ever  launched a lifestyle magazine for would-be dictators, the marble halls and ornate ceilings in evidence here would make ideal front-page material.

the places of worship in Sofia, this is the most vivacious, its green steeple and five golden domes outshining pretty much

nineteenth century. Portrayals of horse-riding warrior saints such as George and Demetrius are particularly prominent: they served as potent symbols of struggl e and survival during  the long centuries of Ot toman rule. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. Admission: 4Lv.

Sofia City Art Gallery B-3, ul. Gurko 1, tel. +359 2 987 21 81, [email protected], www.sghg.cult.bg. The Sofia City Art Gallery possesses some of the richest collections of Bulgarian art: 3500 paintings, 800 statues, 2800 graphics and drawings. The Contemporary Art and Photography  department was founded in 2004. With 1100 square meters of exposition space divided into  four compartments the Gallery arranges some 30 exhibitions every year. Most of the exhibitions display works from the Gallery’s collections. In addition visiting one-man, group and general exhibitions of Bulgarian and foreign artists are arranged. Studies on present-day art and work with young  artists became a special focus of the Gallery’s policy in recent years.

Next up is the Thracian room: unfortunately, many of Bulgaria’s most famous Thracian treasures are touring western museums at present, and it is not known quite when they will come home. However there is still plent y of Thracian gold- and silverware, silverware, fantastically decorated with mythical animals, animals, to make a visit here worthwhile.

Sofia City Art Gallery is a museum with long-standing traditions. Its role is to present the facts of Bulgarian cultural history in an analytical and modern way and to activel y intervene in art developments by original and impressive projects. We recommend you to visit also th e Vaska Emanuilova Gallery, Gallery, branch of the Sofia City Art Gallery B-5 bul. Yanko Sakuzov 15, tel. 944 11 75, www.veg.cult.bg. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon.

Biggest disappointment is the medieval section, which is largely based on replicas of items kept elsewhere, or on photographs of ruined castles and churches throughout  Bulgaria. It’s more of an educational theme-park than a serious museum display, but it certainly whets the appetite for   further travel within the country.

Rotunda of St George (Rotonda Sveti Georgi)B-3, pl. Sveta Nedelya 2. Hidden away in a courtyard behind the Sheraton Hotel, this dainty red-brick doughnut of a building 

Boyansko ezero 1-3, tel. +359 2 959 09 39, fax +359 2 959 29 66, [email protected], www.boyanachurch. org. If medieval church art turns you on, then the UNESCOlisted Boyana church, will have you foaming at the mouth with excitement. Just about every square inch of the interior  is covered with bible scenes and saintly p ortraits, rendered by thirteenth-century artists. Nobody knows the identity  of the painters, but their mastery of realistic depiction and sophisticated use of colour puts them on a par with Italian artists of the early Renaissance. It is a tiny church consisting of two parts: the oldest dates  from the 10th century, when it served as the chap el of Boyana   fortress. A second floor was added in 1259 by the Sevastokrator (or local governor) Kaloyan, who used the church as his family chapel. It was Kaloyan, who commissioned the   frescoes for which Boyana church is famous. Restored in various stages over the past forty years, the main body of  the church was never open to the public in its entirety until December 2006. Highlights include portraits of Kaloyan and wife Desislava dressed in sumptuous robes, and the earliest known portrait  of the white-bearde d St John of Rila, Bulgaria’s national patron saint. QOpen 09:00 - 17:30. Admission: 10Lv. Combined ticket including National History Museum: 12Lv. Visitors are admitted to the church six at a time, a t ten-minute intervals, so be prepared to wait.

National Museum of History (Natsionalen istoricheski muzey) G-6, ul. Vitoshko Lale 16, Boyana, tel. +359 2 955 76 04, fax +359 2 955 76 02, nim.pr@

July - September  2009

what to see

A sweeping staircase leads to the display areas, where the circular-shaped Neolithic Hall harbours vividly-decorated jugs and clay figures. Representations of the Earth Mother Goddess dating from the sixth millennium BC include a fabulous pair of buttocks from the Sofia region.

Upstairs on the second floor lies a knock-out display of  brightly-coloured folk costumes and kilims, and a fascinating  collection of posters, photographs and domestic nick-nacks documenting the social history of twentieth-century Bulgaria. QOpen 09:00 - 17:30. Admission: 10Lv. Combined ticket  including Boyana Church: 12Lv. English-language tours cost  20Lv and can be booked in advance on tel. 955 42 80.

Churches everything else on this central boulevard. Built just before World War Ito serve Sofia’s Russian communi ty and mode led on Muscovite churches of the sixteenth century, it looks as if  a small piece of the Kremlin has been plonked in the middle of the Balkans. A path to the left of the main entrance leads to the crypt, last resting place of Archbishop Serafim, who served as head of the Russian church in Bulgaria in the early  twentieth century. An enormously popular and pious man during his lifetime, Serafim is nowadays accorded almost  saintly status by the Sofian s, who come here to write prayers on scraps of paper which are then posted into a box next to his sarcophagus. QOpen 08:00 - 18:30.

Church of the Ho ly Seven (Tsarkva Sveti Sedmochislentsi) C-3, ul. Graf Ignatiev, tel. +359 2 987 80 23.

Holy Sunday Church (T (Tsarkva sarkva Sveta Nedelya) B-3, pl. Sveta Nedelya, tel. +359 2 987 57 48. The main citycentre church and the preferred venue for Saturday-afternoon weddings, this nouveau-Byzantine structure is the twentiethcentury incarnation of a church that has stood on this spot  since medieval times. It has long been associated with the miracle-working bones of Serbian king Stefan Urosh, which are still kept in a wooden box to the right of the iconostasis. I t  is popularly believed that certain female health problems can be cured by l eaving an appropriate appropriate piece of under wear in the box for 24 hours (and if you want to test this out you should really contact the priest, not us). The church’s other claim to fame is the flamboyantly ambitious terrorist attack that  took place here in 1925, when left-wing activists attempted to bomb the Bulgarian royal family while they were attending  a funeral. A huge explosion destroyed much of the church and killed 100 mourners, but the royals escaped unscathed. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00. Daily liturgy 08:30 and 16:00.

Church of St Petka of the Saddlemakers (Tsarkva Sveta Petka Samardzhiyska) B-3, pl. Nezavisimost. It’s not often that you come across a fourteenth-century  church stranded in the middle of a semi-submerged shopping  mall, but this is the fate that befell St Petka when Sofia’s post-war planners decided to run a two-lane highway round either side of it. Incongruously surrounded by glass-fronted souvenir shops, it’s a delightful, cramped space that feels more like a damp cave than a church, and features some  faded sixteenth-century frescoes.

Nationall Art Nationa Ar t Gallery

One of Sofia’s most handsome neo-Byzantine churches, with twentieth-century towers and domes tacked on to a much older central core - which served as an Ottoman mosque

Zhenski pazar A-2, A-3, ul. Stefan Stambolov. Zhenski

is the oldest surviving structure in the city, which stillll serves its original purpose. Built by the Romans in the fourth cen tury, but much changed since, it’s justly famous for the twelfth- to  fourteenth-century  fourteenth-century frescoes inside the central dome. It’s a powerful ensemble, with an all-powerful Christ looking down on successive circles of white-bearded disciples and holy  men. Painted over during the Ottoman period (when the building was used as a mosque), these frescoes were only  unearthed in the twentieth century. Admission: free, but  donationsappreciated. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00.

pazar literally means ‘women’s market’, although people of all possible sexes, ages and pockets throng daily to this half-a-kilometre-long strip of street stalls lined on either  side by poky shops. Fresh foodstuffs are the mainstay of  the market, but you can also buy flowers, cheap clothes, household goods, ironmongery and more. There’s not much in the way of fancy goods or souvenirs, but the raw street-level vigour of the place makes it well worth a visit. It’s a location popular with pickpockets too, however, so take good care of your belongings.

National Art Gallery (Natsionalna hudozhestvena galeria) B-3, pl. Aleksandar Batenberg 1,

Galleries Icon Gallery B-3, in the crypt of the Aleksandur Nevski Memorial Church, tel. +359 2 981 57 75. Stunning collection of Bulgarian icons from the medieval period to the

Russian Church of St Nicholas (Ruska tsurkva)

(then briefly as a Bulgarian prison) before reverting to its original ecclesiastical function. The church honours ninthcentury Saints Cyril, Methodius and their five followers - who brought literacy to the Slavs and propagated Christianity  throughout Eastern Europe. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00. Daily  liturgy 08:00 and 17:00

tel. +359 2 980 33 25, [email protected]. The country’s  flagship collection occupies one half of the former royal palace, where creaky parquet floors and ornate stuccoed ceilings provide the perfect environment in which to peruse an all-embracing overview of Bulgarian painting. Strikingly, canvases are hung in the middle of the room rather than on the walls round the sides. Look out in particular for the works of Vladimir Dimitrov-Maistora (1882-1960), whose pictures of Bulgarian peasant girls surrounded by apples, apricots and other fruit have a timeless, spiritual spiritual quality reminiscent of Orthodox icons. If you have a hankering for more modern stuff then head  for the ground-floor galleries, where temporary exhibitions

B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 3, tel. +359 2 986 27 15. Of all

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what to see abv.bg., www.historymuseum. www.historymuseum.org. org. Located in a parkshrouded former government palace on the northern side of the Okolovrusten put (Sofia’s main ring road), Bulgaria’s National History Museum offers a highly enjoyable chronological journey through oh, at least eight millennia of human civilization on the Balkan peninsula. The building itself is a fascinating oddity, having served Bulgaria’s communist  leaders as an official residence until 1989. 1989. If anybod y ever  launched a lifestyle magazine for would-be dictators, the marble halls and ornate ceilings in evidence here would make ideal front-page material.

what to see the places of worship in Sofia, this is the most vivacious, its green steeple and five golden domes outshining pretty much

Sofia City Art Gallery B-3, ul. Gurko 1, tel. +359 2 987 21 81, [email protected], www.sghg.cult.bg. The Sofia City Art Gallery possesses some of the richest collections of Bulgarian art: 3500 paintings, 800 statues, 2800 graphics and drawings. The Contemporary Art and Photography  department was founded in 2004.

A sweeping staircase leads to the display areas, where the circular-shaped Neolithic Hall harbours vividly-decorated jugs and clay figures. Representations of the Earth Mother Goddess dating from the sixth millennium BC include a fabulous pair of buttocks from the Sofia region.

With 1100 square meters of exposition space divided into  four compartments the Gallery arranges some 30 exhibitions every year. Most of the exhibitions display works from the Gallery’s collections. In addition visiting one-man, group and general exhibitions of Bulgarian and foreign artists are arranged. Studies on present-day art and work with young  artists became a special focus of the Gallery’s policy in recent years.

Next up is the Thracian room: unfortunately, many of Bulgaria’s most famous Thracian treasures are touring western museums at present, and it is not known quite when they will come home. However there is still plent y of Thracian gold- and silverware, silverware, fantastically decorated with mythical animals, animals, to make a visit here worthwhile.

Sofia City Art Gallery is a museum with long-standing traditions. Its role is to present the facts of Bulgarian cultural history in an analytical and modern way and to activel y intervene in art developments by original and impressive projects. We recommend you to visit also th e Vaska Emanuilova Gallery, Gallery, branch of the Sofia City Art Gallery B-5 bul. Yanko Sakuzov 15, tel. 944 11 75, www.veg.cult.bg. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon.

Biggest disappointment is the medieval section, which is largely based on replicas of items kept elsewhere, or on photographs of ruined castles and churches throughout  Bulgaria. It’s more of an educational theme-park than a serious museum display, but it certainly whets the appetite for   further travel within the country. Upstairs on the second floor lies a knock-out display of  brightly-coloured folk costumes and kilims, and a fascinating  collection of posters, photographs and domestic nick-nacks documenting the social history of twentieth-century Bulgaria. QOpen 09:00 - 17:30. Admission: 10Lv. Combined ticket  including Boyana Church: 12Lv. English-language tours cost  20Lv and can be booked in advance on tel. 955 42 80.

Rotunda of St George (Rotonda Sveti Georgi)B-3, pl. Sveta Nedelya 2. Hidden away in a courtyard behind the Sheraton Hotel, this dainty red-brick doughnut of a building 

nineteenth century. Portrayals of horse-riding warrior saints such as George and Demetrius are particularly prominent: they served as potent symbols of struggl e and survival during  the long centuries of Ot toman rule. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. Admission: 4Lv.

Churches everything else on this central boulevard. Built just before World War Ito serve Sofia’s Russian communi ty and mode led on Muscovite churches of the sixteenth century, it looks as if  a small piece of the Kremlin has been plonked in the middle of the Balkans. A path to the left of the main entrance leads to the crypt, last resting place of Archbishop Serafim, who served as head of the Russian church in Bulgaria in the early  twentieth century. An enormously popular and pious man during his lifetime, Serafim is nowadays accorded almost  saintly status by the Sofian s, who come here to write prayers on scraps of paper which are then posted into a box next to his sarcophagus. QOpen 08:00 - 18:30.

Church of the Ho ly Seven (Tsarkva Sveti Sedmochislentsi) C-3, ul. Graf Ignatiev, tel. +359 2 987 80 23.

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Holy Sunday Church (T (Tsarkva sarkva Sveta Nedelya) B-3, pl. Sveta Nedelya, tel. +359 2 987 57 48. The main citycentre church and the preferred venue for Saturday-afternoon weddings, this nouveau-Byzantine structure is the twentiethcentury incarnation of a church that has stood on this spot  since medieval times. It has long been associated with the miracle-working bones of Serbian king Stefan Urosh, which are still kept in a wooden box to the right of the iconostasis. I t  is popularly believed that certain female health problems can be cured by l eaving an appropriate appropriate piece of under wear in the box for 24 hours (and if you want to test this out you should really contact the priest, not us). The church’s other claim to fame is the flamboyantly ambitious terrorist attack that  took place here in 1925, when left-wing activists attempted to bomb the Bulgarian royal family while they were attending  a funeral. A huge explosion destroyed much of the church and killed 100 mourners, but the royals escaped unscathed. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00. Daily liturgy 08:30 and 16:00.

Church of St Petka of the Saddlemakers (Tsarkva Sveta Petka Samardzhiyska) B-3, pl. Nezavisimost. It’s not often that you come across a fourteenth-century  church stranded in the middle of a semi-submerged shopping  mall, but this is the fate that befell St Petka when Sofia’s post-war planners decided to run a two-lane highway round either side of it. Incongruously surrounded by glass-fronted souvenir shops, it’s a delightful, cramped space that feels more like a damp cave than a church, and features some  faded sixteenth-century frescoes.

Nationall Art Nationa Ar t Gallery

One of Sofia’s most handsome neo-Byzantine churches, with twentieth-century towers and domes tacked on to a much older central core - which served as an Ottoman mosque

Zhenski pazar A-2, A-3, ul. Stefan Stambolov. Zhenski

is the oldest surviving structure in the city, which stillll serves its original purpose. Built by the Romans in the fourth cen tury, but much changed since, it’s justly famous for the twelfth- to  fourteenth-century  fourteenth-century frescoes inside the central dome. It’s a powerful ensemble, with an all-powerful Christ looking down on successive circles of white-bearded disciples and holy  men. Painted over during the Ottoman period (when the building was used as a mosque), these frescoes were only  unearthed in the twentieth century. Admission: free, but  donationsappreciated. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00.

pazar literally means ‘women’s market’, although people of all possible sexes, ages and pockets throng daily to this half-a-kilometre-long strip of street stalls lined on either  side by poky shops. Fresh foodstuffs are the mainstay of  the market, but you can also buy flowers, cheap clothes, household goods, ironmongery and more. There’s not much in the way of fancy goods or souvenirs, but the raw street-level vigour of the place makes it well worth a visit. It’s a location popular with pickpockets too, however, so take good care of your belongings.

National Art Gallery (Natsionalna hudozhestvena galeria) B-3, pl. Aleksandar Batenberg 1,

Galleries Icon Gallery B-3, in the crypt of the Aleksandur Nevski Memorial Church, tel. +359 2 981 57 75. Stunning collection of Bulgarian icons from the medieval period to the

Russian Church of St Nicholas (Ruska tsurkva)

(then briefly as a Bulgarian prison) before reverting to its original ecclesiastical function. The church honours ninthcentury Saints Cyril, Methodius and their five followers - who brought literacy to the Slavs and propagated Christianity  throughout Eastern Europe. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00. Daily  liturgy 08:00 and 17:00

tel. +359 2 980 33 25, [email protected]. The country’s  flagship collection occupies one half of the former royal palace, where creaky parquet floors and ornate stuccoed ceilings provide the perfect environment in which to peruse an all-embracing overview of Bulgarian painting. Strikingly, canvases are hung in the middle of the room rather than on the walls round the sides. Look out in particular for the works of Vladimir Dimitrov-Maistora (1882-1960), whose pictures of Bulgarian peasant girls surrounded by apples, apricots and other fruit have a timeless, spiritual spiritual quality reminiscent of Orthodox icons. If you have a hankering for more modern stuff then head  for the ground-floor galleries, where temporary exhibitions

B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 3, tel. +359 2 986 27 15. Of all

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what to see National Gallery of Foreign Art National Gallery of Foreign Art (Natsionalna galeria za chuzhdestranno izkustvo) B-4, pl. Aleksandar Nevski 1, tel. +359 2 988 49 22/+359 2 980 72 62, ng [email protected], [email protected], ww w.foreignartmuseum. w.foreignartmuseum. bg. Wide-ranging collection of work by fair-to-middling  ing  artists you probably haven’t heard of before. You’ll come across one or two famous names if you look closely  enough, but much of the best stuff is of a small-format  variety (a pastel by Renoir here, a lithograph by Picasso there) - so it would be unwise to come here with high expectations. There’s a fourth-century Roman tomb in the basement (labelled “room 19” on the museum plan), but it’s not always open. QOpen 11:00 - 18:30. Closed Tue. Admission: 4Lv. Guided tours in English: 15-30Lv (Monday free).

Church of St Sofia (Tsarkva Sveta Sofia) B-4, ul. Parizh 2, tel. +359 2 987 09 71. A church since the fifth century and rebuilt many times since, this was used as a mosque during the Ottoman period and then abandoned when an earthquake rendered it unsafe for services. With most of its medieval decorations and frescoes lost, it’s a comparatively plain church by Sofia standards, standards, but the patterned brickwork provides the interior with enorm ous visual appeal. A   fragment of original Roman mosaic flooring, preserved under  a pane of glass in the right-hand aisle, stands in testimony to the church’s ancient origins. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00.

Mosque Banya Bashi Mosque (Dzhamia Banya Bashi) B-3, bul. Maria Luiza. The last surviving mosque in Sofia still in use, the building consists of a large dome and an elegant  minaret and takes its name from the neighbouring Central Baths - Banya Bashi literally means ‘many baths’. Dating    from 1576, the mosque is said to have been designed by  Hadji Mimar Sinan, the leading Ottoman architect of the day.

what to see The mosque fell into disuse during Communist rule bu t is now open for worship once again - you can hear the loudspeakers on the minaret calling the Muslims of the city to prayer five times a day. The mosque is not officially open as a tourist  attraction but visitors are welcome outside prayer times, including women, if modestly dressed.

est multifunctional complex in southeastern Europe” is an attraction or an eyesore, but its dominating position at the southern end of bul. Vitosha makes it difficult to miss. Built in

Museums Earth and Man National Museum (Natsionalen Muzey “Zemyata i horata”) D-2, bul. Cherni vrah 4, tel. +359 2 865 66 39, fax +359 2 866 14 57, earth. [email protected], www.earthandman.org. Despite being housed in an impressively impressively restored nineteenth-century  arsenal, this geology collection is less dramatic than i ts title suggests, exhaustively cataloguing the earth’s minerals with rows and rows of rock-filled display cases. The outlandish, brightly-coloured quartz crystals on the ground floor just  about make a visit worthwhile. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Sun. Admissi on: 2Lv.

most central park is also the oldest, having served the Turkish governor of Sofia as a private place of repose in the years before Bulgaria’s Liberation. It was laid out as a European-style public park soon after, and still retains an air  of nineteenth-century charm, with carefully tended lawns, neat flowerbeds, and even an Art-Nouveau newspaper kiosk. The presence of fountains and open-air cafes on the Theatre side of the park helps make the City Garden an important   focus of social life both day and night. It’s also Sofia’s prime meeting point for chess players, most of whom are highly  accomplished and play for money. The stake is negotiable - from 0,50 to 50 Lv.

Park Vitosha Vitosha is popular in the winter, but come spring and watch what happens. The mountain attracts thousands of happy hikers, ready to explore the nume rous tourist  paths and trails. In fact, some destinations can get quite crowded, especially on weekends. But there is choice.

Ethnographic Museum (Etnografski muzey) B-3, pl. Aleksandar Batenberg 1, tel. +359 2 988 41 91, fax +359 2 980 11 62, [email protected], ethnography. cc.bas.bg.Scintillating cc.bas.bg.Scintillating displays of folk arts and crafts, drawn  from the museum’s vast collection. Situated in the east wing  of the former royal palace. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Admission: 3Lv. 3Lv.

Ivan Vazov Museum-House (Kashta-muzey Ivan Vazov) B-4, ul. Ivan Vazov 10, tel. +359 2 988 12 70, [email protected]. Bulgaria’s most revered literary   figure, Ivan Vazov (1850-1921) is best known for writing  Under the Yoke (Pod igoto), a sprawling novel detailing  small-town Bulgarian life at the time of the anti-Ottoman uprising of 1876. The house where he lived from 1895 until death is a charming period piece, with furnishings, crockery, bookshelves - and even the stuffed remains of Bobi the dog  - pretty much preserved as Vazov left it. QOpen , Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 17:00, Thu 13:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Sun. Admission: 1Lv. Lecture 3Lv. 3Lv.

National Museum of Military History (Natsionalen Voennoistoricheski muzey) G-8, ul. Cherkovna 92, tel. +359 2 946 18 05, fax +359 2 946 18 06, m.museum@ bol.bg,ww w.militarymuseum.bg. w.militarymuseum.bg.A A couple of display halls, stuffed with uniforms and weaponry, and a hugely enjoyable outdoor section featuring all manner of tanks, jet fighters and Soviet-era long-range missiles. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed M on, Tue. Admission: 2Lv. Lecture: 10Lv.

National Museum of Natural History (Natsionalen Prirodonauchen muzey) B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 1, tel. +359 2 987 41 95, fax +359 2 988 28 94, www. nmnh.bas.bg. Rocks, insects, stuffed animals, creatures in bottles, and live reptiles slithering about optimistically ly in search of small mammals - so keep a firm grip on the kids. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Admission: 2Lv.

Other sights National Palace of Culture (Natsionalen dvorets na kulturata) D-2, pl. Bulgaria 1, tel. +359 2 916 68 30, www.ndk.bg. Opinions differ as to whether the “larg-

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July - September  2009

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the 1980s this hexagonal lump of concrete and glass looks like a child’s building block inflated to unearthly size. Inside lie thirteen concert halls of varying sizes, fif ty-five congress rooms, and innumerable offices, The basement level now accommodates a cramped shopping mall stuffed with inexpensive fashions and accessories.

The Central Baths (Tsentralna banya) B-3, bul. Maria Luiza. Built in 1911 and decorated with exquisite tile mosaics, this wonderful Art Nouveau-cum-Nouveau Byzantine bathhouse is for many people the most beautiful building  in the capital. Derelict for many years and now undergoing  restoration, it will in future provide much-needed exhibition space for the (currently homeless) Museum of Sofia. The Central Military club (Tsentralen voenen klub) B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 7, tel. +359 2 988 17 46. This three storey monumental building, ng, designed in the neo-renaissance styl e , houses a cafe, an art gallery, 2 refined halls and an impressive concert hall. The plase looks like a palace and the concert hall used to be a ball room. Even though it is not a regular clubkeep your eyes and ears wideopen for any event which might take place there, and c onsider  yourself fortunate fortunate if you have the chance to attend one. The concert hall is often rented ou t for private party events and it is guaranteed that each one will be prestigious.

The Presidency B-3, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 2. Directly  opposite the archeological museum is the entrance to the suite of offices where the Bulgarian president does his nine-to-five job, guarded by soldiers dressed in ceremonial nineteenth-century uni forms. The changing of the guard, which takes place on the hour, involves a lot of ritualistic marching  about, and is well worth watching.

Tsentralni hali B-3, bul. Maria Luiza 28. Built at the same time as the Central Baths and in similar architectural vein, this indoor market hall boasts some beautifully  restored period features - notably the glass roof, cast iron pillars and Victorian clock tower. Delicatessen stalls at  ground level and fast food counters upstairs ensure a constant stream of visitors. Q Open 07:00 - 24:00.

Parks & Gardens City Garden (Gradskata gradina) B-3, . The city’s

sofia.inyourpocket.com

Old Sofia It’s been around 130 years since Sofia was liberated and proclaimed Bulgarian capital in 1887. With about  20, 000 population back then and only trams and horse carriages roving the unpaved, muddy streets, the city has changed tremendously and at the same time has managed to preserve its historical appearance. The heart of one time old Sofia, enclosed by  Konstantin Velichkov Boulevard and Skobelev Boulevard to the west, Banishora district and Maria Luiza Boulevard to the north, Oborishte district to the east  and Patriarh Evtimiy Boulevard to the south, quickly  changed its face from an oriental to m ore western and modern city in the first couple of de cades after the Liberation.

Sofia districts To know Sofia, you should learn about the town’s neighbourhoods, which number 90, by the way. Glamorous and new, or crumbling and b uilt by communists, with neat  houses and yards or greyish, dirty concrete blocks, these living areas span for miles from the centre and millions live in them. Lyulin F-6. Sofia’s biggest neighbourhood has been a grey, dirty, rusty  and unfriendly place for years. Isolated from the centre it  exists as a town within the city. Somewhat dark, it is not a  friendly place for those not used to i t. Stray dogs and the homeless roam the litter-infested wasteland between the huge concrete blocks of flats, which dominate the land scape. Living in them can be challenging as your neighbours can hear you through the walls and are always ready  to throw their trash from the window or balcony. Having  so many people, some of whom with a solid working class background, on one small place, results in lots of tension and violence as well as all types of criminal activities. Of course, this doesn’t mean that Lyulin’s population consists of thugs and Neanderthals, in fact i t is the area with the youngest population in our town. There are twelve

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what to see National Gallery of Foreign Art National Gallery of Foreign Art (Natsionalna galeria za chuzhdestranno izkustvo) B-4, pl. Aleksandar Nevski 1, tel. +359 2 988 49 22/+359 2 980 72 62, ng [email protected], [email protected], ww w.foreignartmuseum. w.foreignartmuseum. bg. Wide-ranging collection of work by fair-to-middling  ing  artists you probably haven’t heard of before. You’ll come across one or two famous names if you look closely  enough, but much of the best stuff is of a small-format  variety (a pastel by Renoir here, a lithograph by Picasso there) - so it would be unwise to come here with high expectations. There’s a fourth-century Roman tomb in the basement (labelled “room 19” on the museum plan), but it’s not always open. QOpen 11:00 - 18:30. Closed Tue. Admission: 4Lv. Guided tours in English: 15-30Lv (Monday free).

Church of St Sofia (Tsarkva Sveta Sofia) B-4, ul. Parizh 2, tel. +359 2 987 09 71. A church since the fifth century and rebuilt many times since, this was used as a mosque during the Ottoman period and then abandoned when an earthquake rendered it unsafe for services. With most of its medieval decorations and frescoes lost, it’s a comparatively plain church by Sofia standards, standards, but the patterned brickwork provides the interior with enorm ous visual appeal. A   fragment of original Roman mosaic flooring, preserved under  a pane of glass in the right-hand aisle, stands in testimony to the church’s ancient origins. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00.

Mosque Banya Bashi Mosque (Dzhamia Banya Bashi) B-3, bul. Maria Luiza. The last surviving mosque in Sofia still in use, the building consists of a large dome and an elegant  minaret and takes its name from the neighbouring Central Baths - Banya Bashi literally means ‘many baths’. Dating    from 1576, the mosque is said to have been designed by  Hadji Mimar Sinan, the leading Ottoman architect of the day.

what to see The mosque fell into disuse during Communist rule bu t is now open for worship once again - you can hear the loudspeakers on the minaret calling the Muslims of the city to prayer five times a day. The mosque is not officially open as a tourist  attraction but visitors are welcome outside prayer times, including women, if modestly dressed.

Museums Earth and Man National Museum (Natsionalen Muzey “Zemyata i horata”) D-2, bul. Cherni vrah 4, tel. +359 2 865 66 39, fax +359 2 866 14 57, earth. [email protected], www.earthandman.org. Despite being housed in an impressively impressively restored nineteenth-century  arsenal, this geology collection is less dramatic than i ts title suggests, exhaustively cataloguing the earth’s minerals with rows and rows of rock-filled display cases. The outlandish, brightly-coloured quartz crystals on the ground floor just  about make a visit worthwhile. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Sun. Admissi on: 2Lv. pl. Aleksandar Batenberg 1, tel. +359 2 988 41 91, fax +359 2 980 11 62, [email protected], ethnography. cc.bas.bg.Scintillating cc.bas.bg.Scintillating displays of folk arts and crafts, drawn  from the museum’s vast collection. Situated in the east wing  of the former royal palace. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Admission: 3Lv. 3Lv.

Ivan Vazov Museum-House (Kashta-muzey Ivan Vazov) B-4, ul. Ivan Vazov 10, tel. +359 2 988 12 70, [email protected]. Bulgaria’s most revered literary   figure, Ivan Vazov (1850-1921) is best known for writing  Under the Yoke (Pod igoto), a sprawling novel detailing  small-town Bulgarian life at the time of the anti-Ottoman uprising of 1876. The house where he lived from 1895 until death is a charming period piece, with furnishings, crockery, bookshelves - and even the stuffed remains of Bobi the dog  - pretty much preserved as Vazov left it. QOpen , Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 17:00, Thu 13:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Sun. Admission: 1Lv. Lecture 3Lv. 3Lv.

National Museum of Military History (Natsionalen Voennoistoricheski muzey) G-8, ul. Cherkovna 92, tel.

National Museum of Natural History (Natsionalen Prirodonauchen muzey) B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 1, tel. +359 2 987 41 95, fax +359 2 988 28 94, www. nmnh.bas.bg. Rocks, insects, stuffed animals, creatures in bottles, and live reptiles slithering about optimistically ly in search of small mammals - so keep a firm grip on the kids. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Admission: 2Lv.

Other sights National Palace of Culture (Natsionalen dvorets na kulturata) D-2, pl. Bulgaria 1, tel. +359 2 916 68 30, www.ndk.bg. Opinions differ as to whether the “larg-

US$1 - 1.47Lv; €1 – 1.95Lv; £1 – 2.17Lv ( july 2009) Sofia In Your Po cket

Park Vitosha Vitosha is popular in the winter, but come spring and watch what happens. The mountain attracts thousands of happy hikers, ready to explore the nume rous tourist  paths and trails. In fact, some destinations can get quite crowded, especially on weekends. But there is choice.

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

the 1980s this hexagonal lump of concrete and glass looks like a child’s building block inflated to unearthly size. Inside lie thirteen concert halls of varying sizes, fif ty-five congress rooms, and innumerable offices, The basement level now accommodates a cramped shopping mall stuffed with inexpensive fashions and accessories.

The Central Baths (Tsentralna banya) B-3, bul. Maria Luiza. Built in 1911 and decorated with exquisite tile mosaics, this wonderful Art Nouveau-cum-Nouveau Byzantine bathhouse is for many people the most beautiful building  in the capital. Derelict for many years and now undergoing  restoration, it will in future provide much-needed exhibition space for the (currently homeless) Museum of Sofia. The Central Military club (Tsentralen voenen klub) B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 7, tel. +359 2 988 17 46. This three storey monumental building, ng, designed in the neo-renaissance styl e , houses a cafe, an art gallery, 2 refined halls and an impressive concert hall. The plase looks like a palace and the concert hall used to be a ball room. Even though it is not a regular clubkeep your eyes and ears wideopen for any event which might take place there, and c onsider  yourself fortunate fortunate if you have the chance to attend one. The concert hall is often rented ou t for private party events and it is guaranteed that each one will be prestigious.

The Presidency B-3, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 2. Directly  opposite the archeological museum is the entrance to the suite of offices where the Bulgarian president does his nine-to-five job, guarded by soldiers dressed in ceremonial nineteenth-century uni forms. The changing of the guard, which takes place on the hour, involves a lot of ritualistic marching  about, and is well worth watching.

Tsentralni hali B-3, bul. Maria Luiza 28. Built at the same time as the Central Baths and in similar architectural vein, this indoor market hall boasts some beautifully  restored period features - notably the glass roof, cast iron pillars and Victorian clock tower. Delicatessen stalls at  ground level and fast food counters upstairs ensure a constant stream of visitors. Q Open 07:00 - 24:00.

Parks & Gardens City Garden (Gradskata gradina) B-3, . The city’s

Old Sofia It’s been around 130 years since Sofia was liberated and proclaimed Bulgarian capital in 1887. With about  20, 000 population back then and only trams and horse carriages roving the unpaved, muddy streets, the city has changed tremendously and at the same time has managed to preserve its historical appearance. The heart of one time old Sofia, enclosed by  Konstantin Velichkov Boulevard and Skobelev Boulevard to the west, Banishora district and Maria Luiza Boulevard to the north, Oborishte district to the east  and Patriarh Evtimiy Boulevard to the south, quickly  changed its face from an oriental to m ore western and modern city in the first couple of de cades after the Liberation.

Sofia districts To know Sofia, you should learn about the town’s neighbourhoods, which number 90, by the way. Glamorous and new, or crumbling and b uilt by communists, with neat  houses and yards or greyish, dirty concrete blocks, these living areas span for miles from the centre and millions live in them. Lyulin F-6. Sofia’s biggest neighbourhood has been a grey, dirty, rusty  and unfriendly place for years. Isolated from the centre it  exists as a town within the city. Somewhat dark, it is not a  friendly place for those not used to i t. Stray dogs and the homeless roam the litter-infested wasteland between the huge concrete blocks of flats, which dominate the land scape. Living in them can be challenging as your neighbours can hear you through the walls and are always ready  to throw their trash from the window or balcony. Having  so many people, some of whom with a solid working class background, on one small place, results in lots of tension and violence as well as all types of criminal activities. Of course, this doesn’t mean that Lyulin’s population consists of thugs and Neanderthals, in fact i t is the area with the youngest population in our town. There are twelve

July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

what to see high schools, two language ones and fifteen ki ndergartens in the ten micro-areas of the neighbourhood. These are numbered from one to ten and to get you more and more confused, the closest to the centre is number 10. All blocks in Lyulin have a three digit number, depending on the micro-area. Going to Lyulin is best by car, but otherwise you can try  the public transport. Trolley lines 6 and 7, tram number 8 and busses 42, 43, 53, 54, 81, 82, 108, 111, 309, 310, go there, but using the fast and comfortable metro line will probably save you a headache or two. Try to stay out of  trouble and don’t challenge locals who have the amazing  ability to gather a reasonable fighting posse in minutes.

most central park is also the oldest, having served the Turkish governor of Sofia as a private place of repose in the years before Bulgaria’s Liberation. It was laid out as a European-style public park soon after, and still retains an air  of nineteenth-century charm, with carefully tended lawns, neat flowerbeds, and even an Art-Nouveau newspaper kiosk. The presence of fountains and open-air cafes on the Theatre side of the park helps make the City Garden an important   focus of social life both day and night. It’s also Sofia’s prime meeting point for chess players, most of whom are highly  accomplished and play for money. The stake is negotiable - from 0,50 to 50 Lv.

Ethnographic Museum (Etnografski muzey) B-3,

+359 2 946 18 05, fax +359 2 946 18 06, m.museum@ bol.bg,ww w.militarymuseum.bg. w.militarymuseum.bg.A A couple of display halls, stuffed with uniforms and weaponry, and a hugely enjoyable outdoor section featuring all manner of tanks, jet fighters and Soviet-era long-range missiles. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed M on, Tue. Admission: 2Lv. Lecture: 10Lv.

52

est multifunctional complex in southeastern Europe” is an attraction or an eyesore, but its dominating position at the southern end of bul. Vitosha makes it difficult to miss. Built in

what to see captivity by the Ottoman Turks in 1393. It’s nowadays the most popular meeting point in the city - if you’re going on a date or a bar crawl, the chances are you’ll rendezvous here. “Popa” is Bulgarian slang for “priest”.

Ugly Sofia

Statues Aleksandar Stamboliyski B-4, Corner of ul. Rakovski and ul. Vrabcha.Leader Vrabcha. Leader of the Bulgarian National Peasants’ Party, and Prime Minister from 1919 to 1923, Aleksandar  Stamboliyski presided over a radical government that promised fair land distribution and a revival of village life. Conservative circles feared a peasant revolution, and Stamboliyski was overthrown, tortured, and chopped into several piec es by  paid killers - it’s a shame that nothing like this ever happened to Todor Zhivkov, our communist dictator. Stamboliyski’s statue now stands beside the Opera House (strangely, both the National Opera and the National Peasants’ Party share the same building). Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi B-5, Sofia University, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 15. The Georgiev brothers made their fortunes in nineteenth-century Odessa, then used their wealth to  fund the establishment of Bulgarian-language schools. Their  place in the country’s cultural pantheon assured, they now bask beside the steps of Bulgaria’s biggest university like a pair of contented walruses.

Monument to the Bulgarian State (Pametnik na balgarskata darzhava) C-2, pl. Bulgaria. Sofia is probably unique in Europe in being the only capital which can boast a decaying pile of junk as one of its major downtown focal points. Unveiled in 1981 to mark  the 1300th anniversary of the founding of the Bulgarian state, this unimaginably unimaginably shoddy memorial is an eloquent  metaphor for much that has happened in Bulgaria in the intervening 25 years. It was barely a decade old when it  started falling to bits, and the que stion of who should pay   for its refurbishment (or demolition) demolition) has been the object  of inconclusive bickering ever since. An angular piece of modern sculpture with statues emerging absurdly from its summit, the monument  has long been the obje ct of popular scorn - “the sevenangled thing with five pricks” being the most enduring of  its many nicknames. Currently surrounded surrounded by hoardings to prevent bits of it from falling on the heads of passers by, its future remains uncertain.

got its name from the Church of Sveta Sofia (“Holy Wisdom”) in the centre, and this statue was intended to symbolize the connection. However it was far from clear how an abstract  concept like “Holy Wisdom” could be portrayed in a sculpture (is it a bird? is it a plane? is i t a 24-metre-high bronze woman?), and Sofians remain unsure whether this shiny female with a dove in her right hand really fits the bill.

Monument to the Tsar Liberator (Pametnik Tsar Tsar Osvoboditel) B-4, pl. Narodno sabranie.This sabranie. This 14-metrehigh lump of bronze designed by Italian artist Arnoldo Zocci honours Russian Tsar Alexander II who, by declaring war on the Ottoman Empire in 1877, libera ted Bulgaria in the process. The reliefs surrounding ng the ped estal - including a scene in

The empty space in front of the National Gallery B-3, pl. Aleksandar Batenbeg.The Batenbeg. The empty space in front of the national gallery stands in eloquent tribute to the vacuous posturing of Bulgaria’s post-communist  rulers. The building that used to stand on this spot  was one of socialist-era Sofia’s principal landmarks, a mausoleum, built to house the corpse of Bulgaria’s first  communist leader Georgi Dimitrov. Dimitrov’s body was removed in 1990, but arguments about how it is best to use the building itself, dragged on for a de cade. Eventually the right-wing government of Ivan Kostov decided to blow the mausoleum up, believing that such an act  would somehow symbolize Bulgaria’s triumphant march towards democracy. President, prime minister and foreign dignitaries assembled to view the demolition in January  2000, only to discover that repeated detonations failed to bring the mausoleum down. Eventually the crowds drifted away, and the bulldozers were brought in.

Monument to Holy Wisdom (Statuya na Sveta Sofia) B-3, pl. Nezavisimost. Once occupied by a behemothsized statue of Lenin, this prime city-centre site was left vacant throughout the 1990s, and it wasn’t until the millennium that this 24-metre-high bronze goddess - an allegory of “Holy  Wisdom” - appeared on the spot. The city of Sofia originally 

Sofia In Your Po cket

51

www.discover-bulgaria.com sofia inyourpo cket com

which the goddess of victory leads troops into battle - make  for some stirring viewing.

Petko and Pencho Slaveykovi C-3, pl. Slaveykov. Bulgaria’s foremost father-and-son literary duo perch on a bench beside the square that, appropriately appropriately enough, now hosts Sofia’s biggest book market. Educationalist, politician and writer Petko Slaveykov (1827-1895) did much to preser ve Bulgarian literature’s links with i ts folkloric roots; while his son Pencho (1866-1912) took things a step further by penning  modern verse influenced by Romanticism, Symbolism and other modish western currents. Popa C-4, corner of ul. Graf Ignatiev and bul. Patriarh Evtimiy. This rather inconspicuous statue of a bearded ecclesiastic honours Patriarch Euthymius (Patriarh Evtimiy in Bulgarian), the fourteenth-century church leader who presided over a flowering of Bulgarian culture before being led into

sofia.inyourpocket.com

Stefan Stambolov B-4, Corner of bul. Tsar Osvoboditel and ul. Rakovski. Prime Minister from 1887 to 1894, Stefan Stambolov was the most talented - but also the

The Parliament  The building of the Bulgarian Parliament is more than 120years old now. It is a monument of historical and cultural significance, but with time, it has shown that i t can hardly  provide the premises for the 240 members of Parliament, its personnel and the numerous journalists and visitors. The interior has not changed since the beginning of the 20th century and here and there, the plastering is falling apart. Recently, it was estimated that moving to a ne w building would be cheaper than reconstructing the old one and the Former  Party House and its main hall Sveta Sofia, were appointed as the new home for the Legislative Body. The irony of history  remembers some violent times for both buildings, as the Party  House was pillaged and torched in the year 1991 and the Parliament Building saw the crowds clashing with the police and breaking windows and cars. That was back in the year  1997, when the democratic opposition organized month-long  street protests against the socialis t Cabinet of Zhan Videnov. Things have changed since these “dark” days and now the activities of the legislators are much more transparent. To strengthen this image, the architects, who won the competition for reconstructing the Party House, intend to build a glass dome and front for the new plenary hall. Bigger and better rooms with modern furniture are planned, both for  representatives and for their guests. Hopefully their work will also improve and we will never again see people breaking or  burning anything, built with taxpayer’s money.

www.discover-bulgaria.com July - September  2009

53

52

what to see high schools, two language ones and fifteen ki ndergartens in the ten micro-areas of the neighbourhood. These are numbered from one to ten and to get you more and more confused, the closest to the centre is number 10. All blocks in Lyulin have a three digit number, depending on the micro-area. Going to Lyulin is best by car, but otherwise you can try  the public transport. Trolley lines 6 and 7, tram number 8 and busses 42, 43, 53, 54, 81, 82, 108, 111, 309, 310, go there, but using the fast and comfortable metro line will probably save you a headache or two. Try to stay out of  trouble and don’t challenge locals who have the amazing  ability to gather a reasonable fighting posse in minutes.

what to see

53

captivity by the Ottoman Turks in 1393. It’s nowadays the most popular meeting point in the city - if you’re going on a date or a bar crawl, the chances are you’ll rendezvous here. “Popa” is Bulgarian slang for “priest”.

Ugly Sofia

Statues Aleksandar Stamboliyski B-4, Corner of ul. Rakovski and ul. Vrabcha.Leader Vrabcha. Leader of the Bulgarian National Peasants’ Party, and Prime Minister from 1919 to 1923, Aleksandar  Stamboliyski presided over a radical government that promised fair land distribution and a revival of village life. Conservative circles feared a peasant revolution, and Stamboliyski was overthrown, tortured, and chopped into several piec es by  paid killers - it’s a shame that nothing like this ever happened to Todor Zhivkov, our communist dictator. Stamboliyski’s statue now stands beside the Opera House (strangely, both the National Opera and the National Peasants’ Party share the same building). Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi B-5, Sofia University, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 15. The Georgiev brothers made their fortunes in nineteenth-century Odessa, then used their wealth to  fund the establishment of Bulgarian-language schools. Their  place in the country’s cultural pantheon assured, they now bask beside the steps of Bulgaria’s biggest university like a pair of contented walruses.

Monument to the Bulgarian State (Pametnik na balgarskata darzhava) C-2, pl. Bulgaria. Sofia is probably unique in Europe in being the only capital which can boast a decaying pile of junk as one of its major downtown focal points. Unveiled in 1981 to mark  the 1300th anniversary of the founding of the Bulgarian state, this unimaginably unimaginably shoddy memorial is an eloquent  metaphor for much that has happened in Bulgaria in the intervening 25 years. It was barely a decade old when it  started falling to bits, and the que stion of who should pay   for its refurbishment (or demolition) demolition) has been the object  of inconclusive bickering ever since. An angular piece of modern sculpture with statues emerging absurdly from its summit, the monument  has long been the obje ct of popular scorn - “the sevenangled thing with five pricks” being the most enduring of  its many nicknames. Currently surrounded surrounded by hoardings to prevent bits of it from falling on the heads of passers by, its future remains uncertain.

got its name from the Church of Sveta Sofia (“Holy Wisdom”) in the centre, and this statue was intended to symbolize the connection. However it was far from clear how an abstract  concept like “Holy Wisdom” could be portrayed in a sculpture (is it a bird? is it a plane? is i t a 24-metre-high bronze woman?), and Sofians remain unsure whether this shiny female with a dove in her right hand really fits the bill.

Monument to the Tsar Liberator (Pametnik Tsar Tsar Osvoboditel) B-4, pl. Narodno sabranie.This sabranie. This 14-metrehigh lump of bronze designed by Italian artist Arnoldo Zocci honours Russian Tsar Alexander II who, by declaring war on the Ottoman Empire in 1877, libera ted Bulgaria in the process. The reliefs surrounding ng the ped estal - including a scene in

The empty space in front of the National Gallery B-3, pl. Aleksandar Batenbeg.The Batenbeg. The empty space in front of the national gallery stands in eloquent tribute to the vacuous posturing of Bulgaria’s post-communist  rulers. The building that used to stand on this spot  was one of socialist-era Sofia’s principal landmarks, a mausoleum, built to house the corpse of Bulgaria’s first  communist leader Georgi Dimitrov. Dimitrov’s body was removed in 1990, but arguments about how it is best to use the building itself, dragged on for a de cade. Eventually the right-wing government of Ivan Kostov decided to blow the mausoleum up, believing that such an act  would somehow symbolize Bulgaria’s triumphant march towards democracy. President, prime minister and foreign dignitaries assembled to view the demolition in January  2000, only to discover that repeated detonations failed to bring the mausoleum down. Eventually the crowds drifted away, and the bulldozers were brought in.

Monument to Holy Wisdom (Statuya na Sveta Sofia) B-3, pl. Nezavisimost. Once occupied by a behemothsized statue of Lenin, this prime city-centre site was left vacant throughout the 1990s, and it wasn’t until the millennium that this 24-metre-high bronze goddess - an allegory of “Holy  Wisdom” - appeared on the spot. The city of Sofia originally 

Sofia In Your Po cket

54

www.discover-bulgaria.com sofia.inyourpo cket.com

which the goddess of victory leads troops into battle - make  for some stirring viewing.

Petko and Pencho Slaveykovi C-3, pl. Slaveykov. Bulgaria’s foremost father-and-son literary duo perch on a bench beside the square that, appropriately appropriately enough, now hosts Sofia’s biggest book market. Educationalist, politician and writer Petko Slaveykov (1827-1895) did much to preser ve Bulgarian literature’s links with i ts folkloric roots; while his son Pencho (1866-1912) took things a step further by penning  modern verse influenced by Romanticism, Symbolism and other modish western currents.

Stefan Stambolov B-4, Corner of bul. Tsar Osvoboditel and ul. Rakovski. Prime Minister from 1887 to 1894, Stefan Stambolov was the most talented - but also the

The Parliament  The building of the Bulgarian Parliament is more than 120years old now. It is a monument of historical and cultural significance, but with time, it has shown that i t can hardly  provide the premises for the 240 members of Parliament, its personnel and the numerous journalists and visitors. The interior has not changed since the beginning of the 20th century and here and there, the plastering is falling apart. Recently, it was estimated that moving to a ne w building would be cheaper than reconstructing the old one and the Former  Party House and its main hall Sveta Sofia, were appointed as the new home for the Legislative Body. The irony of history  remembers some violent times for both buildings, as the Party  House was pillaged and torched in the year 1991 and the Parliament Building saw the crowds clashing with the police and breaking windows and cars. That was back in the year  1997, when the democratic opposition organized month-long  street protests against the socialis t Cabinet of Zhan Videnov. Things have changed since these “dark” days and now the activities of the legislators are much more transparent. To strengthen this image, the architects, who won the competition for reconstructing the Party House, intend to build a glass dome and front for the new plenary hall. Bigger and better rooms with modern furniture are planned, both for  representatives and for their guests. Hopefully their work will also improve and we will never again see people breaking or  burning anything, built with taxpayer’s money.

Popa C-4, corner of ul. Graf Ignatiev and bul. Patriarh Evtimiy. This rather inconspicuous statue of a bearded ecclesiastic honours Patriarch Euthymius (Patriarh Evtimiy in Bulgarian), the fourteenth-century church leader who presided over a flowering of Bulgarian culture before being led into

www.discover-bulgaria.com July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

what to see

Crossword

55

Socialist Sofia As with many authoritarian regimes throughout the ages, Bulgaria’s communist rulers suffered from an overweening desire to turn politics into a highly visible part of the urban landscape. Government buildings were conceived as grandiose statements of political order, while statues of socialist heroes employed simple, often childlike imagery to teach important ideological le ssons. Despite the demolition of many communist landmarks after 1989 (notably the rotund statue of Lenin that once rose like a malevolent iron pig ab ove the central pl. Nezavisimost), Nezavisimost), present-day Sofia still boasts a compelling collection of sites where you can examine socialist  art at first hand.

Friendship Bridge (Most na druzhbata) C-4, crossing of ul. Graf Ignatiev and bul. Evlogi Georgiev. Built in 1953 to symbolize brotherhood between Bulgaria and the Soviet Union (a relationship in which one brother  was always bigger than the other), this bridge boasts an impressive ensemble of sculptures, with statues representing the peasantry, the intelligentsia and the armed forces. Most telling inclusion is the pair of nineteenth-century  Russian and Bulgarian soldiers on the north-eastern pier: a clever piece of propaganda suggesting that the Soviet  Union’s “liberation” of Bulgaria in 1945 was simply a repeat  performance of the Liberation of 1878.

Mound of Brotherhood (Bratska mogila) G-8, Borisova gradina.Many gradina. Many of the artists responsible for the Soviet Army Monument also worked on the Mound of Brotherhood, a 42-metre-high obelisk that rises dramatically from a ridge in the south-eastern corner of Borisova gradina park. Built in 1956, it is intended to commemorate those who fought and fell in various stages of  the struggle against    fascism - from the Bulgarian Bulgarian communist  uprising of September 1923 (a badlyplanned affair that  culminated with most of the participants being rounded up and shot) to the Red-Army offensives of World War II. A  monumental statue of machine-gun-toting partisans stands at the base of the obelisk, while bas-reliefs on either side portray striking workers, and Soviet troops being greeted by Bulgarian civilians.

Soviet-style fresco E-4, wall of a school on ul. Sveti Naum. Hidden from the street by a politically-prudish politically-prudish pair  of trees, this is one of the few examples of agit-prop art  still to be found in the city. The fathe rly face of Lenin beams down from one side of the wall, while a ruggedly handsome cosmonaut smoulders away quietly on the other. Soviet Army Monument (Pametnik na Savetskata armia) C-5, Orlov most. Built in 1954 by a team of architects and artists working under Danko Mitov, this is one of the best examples of socialist sculpture in the Balkans,

Sofia In Your Po cket

and also one of the most  controversial. A sk yline-domyline-dominating 34-metre-high pillar, it  is crowned by  a flamboyant  statue of a Red Army soldier  leading a Bulgarian couple towards the Promised Land of communism. Bronze bas-reliefs on either side of  the pillar show scenes from the October revolution, World War II battles, and Soviet troops entering Bulgaria to be greeted joyfully by the locals. In 1993 Sofia City Council voted to destroy the monument, pointing out quite rightly that it symbolized Bulgaria’s subservience to a foreign power. Faced by opposition from the Bulgarian Socialist Party, and discouraged by the potential cost of its demolition, the Council had n o choice but to leave the monument as i t is. For much of the last decade the area around the monument has become the favoured meeting  point of Sofia’s skateboarders, although construction work  on the Sofia metro has recently encroach ed on their space. Turn up on important dates like May 9 (the anniversary of  Germany’s surrender in 1945) or September 9 (anniversary  of Bulgaria’s communist-led coup in 1944) and you’ll probably see die-hard communists communists gathering at the monument  to demonstrate their undying faith in the cause.

Statues outside Vasil Levski Stadium C-4, bul. Evlogi Georgiev. Authoritarian regimes have frequently  exploited the popularity of sport to build a cult of strength, discipline and order. Produced by a team of sculptors in the mid-fifties, these idealized statues outside the main entrance to the stadium are perfect examples of this cult  in action. Depicting footballers, athletes, gymnasts and other examples of socialist achievement and perfection, the statues were originally eight in number. An empty pedestal marks the spot where one of them went missing, presumed stolen, in the mid-1990s. The Party House (Partien dom) B-3, pl. Nezavisimost. Sofia may lack the bombastic baroque skyscrapers bestowed by Stalin on Moscow and Warsaw, Warsaw, but the local ruling  caste did at least make an ef  fort with this custard-coloured neo-classical edifice at the end of pl. Nezavisimost. Built  to house the Communist Party  Central Committee, it once sported a massive red star  atop its rocket-like spire - when protesters attempted to torch the building in August 1990, the star was hastily removed. The building now provides office space for Bulgarian MPs.

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3.Name of Sofia Mayor  6.DISTRICT OF SOFIA  7 . C R E AT AT I O N O F T H E A R C H I T E C T F R I E D R I C H G R U ENANGER 8.MOST POPULAR MEETING POINT IN THE CITY  9.ANOTHER 5 START HOTEL  12.MAIN PEDESTRIAN boulevard 15.BULGARIAN FOR FRIDAY  17.NAME 17.NAME OF THE U S PRESIDENT 19.SOVIET ARMY MONUMENT 20.SHE HAS HER OWN HOTEL IN SOFIA  23.HOME OF THE ST. SOFIA GOLF CLUB 26.KILLED BY A POISONED UMBRELLA  27.MAIN RELIGION in Bulgaria 28.Hotel with Japanese garden 29.LEADING BEER 30.PRIME MINISTER FROM 1919 TO 1923 31.POPULAR MOU NTAIN DESTINATION DESTINATION CLOSE TO SOFIA       —  I   K    S    V    E   L

1.GAVE HIS NAME TO THE RUSSIAN CHURCH 2.BULGARIAN FOR PLEASE  3.POPULAR MOUNTAIN DESTINATION 4.ALEXANDAR BATTENBERG GOT REPLACED BY  5.NEEDED WHILE DRIVING OUTSIDE CITIES 10.Bulgarian for No 11.CAPITAL OF BULGARIA  13.NAME OF THIS GUIDE  14.HIGHEST PEAK 16.MEANING OF A BULGARIAN SHAKING HIS HEAD 18.SALTY PASTRY FILLED WITH WHITE CHEESE  21.SQUARE NAMED AFTER PETKO AND PENCHO SLAVEYKOVI 22.FROM 1000-200 BC BULGARIA IS RULED BY  24.ABBREVIATION NATIONAL PARK OF CULTURE  25.ONE OF BULGARIAS GREATEST HEROS

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sofia.inyourpocket.com

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July - September  2009

54

what to see

Crossword

55

Socialist Sofia As with many authoritarian regimes throughout the ages, Bulgaria’s communist rulers suffered from an overweening desire to turn politics into a highly visible part of the urban landscape. Government buildings were conceived as grandiose statements of political order, while statues of socialist heroes employed simple, often childlike imagery to teach important ideological le ssons. Despite the demolition of many communist landmarks after 1989 (notably the rotund statue of Lenin that once rose like a malevolent iron pig ab ove the central pl. Nezavisimost), Nezavisimost), present-day Sofia still boasts a compelling collection of sites where you can examine socialist  art at first hand.

Friendship Bridge (Most na druzhbata) C-4, crossing of ul. Graf Ignatiev and bul. Evlogi Georgiev. Built in 1953 to symbolize brotherhood between Bulgaria and the Soviet Union (a relationship in which one brother  was always bigger than the other), this bridge boasts an impressive ensemble of sculptures, with statues representing the peasantry, the intelligentsia and the armed forces. Most telling inclusion is the pair of nineteenth-century  Russian and Bulgarian soldiers on the north-eastern pier: a clever piece of propaganda suggesting that the Soviet  Union’s “liberation” of Bulgaria in 1945 was simply a repeat  performance of the Liberation of 1878.

Mound of Brotherhood (Bratska mogila) G-8, Borisova gradina.Many gradina. Many of the artists responsible for the Soviet Army Monument also worked on the Mound of Brotherhood, a 42-metre-high obelisk that rises dramatically from a ridge in the south-eastern corner of Borisova gradina park. Built in 1956, it is intended to commemorate those who fought and fell in various stages of  the struggle against    fascism - from the Bulgarian Bulgarian communist  uprising of September 1923 (a badlyplanned affair that  culminated with most of the participants being rounded up and shot) to the Red-Army offensives of World War II. A  monumental statue of machine-gun-toting partisans stands at the base of the obelisk, while bas-reliefs on either side portray striking workers, and Soviet troops being greeted by Bulgarian civilians.

Soviet-style fresco E-4, wall of a school on ul. Sveti Naum. Hidden from the street by a politically-prudish politically-prudish pair  of trees, this is one of the few examples of agit-prop art  still to be found in the city. The fathe rly face of Lenin beams down from one side of the wall, while a ruggedly handsome cosmonaut smoulders away quietly on the other. Soviet Army Monument (Pametnik na Savetskata armia) C-5, Orlov most. Built in 1954 by a team of architects and artists working under Danko Mitov, this is one of the best examples of socialist sculpture in the Balkans,

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and also one of the most  controversial. A sk yline-domyline-dominating 34-metre-high pillar, it  is crowned by  a flamboyant  statue of a Red Army soldier  leading a Bulgarian couple towards the Promised Land of communism. Bronze bas-reliefs on either side of  the pillar show scenes from the October revolution, World War II battles, and Soviet troops entering Bulgaria to be greeted joyfully by the locals. In 1993 Sofia City Council voted to destroy the monument, pointing out quite rightly that it symbolized Bulgaria’s subservience to a foreign power. Faced by opposition from the Bulgarian Socialist Party, and discouraged by the potential cost of its demolition, the Council had n o choice but to leave the monument as i t is. For much of the last decade the area around the monument has become the favoured meeting  point of Sofia’s skateboarders, although construction work  on the Sofia metro has recently encroach ed on their space. Turn up on important dates like May 9 (the anniversary of  Germany’s surrender in 1945) or September 9 (anniversary  of Bulgaria’s communist-led coup in 1944) and you’ll probably see die-hard communists communists gathering at the monument  to demonstrate their undying faith in the cause.

Statues outside Vasil Levski Stadium C-4, bul. Evlogi Georgiev. Authoritarian regimes have frequently  exploited the popularity of sport to build a cult of strength, discipline and order. Produced by a team of sculptors in the mid-fifties, these idealized statues outside the main entrance to the stadium are perfect examples of this cult  in action. Depicting footballers, athletes, gymnasts and other examples of socialist achievement and perfection, the statues were originally eight in number. An empty pedestal marks the spot where one of them went missing, presumed stolen, in the mid-1990s. The Party House (Partien dom) B-3, pl. Nezavisimost. Sofia may lack the bombastic baroque skyscrapers bestowed by Stalin on Moscow and Warsaw, Warsaw, but the local ruling  caste did at least make an ef  fort with this custard-coloured neo-classical edifice at the end of pl. Nezavisimost. Built  to house the Communist Party  Central Committee, it once sported a massive red star  atop its rocket-like spire - when protesters attempted to torch the building in August 1990, the star was hastily removed. The building now provides office space for Bulgarian MPs.

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3.Name of Sofia Mayor  6.DISTRICT OF SOFIA  7 . C R E AT AT I O N O F T H E A R C H I T E C T F R I E D R I C H G R U ENANGER 8.MOST POPULAR MEETING POINT IN THE CITY  9.ANOTHER 5 START HOTEL  12.MAIN PEDESTRIAN boulevard 15.BULGARIAN FOR FRIDAY  17.NAME 17.NAME OF THE U S PRESIDENT 19.SOVIET ARMY MONUMENT 20.SHE HAS HER OWN HOTEL IN SOFIA  23.HOME OF THE ST. SOFIA GOLF CLUB 26.KILLED BY A POISONED UMBRELLA  27.MAIN RELIGION in Bulgaria 28.Hotel with Japanese garden 29.LEADING BEER 30.PRIME MINISTER FROM 1919 TO 1923 31.POPULAR MOU NTAIN DESTINATION DESTINATION CLOSE TO SOFIA 

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1.GAVE HIS NAME TO THE RUSSIAN CHURCH 2.BULGARIAN FOR PLEASE  3.POPULAR MOUNTAIN DESTINATION 4.ALEXANDAR BATTENBERG GOT REPLACED BY  5.NEEDED WHILE DRIVING OUTSIDE CITIES 10.Bulgarian for No 11.CAPITAL OF BULGARIA  13.NAME OF THIS GUIDE  14.HIGHEST PEAK 16.MEANING OF A BULGARIAN SHAKING HIS HEAD 18.SALTY PASTRY FILLED WITH WHITE CHEESE  21.SQUARE NAMED AFTER PETKO AND PENCHO SLAVEYKOVI 22.FROM 1000-200 BC BULGARIA IS RULED BY  24.ABBREVIATION NATIONAL PARK OF CULTURE  25.ONE OF BULGARIAS GREATEST HEROS

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sofia.inyourpocket.com

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July - September  2009

golF Golf in Bulgari Bulgaria a Contrary to the popular Bulgarian belief, golf is not just a small, trustworthy car from Germany, but one of the worlds most popular contemporary sports, from Scotland. For  years, Bulgarians saw neatly dressed folks, hitting the white balls around lush meadows only in the movies. There were a few of them, who actually enjoyed golf, but only abroad and with the unfortunate possibility to be ostracized as  filthy rich elitists. It was in the hungry, crisis times of the early nineties, when golf entered the lo cal media, with the  first ever project for a course in Bul garia by the Japanese business woman Masako Oya. Unfortunately, there are  just few unfinished country houses lef t on the building site today, haunted by disputes, as the land i s still not used, or  returned to its owners. The birthday of golfing in Bul garia is July 10th 2000, when the first 18-hole course Air Sofia opens in Ihtiman. There are three more functioning courses, the St. Sofia Golf Club in the village of Ravno Pole near Sofia, the second Air Sofia course in the town of Sliven and the luxurious BlackSeaRama near  Balchik to the north of Varna. A lot of planning and investment has already gone into several new courses, which will open in the near future. It appears that Bulgaria can be a desired golfing destinati on and this sport has a great  potential for development. But why is golf so big? It is an individual and recreational sport, practised in a calm, green environment. It combines pure dexterity with the primordial human desire to hit things with a club and although it looks boring, can be as entertai ning and exciting as sky diving. You don’t need to be an athlete to play  golf, as even walking can be evaded by riding those fancy  little carts. Going furthe r, golfing has a lot more to it, than putting the ball in the hole. The socializing oppor tunities of  this game can be of significant value, because business contacts are easily made while playing the game and dining  in the relaxing atmosphere of the golf club house. Maybe Bulgaria’s most anticipated golf course is Thracian Cliffs to the north of Varna. Designed by Gary Player and located directly at the northern Bulgarian Black sea coast  right at the edge of the cliffs facing towards Cape Kaliakra. Finally we in Europe will become our own Pebble Beach.

57

showed up at seven. - Where the hell were you? – the wife yell ed. - Something terrible happened, dear - answered Ivan. – On the first hole Peter received a heart attack and died on the spot. The wife felt guilty and said: - Oh my god, that’s just  terrible! - Tell me about it! For the rest of the game I had to hit  the ball and then drag Peter along! A man got stranded on a desert island and for ten years he did not see a single pe rson. To his surprise one day  a gorgeous blonde with scuba gear came showed up on the beach and started tickling his long beard. - Hmmm, honey, how long has it been since you smoked a cigarette? – she asked. - Ten years already – he answered. She unzipped the pocket on the left sleeve of he r neoprene and took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He lit one, inhaled slowly and heaved a sigh: - I was dying for a smoke. It is fantastic! When he finished smoking, she asked him: - How long has it been since you had a drink of  whisky? - Ten years already – he answered. Then she slowly unbuttoned her right neoprene pocket  and took out a small bottle o f whisky. - Oh my god, it’s just marvellous! – said the man after  he drank half the bottle. – I had forgotten how good it tastes. Then the blonde started to slowly unzip her neopre ne and temptingly purred: - And how long has it been since you had, you know…

Golf Jokes

 fun? The man could not believe how lucky he was: - Oh, God, don’t tell me you brought gol f clubs!

Ivan and Peter went golfing one Saturday afternoon, but  Ivan had a specific order from his wife to return before 4 o’clock, because he had to take her shopping. He did not  come home at four, then five, six o’clock and in the end

Sofia In Your Po cket

sofia inyourpo cket com

sofia.inyourpocket.com

April - June 2009

56

golF

57

Golf in Bulgari Bulgaria a

showed up at seven. - Where the hell were you? – the wife yell ed. - Something terrible happened, dear - answered Ivan. – On the first hole Peter received a heart attack and died on the spot. The wife felt guilty and said: - Oh my god, that’s just  terrible! - Tell me about it! For the rest of the game I had to hit  the ball and then drag Peter along!

Contrary to the popular Bulgarian belief, golf is not just a small, trustworthy car from Germany, but one of the worlds most popular contemporary sports, from Scotland. For  years, Bulgarians saw neatly dressed folks, hitting the white balls around lush meadows only in the movies. There were a few of them, who actually enjoyed golf, but only abroad and with the unfortunate possibility to be ostracized as  filthy rich elitists. It was in the hungry, crisis times of the early nineties, when golf entered the lo cal media, with the  first ever project for a course in Bul garia by the Japanese business woman Masako Oya. Unfortunately, there are  just few unfinished country houses lef t on the building site today, haunted by disputes, as the land i s still not used, or  returned to its owners. The birthday of golfing in Bul garia is July 10th 2000, when the first 18-hole course Air Sofia opens in Ihtiman. There are three more functioning courses, the St. Sofia Golf Club in the village of Ravno Pole near Sofia, the second Air Sofia course in the town of Sliven and the luxurious BlackSeaRama near  Balchik to the north of Varna. A lot of planning and investment has already gone into several new courses, which will open in the near future. It appears that Bulgaria can be a desired golfing destinati on and this sport has a great  potential for development. But why is golf so big? It is an individual and recreational sport, practised in a calm, green environment. It combines pure dexterity with the primordial human desire to hit things with a club and although it looks boring, can be as entertai ning and exciting as sky diving. You don’t need to be an athlete to play  golf, as even walking can be evaded by riding those fancy  little carts. Going furthe r, golfing has a lot more to it, than putting the ball in the hole. The socializing oppor tunities of  this game can be of significant value, because business contacts are easily made while playing the game and dining  in the relaxing atmosphere of the golf club house. Maybe Bulgaria’s most anticipated golf course is Thracian Cliffs to the north of Varna. Designed by Gary Player and located directly at the northern Bulgarian Black sea coast  right at the edge of the cliffs facing towards Cape Kaliakra. Finally we in Europe will become our own Pebble Beach.

A man got stranded on a desert island and for ten years he did not see a single pe rson. To his surprise one day  a gorgeous blonde with scuba gear came showed up on the beach and started tickling his long beard. - Hmmm, honey, how long has it been since you smoked a cigarette? – she asked. - Ten years already – he answered. She unzipped the pocket on the left sleeve of he r neoprene and took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He lit one, inhaled slowly and heaved a sigh: - I was dying for a smoke. It is fantastic! When he finished smoking, she asked him: - How long has it been since you had a drink of  whisky? - Ten years already – he answered. Then she slowly unbuttoned her right neoprene pocket  and took out a small bottle o f whisky. - Oh my god, it’s just marvellous! – said the man after  he drank half the bottle. – I had forgotten how good it tastes. Then the blonde started to slowly unzip her neopre ne and temptingly purred: - And how long has it been since you had, you know…

Golf Jokes

 fun? The man could not believe how lucky he was: - Oh, God, don’t tell me you brought gol f clubs!

Ivan and Peter went golfing one Saturday afternoon, but  Ivan had a specific order from his wife to return before 4 o’clock, because he had to take her shopping. He did not  come home at four, then five, six o’clock and in the end

Sofia In Your Po cket

58

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

getting around Relax. There seem to be more signs, written in English language on major roads, and there are more and more Bulgarians, who feel confident to talk “English”. After all, they  have been watching American subbed movies for years, and even some gas-pumping people have university degrees. The more you get stuck in traffic jams and the harder it is to park, then you must be in the city centre.

Airlines Aeroflot B-5, ul. Zlaten Rog 22 fl.1 office 2B, tel. +359 2 962 10 01, fax +359 2 962 55 66, [email protected], www.aeroflot.ru. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00, Fri 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Aerosvit A-3, bul. Maria Luiza 9-11, fl. 2, tel. +359 2 980 78 80, [email protected], www.aerosvit.com. QOpen 09:30 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Air France B-3, ul. Frityof Nansen 9, 3d floor, tel. +359 2 939 70 10, fax +359 2 939 70 35, mail.sofia@ airfrance.fr, www.airfrance.com.QOpen 09:00 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Alitalia C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 5, tel. +359 2 981 67 02/+359 2 980 69 30, fax +359 2 981 67 04, [email protected], www.alitalia.com.QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Austrian Airlines G-7, ul. Zlaten rog 12, tel. +359 2 806 00 00, fax +359 2 962 42 40, sofia.office@aua. com, www.austrianairlines.bg.Sofia www.austrianairlines.bg. Sofia Airport G-9, tel. 937  31 33. Open 07:00-18:00 QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Crossword getting Domestic train schedule Fr om Sof ia Dep. Arr. 06:30 07:20 13:45 16:00 22:40 06:30 06:38 07:20 08:30 10:40 13:45 14:15 15:30 16:30 16:55 17:30 1 8 :3 5 19:10 22:40 07:05 09:55 10:40 13:25 22:20 23:35

Destination

12:27   14:00 20:52 22:14 06:02 08:27   09:40 09:27   10:48 13:04 1 6 :0 5 17:16 17:29 18:29 20:20 19:52 20:50 21:10 01:10 14:14 1 8 :0 5 19:18 21:18 08:00 07:50

Burgas Burgas Burgas Burgas Burgas Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Varna Varna Varna Varna Varna Varna

To Sof ia Dep. Arr. 05:30 06:55 14:20 15:40 22:15 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 10:33 11:45 12:00 

13:00 14:10 15:40 17:25 18:10 19:40 20:21 07:55 09:20 10:55 12:40 21:40 22:30

11:40 14:20 21:15 2 1 : 55 05:35 08:37   10:09 09:18 10:20 12:56 14:20 21:55 15:34 17:30 18:17   20:30 20:46 21 : 5 5 22:43 15:12 18:17   19:03 20:40 07:35 06:32

For further information call tel. +359 2 932 42 80/  +359 2 931 11 11 or visit www.bgrazpisanie.com *In Your Pocket is not responsible for changes.

British Airways C-2, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 49, tel. +359 2 954 70 00, fax +359 2 954 80 00, [email protected], www.ba.com. Sofia Airport G-9, tel. 937 31 11. Op en 09:0017:00 QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

olympicair-bg.com, www.olympicairlines.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Bulgaria Air D-2, ul. Ivan Vazov 2, tel. +359 2 402 04

Turkish Airlines B-3, ul. Saborna 11A, tel. +359 2 988

06, fax +359 2 986 24 88, [email protected], www.air. bg. Sofia Airport G-9, tel. 937 33 70. QOpen 08:30 - 18:00, Sat 08:30 - 14:00. Closed Sun.

35 96, fax +359 2 980 41 51, [email protected], www.thy.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Czech Airlines B-3, ul. Serdika 22, tel. +359 2 981 54 08, fax +359 2 981 13 86, ticketing.sof@czechairlines. com, www.czechairlines.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

LOT Polish Airlines B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 27A, tel. +359 2 987 45 62, fax +359 2 980 32 93, [email protected], www.lot.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Lufthansa B-3, Platinium Business Center, ul. Bacho Kiro 26-30, tel. +359 2 930 42 42, fax +359 2 981 29 11, [email protected], www.lufthansa.com. Sofia Airport G-9. tel. 937 31 41. Open 05:00-20:00 Q Open 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

International train schedule From Sof ia Dep. Arr. 07:01 17:05 07:45 19:30 11:55 21:20 19:10

12:54 2 2: 5 2 17:19 05:44 19:18 04:48 08:19

Destination THESSALONICA THESSALONICA BUCHAREST BUCHAREST BELGRADE BELGRADE ISTANBUL

To Sof ia Dep. Arr. 17:34 23:49 12:16 20:04 07:50 21:15 22:00

23 : 2 5 06:30 21:33 06:00 17:40 07:15 10:50

For further information call tel. 987 07 77 

Malev Hungarian Airlines C-3, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 19, tel. +359 2 981 50 91, fax +359 2 981 50 96, [email protected], www.malev.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Olympic Airlines B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 55, tel. +359 2 981 45 45, fax +359 2 980 10 50, sofia@

Sofia In Your Po cket

April - June 2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

Airport  Sofia International Airport (Letishte Sofia) G-9, bul. Christopher Columbus 1, tel. +359 2 937 22 11/+359 2 937 22 12, [email protected], www. sofia-airport.bg.Located sofia-airport.bg. Located 10km east of the city cen tre, Sofia Airport consists of two terminals, the grotty Terminal 1 and

sofia inyourpo cket com

the recently opened Terminal 2. Aeroflot, Alitalia, Air France, Austrian, Bulgaria Air, British Airways, Lufthansa etc. fly from Terminal 2 and the low-cost companies EasyJet, Sky Europe, Wizzair, My air, etc. fly from Terminal 1, so double-che ck which terminal you need before setting out (the terminals are not  within walking distance of each other). Both terminals have  free Wi-Fi hot spot zone, limited eating and drinking facilities, souvenir shop on Terminal 1 and souvenirs, leather goods, electroni cs, fashion, optics and tobacco shops on Terminal 2, as well as business class lounge at the Departure hall. To get to the airport from the city centre, a properly metered taxi shouldn’t cost more than 16Lv (€8). Otherwise, head for  Orlov Most (C-3) an d take bus No 84 to Terminal 1, or No 284 to Terminal 2. Tickets cost 1Lv, as well as each bulky piece of luggage. Q PAULGKW

Arriving in Sofia By plane ZSofia International Airport(Letishte Airport(Letishte Sofia), 10km east of  the city centre , is divided into two terminals - the aging Terminal 1 and the recently opened Terminal 2. The arrivals halls at both terminals boast cafés, car-hire and taxi counters, information desk, ATMs and exchange bureaux (although beware that rates here are not particularly generous, so it’s best to only change enough cash for immediate survival). Getting to town: avoid the taxi touts, thronging the arrivals halls and head instead for the of ficial ranks of yellow taxis parked outsid e (OK Supertrans and Taxi S Express). The fare into town shouldn’t cost more than 16Lv (E8). Alternatively, you can catch the bus - No 84 from Terminal 1 or No 284 from Terminal 2. Both run to Orlov Most (C-5) on the eastern fringes of the city centre, departing roughly  every 10-15 minutes between 05:00 and 23:00. Tickets cost 1Lv from the kiosks beside the bus stop, or from the driver. You also have to buy a separate ticket for each bulky  piece of luggage; otherwise, you run the risk of being fined by ticket inspectors. By train Sofia’s Central Station (Tsentralna gara), open 05:00 - 24:00, is an unwelcoming concrete hangar 20-minute walk north of the city centre. Facilities include left-luggage, money exchange kiosks, ATMs, bars and fast-food outlets. Beware of pickpockets who hang around the station and the adjoining underpass. There are coin-operated left-luggage lockers in the basement (2Lv for 24hrs), and a lef t-luggage office (garderob) just off the eastern side of the main ticket  hall (open 06:00 - 23:00; 2Lv per item). Cheapest way of getting to town is to hop on tram No 1 or 7  (buy ticke t from kiosks or from the driver - 1 Lv) from opposite the station forecourt - head for the subterranean underpass to find the platform. Either of these will take you to pl. Sveta Nedelya, well placed for central Sofia’s amenities - get off  when you see the Sheraton Hotel looming up on your left. The taxi drivers hovering outside the station are an unpredictable bunch; check that their meters are switched on or agree a flat fare before setting off; otherwise walk 200 metres east to the bus station (see below) where the taxi  firms are more reputable. By busMost busMost international and domestic buses arrive at the spanking new Central Bus Station (Tsentralna Avtogara), 200m east of the Central Railway Station. Compared to other  points of arrival, the bus station is comfortingly civilized, with clean toilets, plenty of shops and cafés, a pharmacy, and an ATM. There is a 24-hour lef t-luggage office (2-3Lv depending  on size of bag) in the main ticket hall. To get into the centre of town from here, stroll either south down bul. Mariya Luiza (15-20 min), or walk 200m west to

sofia.inyourpocket.com

around

pick up tram No 1 or 7 outside the train station (see above). There is a taxi booking office just beside the main exit. Some international buses arrive at the Trafik-Market terminal mid-way between the main train and bus stations. As this is nothing more than a parking lot bordered by ticket offices and café kiosks, you’ll have to walk to the main stations on either side to find any facilities. By car Regardless of your point of entry, you deserve plaudits for  being so brave. The first thing you need to do is reduce your  speed to avoid the many police che cks on incoming roads. Follow the lead of other cars (not the ones who overtake and temporarily drive on the wrong side of the road) and get  patiently in line should you encounter a traf fic jam, which are unfortunately becoming more and more frequent, especially  during rush hour. Parking can be dif ficult to find in the city, and you should be aware that the blue zones cost 1Lv per hour. Failure to pay can lead to clamping and your car being towed away after 2 hours. Parking vouchers are sold on the spot by  parking attendants or you can just send SMS to 1302 with your registration number (for Bulgarian and transit lic ense plate numbers), and you will be notified when the time is up, giving you the chance to pay for the next hour.

Buses Central Bus Station (T (Tsentralna sentralna avtogara) F-7, bul. Maria Luiza 100, tel. +359 0 900 21000/+359 2 18 68, fax +359 2 813 31 44, www.centralnaavtogara.bg. Opened in 2004, Sofia’s sparkly glass-fronte d bus terminal is everything that the train station fails to be: bright, clean, and well furnished with toilets, cafes, and nappy-changing areas so delightful that we almost wish we still wore them. Finding out  where to buy a ticket can be a bit of a hassle: a main ticket  counter handles most serv ices, but there are over 40 smaller  sales desks serving indivi dual bus companies - some of these offer a wide range of popular destinations in Bulgaria and abroad, while others operate a once-in-a-blue-moon service to Outer Mongolia and precious little else. An information desk near the entrance may direct you to the ticket desk you require, but only if the staff are in a good mood. There are plenty of companies here offering offering direct services to European cities: doing international trips by bus is usually faster and more comfortable than by train. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00.

Ovcha kupel G-6, bul. Ovcha kupel 1, tel. +359 2 955 53 62. Several domestic services to destinations south of Sofia (such as Dupnitsa, Rila Monastery and Melnik) leave from Ovcha kupel bus station, 5km southwest of the centre. To get there take tram No. 5 from ul. Alabin or tram No. 19 from the Central Station. QOpen 06:30 - 18:30. Trafik-Market F-7, bul. Maria Luiza, tel. +359 2 981 29 79. Many international bus services (including  plenty to Macedonia and Greece) leave from this parking  lot immediately to the west of the Central Bus Station. There’s a timetable board detailing departures, a confusion of kiosks selling tickets for individual services, and plenty of shops and cafés. There aren’t any other facilities on offer here, but as you’re only a stone’s throw away from the train and bus stations, this shouldn’t be a hardship. Yug G-8, bul. Dragan Tsankov 23, tel. +359 2 872 23 45. This hard-to-find bus station hidden beneath a road bridge is the place to catch buses to the town of Samokov southeast  of Sofia, which is in turn the main jumping-off point for the ski resort of Borovets. To reach the bus stati on take tram No.18

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getting around Relax. There seem to be more signs, written in English language on major roads, and there are more and more Bulgarians, who feel confident to talk “English”. After all, they  have been watching American subbed movies for years, and even some gas-pumping people have university degrees. The more you get stuck in traffic jams and the harder it is to park, then you must be in the city centre.

Airlines Aeroflot B-5, ul. Zlaten Rog 22 fl.1 office 2B, tel. +359 2 962 10 01, fax +359 2 962 55 66, [email protected], www.aeroflot.ru. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00, Fri 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Aerosvit A-3, bul. Maria Luiza 9-11, fl. 2, tel. +359 2 980 78 80, [email protected], www.aerosvit.com. QOpen 09:30 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Air France B-3, ul. Frityof Nansen 9, 3d floor, tel. +359 2 939 70 10, fax +359 2 939 70 35, mail.sofia@ airfrance.fr, www.airfrance.com.QOpen 09:00 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Alitalia C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 5, tel. +359 2 981 67 02/+359 2 980 69 30, fax +359 2 981 67 04, [email protected], www.alitalia.com.QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Austrian Airlines G-7, ul. Zlaten rog 12, tel. +359 2 806 00 00, fax +359 2 962 42 40, sofia.office@aua. com, www.austrianairlines.bg.Sofia www.austrianairlines.bg. Sofia Airport G-9, tel. 937  31 33. Open 07:00-18:00 QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Crossword getting Domestic train schedule Fr om Sof ia Dep. Arr. 06:30 07:20 13:45 16:00 22:40 06:30 06:38 07:20 08:30 10:40 13:45 14:15 15:30 16:30 16:55 17:30 1 8 :3 5 19:10 22:40 07:05 09:55 10:40 13:25 22:20 23:35

Destination

12:27   14:00 20:52 22:14 06:02 08:27   09:40 09:27   10:48 13:04 1 6 :0 5 17:16 17:29 18:29 20:20 19:52 20:50 21:10 01:10 14:14 1 8 :0 5 19:18 21:18 08:00 07:50

Burgas Burgas Burgas Burgas Burgas Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv Varna Varna Varna Varna Varna Varna

To Sof ia Dep. Arr. 05:30 06:55 14:20 15:40 22:15 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 10:33 11:45 12:00 

13:00 14:10 15:40 17:25 18:10 19:40 20:21 07:55 09:20 10:55 12:40 21:40 22:30

11:40 14:20 21:15 2 1 : 55 05:35 08:37   10:09 09:18 10:20 12:56 14:20 21:55 15:34 17:30 18:17   20:30 20:46 21 : 5 5 22:43 15:12 18:17   19:03 20:40 07:35 06:32

For further information call tel. +359 2 932 42 80/  +359 2 931 11 11 or visit www.bgrazpisanie.com *In Your Pocket is not responsible for changes.

British Airways C-2, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 49, tel. +359 2 954 70 00, fax +359 2 954 80 00, [email protected], www.ba.com. Sofia Airport G-9, tel. 937 31 11. Op en 09:0017:00 QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

olympicair-bg.com, www.olympicairlines.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Bulgaria Air D-2, ul. Ivan Vazov 2, tel. +359 2 402 04

Turkish Airlines B-3, ul. Saborna 11A, tel. +359 2 988

06, fax +359 2 986 24 88, [email protected], www.air. bg. Sofia Airport G-9, tel. 937 33 70. QOpen 08:30 - 18:00, Sat 08:30 - 14:00. Closed Sun.

35 96, fax +359 2 980 41 51, [email protected], www.thy.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Czech Airlines B-3, ul. Serdika 22, tel. +359 2 981 54 08, fax +359 2 981 13 86, ticketing.sof@czechairlines. com, www.czechairlines.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

LOT Polish Airlines B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 27A, tel. +359 2 987 45 62, fax +359 2 980 32 93, [email protected], www.lot.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Lufthansa B-3, Platinium Business Center, ul. Bacho Kiro 26-30, tel. +359 2 930 42 42, fax +359 2 981 29 11, [email protected], www.lufthansa.com. Sofia Airport G-9. tel. 937 31 41. Open 05:00-20:00 Q Open 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

International train schedule From Sof ia Dep. Arr. 07:01 17:05 07:45 19:30 11:55 21:20 19:10

12:54 2 2: 5 2 17:19 05:44 19:18 04:48 08:19

Destination THESSALONICA THESSALONICA BUCHAREST BUCHAREST BELGRADE BELGRADE ISTANBUL

To Sof ia Dep. Arr. 17:34 23:49 12:16 20:04 07:50 21:15 22:00

23 : 2 5 06:30 21:33 06:00 17:40 07:15 10:50

For further information call tel. 987 07 77 

Malev Hungarian Airlines C-3, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 19, tel. +359 2 981 50 91, fax +359 2 981 50 96, [email protected], www.malev.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Olympic Airlines B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 55, tel. +359 2 981 45 45, fax +359 2 980 10 50, sofia@

Airport  Sofia International Airport (Letishte Sofia) G-9, bul. Christopher Columbus 1, tel. +359 2 937 22 11/+359 2 937 22 12, [email protected], www. sofia-airport.bg.Located sofia-airport.bg. Located 10km east of the city cen tre, Sofia Airport consists of two terminals, the grotty Terminal 1 and

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the recently opened Terminal 2. Aeroflot, Alitalia, Air France, Austrian, Bulgaria Air, British Airways, Lufthansa etc. fly from Terminal 2 and the low-cost companies EasyJet, Sky Europe, Wizzair, My air, etc. fly from Terminal 1, so double-che ck which terminal you need before setting out (the terminals are not  within walking distance of each other). Both terminals have  free Wi-Fi hot spot zone, limited eating and drinking facilities, souvenir shop on Terminal 1 and souvenirs, leather goods, electroni cs, fashion, optics and tobacco shops on Terminal 2, as well as business class lounge at the Departure hall. To get to the airport from the city centre, a properly metered taxi shouldn’t cost more than 16Lv (€8). Otherwise, head for  Orlov Most (C-3) an d take bus No 84 to Terminal 1, or No 284 to Terminal 2. Tickets cost 1Lv, as well as each bulky piece of luggage. Q PAULGKW

Arriving in Sofia By plane ZSofia International Airport(Letishte Airport(Letishte Sofia), 10km east of  the city centre , is divided into two terminals - the aging Terminal 1 and the recently opened Terminal 2. The arrivals halls at both terminals boast cafés, car-hire and taxi counters, information desk, ATMs and exchange bureaux (although beware that rates here are not particularly generous, so it’s best to only change enough cash for immediate survival). Getting to town: avoid the taxi touts, thronging the arrivals halls and head instead for the of ficial ranks of yellow taxis parked outsid e (OK Supertrans and Taxi S Express). The fare into town shouldn’t cost more than 16Lv (E8). Alternatively, you can catch the bus - No 84 from Terminal 1 or No 284 from Terminal 2. Both run to Orlov Most (C-5) on the eastern fringes of the city centre, departing roughly  every 10-15 minutes between 05:00 and 23:00. Tickets cost 1Lv from the kiosks beside the bus stop, or from the driver. You also have to buy a separate ticket for each bulky  piece of luggage; otherwise, you run the risk of being fined by ticket inspectors. By train Sofia’s Central Station (Tsentralna gara), open 05:00 - 24:00, is an unwelcoming concrete hangar 20-minute walk north of the city centre. Facilities include left-luggage, money exchange kiosks, ATMs, bars and fast-food outlets. Beware of pickpockets who hang around the station and the adjoining underpass. There are coin-operated left-luggage lockers in the basement (2Lv for 24hrs), and a lef t-luggage office (garderob) just off the eastern side of the main ticket  hall (open 06:00 - 23:00; 2Lv per item). Cheapest way of getting to town is to hop on tram No 1 or 7  (buy ticke t from kiosks or from the driver - 1 Lv) from opposite the station forecourt - head for the subterranean underpass to find the platform. Either of these will take you to pl. Sveta Nedelya, well placed for central Sofia’s amenities - get off  when you see the Sheraton Hotel looming up on your left. The taxi drivers hovering outside the station are an unpredictable bunch; check that their meters are switched on or agree a flat fare before setting off; otherwise walk 200 metres east to the bus station (see below) where the taxi  firms are more reputable. By busMost busMost international and domestic buses arrive at the spanking new Central Bus Station (Tsentralna Avtogara), 200m east of the Central Railway Station. Compared to other  points of arrival, the bus station is comfortingly civilized, with clean toilets, plenty of shops and cafés, a pharmacy, and an ATM. There is a 24-hour lef t-luggage office (2-3Lv depending  on size of bag) in the main ticket hall. To get into the centre of town from here, stroll either south down bul. Mariya Luiza (15-20 min), or walk 200m west to

Car rental Avis F-6, ul. Orion 84, tel. +359 2 826 11 00, fax +359 2 827 30 57, [email protected], www.avis.bg. Sofia Airport, Terminal 2 G-9, tel.945 92 24. Open 09:00 - 21:00. Q Open 09:00 - 18:00. Best Rent and Travel B-5, ul. Shipka 24, tel. +359 884 797 108, [email protected], www. bestrentacarbg.com. Bring this issue of Varna In Your  Pocket with you and you will get 10% discount, especially for  our readers. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. A  CarRent G-9, bul. Iskarsko shose 13, tel. +359 2 960 14 08/+359 888 221 600, fax +359 +359 2 960 14 46, [email protected], www.carrent. bg. Free delivery/collection 24hours/day, 7days/week. Car Rental Bulgaria H-9, bul. Tsarigradsko shose 62, tel. +359 2 974 36 63/+359 889 993 663, fax +359 2 974 18 81, [email protected], www.carrental.bg. Q Open 09:00 - 18:00.

City Rent H-8, Business Park Sofia, building 8C, tel. +359 2 489 82 08/+359 889 218 080, fax +359 2 489 82 09, [email protected], www.cityrentbg.com. Q Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. A  Europcar B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 20b, tel. +359 2 981 46 26, fax +359 2 980 85 78, [email protected], reservations@europcar. bg, www.europcar.com. Sofia Airport, Arrivals hall G-9, Terminal 1, tel. 945 92 83. Terminal 2, tel. 945 92 66. Free delivery / collection, 7  days / week. Hot line 0884 816 666. Open 09:00-21:00. Hertz G-7, bul. Nikola Vaptsarov 53, Seat showroom, tel. +359 2 439 12 22, fax +359 2 439 12 25, [email protected], www.hertz.bg. Sofia Airport, Arrivals hall G-9, tel. 945 92 17. Open 08:30 - 23:00. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.

Hire My Car G-6, ul.Pirinski prohod 23, tel. +359 2 955 92 55/+359 888 55 92 55, fax +359 +359 2 955 61 22, [email protected], www. hiremycarbg.com. Q Open 09:00 - 18:00. Miama rent-a-car G-6, ul. Aleksandar Pushkin 38, tel. +359 889 602 060/+359 888 778 866, [email protected], www. miama-rentacar.com. L u x u r y r e n t - a - c a r s e r v i c e . National G-9, Sofia International Airport, Terminal 2, tel. +359 2 937 35 94/+359 888 706 264, fax +359 2 945 92 09, [email protected], www.nationalcar-bg.com. The have second office on ul. Poruchik Georgi Kuymuyrdzhiev 22, et. 2, tel. 00359

Sofia In Your Po cket

By car Regardless of your point of entry, you deserve plaudits for  being so brave. The first thing you need to do is reduce your  speed to avoid the many police che cks on incoming roads. Follow the lead of other cars (not the ones who overtake and temporarily drive on the wrong side of the road) and get  patiently in line should you encounter a traf fic jam, which are unfortunately becoming more and more frequent, especially  during rush hour. Parking can be dif ficult to find in the city, and you should be aware that the blue zones cost 1Lv per hour. Failure to pay can lead to clamping and your car being towed away after 2 hours. Parking vouchers are sold on the spot by  parking attendants or you can just send SMS to 1302 with your registration number (for Bulgarian and transit lic ense plate numbers), and you will be notified when the time is up, giving you the chance to pay for the next hour.

Buses Central Bus Station (T (Tsentralna sentralna avtogara) F-7, bul. Maria Luiza 100, tel. +359 0 900 21000/+359 2 18 68, fax +359 2 813 31 44, www.centralnaavtogara.bg. Opened in 2004, Sofia’s sparkly glass-fronte d bus terminal is everything that the train station fails to be: bright, clean, and well furnished with toilets, cafes, and nappy-changing areas so delightful that we almost wish we still wore them. Finding out  where to buy a ticket can be a bit of a hassle: a main ticket  counter handles most serv ices, but there are over 40 smaller  sales desks serving indivi dual bus companies - some of these offer a wide range of popular destinations in Bulgaria and abroad, while others operate a once-in-a-blue-moon service to Outer Mongolia and precious little else. An information desk near the entrance may direct you to the ticket desk you require, but only if the staff are in a good mood. There are plenty of companies here offering offering direct services to European cities: doing international trips by bus is usually faster and more comfortable than by train. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00.

Ovcha kupel G-6, bul. Ovcha kupel 1, tel. +359 2 955 53 62. Several domestic services to destinations south of Sofia (such as Dupnitsa, Rila Monastery and Melnik) leave from Ovcha kupel bus station, 5km southwest of the centre. To get there take tram No. 5 from ul. Alabin or tram No. 19 from the Central Station. QOpen 06:30 - 18:30. Trafik-Market F-7, bul. Maria Luiza, tel. +359 2 981 29 79. Many international bus services (including  plenty to Macedonia and Greece) leave from this parking  lot immediately to the west of the Central Bus Station. There’s a timetable board detailing departures, a confusion of kiosks selling tickets for individual services, and plenty of shops and cafés. There aren’t any other facilities on offer here, but as you’re only a stone’s throw away from the train and bus stations, this shouldn’t be a hardship. Yug G-8, bul. Dragan Tsankov 23, tel. +359 2 872 23 45. This hard-to-find bus station hidden beneath a road bridge is the place to catch buses to the town of Samokov southeast  of Sofia, which is in turn the main jumping-off point for the ski resort of Borovets. To reach the bus stati on take tram No.18

July - September  2009

Crossword getting 2 946 43 72, 439 09 50. Bring this issue of Sofia In Your  Pocket and you will get 6% discount, just for our readers. Tany 97 G-8, ul. Anton Chehov 69, te l. +359 2 970 85 00, [email protected], www.tany97.com.Sofia www.tany97.com.Sofia Airport, Arri vals hall G-9, tel. 0889 998998. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Thrifty Car Rental F-8, ul. Kozloduy 4, tel. +359 2 931 60 00/+359 887 503 030, fax +359 2 931 60 09, [email protected] 09:00 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun. Top rent-a-car C-3, bul. Vasil Levski 41, tel. +359 2 981 53 81/+359 81/+359 888 333 548, office@toprentacar. office@toprentacar. bg, www.toprentacarbg.com.

Car repairs Dunev Motor Sport G-8, ul. Nikola Gabrovski 100, tel. +359 2 962 45 38, fax +359 2 962 08 52, dms@dir. bg. First-class service with English-speaking staff. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun.

Public transport  Public transport Sofia is amply covered by an interlocking network of trams, buses and trolleybuses, with services running from about  05:00 to 23:30. Despite some new additions to the fleet, however, however, vehicles tend to be antiquated, filthy, overcrowded and above all slow: it can take half a lifetime to cross the city   from one side to the other. An additional problem is posed by the lack of information concerning routes - while bus and tram stops in the city centre are marked with numbers of  services and details (in Cyrillic) of destinations served, those in the suburbs are invariably rusty old shacks bearing no information whatsoever. Your only hope is to buy a decent  city map with tram and bus lines marked on it - then study  it for as many months as it takes to learn them all by heart. From May 2009 there are 3 new bus lines which are almost  non-stop and stop at the bus stops every one hour during  the night. Bus 605A (from Druzhba 2 to Obelya Autostation) runs from 01:09 to 23:59, bus 606B (from Lyulin 3 to Mladost  4) runs from 01:13 to 00:03 and bus 607C (from Levski G to Ovcha kupel 2) runs from 01:26 to 00:16. Single-jour ney tickets cost 1Lv and can be bought from street  kiosks or from the driver. Once on board each ticket must  be validated by punching it in one of the primitive pronged machines positioned near the doors of the vehicle. A strip (talon) of 10 tickets costs 7.50Lv but take care to use them in sequence - tickets numbered 1 to 9 are not valid unless you’ve still got the tenth one in your possession. Officially, you’re supposed to punch an extra ticket for each large item of baggage, but in practice this is rarely enforced - except  on buses to and from the airport. Inspections are frequent  and there are spot-fines for fare-dodgers - officially 10Lv, although unscrupulous inspectors delight in making foreigners pay more. Passes valid for one day (karta za edin den - 4Lv), or one month for one line(karta za edin mesets za edna linia - 23Lv), are also available - but they can only be bought from kiosks at major stops, not from the driver. Minibus Several popular cross-town routes are operated by privately  owned minibuses (marshrutki). Rather than being limited to specific stops, they can be hailed at any point along their  route, and will drop passengers off on request. There aren’t  any tickets: simply jump in, press yourself into an available corner, and pass 1.50Lv forward towards the driver. Many people prefer marshrutki to regular buses because of their speed and convenience; others are turned off by  the tendency of drivers to pack passengers in like sardines and then career around the city like crazed drag racers. If  you’re in any way prone to travel sickness, don’t forget to

sofia inyourpo cket com

around

Flight schedule From Sof ia Days 1-34567 -2----1-3-5-7 1234567 123456 1-3-567 1-3-567 1234567 1234567 123-5-12345-1-----1-3-5-7 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567

Dep.

Arr.

07:00 07:45 1 2: 3 0 06:00 16:10 08:10 16 :3 0 10:50 17:40 14:35 12:20 19:45 11:00 06:25 18:30 08:00 13:20 11:25 15:15

09:00 09:45 14:15 16:15 16 : 2 5 09:30 17:55 1 1 : 55 18:50 16:20 13:40 21:05 12:10 07:35 19:40 10:00 14:15 12:05 16:00

Destination

To Sof ia Days

Dep.

Arr.

Amsterdam FB Amsterdam FB Athens FB Budapest FB Budapest FB Berlin FB Berlin FB Istanbul TK Istanbul TK London FB London EJ London EJ Milan WA Milan AZ Milan AZ Paris FB Rome AZ Vienna OZ Vienna OZ

1234567 1234567 1-----1234567 1-34-567 ---4-6-----6123------45--2----12345-7 1-----1-3-5-7 1-3-5-------7 1234567 1234561234567 1234567

10:40 10:40 09:00 1 3 :0 5 23:20 10:10 13:50 08:30 17:10 0 8 : 55 06:30 13: 5 5 12:40 15:05 15:45 11:40 10:30 10:45 13:45

14:10 14:10 10:15 15:25 01:40 1 3 : 20 17:00 09:45 1 8: 2 5 14:00 11:40 19:05 15:40 18:05 18:45 15:25 13:40 1 3 : 20 16 : 2 5

Airlines codes: AF AF - Air France, AZ - Alitalia , BA - British Airways, DU - Hemus Air, FB - Bulgaria Air, LH - Lufthansa, LO - Lot  Polish Airlines, MA - Malev Hungarian Airlines , OA - Olympic Airways, OS - Austrian Airlines, OK - Czech Airlines, RO - Tarom Romanian Airlines, TK - Turkish Airlines For further information call tel. 937 22 11, 937 22 12.

Bus schedule To Burgas 07:00, 08:00, 08:30, 10:00, 10:20, 11:00, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 15:30, 16:15, 16:45, 17:00, 22:00, 22:15, 00:00. To Bansko 07:00, 09:20, 10:30, 11:50, 12:30, 13:05, 13:55, 14:40, 15:10, 16:20, 17:30. To Plovdiv – there are buses to Plovdiv at almost every half an hour from 07:00 to 00:00 To Ruse 06:15, 07:00, 08:00, 08:30, 10:30, 12:00, 12:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 18:30, 22:00 To Varna – there are buses to Varna at almost every half an hour from 06:30 to 00:30 To Veliko Tarnovo – almost every bus going to Varna has a 15 minutes pause in Veliko Tarnovo For further information call tel. +359 0 900 210 00, +359 18 68 or visit www.centralnaavtogara.bg  * In Your Pocket is not responsible for changes.

Taxi companies OK Supertrans tel.+359 2 973 21 21, for mobile 1TAXI, www.oktaxi.net. Taxi S Express tel.+359 2 9 12 80, for mobile 1280,

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pick up tram No 1 or 7 outside the train station (see above). There is a taxi booking office just beside the main exit. Some international buses arrive at the Trafik-Market terminal mid-way between the main train and bus stations. As this is nothing more than a parking lot bordered by ticket offices and café kiosks, you’ll have to walk to the main stations on either side to find any facilities.

sofia.inyourpocket.com

getting around to the Hotel Moskva and walk the remaining 400m down Dragan Tsankov. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00.

around

www.taxi91280.net/. Radio CV Taxi tel. +359 2 9 12 63,for mobile 12 63 Ricars Taxi tel.+359 2 9 11 14.

July - September  2009

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getting around to the Hotel Moskva and walk the remaining 400m down Dragan Tsankov. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00.

Car rental Avis F-6, ul. Orion 84, tel. +359 2 826 11 00, fax +359 2 827 30 57, [email protected], www.avis.bg. Sofia Airport, Terminal 2 G-9, tel.945 92 24. Open 09:00 - 21:00. Q Open 09:00 - 18:00. Best Rent and Travel B-5, ul. Shipka 24, tel. +359 884 797 108, [email protected], www. bestrentacarbg.com. Bring this issue of Varna In Your  Pocket with you and you will get 10% discount, especially for  our readers. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. A  CarRent G-9, bul. Iskarsko shose 13, tel. +359 2 960 14 08/+359 888 221 600, fax +359 +359 2 960 14 46, [email protected], www.carrent. bg. Free delivery/collection 24hours/day, 7days/week. Car Rental Bulgaria H-9, bul. Tsarigradsko shose 62, tel. +359 2 974 36 63/+359 889 993 663, fax +359 2 974 18 81, [email protected], www.carrental.bg. Q Open 09:00 - 18:00.

City Rent H-8, Business Park Sofia, building 8C, tel. +359 2 489 82 08/+359 889 218 080, fax +359 2 489 82 09, [email protected], www.cityrentbg.com. Q Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. A  Europcar B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 20b, tel. +359 2 981 46 26, fax +359 2 980 85 78, [email protected], reservations@europcar. bg, www.europcar.com. Sofia Airport, Arrivals hall G-9, Terminal 1, tel. 945 92 83. Terminal 2, tel. 945 92 66. Free delivery / collection, 7  days / week. Hot line 0884 816 666. Open 09:00-21:00. Hertz G-7, bul. Nikola Vaptsarov 53, Seat showroom, tel. +359 2 439 12 22, fax +359 2 439 12 25, [email protected], www.hertz.bg. Sofia Airport, Arrivals hall G-9, tel. 945 92 17. Open 08:30 - 23:00. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.

Hire My Car G-6, ul.Pirinski prohod 23, tel. +359 2 955 92 55/+359 888 55 92 55, fax +359 +359 2 955 61 22, [email protected], www. hiremycarbg.com. Q Open 09:00 - 18:00. Miama rent-a-car G-6, ul. Aleksandar Pushkin 38, tel. +359 889 602 060/+359 888 778 866, [email protected], www. miama-rentacar.com. L u x u r y r e n t - a - c a r s e r v i c e . National G-9, Sofia International Airport, Terminal 2, tel. +359 2 937 35 94/+359 888 706 264, fax +359 2 945 92 09, [email protected], www.nationalcar-bg.com. The have second office on ul. Poruchik Georgi Kuymuyrdzhiev 22, et. 2, tel. 00359

Crossword getting 2 946 43 72, 439 09 50. Bring this issue of Sofia In Your  Pocket and you will get 6% discount, just for our readers. Tany 97 G-8, ul. Anton Chehov 69, te l. +359 2 970 85 00, [email protected], www.tany97.com.Sofia www.tany97.com.Sofia Airport, Arri vals hall G-9, tel. 0889 998998. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Thrifty Car Rental F-8, ul. Kozloduy 4, tel. +359 2 931 60 00/+359 887 503 030, fax +359 2 931 60 09, [email protected] 09:00 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun. Top rent-a-car C-3, bul. Vasil Levski 41, tel. +359 2 981 53 81/+359 81/+359 888 333 548, office@toprentacar. office@toprentacar. bg, www.toprentacarbg.com.

Car repairs Dunev Motor Sport G-8, ul. Nikola Gabrovski 100, tel. +359 2 962 45 38, fax +359 2 962 08 52, dms@dir. bg. First-class service with English-speaking staff. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun.

Public transport  Public transport Sofia is amply covered by an interlocking network of trams, buses and trolleybuses, with services running from about  05:00 to 23:30. Despite some new additions to the fleet, however, however, vehicles tend to be antiquated, filthy, overcrowded and above all slow: it can take half a lifetime to cross the city   from one side to the other. An additional problem is posed by the lack of information concerning routes - while bus and tram stops in the city centre are marked with numbers of  services and details (in Cyrillic) of destinations served, those in the suburbs are invariably rusty old shacks bearing no information whatsoever. Your only hope is to buy a decent  city map with tram and bus lines marked on it - then study  it for as many months as it takes to learn them all by heart. From May 2009 there are 3 new bus lines which are almost  non-stop and stop at the bus stops every one hour during  the night. Bus 605A (from Druzhba 2 to Obelya Autostation) runs from 01:09 to 23:59, bus 606B (from Lyulin 3 to Mladost  4) runs from 01:13 to 00:03 and bus 607C (from Levski G to Ovcha kupel 2) runs from 01:26 to 00:16. Single-jour ney tickets cost 1Lv and can be bought from street  kiosks or from the driver. Once on board each ticket must  be validated by punching it in one of the primitive pronged machines positioned near the doors of the vehicle. A strip (talon) of 10 tickets costs 7.50Lv but take care to use them in sequence - tickets numbered 1 to 9 are not valid unless you’ve still got the tenth one in your possession. Officially, you’re supposed to punch an extra ticket for each large item of baggage, but in practice this is rarely enforced - except  on buses to and from the airport. Inspections are frequent  and there are spot-fines for fare-dodgers - officially 10Lv, although unscrupulous inspectors delight in making foreigners pay more. Passes valid for one day (karta za edin den - 4Lv), or one month for one line(karta za edin mesets za edna linia - 23Lv), are also available - but they can only be bought from kiosks at major stops, not from the driver. Minibus Several popular cross-town routes are operated by privately  owned minibuses (marshrutki). Rather than being limited to specific stops, they can be hailed at any point along their  route, and will drop passengers off on request. There aren’t  any tickets: simply jump in, press yourself into an available corner, and pass 1.50Lv forward towards the driver. Many people prefer marshrutki to regular buses because of their speed and convenience; others are turned off by  the tendency of drivers to pack passengers in like sardines and then career around the city like crazed drag racers. If  you’re in any way prone to travel sickness, don’t forget to

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From Sof ia Days 1-34567 -2----1-3-5-7 1234567 123456 1-3-567 1-3-567 1234567 1234567 123-5-12345-1-----1-3-5-7 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567

Dep.

Arr.

07:00 07:45 1 2: 3 0 06:00 16:10 08:10 16 :3 0 10:50 17:40 14:35 12:20 19:45 11:00 06:25 18:30 08:00 13:20 11:25 15:15

09:00 09:45 14:15 16:15 16 : 2 5 09:30 17:55 1 1 : 55 18:50 16:20 13:40 21:05 12:10 07:35 19:40 10:00 14:15 12:05 16:00

Destination

To Sof ia Days

Dep.

Arr.

Amsterdam FB Amsterdam FB Athens FB Budapest FB Budapest FB Berlin FB Berlin FB Istanbul TK Istanbul TK London FB London EJ London EJ Milan WA Milan AZ Milan AZ Paris FB Rome AZ Vienna OZ Vienna OZ

1234567 1234567 1-----1234567 1-34-567 ---4-6-----6123------45--2----12345-7 1-----1-3-5-7 1-3-5-------7 1234567 1234561234567 1234567

10:40 10:40 09:00 1 3 :0 5 23:20 10:10 13:50 08:30 17:10 0 8 : 55 06:30 13: 5 5 12:40 15:05 15:45 11:40 10:30 10:45 13:45

14:10 14:10 10:15 15:25 01:40 1 3 : 20 17:00 09:45 1 8: 2 5 14:00 11:40 19:05 15:40 18:05 18:45 15:25 13:40 1 3 : 20 16 : 2 5

Airlines codes: AF AF - Air France, AZ - Alitalia , BA - British Airways, DU - Hemus Air, FB - Bulgaria Air, LH - Lufthansa, LO - Lot  Polish Airlines, MA - Malev Hungarian Airlines , OA - Olympic Airways, OS - Austrian Airlines, OK - Czech Airlines, RO - Tarom Romanian Airlines, TK - Turkish Airlines For further information call tel. 937 22 11, 937 22 12.

Bus schedule To Burgas 07:00, 08:00, 08:30, 10:00, 10:20, 11:00, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 15:30, 16:15, 16:45, 17:00, 22:00, 22:15, 00:00. To Bansko 07:00, 09:20, 10:30, 11:50, 12:30, 13:05, 13:55, 14:40, 15:10, 16:20, 17:30. To Plovdiv – there are buses to Plovdiv at almost every half an hour from 07:00 to 00:00 To Ruse 06:15, 07:00, 08:00, 08:30, 10:30, 12:00, 12:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 18:30, 22:00 To Varna – there are buses to Varna at almost every half an hour from 06:30 to 00:30 To Veliko Tarnovo – almost every bus going to Varna has a 15 minutes pause in Veliko Tarnovo For further information call tel. +359 0 900 210 00, +359 18 68 or visit www.centralnaavtogara.bg  * In Your Pocket is not responsible for changes.

Taxi companies OK Supertrans tel.+359 2 973 21 21, for mobile 1TAXI, www.oktaxi.net. Taxi S Express tel.+359 2 9 12 80, for mobile 1280,

sofia.inyourpocket.com

Metro

One of the metro lines runs from Serdika station in the city  centre to the western suburb of Lyulin - which is great if you happen to live in Lyulin, but not much use otherwise. If you   fancy a ride just for the heck of it, tickets (1Lv) are different from those used in trams and buses, and can only be purchased from ticket counters in the und erground stations themselves. The newly opened second metro line runs from Vasil Levski Stadium to Mladost 1.For detailed information check the map at the back of the magazine.

Taxis There are over 15,000 taxis in Sofia: some of these are rusty crates driven by frustrated rally drivers; the majority  are roadworthy vehicles operated by more-or-less reputable companies. Legitimate taxis are coloured yellow and have an oval sticker on the windscreen; they also display a square sticker indicating the rates in BGN. Charges are supposed to be metered, but some drivers will switch the meter off and demand an infla ted fare if they think you’re a gullible foreigner. By law a receipt should be issued for every taxi ride you take. The charges are cheap, ranging from 0.59Lv - 0.70Lv per  kilometre. The agreeing of flat-rate fares beforehand is a common practice, even in licensed cabs, especially for destinations outside the city limits. A tip of 10-15% is common practice. Most taxis hang around at the big intersections, although you can order them by phone - just don’t expect to get through to an English-speaker (you can always ask your  hotel receptionist to do it for you). Don’t be surprised if your  driver doesn’t have a detailed knowledge of the city and asks you for directions. Few drivers speak a foreign language. You’d be well advised to stick to the taxi companies recommended below in order to keep overcharging problems to a minimum, although you’re unlikely to survive without being  ripped off at least once during your stay.

Drink&Drive , tel. +359 886 600 602,www.d rink-drivebg.com. If you wish to drink and be driven home call to phone above. They will come in 20 minutes.

Tourist information The National Tourist Information Centre B-3, pl. Sveta Nedelya 1, tel. +359 2 933 58 45, fax +359 2 989 69 39, [email protected], www.bulgariatravel.org. The Tourist Information Centre has undergone a far-reaching    facelift in the past few months, and now constitutes an inviting and altogether quite chic info-boutique, equipped with designer bar-stools for tourists to perch on while helpful staff distribute free maps or search their databases for the answers to all sorts of queries. They aren’t authorized to make hotel reservations on tourists’ tourists’ behalf, but they do distribute well-informed locally-published guides like this one. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Zig Zag Holidays B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski

Central Station(Tsentralna Station (Tsentralna gara) F-7, bul. Mariya Luiza, tel.+359 2 931 11 11 / +359 2 932 33 33 (information in Bulgarian only). English-language timetable information on www.bdz.bg. Despite recent renovation Sofia’s main train station remains a dispiritingly dingy hive, comprising two   floors of queue-clogged ticket counters, functional cafes and hole-in-the-wall shops. Brightening things up considerably is the flirty little steam engine (built by the German Henschel company in 1918) parked right in the middle of  the main ticket hall. Always allow plenty of time to buy your tickets and boar d your  train: platforms are often numbered differently to the tracks running either side of them, so you may find yourself scuttling  up and down several stairways in an effort to locate your  train. Tickets to Varna and northern Bulgaria are sold in the main ticket hall; tickets to Burgas and southern Bulgaria are sold in the basement. International ticke ts are sold by the Rila office, which is located at the end of a corridor leading off the main ticket hall to the left as you enter. Tickets can be bough t  in advance from two locations in the city centre: Transport Service Centre, Centre, in the basement shopping mall of the National Palace of Culture (NDK), tel.+359 2 932 42 80. Open Mon - Sat 07:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun, and Railway Ticket Agency Rila /international li nes/, nes/, ul. Gurko 5, tel.+359 2 987  07 77. Open Mon - Sat 07:00 - 18:30. Closed Sun.

Travel agencies Alma Tour B-3, ul. Serdika 12, tel. +359 2 805 68 00/+359 2 981 31 38, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], www. almatournet. QOpen 09:30 - 18:30, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Jamadvice Travel Ltd. G-8, ul. Asen Zlatarov 10, tel. +359 2 943 30 11, fax +359 2 946 12 61, [email protected]. International airline tickets and business travel. Lyuba Tours D-4, ul. Tsanko Tserkovski 22, tel. +359 2 963 33 43, fax +359 2 963 31 42, [email protected], www.lyubatours.com.Small-group www.lyubatours.com. Small-group weekend trips within Bulgaria to places of historical, cultural and ethnographic interest. Polytours Tsar Asen 61, tel. +359 2 981 12 22, fax +359 2 980 41 25, [email protected], www.polytours.com. QOpen 9:00 - 18.30. Closed Sat, Sun. A  Stars travel C-2, ul. Khan Asparuh 57, tel. +359 2 811 47 81/+359 888 42 57 84, fax +359 2 811 47 82, [email protected],www.starstravel.info.International www.starstravel.info.International airline tickets and business travel QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Usit Colours C-3, bul. Vasil Levski 35, tel. +359 2 981 19 00, fax +359 2 981 99 91, [email protected], www.usitcolours.bg.Specialists www.usitcolours.bg.Specialists in youth and student travel. Zig Zag Holidays B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 20V, tel. +359 2 980 51 02, fax +359 2 980 32 00, inf o@ zigzagbg.com, zigzagbg.com, www.zigzagbg.com.Bulgarian www.zigzagbg.com.Bulgarian independen t  travel specialists organizing hiking trips, B&B reservations, car rental, and tailor-made excursions into the great outdoors. ZIP Travel C-1, bul. Praga 8, tel. +359 2 917 59 30, fax +359 2 917 59 49, [email protected], ww w.ziptravel. bg. International International company specialised in student travel and training, exchange programs and low price air tickets.

20B (entrance from ul. Lavele), tel. +359 2 980 51 02, fax +359 2 980 32 00, [email protected], www. zigzagbg.com. The staff at this private travel agency specializing in individual and alternative holidays are a mine of  invaluable information - be aware however that they charge a 5Lv consultancy fee (which is deducted from the cost of  any arrangements you book through them). QOpen 08:30 - 19:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Sofia In Your Po cket

www.taxi91280.net/. Radio CV Taxi tel. +359 2 9 12 63,for mobile 12 63 Ricars Taxi tel.+359 2 9 11 14.

July - September  2009

shopping Trains

Sofia’s smartest shops - including any number of international designer outlets - jostle for attention along either  side of bul. Vitosha, the city’s main n orth-south pedestrian, trams and police only, shopping street. Mainstream clothes, domestic and electrical stores can also b e found in abundance along consumer-clogged streets like ul. Graf  Ignatiev and ul. Pirotska.

Ploshtad Slaveykov

24hr food and drink  Familia C-3, bul. Rakovski 147, tel. +359 2 980 71 05. QOpen

00:00 - 24:00.

Fantastiko B-5, bul. Madrid 8, tel. +359 2 988 65 90, www.ff-bg.net. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. Magazin 345 B-3, ul. Veslets 4, tel. +359 2 988 98 75. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. PA 

Antiques & Collectables Antikvariat Zlatorog A-4, ul. Pop Bogomil 10, tel. +359 2 983 35 08, [email protected], www.antikvariatzlatorog.com. Offering ng everything from chintzy crockery to dressing-tables, wardrobes wardrobes and hat-stands, Zlatorog is a must-visit for retro-furnishing freaks. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00, Sat 11:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.

Letostrui C-3, bul. Vasil Levski 9, tel. +359 2 988 18 81. Furniture, porcelain and other oddments. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Strash A-3, ul. Tsar Simeon 41A, tel. +359 2 983 93 08. If you collect stamps, old postcards or vintage cartoons, this is your place. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 11:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.

Viga Antiques B-3, ul. Alabin 50, tel. +359 2 980 54 07. Antiques from folk costumes to clocks. QOpen 10:30 - 19:30, Sat 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun.

Books Booktrading C-3, ul. Graf Ignatiev 50, tel. +359 2 981 04 48. One of the best of the high-street high-street bookstores, with a good selection of English, French and German paperbacks, art books, and international international guidebooks (Eyewitness, Rough Guides and more). QOpen 08:30 - 20:30, Sun 10:00 20:00. Helikon C-2, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 68, tel. +359 2 987

Ploshtad Slaveykov C-3, . This long rectangular  square is home to a hugely enjoyable book market. If your  language skills aren’t quite up to the latest in Bulgarian   fiction then you can at least browse your way through lavishly illustrated books on Bulgarian culture, or pick up the Bulgarian-English phrasebook you always pined for. QOpen 09:30 - 19:00. B-2, tel. 988 40 29, e-mail - officeeubc [email protected] QOpen 09:30 - 20:30, Sun 10:00 - 20:30. A 

Interkniga B-5, ul. Shipka 6, tel. +359 2 944 41 41/+359 899 973 966. Inside the headquarters of the Bulgarian Artists’ Union, this bookshop has lots of full-colour  art books, and some English-language paperbacks. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:30 - 16:30. Closed Sun. Zig Zag Holidays B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 20, tel. +359 2 980 51 02, [email protected], www. zigzagbg.com. This independent travel agent has a b etter  selection of maps of Bulgaria than any other shop we’ve encountered in the capital. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. A 

Clothes & Accessories 525 C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 8, tel. +359 2 980 64 10. Snazzy, locally-made clothes for the slightly off-the-wall trendsetter, trendsetter, plus lots of eccentric accoutrements. QOpen 10:30 - 19:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00.

19 19, [email protected], www.helikon.bg. Browser-friendly bookstore on three floors with a smattering of English-language titles, international guide books including Rough Guides, and a small cafe where readings are sometimes held.

Atelie Mirella Bratova C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 4, tel.

The other bookshop from the Helikon chain is on bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 17 

Eco Hand E-2, ul. Tsvetna Tsvetna Gradi na 6, tel. +359 888 532 086/+359 888 476 879. Reclaimed hand-made works of  art, souvenirs, clothes, accessories and textiles.

Ploshtad Aleksandur Nevski Ploshtad Aleksandar Nevski B-4, . Open-air brica-brac market offering communist-era medals, stamps, postcards, junk from granny’s attic, and some genuine antiques. Lace-makers and embroid erers sell their wares at  the eastern end of the strip on the corner of pl. Aleksandur  Nevski and ul. 11 August. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00.

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Flight schedule

getting around take a puke bag.

around

sofia.inyourpocket.com

+359 2 980 71 56, www.mirellabratova.com. Stylish bohemian fashion creations from the inspired Ms Bratova, and aura-emanating ethno-pendants by Daniela Andreevska. QOpen 10:30 - 20:00, Sat 10:30 - 18:00. Closed Sun.

Muhomorka C-3, ul. Ivan Shishman 45, tel. +359 2 958 29 85, www.muhomorka.biz. Aladdin’s cave of colourful clothes and eastern-influenced textiles. They also sell large format cigarette papers but we don’t understand what these might be used for. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.

Punto & Kanela C-3, ul. Neofit Rilski 52, tel. +359 888 413 749, [email protected]. Small but chic collection of  domestic designer woolens, and some imaginative necklaces

July - September  2009

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getting around take a puke bag.

Metro

One of the metro lines runs from Serdika station in the city  centre to the western suburb of Lyulin - which is great if you happen to live in Lyulin, but not much use otherwise. If you   fancy a ride just for the heck of it, tickets (1Lv) are different from those used in trams and buses, and can only be purchased from ticket counters in the und erground stations themselves. The newly opened second metro line runs from Vasil Levski Stadium to Mladost 1.For detailed information check the map at the back of the magazine.

Taxis There are over 15,000 taxis in Sofia: some of these are rusty crates driven by frustrated rally drivers; the majority  are roadworthy vehicles operated by more-or-less reputable companies. Legitimate taxis are coloured yellow and have an oval sticker on the windscreen; they also display a square sticker indicating the rates in BGN. Charges are supposed to be metered, but some drivers will switch the meter off and demand an infla ted fare if they think you’re a gullible foreigner. By law a receipt should be issued for every taxi ride you take. The charges are cheap, ranging from 0.59Lv - 0.70Lv per  kilometre. The agreeing of flat-rate fares beforehand is a common practice, even in licensed cabs, especially for destinations outside the city limits. A tip of 10-15% is common practice. Most taxis hang around at the big intersections, although you can order them by phone - just don’t expect to get through to an English-speaker (you can always ask your  hotel receptionist to do it for you). Don’t be surprised if your  driver doesn’t have a detailed knowledge of the city and asks you for directions. Few drivers speak a foreign language. You’d be well advised to stick to the taxi companies recommended below in order to keep overcharging problems to a minimum, although you’re unlikely to survive without being  ripped off at least once during your stay.

Drink&Drive , tel. +359 886 600 602,www.d rink-drivebg.com. If you wish to drink and be driven home call to phone above. They will come in 20 minutes.

Tourist information The National Tourist Information Centre B-3, pl. Sveta Nedelya 1, tel. +359 2 933 58 45, fax +359 2 989 69 39, [email protected], www.bulgariatravel.org. The Tourist Information Centre has undergone a far-reaching    facelift in the past few months, and now constitutes an inviting and altogether quite chic info-boutique, equipped with designer bar-stools for tourists to perch on while helpful staff distribute free maps or search their databases for the answers to all sorts of queries. They aren’t authorized to make hotel reservations on tourists’ tourists’ behalf, but they do distribute well-informed locally-published guides like this one. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Zig Zag Holidays B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski

Trains Central Station(Tsentralna Station (Tsentralna gara) F-7, bul. Mariya Luiza, tel.+359 2 931 11 11 / +359 2 932 33 33 (information in Bulgarian only). English-language timetable information on www.bdz.bg. Despite recent renovation Sofia’s main train station remains a dispiritingly dingy hive, comprising two   floors of queue-clogged ticket counters, functional cafes and hole-in-the-wall shops. Brightening things up considerably is the flirty little steam engine (built by the German Henschel company in 1918) parked right in the middle of  the main ticket hall. Always allow plenty of time to buy your tickets and boar d your  train: platforms are often numbered differently to the tracks running either side of them, so you may find yourself scuttling  up and down several stairways in an effort to locate your  train. Tickets to Varna and northern Bulgaria are sold in the main ticket hall; tickets to Burgas and southern Bulgaria are sold in the basement. International ticke ts are sold by the Rila office, which is located at the end of a corridor leading off the main ticket hall to the left as you enter. Tickets can be bough t  in advance from two locations in the city centre: Transport Service Centre, Centre, in the basement shopping mall of the National Palace of Culture (NDK), tel.+359 2 932 42 80. Open Mon - Sat 07:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun, and Railway Ticket Agency Rila /international li nes/, nes/, ul. Gurko 5, tel.+359 2 987  07 77. Open Mon - Sat 07:00 - 18:30. Closed Sun.

Travel agencies Alma Tour B-3, ul. Serdika 12, tel. +359 2 805 68 00/+359 2 981 31 38, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], www. almatournet. QOpen 09:30 - 18:30, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Jamadvice Travel Ltd. G-8, ul. Asen Zlatarov 10, tel. +359 2 943 30 11, fax +359 2 946 12 61, [email protected]. International airline tickets and business travel. Lyuba Tours D-4, ul. Tsanko Tserkovski 22, tel. +359 2 963 33 43, fax +359 2 963 31 42, [email protected], www.lyubatours.com.Small-group www.lyubatours.com. Small-group weekend trips within Bulgaria to places of historical, cultural and ethnographic interest. Polytours Tsar Asen 61, tel. +359 2 981 12 22, fax +359 2 980 41 25, [email protected], www.polytours.com. QOpen 9:00 - 18.30. Closed Sat, Sun. A  Stars travel C-2, ul. Khan Asparuh 57, tel. +359 2 811 47 81/+359 888 42 57 84, fax +359 2 811 47 82, [email protected],www.starstravel.info.International www.starstravel.info.International airline tickets and business travel QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Usit Colours C-3, bul. Vasil Levski 35, tel. +359 2 981 19 00, fax +359 2 981 99 91, [email protected], www.usitcolours.bg.Specialists www.usitcolours.bg.Specialists in youth and student travel. Zig Zag Holidays B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 20V, tel. +359 2 980 51 02, fax +359 2 980 32 00, inf o@ zigzagbg.com, zigzagbg.com, www.zigzagbg.com.Bulgarian www.zigzagbg.com.Bulgarian independen t  travel specialists organizing hiking trips, B&B reservations, car rental, and tailor-made excursions into the great outdoors. ZIP Travel C-1, bul. Praga 8, tel. +359 2 917 59 30, fax +359 2 917 59 49, [email protected], ww w.ziptravel. bg. International International company specialised in student travel and training, exchange programs and low price air tickets.

20B (entrance from ul. Lavele), tel. +359 2 980 51 02, fax +359 2 980 32 00, [email protected], www. zigzagbg.com. The staff at this private travel agency specializing in individual and alternative holidays are a mine of  invaluable information - be aware however that they charge a 5Lv consultancy fee (which is deducted from the cost of  any arrangements you book through them). QOpen 08:30 - 19:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

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Sofia’s smartest shops - including any number of international designer outlets - jostle for attention along either  side of bul. Vitosha, the city’s main n orth-south pedestrian, trams and police only, shopping street. Mainstream clothes, domestic and electrical stores can also b e found in abundance along consumer-clogged streets like ul. Graf  Ignatiev and ul. Pirotska.

Ploshtad Slaveykov

24hr food and drink  Familia C-3, bul. Rakovski 147, tel. +359 2 980 71 05. QOpen

00:00 - 24:00.

Fantastiko B-5, bul. Madrid 8, tel. +359 2 988 65 90, www.ff-bg.net. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. Magazin 345 B-3, ul. Veslets 4, tel. +359 2 988 98 75. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. PA 

Antiques & Collectables Antikvariat Zlatorog A-4, ul. Pop Bogomil 10, tel. +359 2 983 35 08, [email protected], www.antikvariatzlatorog.com. Offering ng everything from chintzy crockery to dressing-tables, wardrobes wardrobes and hat-stands, Zlatorog is a must-visit for retro-furnishing freaks. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00, Sat 11:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.

Letostrui C-3, bul. Vasil Levski 9, tel. +359 2 988 18 81. Furniture, porcelain and other oddments. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Strash A-3, ul. Tsar Simeon 41A, tel. +359 2 983 93 08. If you collect stamps, old postcards or vintage cartoons, this is your place. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 11:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.

Viga Antiques B-3, ul. Alabin 50, tel. +359 2 980 54 07. Antiques from folk costumes to clocks. QOpen 10:30 - 19:30, Sat 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun.

Books Booktrading C-3, ul. Graf Ignatiev 50, tel. +359 2 981 04 48. One of the best of the high-street high-street bookstores, with a good selection of English, French and German paperbacks, art books, and international international guidebooks (Eyewitness, Rough Guides and more). QOpen 08:30 - 20:30, Sun 10:00 20:00. Helikon C-2, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 68, tel. +359 2 987

Ploshtad Slaveykov C-3, . This long rectangular  square is home to a hugely enjoyable book market. If your  language skills aren’t quite up to the latest in Bulgarian   fiction then you can at least browse your way through lavishly illustrated books on Bulgarian culture, or pick up the Bulgarian-English phrasebook you always pined for. QOpen 09:30 - 19:00. B-2, tel. 988 40 29, e-mail - officeeubc [email protected] QOpen 09:30 - 20:30, Sun 10:00 - 20:30. A 

Interkniga B-5, ul. Shipka 6, tel. +359 2 944 41 41/+359 899 973 966. Inside the headquarters of the Bulgarian Artists’ Union, this bookshop has lots of full-colour  art books, and some English-language paperbacks. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:30 - 16:30. Closed Sun. Zig Zag Holidays B-2, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 20, tel. +359 2 980 51 02, [email protected], www. zigzagbg.com. This independent travel agent has a b etter  selection of maps of Bulgaria than any other shop we’ve encountered in the capital. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. A 

Clothes & Accessories 525 C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 8, tel. +359 2 980 64 10. Snazzy, locally-made clothes for the slightly off-the-wall trendsetter, trendsetter, plus lots of eccentric accoutrements. QOpen 10:30 - 19:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00.

19 19, [email protected], www.helikon.bg. Browser-friendly bookstore on three floors with a smattering of English-language titles, international guide books including Rough Guides, and a small cafe where readings are sometimes held.

Atelie Mirella Bratova C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 4, tel.

The other bookshop from the Helikon chain is on bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 17 

Eco Hand E-2, ul. Tsvetna Tsvetna Gradi na 6, tel. +359 888 532 086/+359 888 476 879. Reclaimed hand-made works of  art, souvenirs, clothes, accessories and textiles.

Ploshtad Aleksandur Nevski Ploshtad Aleksandar Nevski B-4, . Open-air brica-brac market offering communist-era medals, stamps, postcards, junk from granny’s attic, and some genuine antiques. Lace-makers and embroid erers sell their wares at  the eastern end of the strip on the corner of pl. Aleksandur  Nevski and ul. 11 August. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00.

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

+359 2 980 71 56, www.mirellabratova.com. Stylish bohemian fashion creations from the inspired Ms Bratova, and aura-emanating ethno-pendants by Daniela Andreevska. QOpen 10:30 - 20:00, Sat 10:30 - 18:00. Closed Sun.

Muhomorka C-3, ul. Ivan Shishman 45, tel. +359 2 958 29 85, www.muhomorka.biz. Aladdin’s cave of colourful clothes and eastern-influenced textiles. They also sell large format cigarette papers but we don’t understand what these might be used for. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.

Punto & Kanela C-3, ul. Neofit Rilski 52, tel. +359 888 413 749, [email protected]. Small but chic collection of  domestic designer woolens, and some imaginative necklaces

July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

getting around

shopping Shopping centres

Shopping Shoppi ng smar ts Open Closed Push Pull Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Отворено Затворено Бутни Дръпни Понеделник  Вторник  Сряда Четвъртък  Петък  Събота Неделя

Otvoreno Zatvoreno Butni Drapni Ponedelnik  Vtornik  Sryada Chetvurtak  Petuk  Subota Nedelya

and bracelets. QOpen 11:00 - 19:30, Sat 11:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. A 

The Earth Collection C-4, ul. Ivan Shisman 20, tel. +359 885 807 764, [email protected], [email protected], www. theearthcollection.bg.For theearthcollection.bg. For the first time in Bulgaria the well known brand of environmentally friendly clothes made of  100% refined natural fabrics mixing raw silk, cotton, ramie, hemp and linen. Lightweight, breathable, long lasting and elegant clothes. Garments with versability, wearability and comfort. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun.

City Center Sofia E-2, bul. Arsenalski 2, tel. +359 2 865 72 85, [email protected], www.ccs-mall. com. Glossy consumerist temple comprising 3 storeys of shops (including Bulgaria’s first Marks & Spencer), a cinema, and a floor of food options including sushi bar  and a brace of Italian restaurants. The ground-floor  newspaper kiosk is a good place to pick up Englishlanguage press. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. PTALK Mall of Sofia B-1, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 101. Sofia’s newest shopping ng mecca is an enormous retail, business and entertainment centre boasting  over 130 shops (many selling international brandnames), fancy cafés and restaurants, and a 12-screen multiplex cinema. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. PTAK TZUM B-3, bul. Maria Luiza 2, tel. +359 2 926 07 00, [email protected], www.tzum.bg. Three floors of  expensive fashion, fashion, accessories and c osmetics, and a  first-floor café where young ladies like to sit and pout after  a tiring day looking at clothes. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sun 11:00 - 20:00. PK

Cosmetics Casyopea C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 19, tel. +359 2 852 64 78, [email protected], www.casyopea.com. Natural cosmetics store with enough varieties of soap to keep you smelling sweet for several lifetimes and great  variety of candles to lift your spirit. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. A 

Flowers

75, tel. HIT H-8, Mladost-3 bul. Aleksandа r Malinov 75,

+359 2 817 51 00, [email protected], www. hit-hypermarket.bg. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. AU

Kaufland H-8, zh-k Mladost -3 ul. Philip Avramov 3, tel. +359 0800 12 220, customer.services@kaufland. bg, www.kaufland.bg. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sun 08:00 - 21:00.

Gifts & Sou veni venirs rs

Metro Cash & Carry G-8, bul. Tsarigradsko shose 7, tel. +359 0 700 100 71, [email protected], www.metro. bg. QOpen 07:00 - 21:00.

crockery, embroidered tablecloths, and Turkish-style copper  coffee pots to decorate that designer Balkan peasant kitchen of your dreams. QOpen 09:30 - 19:30, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun.

Carpet House/Tchu kilim A-4, ul. Rakovski 38, tel. +359 2 983 66 09, [email protected], www. tchukilim.com. Looks like a regular domestic carpet shop  from the outside but is also Sofia’s leading outlet for authentic all-wool kilims made in the weaving town of Chiprovtsi. With a selection of small rugs in stock, they also take orders for  kilims if you have a couple of months to spare. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. A  Ethnographic Museum Shop B-3, pl. Aleksandar Batenberg 1. Folk costumes, traditional crockery, ethno  jewellery and music CDs. It’s one of the best places to buy  Bulgarian kilims - at 160Lv per square metre they’re probably more expensive here than in their villages of origin, but  authentic and affordable affordable handiwork nevertheless. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00.

sofia inyourpo cket com

Hypermarkets

Bouquet C-3, ul. Rakovski 147, tel. +359 2 988 51 97. Phone orders taken on tel. 098 14 14. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00.

Balgarski Dyukyan A-2, ul. Pirotska 11. Enough folksy 

Sofia In Your Po cket

63

sofia.inyourpocket.com

Markets Graf Ignatiev C-3, ul. Graf Ignatiev. More bananas than you can shake a cucumber at, and vice-versa. Q Open 09:30 - 19:00. Rimska Stena D-4, ul. Hristo Smirnenski. One of the liveliest food markets, worth visiting for the piece of preserved Byzantine fortress wall which sticks up amidst the stalls. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Sitnyakovo bul. Shipchenski prohod.Fresh prohod. Fresh produce market popular with the expat community - you might  well find the kind of exotic fruit and vegetables that  doesn’t turn up elsewhere. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Zhenski Pazar A-2, ul. Stefan Stambolov. Vast  open-air bazaar selling flowers, foodstuffs, cheap clothes, broomsticks, spare parts to machines you never even knew existed, and kitchen sinks. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00.

July - September  2009

65

64

getting around

shopping Shopping centres

Shopping Shoppi ng smar ts Open Closed Push Pull Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Отворено Затворено Бутни Дръпни Понеделник  Вторник  Сряда Четвъртък  Петък  Събота Неделя

65

Otvoreno Zatvoreno Butni Drapni Ponedelnik  Vtornik  Sryada Chetvurtak  Petuk  Subota Nedelya

and bracelets. QOpen 11:00 - 19:30, Sat 11:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. A 

The Earth Collection C-4, ul. Ivan Shisman 20, tel. +359 885 807 764, [email protected], [email protected], www. theearthcollection.bg.For theearthcollection.bg. For the first time in Bulgaria the well known brand of environmentally friendly clothes made of  100% refined natural fabrics mixing raw silk, cotton, ramie, hemp and linen. Lightweight, breathable, long lasting and elegant clothes. Garments with versability, wearability and comfort. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun.

City Center Sofia E-2, bul. Arsenalski 2, tel. +359 2 865 72 85, [email protected], www.ccs-mall. com. Glossy consumerist temple comprising 3 storeys of shops (including Bulgaria’s first Marks & Spencer), a cinema, and a floor of food options including sushi bar  and a brace of Italian restaurants. The ground-floor  newspaper kiosk is a good place to pick up Englishlanguage press. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. PTALK Mall of Sofia B-1, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 101. Sofia’s newest shopping ng mecca is an enormous retail, business and entertainment centre boasting  over 130 shops (many selling international brandnames), fancy cafés and restaurants, and a 12-screen multiplex cinema. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. PTAK TZUM B-3, bul. Maria Luiza 2, tel. +359 2 926 07 00, [email protected], www.tzum.bg. Three floors of  expensive fashion, fashion, accessories and c osmetics, and a  first-floor café where young ladies like to sit and pout after  a tiring day looking at clothes. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sun 11:00 - 20:00. PK

Cosmetics Casyopea C-4, ul. Ivan Shishman 19, tel. +359 2 852 64 78, [email protected], www.casyopea.com. Natural cosmetics store with enough varieties of soap to keep you smelling sweet for several lifetimes and great  variety of candles to lift your spirit. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. A 

Flowers

Gifts & Sou veni venirs rs

Metro Cash & Carry G-8, bul. Tsarigradsko shose 7, tel. +359 0 700 100 71, [email protected], www.metro. bg. QOpen 07:00 - 21:00.

Carpet House/Tchu kilim A-4, ul. Rakovski 38, tel. +359 2 983 66 09, [email protected], www. tchukilim.com. Looks like a regular domestic carpet shop  from the outside but is also Sofia’s leading outlet for authentic all-wool kilims made in the weaving town of Chiprovtsi. With a selection of small rugs in stock, they also take orders for  kilims if you have a couple of months to spare. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. A  Ethnographic Museum Shop B-3, pl. Aleksandar Batenberg 1. Folk costumes, traditional crockery, ethno  jewellery and music CDs. It’s one of the best places to buy  Bulgarian kilims - at 160Lv per square metre they’re probably more expensive here than in their villages of origin, but  authentic and affordable affordable handiwork nevertheless. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00.

66

0.4.3. (O.Ch.Z.) B-2, ul.Tri Ushi 3, tel. +359 2 981 72 27, www.Z043.org. Everything about this h ell-hole screams of bloody me tal! From the millions of skulls on the shelves and the thundering sounds, ravaging the stereo, to the metalheads, round the corner, who will always test your “metal-ness”, before even talking to you. CD-s, t-shirts, accessoires and rock memorabilia…and that  Motorhead shirt you’ve always wanted. They just have it  all! QOpen 11:00 - 20:00, Sat 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. SMF Music Hunter C-2, ul. William Gladstone 30A, tel. +359 2 981 60 76, w ww.smf-bg.com. The most  extensive collection of CD-s, DVD-s and T-shirts with unreadable band logos. Almost every important album in rock, punk metal and enough bloody and satanic CDsleeves to give you nightmares for the rest of your life… QOpen 10:30 - 20:00, Sat 10.30 - 19.30. Closed Sun. A  Vision A-3, bul. Maria Luiza 55, tel. +359 2 983 55 09, [email protected]. One of the oldest shops for  music t-shirt and accessories in Sofia. They offer spraycans for graffiti and can dress you up as a street maniac   from head to toe. There is also a tattoo parlour in the basement. QOpen 10:30 - 19:00, Sat 11.30 - 17:00. Closed Sun.

Praktiker H-9, bul. Tsarigradsko shose 323, tel. +359 2 817 01 20, fax +359 2 817 01 58, ww w.praktiker.bg. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00.

Graf Ignatiev C-3, ul. Graf Ignatiev. More bananas than you can shake a cucumber at, and vice-versa. Q Open 09:30 - 19:00. Rimska Stena D-4, ul. Hristo Smirnenski. One of the liveliest food markets, worth visiting for the piece of preserved Byzantine fortress wall which sticks up amidst the stalls. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Sitnyakovo bul. Shipchenski prohod.Fresh prohod. Fresh produce market popular with the expat community - you might  well find the kind of exotic fruit and vegetables that  doesn’t turn up elsewhere. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Zhenski Pazar A-2, ul. Stefan Stambolov. Vast  open-air bazaar selling flowers, foodstuffs, cheap clothes, broomsticks, spare parts to machines you never even knew existed, and kitchen sinks. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00.

July - September  2009

health & liFestyle BGSF000111/. Aisle upon aisle of international food and drink. Pile your trolley high. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00, Sun 09:00 - 21:00.

Piccadilly E-2, City Center Sofia, bul. Arsenalski 2,

446, fax +359 2 952 05 56, [email protected], www. vasilka-bg.com. Complete cleaning services. Abonament  cleaning services. QOpen 09:00 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

bg, www.teddy-junior.blogspot.com.English www.teddy-junior.blogspot.com. English centre - kindergarten. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Weekend daycare.

Uwekind G-6, Boyana, ul. 612 4, tel. +359 2 857 51 00/+359 2 857 20 00, [email protected], www. uwekind.com. A privately run kindergarten and school with a half day German programme.

tel. +359 2 819 45 67, fax +359 2 819 45 55, www. piccadilly.bg. Pretty much everything you need for your  weekly shop is in here somewhere. Big deli counter, freshly  baked bread, and aisle upon aisle of alcohol. Another at B-1, Mall of Sofia. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00.

Hairdressers Kalo Hair Studio B-2, bul. Vitosha 12, tel. +359 2 987 01 54, [email protected], ww w.kalohairstudio.com w.kalohairstudio.com..Also on ul. Damian Gruev 15 and bul. Vasil Levski 82 A. QOpen 09:30 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. A 

Tobacco & Drinks 100 Grama Sladki C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 18A, tel. +359 2 980 40 62, www.100gr-sladki.com. The name of this treasure trove of a shop literally means ‘one hundred grams of sweets’, although you’ll probably be drawn into buying more once you catch sight of the riches behind the counter. Custards, tarts, cakes and hand-made chocolates will appeal to the sweet-toothed, while mini-quiches are perfect for a more traditional lunch-snack. There’s a small sit-down area for those who want to linger over a cup of tea or coffee, but do be warned that the lon ger you spend hanging  around here, the more things you will be tempted into buying. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00.

Stylist Kapanov C-2, bul. Hristo Botev 14, tel. +359 2 951 63 88, fax +359 2 953 30 12, botev@kapanov. net, www.kapanov.net. One of the best in the business. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. A 

Hospitals Isul A-5, ul. Byalo More 8, tel. +359 2 943 21 70/+359 2 943 21 32. Pirogov (Multiprofile Hospital of Active Treatment

Cheers B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 14, tel. +359 2 987 12 72, [email protected], [email protected],ww w.cheers.bg. w.cheers.bg.Finest tobacco and cigars, pipes and smoking accessories, brand alcohol, selected wines. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 21:00. A 

and Emergency Medicine) G-7, bul. Totleben 21, tel. +359 2 915 44 11. Emergency tel. 150. Sofia’s main hospital   for emergencies. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. Tokuda G-7, bul. N. Vaptsarov 51B, tel. +359 2 403

40 00, fax +359 2 403 40 10, inf [email protected], www.tokudabolnica.bg.

Jewellery  Avi Center B-2, ul. Vitosha 18B, tel. +359 2 930 70

Internationall s chools Internationa

70, [email protected], www.avi-center.com. High quality gold, diamonds and platinum jewellery. Q Open 10:00 - 19:30, Sun 11:00 - 18:00.

American College of Sofia H-8, Floyd Black Lane, Mladost-2, tel. +359 2 434 10 08/+359 2 434 10 09, fax +359 2 974 31 29, [email protected], www.acs.bg. Private secondary school founded in 1860 - the oldest American educational institution outside the USA.

El Grado C-3, bul. Vasil Levski 61, tel. +359 2 986 24 80. Gold, silver, precious stones, orders of unique examples, repairs. QOpen 10:30 - 19:00. Closed Sun.

American English Academy G-9, Druzhba 2, 150

Kindergartens

Photography 

International Children`s Creativity Centre H-7, Dra-

Kodak Express C-3, pl. Slaveykov 11, tel. +359 2 987

galevtsi, ul. Vaklinets 36, tel. +359 2 967 31 12/+359 88 940 763, [email protected], www.iccf-bg.com. Accepts children between the ages of 2-6. QOpen 08:30 - 17:15.

00 74. Develops your holiday snaps in a jiffy as well as selling film of all kinds and a range of professional kit. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. A 

Teddy Junior H-6, Boyana, ul. Poetichna 6, tel. +359 878 262 052/+359 878 262 053, tedidimitrova@mail.

Supermarkets Billa G-7, ul. Sofiyski Geroy 4, tel. +359 2 951 52

24hr pharmacies

66, [email protected], www.connect.bg/directory/

Sports equipment

tel. +359 2 859 21 82, fax +359 2 958 14 70, [email protected], [email protected], www.adonis.bg.Also www.adonis.bg.Also in jk Lozenets, ul. Zlatovrah 4, Elemag, tel. 9620569, 0885 832 680. Q A  Ana D-1, bul. Vitosha 95, tel. +359 2 953 41 57. Aronia 2001 G-7, bul. Pencho Slaveykov 6, tel. +359 2 953 13 08. Saldzhi C-2, bul. Vitosha 35, tel. +359 2 980 58 96. Q A 

Makalu Sport B-1, ul. Vladayska 23, tel. +359 878 988 727, www.makalusport.com. Specialized climbing and mountaineering equipment. Information about trekking, hikking, climbing and caving in Bulgaria. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. Stenata B-2, ul. Bratya Miladinovi 5, tel. +359 2 980 54 91, [email protected], www.stenata.com. Everything you might need for hiking, camping, climbing  and caving. Friendly advice from experts.QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. A 

School - Deliyska Vodenitsa, fl. 4, tel. +359 2 973 12 22/+359 2 973 88 81, fax +359 2 973 55 64, [email protected], www.aea-bg.com.Classes www.aea-bg.com. Classes from kindergarten to grade 12.

Anglo-American School of Sofia G-7, ul. Kozyak 16, tel. +359 2 923 88 10, fax +359 2 923 88 59, [email protected], www.aas-sofia.org.School www.aas-sofia.org.School founded in 1967 by the American and British embassies.

Deutsche Schule Erich Kaestner F-6, Lyulin-VI,

Adonis G-7, Zh.k.Hipodruma, bl. 121, ul. Urvich 1,

Sofia In Your Po cket

Markets

sofia.inyourpocket.com

shopping Music shops

Kaufland H-8, zh-k Mladost -3 ul. Philip Avramov 3, tel. +359 0800 12 220, customer.services@kaufland. bg, www.kaufland.bg. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sun 08:00 - 21:00.

crockery, embroidered tablecloths, and Turkish-style copper  coffee pots to decorate that designer Balkan peasant kitchen of your dreams. QOpen 09:30 - 19:30, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun.

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

75, tel. HIT H-8, Mladost-3 bul. Aleksandа r Malinov 75,

+359 2 817 51 00, [email protected], www. hit-hypermarket.bg. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. AU

Bouquet C-3, ul. Rakovski 147, tel. +359 2 988 51 97. Phone orders taken on tel. 098 14 14. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00.

Balgarski Dyukyan A-2, ul. Pirotska 11. Enough folksy 

Sofia In Your Po cket

Hypermarkets

tel. +359 2 824 48 59/+359 2 826 72 80, fax +359 2 925 08 38, [email protected], www.kestnerschool. com. German language school - kindergarten, primary and secondary school.

First English Language School B-5, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 60, tel. +359 2 944 21 81/+359 2 944 83 89, [email protected], www.fels-sofia.org. Public secondary  school founded in 1958.

www.inyourpocket.com sofia inyourpo cket com

sofia.inyourpocket.com

July - September  2009

67

66

health & liFestyle

shopping Music shops 0.4.3. (O.Ch.Z.) B-2, ul.Tri Ushi 3, tel. +359 2 981 72 27, www.Z043.org. Everything about this h ell-hole screams of bloody me tal! From the millions of skulls on the shelves and the thundering sounds, ravaging the stereo, to the metalheads, round the corner, who will always test your “metal-ness”, before even talking to you. CD-s, t-shirts, accessoires and rock memorabilia…and that  Motorhead shirt you’ve always wanted. They just have it  all! QOpen 11:00 - 20:00, Sat 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. SMF Music Hunter C-2, ul. William Gladstone 30A, tel. +359 2 981 60 76, w ww.smf-bg.com. The most  extensive collection of CD-s, DVD-s and T-shirts with unreadable band logos. Almost every important album in rock, punk metal and enough bloody and satanic CDsleeves to give you nightmares for the rest of your life… QOpen 10:30 - 20:00, Sat 10.30 - 19.30. Closed Sun. A  Vision A-3, bul. Maria Luiza 55, tel. +359 2 983 55 09, [email protected]. One of the oldest shops for  music t-shirt and accessories in Sofia. They offer spraycans for graffiti and can dress you up as a street maniac   from head to toe. There is also a tattoo parlour in the basement. QOpen 10:30 - 19:00, Sat 11.30 - 17:00. Closed Sun.

Praktiker H-9, bul. Tsarigradsko shose 323, tel. +359 2 817 01 20, fax +359 2 817 01 58, ww w.praktiker.bg. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00.

BGSF000111/. Aisle upon aisle of international food and drink. Pile your trolley high. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00, Sun 09:00 - 21:00.

Piccadilly E-2, City Center Sofia, bul. Arsenalski 2,

446, fax +359 2 952 05 56, [email protected], www. vasilka-bg.com. Complete cleaning services. Abonament  cleaning services. QOpen 09:00 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Uwekind G-6, Boyana, ul. 612 4, tel. +359 2 857 51

Hairdressers Kalo Hair Studio B-2, bul. Vitosha 12, tel. +359 2 987 01 54, [email protected], ww w.kalohairstudio.com w.kalohairstudio.com..Also on ul. Damian Gruev 15 and bul. Vasil Levski 82 A. QOpen 09:30 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. A 

Tobacco & Drinks 100 Grama Sladki C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 18A, tel. +359 2 980 40 62, www.100gr-sladki.com. The name of this treasure trove of a shop literally means ‘one hundred grams of sweets’, although you’ll probably be drawn into buying more once you catch sight of the riches behind the counter. Custards, tarts, cakes and hand-made chocolates will appeal to the sweet-toothed, while mini-quiches are perfect for a more traditional lunch-snack. There’s a small sit-down area for those who want to linger over a cup of tea or coffee, but do be warned that the lon ger you spend hanging  around here, the more things you will be tempted into buying. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00.

Stylist Kapanov C-2, bul. Hristo Botev 14, tel. +359 2 951 63 88, fax +359 2 953 30 12, botev@kapanov. net, www.kapanov.net. One of the best in the business. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. A 

Hospitals Isul A-5, ul. Byalo More 8, tel. +359 2 943 21 70/+359 2 943 21 32. Pirogov (Multiprofile Hospital of Active Treatment

Cheers B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 14, tel. +359 2 987 12 72, [email protected], [email protected],ww w.cheers.bg. w.cheers.bg.Finest tobacco and cigars, pipes and smoking accessories, brand alcohol, selected wines. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 21:00. A 

and Emergency Medicine) G-7, bul. Totleben 21, tel. +359 2 915 44 11. Emergency tel. 150. Sofia’s main hospital   for emergencies. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. Tokuda G-7, bul. N. Vaptsarov 51B, tel. +359 2 403

40 00, fax +359 2 403 40 10, inf [email protected], www.tokudabolnica.bg.

Avi Center B-2, ul. Vitosha 18B, tel. +359 2 930 70

Internationall s chools Internationa

70, [email protected], www.avi-center.com. High quality gold, diamonds and platinum jewellery. Q Open 10:00 - 19:30, Sun 11:00 - 18:00.

American College of Sofia H-8, Floyd Black Lane, Mladost-2, tel. +359 2 434 10 08/+359 2 434 10 09, fax +359 2 974 31 29, [email protected], www.acs.bg. Private secondary school founded in 1860 - the oldest American educational institution outside the USA.

El Grado C-3, bul. Vasil Levski 61, tel. +359 2 986 24 80. Gold, silver, precious stones, orders of unique examples, repairs. QOpen 10:30 - 19:00. Closed Sun.

American English Academy G-9, Druzhba 2, 150

Kindergartens

Photography 

International Children`s Creativity Centre H-7, Dra-

Kodak Express C-3, pl. Slaveykov 11, tel. +359 2 987

galevtsi, ul. Vaklinets 36, tel. +359 2 967 31 12/+359 88 940 763, [email protected], www.iccf-bg.com. Accepts children between the ages of 2-6. QOpen 08:30 - 17:15.

00 74. Develops your holiday snaps in a jiffy as well as selling film of all kinds and a range of professional kit. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. A 

Teddy Junior H-6, Boyana, ul. Poetichna 6, tel. +359 878 262 052/+359 878 262 053, tedidimitrova@mail.

Supermarkets Billa G-7, ul. Sofiyski Geroy 4, tel. +359 2 951 52

24hr pharmacies

66, [email protected], www.connect.bg/directory/

Sports equipment

tel. +359 2 859 21 82, fax +359 2 958 14 70, [email protected], [email protected], www.adonis.bg.Also www.adonis.bg.Also in jk Lozenets, ul. Zlatovrah 4, Elemag, tel. 9620569, 0885 832 680. Q A  Ana D-1, bul. Vitosha 95, tel. +359 2 953 41 57. Aronia 2001 G-7, bul. Pencho Slaveykov 6, tel. +359 2 953 13 08. Saldzhi C-2, bul. Vitosha 35, tel. +359 2 980 58 96. Q A 

Makalu Sport B-1, ul. Vladayska 23, tel. +359 878 988 727, www.makalusport.com. Specialized climbing and mountaineering equipment. Information about trekking, hikking, climbing and caving in Bulgaria. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. Stenata B-2, ul. Bratya Miladinovi 5, tel. +359 2 980 54 91, [email protected], www.stenata.com. Everything you might need for hiking, camping, climbing  and caving. Friendly advice from experts.QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. A 

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

Laboratories Biocheck A-3, ul. Ekzarh Yosif 31, tel. +359 2 911 83/+359 2 983 33 93, ww w.biocheck-bg.com.QOpen 07:30 - 19:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Bodimed B-2, ul. Pozitano 24, tel. +359 2 986 38 64/+359 2 986 66 76, www.bodimed.com. 08:00 - 17:00, Sat 09:00 - 12:00. Closed Sun.

QOpen

Libraries British Council B-5, ul. Krakra 7, tel. +359 2 942 43 44/+359 887 424 344, fax +359 2 942 42 22, [email protected], [email protected], www.britishcouncil.org/ bulgaria.htm. Up-to-date newspapers, magazines, and lots of lovely books. QOpen 10:00 - 19:30, Wed 10:00 - 13:30, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. French Cultural Institute B-3, ul. Dyakon Ignatiy 2, tel. +359 2 937 79 22, fax +359 2 980 94 98, ccc-cour s@ institutfrance.bg, www.institutfrance.bg. Bookstore and library. Q Open 11:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.

Goethe-Institut Sofia B-4, ul. Budapeshta 1, tel. +359 2 939 01 00, fax +359 2 939 01 99, i [email protected]. org, www.goethe.de/ins/bg/sof/bgind www.goethe.de/ins/bg/sof/bgindex.htm. ex.htm.German German language library. QOpen , Mon, Fri 10:00 - 14:00, Tue, Wed, Thu 14:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Instituto Cervantes Sofia B-3, ul. Saborna 1, tel. +359 2 810 45 00, fax +359 2 980 26 28, censof@cervantes. es, sofia.cervantes.es. Spanish cultural centre. QOpen , Mon 10:00 - 13:00, 16:00-19:00, Sat 10:00 - 13:00. Cl osed Fri, Sun.

Opticians Cari Optics C-3, pl. Slaveykov 7, tel. +359 2 989 21 26/+359 2 989 21 71, fax +359 2 981 84 14, caristyle@ mail.orbital.bg, www.carioptics.bg. QOpen 10:00 20:00. Closed Sun. A 

Eurooptic D-2, bul. Vitosha 92, tel. +359 2 953 11 32, [email protected], w ww.eurooptik.com. [email protected], Also shops on ul. Sveta Sofia 8, tel. 987 24 92, ul. Tsar Ivan Shishman 19, tel. 987 28 49, bul. Stamboli yski, Mall of Sofia, tel. 987 79 79 QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. A 

Fox B-4, bul. Dondukov 26 A, tel. +359 2 980 02 18, [email protected], www.foxoptics.com.Other [email protected], www.foxoptics.com.Other shops on bul. Hristo Botev 73, tel. 981 98 93, ul. Serdika 18, tel. 980 02 55, jk Liulyn, bl. 443, tel. 8258673, jk Mladost 4, Business Park Sofia, Building 10, tel. 489 94 88 and bul. Dondukov 26A.QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. AU

Grand Optics C-4, ul. Graf Ignatiev 48, tel. +359 2 987 23 64,[email protected],ww w.grandoptics-bg.com. w.grandoptics-bg.com.

tel. +359 2 923 88 10, fax +359 2 923 88 59, [email protected], www.aas-sofia.org.School www.aas-sofia.org.School founded in 1967 by the American and British embassies. tel. +359 2 824 48 59/+359 2 826 72 80, fax +359 2 925 08 38, [email protected], www.kestnerschool. com. German language school - kindergarten, primary and secondary school.

First English Language School B-5, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 60, tel. +359 2 944 21 81/+359 2 944 83 89, [email protected], www.fels-sofia.org. Public secondary  school founded in 1958.

July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

health & liFestyle 2 963 21 19/+359 2 963 29 64, fax +359 2 866 58 70, [email protected], www.vhugo.org.

Anglo-American School of Sofia G-7, ul. Kozyak 16,

www.inyourpocket.com

Sofia In Your Po cket

The French school E-3, bul. Sveti Naum 36, tel. +359

School - Deliyska Vodenitsa, fl. 4, tel. +359 2 973 12 22/+359 2 973 88 81, fax +359 2 973 55 64, [email protected], www.aea-bg.com.Classes www.aea-bg.com. Classes from kindergarten to grade 12.

Deutsche Schule Erich Kaestner F-6, Lyulin-VI,

Adonis G-7, Zh.k.Hipodruma, bl. 121, ul. Urvich 1,

health & liFestyle Tattoo & Piercing Getting a tattoo can be a life-changing experience, or just another cartoon on you to fight boredom with. In Sofia, tattooing is much cheaper and as good as anywhere in the world. Bring your bravery, positive attitude and ideas with you and leave everything to the tattoo artist. Tattoo Tattoo people are an underground breed of their own and sometimes have strange ethics and code of life, so treat them with respect. Ignore their  prison-style looks and remember that they are professionals in the ancient rituals of desecrating the flesh. They can also make enough piercings on your body, to trigger any airport metal detector!

St. Pantaleymon H-8, Zh.k. Mladost 3 bul. Aleksandar Malinov 63, tel. +359 2 974 10 00, fax +359 2 974 44 50,[email protected],ww w.sphospital.com. w.sphospital.com.Specializing Surgery Hospital. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. A 

Thorax Clinics B-1, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 57, tel. +359 2 912 85, [email protected], www.thorax.bg. Thorax 2 is on ul. Frid tjof Nansen 21, tel. 980 78 86. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. A  Vita Medical Center G-8, ul. Dragovitsa 9, tel. +359 2 960 49 50/+359 2 943 43 98, fax +359 2 944 13 43, [email protected], www.vita.bg. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. A 

Kravay Tattoo Tattoo & Body piercing Studio C-3, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 43, tel. +359 885 757 819. Just  across the ugliest monume nt in Sofia, there is a little window and a bell bu tton. Ring on it and get some true blue ink! Mania C-2, bul. Vitosha 45 B, tel. +359 +359 887 260 488/+359 886 689 141, [email protected], http://www.myspace.com/tattoostudiomania. A  crew of talented artists covering all st yles of bod y art. You can purchase jewelry or obtain a piercing for almost every  part of your body. 100% sterility and professional work. QOpen 11:00 - 20:00, Sat 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Trip House C-2, ul. Tsar Tsar Asen 52, tel. +359 887 515 073, [email protected], www.myspace.com/ triphousetattoo.Professional triphousetattoo.Professional tattoo and body piercing . On-line shop: www.triphouse.net - all the necessary stuff  you need for graffiti, graffiti, body-piercing and tattoo activities. QOpen 11:00 - 20:00, Sat 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Vision Tattoo & Bodypiercing Studio A-3, bul. Maria Luiza 55, tel. +359 +359 889 813 120. 120. In the dark alley hides a basement, where the magic of color  happens!

Shops also on bul. Vitosha 74 and 23, bul. Maria Luisa 41, bul. Kosta Lulchev 52, Sky City, bul. Alexander Malinov 77, Princess Outlet Center, Sofia Airport, Terminal 2. QOpen 09:30 - 19:30, Sat 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. A 

Dentists dr. Yovcheva D-3, bul. Cherni Vrah 7, tel. +359 2 963 49 31/+359 888 401 918, dental@yovc heva.com, www.yovcheva.com.

Medical Dent Consult E-2, bul. Dzheyms Bauchar 114, tel. +359 2 963 07 37/+359 2 963 07 88, [email protected], www.c-mdc.com.

Medstom Clinic B-4, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 26A, tel. +359 2 981 00 00/+359 2 988 44 04, fax +359 2 988 31 80, [email protected], [email protected], w ww.medstom.com. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. A 

Michaelangelo Dental Studio B-1, ul. Otets Paisiy 29, tel. +359 2 988 49 47, office@michelangelodent. com, www.michelangelodent.com.

Svedent Clinic C-3, ul. Solunska 9, tel. +359 2 981 96 31/+359 887 278 112, [email protected], www. svedent.com.

Religious services

Medical Tourism’ A lthough lthough the term ‘Me dical Tourism’ Tourism’ is widely used to define those people who cross borders to obtain treatment for  their ailments, these people are n ot usually interested in sightseeing or visiting local attractions. Quite the opposite, they come to seek treatment that is either too expensi ve or  has too long a waiting list in their hom e countries. In this new series of articles we will highlight the various aspects of this industry for which people come, or should come, to Bulgaria as a viable alternative. This first article is about dentistry. Your teeth are a valuable commodity, so you’ve decided  for one reason or the other that it will be bes t for you to seek  treatment ab road. You’ve You’ve looked at various options an d are about to make your choice. I suggest you keep on reading  this article since most of the recommendations given here will apply to other countries as well. Our focus is Bulgaria. First of all, Bulgaria is rich in dental practices. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that just any dentist will suit  your needs. You need to be able to communicate communicate with the dentist, not just with his or her secretary. You need to make clear in your own language so that both of you understand each other. Good checks involve investigating  if the dentist is member of the Dental Association, Association, does he or she have referrals from others, look at their digital business cards such can be their web site, facebook, Hi5 or other community portals. We live in modern times where the Internet usage is wide spread, so it is in Bulgaria. It  is definitely not so that every d entist has his or her own website or Facebook profile, the more established ones do. A dentist who involves himself in the Internet can also be seen as one that invests in his dental practice. You need to talk about your budget, most health insurances will cover your treatment received in Bulgaria, but  still you are the one that has to prepay either in cash or by  credit card. In any case it is advised, unless you’re loaded with money and don’t know what to do with it, to check wi th your insurance company as to whether the treatment you are looking for is covered by your policy. Don’t expect that  one phone call or some email exchanges will establish the  final cost, it may take a little time to get the exact figure. Be aware that the dentist has not seen you before, thus never had the possibility to look into your mouth in person.

Opticlasa C-2, bul. Vitosha 40, tel. +359 2 988 34 86,

Anglican church B-5, ul. Oborishte 5, the Catholic

[email protected], [email protected], www.opticlasa.com.ul. www.opticlasa.com. ul. Alabin 31, bul. Stamboliyski, Mall of Sofia, ul. Solunska 14 and 37, Mladost 4, Business Park Sofia, building 8 QOpen 10:30 19:30, Sat 10:30 - 18:30, Sun 11:30 - 17:30. A 

Chapel, tel. +359 2 872 21 30, anglicanbg@gmail. com, http://www.churchoftheresurrect http://www.churchoftheresurrection.eu/s ion.eu/sofia. ofia. htm. Holy Communion is celebrated every third Sunday of  the month at 9:30 am.

If you need treatment that involves multiple sessions, the dentist should inform you about the expected len gth in days and communicate regarding his availability. You don’t want  to run up against the desperate position that after the first  session of treatment your chosen dentist goes on holiday.

Private medical clinics Gurgulyat Clinic C-3, ul. Rakovski 148 B, tel. +359

Baha’i Centre G-7, ul. Boyanski Vazhod 8 A, tel. +359 2 955 58 33/+359 878 986 997, [email protected], www. bahai.bg.

I am in the lucky position of living in this wonderful Bulgarian country for years already and have visited 3 different  dentists all of whom lived up to my ‘western’ standards.

2 912 88/+359 2 981 03 31, fax +359 2 981 02 91, [email protected], www.gurgulyat.com. bul. Gen. Totleben 21, tel. 952 05 00, ul. 20 April 30, tel. 954 98 85. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun.

Banya Bashi Mosque (Dzhamia Banya Bashi) B-3, bul. Maria Luiza, tel. +359 2 981 60 01, www.genmufti. org. Prayer five times a day.

Why Bulgaria should be considere d as a destination to have your teeth fixed? The main reasons are already mentioned within the first paragraph, cheaper than in most European countries and hardly any waiting lists plus in general using  quite modern or sometimes even the latest technologies and well educated den tists. No matter what it is that makes you want to come to Bulgaria use your common sense, don’t run yourself i nto a situation you may la ter regret. Take your time, choose well and you will be able to sort out that  whitening or course of fillings at a fraction of the cost and enjoy this wonderful city at the same time.

Medical Center Dr. I.S.Greenberg H-8, Mladost-3 (in the building of XXV Polyclinic), tel. +359 2 974 48 16, fax +359 2 971 29 95, [email protected]. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00.

Baptist Church G-8, Interpred, bul. Dragan Tsankov 36, tel. +359 2 971 17 50, [email protected], www. ibcsworld.org. Sunday teaching sessions at 10 a.m. and worship services at 11 a.m. in English. Hram Uspenie Bogorodichno ul. Lyulin planina 5, tel. +359 2 953 04 06/+359 2 952 29 59, proykov@ gmail.com, www.kae-bg.org. Daily liturgy at 18:30, Sun 8:00 and 10:00.

www.inyourpocket.com Sofia In Your Po cket

bg, www.teddy-junior.blogspot.com.English www.teddy-junior.blogspot.com. English centre - kindergarten. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Weekend daycare. 00/+359 2 857 20 00, [email protected], www. uwekind.com. A privately run kindergarten and school with a half day German programme.

tel. +359 2 819 45 67, fax +359 2 819 45 55, www. piccadilly.bg. Pretty much everything you need for your  weekly shop is in here somewhere. Big deli counter, freshly  baked bread, and aisle upon aisle of alcohol. Another at B-1, Mall of Sofia. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00.

Jewellery 

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sofia inyourpo cket com

sofia.inyourpocket.com

With the cooperation of dr. Konovski, michelangelod e n t . c o m , d r _ k o n o vs vs k y @ m i c h e l a n g el el o d e n t . c o m .

July - September  2009

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health & liFestyle The French school E-3, bul. Sveti Naum 36, tel. +359 2 963 21 19/+359 2 963 29 64, fax +359 2 866 58 70, [email protected], www.vhugo.org.

Laboratories Biocheck A-3, ul. Ekzarh Yosif 31, tel. +359 2 911 83/+359 2 983 33 93, ww w.biocheck-bg.com.QOpen 07:30 - 19:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Bodimed B-2, ul. Pozitano 24, tel. +359 2 986 38 64/+359 2 986 66 76, www.bodimed.com. 08:00 - 17:00, Sat 09:00 - 12:00. Closed Sun.

QOpen

Libraries British Council B-5, ul. Krakra 7, tel. +359 2 942 43 44/+359 887 424 344, fax +359 2 942 42 22, [email protected], [email protected], www.britishcouncil.org/ bulgaria.htm. Up-to-date newspapers, magazines, and lots of lovely books. QOpen 10:00 - 19:30, Wed 10:00 - 13:30, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. French Cultural Institute B-3, ul. Dyakon Ignatiy 2, tel. +359 2 937 79 22, fax +359 2 980 94 98, ccc-cour s@ institutfrance.bg, www.institutfrance.bg. Bookstore and library. Q Open 11:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.

Goethe-Institut Sofia B-4, ul. Budapeshta 1, tel. +359 2 939 01 00, fax +359 2 939 01 99, i [email protected]. org, www.goethe.de/ins/bg/sof/bgind www.goethe.de/ins/bg/sof/bgindex.htm. ex.htm.German German language library. QOpen , Mon, Fri 10:00 - 14:00, Tue, Wed, Thu 14:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Instituto Cervantes Sofia B-3, ul. Saborna 1, tel. +359 2 810 45 00, fax +359 2 980 26 28, censof@cervantes. es, sofia.cervantes.es. Spanish cultural centre. QOpen , Mon 10:00 - 13:00, 16:00-19:00, Sat 10:00 - 13:00. Cl osed Fri, Sun.

Opticians Cari Optics C-3, pl. Slaveykov 7, tel. +359 2 989 21 26/+359 2 989 21 71, fax +359 2 981 84 14, caristyle@ mail.orbital.bg, www.carioptics.bg. QOpen 10:00 20:00. Closed Sun. A 

Eurooptic D-2, bul. Vitosha 92, tel. +359 2 953 11 32, [email protected], w ww.eurooptik.com. [email protected], Also shops on ul. Sveta Sofia 8, tel. 987 24 92, ul. Tsar Ivan Shishman 19, tel. 987 28 49, bul. Stamboli yski, Mall of Sofia, tel. 987 79 79 QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. A 

Fox B-4, bul. Dondukov 26 A, tel. +359 2 980 02 18, [email protected], www.foxoptics.com.Other [email protected], www.foxoptics.com.Other shops on bul. Hristo Botev 73, tel. 981 98 93, ul. Serdika 18, tel. 980 02 55, jk Liulyn, bl. 443, tel. 8258673, jk Mladost 4, Business Park Sofia, Building 10, tel. 489 94 88 and bul. Dondukov 26A.QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. AU

Grand Optics C-4, ul. Graf Ignatiev 48, tel. +359 2 987 23 64,[email protected],ww w.grandoptics-bg.com. w.grandoptics-bg.com.

health & liFestyle Tattoo & Piercing Getting a tattoo can be a life-changing experience, or just another cartoon on you to fight boredom with. In Sofia, tattooing is much cheaper and as good as anywhere in the world. Bring your bravery, positive attitude and ideas with you and leave everything to the tattoo artist. Tattoo Tattoo people are an underground breed of their own and sometimes have strange ethics and code of life, so treat them with respect. Ignore their  prison-style looks and remember that they are professionals in the ancient rituals of desecrating the flesh. They can also make enough piercings on your body, to trigger any airport metal detector!

Malinov 63, tel. +359 2 974 10 00, fax +359 2 974 44 50,[email protected],ww w.sphospital.com. w.sphospital.com.Specializing Surgery Hospital. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. A 

Thorax Clinics B-1, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 57, tel. +359 2 912 85, [email protected], www.thorax.bg. Thorax 2 is on ul. Frid tjof Nansen 21, tel. 980 78 86. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. A  Vita Medical Center G-8, ul. Dragovitsa 9, tel. +359 2 960 49 50/+359 2 943 43 98, fax +359 2 944 13 43, [email protected], www.vita.bg. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. A 

Kravay Tattoo Tattoo & Body piercing Studio C-3, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 43, tel. +359 885 757 819. Just  across the ugliest monume nt in Sofia, there is a little window and a bell bu tton. Ring on it and get some true blue ink! Mania C-2, bul. Vitosha 45 B, tel. +359 +359 887 260 488/+359 886 689 141, [email protected], http://www.myspace.com/tattoostudiomania. A  crew of talented artists covering all st yles of bod y art. You can purchase jewelry or obtain a piercing for almost every  part of your body. 100% sterility and professional work. QOpen 11:00 - 20:00, Sat 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Trip House C-2, ul. Tsar Tsar Asen 52, tel. +359 887 515 073, [email protected], www.myspace.com/ triphousetattoo.Professional triphousetattoo.Professional tattoo and body piercing . On-line shop: www.triphouse.net - all the necessary stuff  you need for graffiti, graffiti, body-piercing and tattoo activities. QOpen 11:00 - 20:00, Sat 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Vision Tattoo & Bodypiercing Studio A-3, bul. Maria Luiza 55, tel. +359 +359 889 813 120. 120. In the dark alley hides a basement, where the magic of color  happens!

Shops also on bul. Vitosha 74 and 23, bul. Maria Luisa 41, bul. Kosta Lulchev 52, Sky City, bul. Alexander Malinov 77, Princess Outlet Center, Sofia Airport, Terminal 2. QOpen 09:30 - 19:30, Sat 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. A 

Dentists dr. Yovcheva D-3, bul. Cherni Vrah 7, tel. +359 2 963 49 31/+359 888 401 918, dental@yovc heva.com, www.yovcheva.com.

Medical Dent Consult E-2, bul. Dzheyms Bauchar 114, tel. +359 2 963 07 37/+359 2 963 07 88, [email protected], www.c-mdc.com.

Medstom Clinic B-4, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 26A, tel. +359 2 981 00 00/+359 2 988 44 04, fax +359 2 988 31 80, [email protected], [email protected], w ww.medstom.com. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. A 

Michaelangelo Dental Studio B-1, ul. Otets Paisiy 29, tel. +359 2 988 49 47, office@michelangelodent. com, www.michelangelodent.com.

Svedent Clinic C-3, ul. Solunska 9, tel. +359 2 981 96 31/+359 887 278 112, [email protected], www. svedent.com.

Religious services

Medical Tourism’ A lthough lthough the term ‘Me dical Tourism’ Tourism’ is widely used to define those people who cross borders to obtain treatment for  their ailments, these people are n ot usually interested in sightseeing or visiting local attractions. Quite the opposite, they come to seek treatment that is either too expensi ve or  has too long a waiting list in their hom e countries. In this new series of articles we will highlight the various aspects of this industry for which people come, or should come, to Bulgaria as a viable alternative. This first article is about dentistry. Your teeth are a valuable commodity, so you’ve decided  for one reason or the other that it will be bes t for you to seek  treatment ab road. You’ve You’ve looked at various options an d are about to make your choice. I suggest you keep on reading  this article since most of the recommendations given here will apply to other countries as well. Our focus is Bulgaria. First of all, Bulgaria is rich in dental practices. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that just any dentist will suit  your needs. You need to be able to communicate communicate with the dentist, not just with his or her secretary. You need to make clear in your own language so that both of you understand each other. Good checks involve investigating  if the dentist is member of the Dental Association, Association, does he or she have referrals from others, look at their digital business cards such can be their web site, facebook, Hi5 or other community portals. We live in modern times where the Internet usage is wide spread, so it is in Bulgaria. It  is definitely not so that every d entist has his or her own website or Facebook profile, the more established ones do. A dentist who involves himself in the Internet can also be seen as one that invests in his dental practice. You need to talk about your budget, most health insurances will cover your treatment received in Bulgaria, but  still you are the one that has to prepay either in cash or by  credit card. In any case it is advised, unless you’re loaded with money and don’t know what to do with it, to check wi th your insurance company as to whether the treatment you are looking for is covered by your policy. Don’t expect that  one phone call or some email exchanges will establish the  final cost, it may take a little time to get the exact figure. Be aware that the dentist has not seen you before, thus never had the possibility to look into your mouth in person.

Opticlasa C-2, bul. Vitosha 40, tel. +359 2 988 34 86,

Anglican church B-5, ul. Oborishte 5, the Catholic

[email protected], [email protected], www.opticlasa.com.ul. www.opticlasa.com. ul. Alabin 31, bul. Stamboliyski, Mall of Sofia, ul. Solunska 14 and 37, Mladost 4, Business Park Sofia, building 8 QOpen 10:30 19:30, Sat 10:30 - 18:30, Sun 11:30 - 17:30. A 

Chapel, tel. +359 2 872 21 30, anglicanbg@gmail. com, http://www.churchoftheresurrect http://www.churchoftheresurrection.eu/s ion.eu/sofia. ofia. htm. Holy Communion is celebrated every third Sunday of  the month at 9:30 am.

If you need treatment that involves multiple sessions, the dentist should inform you about the expected len gth in days and communicate regarding his availability. You don’t want  to run up against the desperate position that after the first  session of treatment your chosen dentist goes on holiday.

Private medical clinics Gurgulyat Clinic C-3, ul. Rakovski 148 B, tel. +359

Baha’i Centre G-7, ul. Boyanski Vazhod 8 A, tel. +359 2 955 58 33/+359 878 986 997, [email protected], www. bahai.bg.

I am in the lucky position of living in this wonderful Bulgarian country for years already and have visited 3 different  dentists all of whom lived up to my ‘western’ standards.

2 912 88/+359 2 981 03 31, fax +359 2 981 02 91, [email protected], www.gurgulyat.com. bul. Gen. Totleben 21, tel. 952 05 00, ul. 20 April 30, tel. 954 98 85. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun.

Banya Bashi Mosque (Dzhamia Banya Bashi) B-3, bul. Maria Luiza, tel. +359 2 981 60 01, www.genmufti. org. Prayer five times a day.

Why Bulgaria should be considere d as a destination to have your teeth fixed? The main reasons are already mentioned within the first paragraph, cheaper than in most European countries and hardly any waiting lists plus in general using  quite modern or sometimes even the latest technologies and well educated den tists. No matter what it is that makes you want to come to Bulgaria use your common sense, don’t run yourself i nto a situation you may la ter regret. Take your time, choose well and you will be able to sort out that  whitening or course of fillings at a fraction of the cost and enjoy this wonderful city at the same time.

Medical Center Dr. I.S.Greenberg H-8, Mladost-3 (in the building of XXV Polyclinic), tel. +359 2 974 48 16, fax +359 2 971 29 95, [email protected]. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00.

Baptist Church G-8, Interpred, bul. Dragan Tsankov 36, tel. +359 2 971 17 50, [email protected], www. ibcsworld.org. Sunday teaching sessions at 10 a.m. and worship services at 11 a.m. in English. Hram Uspenie Bogorodichno ul. Lyulin planina 5, tel. +359 2 953 04 06/+359 2 952 29 59, proykov@ gmail.com, www.kae-bg.org. Daily liturgy at 18:30, Sun 8:00 and 10:00.

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70

St. Pantaleymon H-8, Zh.k. Mladost 3 bul. Aleksandar

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

With the cooperation of dr. Konovski, michelangelod e n t . c o m , d r _ k o n o vs vs k y @ m i c h e l a n g el el o d e n t . c o m .

July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

sports

sports Vets

Golf 

B-4, ul. Stara Planina 38, tel. +359 2 944 33 80, fax +359 2 944 35 38, [email protected], www. chabad-bulgaria.org.Prayer chabad-bulgaria.org.Prayer every day at 8 am, except for  Friday when the servic e is held in the Synagogue. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Animo C-4, Zh.k. Mladost 1A, bl. 508, tel. +359 2 974 55 16/+359 889 780 180,www .animobg.com. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00.

Sofia Synagogue A-3, ul. Ekzarh Yosif 16, tel. +359

Snooker and Billiard club “Century” E-2, ul.

2 983 12 73, fax +359 2 983 50 85, sofiasyna gogue@ mail.orbitel.bg, www.sofiasynagogue.com. QOpen 08:30 - 16:30, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.

Alima C-5, ul. Sheynovo 7, Fitness Central Park, Dance

Chervena stena 4, tel. +359 899 988 376, snooker@ trivex.org, www.snooker.trivex.org.The www.snooker.trivex.org.The club is not  very easy to find, although it is situated very close to “Kempinski -Zografski” hotel. There are signs to follow, so it shouldn’t be so hard to get there. Going downstairs, you will enter this elegant, not so big, but pleasant place. There are 4 professional billiard and snooker tables, a small separated corner with a sofa, where you can have a drink  or two, check your email, or just have a rest. Nice music, plasma TV, an English-speaking staff will take care of your  pleasant stay. Bulgarian alcohol is not available, but the prices are quite low for this type of club. The place is also used for organized billiard and snooker tournaments. There are only 3 more billiard and snooker clubs in Sofia, but  that’s the only one, placed in the c entral part of the city. QOpen 11;00 - 01:00. PAXW

Golf Club Air Sofia B-4, Ihtiman, ul. 6-i septemvri 1(office), tel. +359 2 981 09 25/+359 888 678 144, [email protected], [email protected],www.golf-bg.com.Eighteen-hole www.golf-bg.com.Eighteen-hole course with a Par 71 rating. A round here costs 50Lv per person. Equipment rental available on site. They might even pick  you up from your hotel in Sofia. In addition: fully staffed riding  stables with 10 horses, football and basketball playgrounds,  fitness club, hotel and restaurant. Q AFK

Zone, www.orientaldances.net.Oriental www.orientaldances.net. Oriental dances - beginner, intermediate intermediate and advanced levels. QOpen , Mon, Tue, Fri 18:00 - 19:00.

Carting 

Lira Group Dance Company bul. Yanko Sakazov 17, tel. +359 888 678 963/+359 963/+359 888 503 213, [email protected], www.liragroup.eu.Bulgarian www.liragroup.eu.Bulgarian folk dances, Cuban salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Cha-cha-cha and Balroom dances. QOpen close d, Mon, Thu 19:00 - 21:30, Sat 17:00 - 18:15. Closed Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun.

Chabad Bulgaria (Jewish Community Center)

St Joseph’s Catholic Church C-2, ul. Knyaz Boris 146, tel. +359 2 811 46 56. Daily liturgy at 08:00 and 17:30 in Bulgarian, Sunday and holidays at 09:00 in Pol

Dance clubs Alfredo Dance Studio C-2, ul. Angista 6, tel. +359 899 222 088, [email protected], www.alfredostyle.com. Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Hip Hop, Mambo Q A 

Pambos Dancing Centre B-3, pl. Garibaldi 2, tel. +359 888 354 771/+359 88 8 981 769, [email protected] nfo, www.pambos.info. Salsa, flamenco and Greek dances. QOpen 18:00 - 23:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Raul Torres Dance School C-3, ul. Hristo Belchev 3, tel. +359 898 971 083, [email protected], www.torresdance.com.Salsa, resdance.com. Salsa, rumba, guaguanco, mambo, cha-cha, guaracha, samba and merenge, hip-hop and modern ballet. QOpen 18:00 - 22:00, Sun 17:00 - 22:00. Tanguerin ul. Krakra 15, Czech Club Ballroom, tel. +359 888 373 940/+359 898 817 906, fax +359 2 958 71 55, [email protected], [email protected], www.tanguerin.com. www.tanguerin.com. Tango argentino. QOpen closed, Mon, Wed, Fri 19:00 - 22:00. Closed Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun. Vai, Dudule! G-8, ul. Alfred Nobel 5, 138 school, tel. +359 886 885 468/+359 889 502 744, [email protected]. Bulgarian Folk Dances. “Vai, Dudule!” is an exclamaition used in a prayer, part of a bulgarian folklore custom, performed to the saints to send rain in times of very  dry weather. Fri, Sat and Sun private lessons. QOpen , Mon, Wed 19:20 - 21:30, Thu 18:30 - 20:30. 10:30 in Bulgarian, 12:00 in Latin and 18:00 in Bulgarian. QOpen 08:00 - 18:30.

The Bulgarian Lutheran Church D-3, Zh.k. Lozenets, ul. Kapitan Andreev 4, f l. 2, tel. +359 2 963 42 44/+359 2 963 42 48. Sunday service in Bulgarian at 11.45am. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat.

Sofia In Your Po cket

Bowling 

St.Sofia Golf Club & SPAC-5, bul. Tsarigradsko Shose 9 (office), tel. +359 2 943 45 05/+359 889 783 888, fax +359 2 943 45 04, [email protected], www. stsofiagolf.com. In Ravno Pole village - 15 minutes drive southeast of the city centre. Eighteen hole course with English-speaking management. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00.

Horse-riding  Nova Zvezda G-6, Knyazhevo area, villa area Kiliyte, tel. +359 2 944 76 52/+359 888 466364, info@ezdabg. com,w ww.ezdabg.com. ww.ezdabg.com. Horse-riding: 40 min-15Lv, 1 h-20Lv , 1 Day -70Lv. Equestrian tourism, bow and arrow, visiting of  hunting forestry, 1, 2 and 3 day tours, organizing of parties and team buildings with horses and exotic animals.

Mariya Luiza G-8, Borisova Gradina, tel. +359 2 963 00 54. An outdoor pool attractively situated amidst the trees and meadows of Boris’s Garden, this has the feel of  an out-of-town resort - and is correspondingly popular with  females clad in tiny strips of cloth. Three large pools are at  your disposal: an Olympic size one, one with a waterslide, and a kiddies’ pool. There’s a café-bar next to the pool serving  reasonably-price d drinks, and a full range of snack food. food. If you like pancakes, then it will take you several visits to munch your  way through the variety on offer here. There is also an openair tennis-court, beach-volleyball and football playgrounds, a  fitness-centre with a sauna, steam bath, solarium, and massage. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Entrance fee 4Lv. An umbrella and a couch together cost 3Lv.

Stadium Natsionalen Stadion Vasil Levski C-5, Borisova gradina, tel. +359 2 930 06 66/+359 2 930 07 51. Stadion Bulgarska Armia D-5, Borisova Gradina, tel. +359 2 963 34 77.

Stadion Georgi Asparuhov - Gerena F-8, kv.Suhata reka, tel. +359 2 945 30 46.

Stadion Lokomotiv F-7, kv.Nadezhda, tel. +359 2

Carting Speedway Krasna Polyana G-7, bul.

Ice-rinks

936 03 56.

Vardar 3A, tel. +359 2 920 14 47, kartingspor t@abv. bg, www.karting-bg.com. Kilometre-long circuit. During  winter season they work from 10:00 до 18:00. 2Lv per lap, every 11th is for free. The track can be hired also per hour or per day. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00.

Slavia G-8, ul. Koloman 1, tel. +359 2 856 49 75/+359

Stadion Slavia G-6, kv. Ovcha Kupel, tel. +359 2 980

2 856 91 97, fax +359 2 855 21 37, www.pfcslavia.com. Works from September till March. Admis sion 4Lv. Skate rental 3Lv. QOpen , Wed, Fri 18:30 - 20:00, Sat, Sun 11:30 - 13:00, 17:00-18:30. Closed Mon, Tue, Thu.

05 08/+359 2 980 49 87.

Winter Sport Palace (Zimen dvorets na sporta)

gradina, tel. +359 2 870 01 36, [email protected], www.utcakademic.com. Outdoor and indoor courts with professional trainers, sauna, massage and fitnes s in the park  right in the heart of Sofia. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00, Sat, Sun 08:30 - 14:00. JFKD

Extreme sports Air Sport Flight School B-1, ul. 20-i april 20, et.1, tel. +359 2 951 56 43/+359 888 123 123, fax +359 2 953 15 47, [email protected], www.airsport.bg. Training for  ultra-light, ultra-light, sel (single engine land) aircraft, multi engine land (mel) aircraft, private pilots and aerobatic flights. Certified f  lightinstructors. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00.

Cross The Line B-2, ul. Tsar Samuil 38, tel. +359 2 987 90 89/+359 887 402 525, cr [email protected], [email protected], ww w. crossthelinebg.com. Alpinism, mountain climbing, caving, rafting, kayaking, canyoning, team building, paragliding and two-seater plane flights. Parasof F-7, F-7, Svoboda, bl. 36, vhod G, apt. 55, tel. +359 2 898 94 42/+359 42/+359 888 259 716, www.skydive-bg. com. Parachute jumps, skydiving and paragliding. You have to be above 16.

Sky Mania H-8, Studentski grad, bl. 15, 514, tel. +359 2 868 20 66/+359 888 903 536, delta_sky@hotmail. com, www.sky-jet.com. Paragliding and motor pargliding  courses, flying equipment. Vertical World G-6, ul. 711-ta 3, Knyazhevo, tel. +359 888 484 700, [email protected], www. verticalworldbg.com. Bungee jumping, alpinism, caving, trekking, biking and adventure tourism. Training and equipment provided.

H-8, Studentski grad, tel. +359 2 68 71 62. Out amongst  the high-rise dorms of Sofia’s “student city”, 7km southeast  of the centre. Admission fee: 6Lv, plus a three more leva for  skate rental. Works from September to March. QOpen , Wed 18:30 - 20:00, Sat 17:00 - 20:30, Sun 17:00 - :20:30.

Outdoor swimming pools Diana Complex ul.Nikola Gabrovski, Dianabad district, tel. +359 2 962 01 01. Another big swimming complex in the city, recently renovated. It offers three outdoor swimming  pools (two Olympic-sized pools and one with a high diving  board) and an indoor fitness hall. The complex has a beach volleyball playground and a cocktail bar, a beer bar and a barbecue. Kids will enjoy the bouncy Chinese castle with water slide. Th ere is a V.I.P. zone where you get a wel come cocktail, access to a chairlounge, an umbrella, a table and a even a pillow! QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Admission: 4Lv (all day). Deckchair additional 3Lv; VIP Zone additional 7Lv.

Tennis & Squash Academic Tennis Club ul. Nezabravka 3-5, Borisovata

Maleevi Tennis Club G-7/8, bul. Nikola Vaptsarov 57, tel. +359 2 962 22 88/+359 878 622 282, fax +359 2 962 86 65, [email protected], www.maleevaclub. com. 09:00-19:00T 09:00-19:00Tennis, ennis, squash, tennis school, fitness, massage, Thai massage, solarium, hairdresser, cosmetics, restaurant, bar, events hosting and shop. QOpen 09:00 19:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 15:00.

Maxi Club H-7, bul. Simeonovsko shose 110, tel. +359 2 962 23 04, [email protected], www.maxisofia. com.

Lyulin Beach Lyulin-6, bul. D.Neru 30. Luxurious swimming complex completely in contrast with the endless rows of ugly grey flats that make up the surroundings. Three swimming pools, one with artificial waves, and a beach area covered with real sea sand. There’s a bar in the middle of the pool as well as a beach bar, pizzeria and barbeque. There’s a kid’s corner with pool, cradles, slides. Catch the metro to Lyulin Station and some 10 minutes walk to get there. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Admission: 6Lv.

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69

July - September  2009

71

70

sports

sports Vets

Golf 

B-4, ul. Stara Planina 38, tel. +359 2 944 33 80, fax +359 2 944 35 38, [email protected], www. chabad-bulgaria.org.Prayer chabad-bulgaria.org.Prayer every day at 8 am, except for  Friday when the servic e is held in the Synagogue. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Animo C-4, Zh.k. Mladost 1A, bl. 508, tel. +359 2 974 55 16/+359 889 780 180,www .animobg.com. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00.

Sofia Synagogue A-3, ul. Ekzarh Yosif 16, tel. +359

Snooker and Billiard club “Century” E-2, ul.

2 983 12 73, fax +359 2 983 50 85, sofiasyna gogue@ mail.orbitel.bg, www.sofiasynagogue.com. QOpen 08:30 - 16:30, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.

Alima C-5, ul. Sheynovo 7, Fitness Central Park, Dance

Chervena stena 4, tel. +359 899 988 376, snooker@ trivex.org, www.snooker.trivex.org.The www.snooker.trivex.org.The club is not  very easy to find, although it is situated very close to “Kempinski -Zografski” hotel. There are signs to follow, so it shouldn’t be so hard to get there. Going downstairs, you will enter this elegant, not so big, but pleasant place. There are 4 professional billiard and snooker tables, a small separated corner with a sofa, where you can have a drink  or two, check your email, or just have a rest. Nice music, plasma TV, an English-speaking staff will take care of your  pleasant stay. Bulgarian alcohol is not available, but the prices are quite low for this type of club. The place is also used for organized billiard and snooker tournaments. There are only 3 more billiard and snooker clubs in Sofia, but  that’s the only one, placed in the c entral part of the city. QOpen 11;00 - 01:00. PAXW

Golf Club Air Sofia B-4, Ihtiman, ul. 6-i septemvri 1(office), tel. +359 2 981 09 25/+359 888 678 144, [email protected], [email protected],www.golf-bg.com.Eighteen-hole www.golf-bg.com.Eighteen-hole course with a Par 71 rating. A round here costs 50Lv per person. Equipment rental available on site. They might even pick  you up from your hotel in Sofia. In addition: fully staffed riding  stables with 10 horses, football and basketball playgrounds,  fitness club, hotel and restaurant. Q AFK

Zone, www.orientaldances.net.Oriental www.orientaldances.net. Oriental dances - beginner, intermediate intermediate and advanced levels. QOpen , Mon, Tue, Fri 18:00 - 19:00.

Carting 

Lira Group Dance Company bul. Yanko Sakazov 17, tel. +359 888 678 963/+359 963/+359 888 503 213, [email protected], www.liragroup.eu.Bulgarian www.liragroup.eu.Bulgarian folk dances, Cuban salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Cha-cha-cha and Balroom dances. QOpen close d, Mon, Thu 19:00 - 21:30, Sat 17:00 - 18:15. Closed Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun.

Chabad Bulgaria (Jewish Community Center)

St Joseph’s Catholic Church C-2, ul. Knyaz Boris 146, tel. +359 2 811 46 56. Daily liturgy at 08:00 and 17:30 in Bulgarian, Sunday and holidays at 09:00 in Pol

Dance clubs Alfredo Dance Studio C-2, ul. Angista 6, tel. +359 899 222 088, [email protected], www.alfredostyle.com. Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Hip Hop, Mambo Q A 

Pambos Dancing Centre B-3, pl. Garibaldi 2, tel. +359 888 354 771/+359 88 8 981 769, [email protected] nfo, www.pambos.info. Salsa, flamenco and Greek dances. QOpen 18:00 - 23:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Raul Torres Dance School C-3, ul. Hristo Belchev 3, tel. +359 898 971 083, [email protected], www.torresdance.com.Salsa, resdance.com. Salsa, rumba, guaguanco, mambo, cha-cha, guaracha, samba and merenge, hip-hop and modern ballet. QOpen 18:00 - 22:00, Sun 17:00 - 22:00. Tanguerin ul. Krakra 15, Czech Club Ballroom, tel. +359 888 373 940/+359 898 817 906, fax +359 2 958 71 55, [email protected], [email protected], www.tanguerin.com. www.tanguerin.com. Tango argentino. QOpen closed, Mon, Wed, Fri 19:00 - 22:00. Closed Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun. Vai, Dudule! G-8, ul. Alfred Nobel 5, 138 school, tel. +359 886 885 468/+359 889 502 744, [email protected]. Bulgarian Folk Dances. “Vai, Dudule!” is an exclamaition used in a prayer, part of a bulgarian folklore custom, performed to the saints to send rain in times of very  dry weather. Fri, Sat and Sun private lessons. QOpen , Mon, Wed 19:20 - 21:30, Thu 18:30 - 20:30. 10:30 in Bulgarian, 12:00 in Latin and 18:00 in Bulgarian. QOpen 08:00 - 18:30.

The Bulgarian Lutheran Church D-3, Zh.k. Lozenets, ul. Kapitan Andreev 4, f l. 2, tel. +359 2 963 42 44/+359 2 963 42 48. Sunday service in Bulgarian at 11.45am. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat.

Bowling 

9 (office), tel. +359 2 943 45 05/+359 889 783 888, fax +359 2 943 45 04, [email protected], www. stsofiagolf.com. In Ravno Pole village - 15 minutes drive southeast of the city centre. Eighteen hole course with English-speaking management. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00.

Horse-riding  Nova Zvezda G-6, Knyazhevo area, villa area Kiliyte, tel. +359 2 944 76 52/+359 888 466364, info@ezdabg. com,w ww.ezdabg.com. ww.ezdabg.com. Horse-riding: 40 min-15Lv, 1 h-20Lv , 1 Day -70Lv. Equestrian tourism, bow and arrow, visiting of  hunting forestry, 1, 2 and 3 day tours, organizing of parties and team buildings with horses and exotic animals.

Mariya Luiza G-8, Borisova Gradina, tel. +359 2 963 00 54. An outdoor pool attractively situated amidst the trees and meadows of Boris’s Garden, this has the feel of  an out-of-town resort - and is correspondingly popular with  females clad in tiny strips of cloth. Three large pools are at  your disposal: an Olympic size one, one with a waterslide, and a kiddies’ pool. There’s a café-bar next to the pool serving  reasonably-price d drinks, and a full range of snack food. food. If you like pancakes, then it will take you several visits to munch your  way through the variety on offer here. There is also an openair tennis-court, beach-volleyball and football playgrounds, a  fitness-centre with a sauna, steam bath, solarium, and massage. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Entrance fee 4Lv. An umbrella and a couch together cost 3Lv.

Stadium Natsionalen Stadion Vasil Levski C-5, Borisova gradina, tel. +359 2 930 06 66/+359 2 930 07 51. Stadion Bulgarska Armia D-5, Borisova Gradina, tel. +359 2 963 34 77.

Stadion Georgi Asparuhov - Gerena F-8, kv.Suhata reka, tel. +359 2 945 30 46.

Stadion Lokomotiv F-7, kv.Nadezhda, tel. +359 2

Carting Speedway Krasna Polyana G-7, bul.

Ice-rinks

936 03 56.

Vardar 3A, tel. +359 2 920 14 47, kartingspor t@abv. bg, www.karting-bg.com. Kilometre-long circuit. During  winter season they work from 10:00 до 18:00. 2Lv per lap, every 11th is for free. The track can be hired also per hour or per day. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00.

Slavia G-8, ul. Koloman 1, tel. +359 2 856 49 75/+359

Stadion Slavia G-6, kv. Ovcha Kupel, tel. +359 2 980

2 856 91 97, fax +359 2 855 21 37, www.pfcslavia.com. Works from September till March. Admis sion 4Lv. Skate rental 3Lv. QOpen , Wed, Fri 18:30 - 20:00, Sat, Sun 11:30 - 13:00, 17:00-18:30. Closed Mon, Tue, Thu.

05 08/+359 2 980 49 87.

Winter Sport Palace (Zimen dvorets na sporta)

gradina, tel. +359 2 870 01 36, [email protected], www.utcakademic.com. Outdoor and indoor courts with professional trainers, sauna, massage and fitnes s in the park  right in the heart of Sofia. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00, Sat, Sun 08:30 - 14:00. JFKD

Extreme sports Air Sport Flight School B-1, ul. 20-i april 20, et.1, tel. +359 2 951 56 43/+359 888 123 123, fax +359 2 953 15 47, [email protected], www.airsport.bg. Training for  ultra-light, ultra-light, sel (single engine land) aircraft, multi engine land (mel) aircraft, private pilots and aerobatic flights. Certified f  lightinstructors. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00.

Cross The Line B-2, ul. Tsar Samuil 38, tel. +359 2 987 90 89/+359 887 402 525, cr [email protected], [email protected], ww w. crossthelinebg.com. Alpinism, mountain climbing, caving, rafting, kayaking, canyoning, team building, paragliding and two-seater plane flights. Parasof F-7, F-7, Svoboda, bl. 36, vhod G, apt. 55, tel. +359 2 898 94 42/+359 42/+359 888 259 716, www.skydive-bg. com. Parachute jumps, skydiving and paragliding. You have to be above 16.

Sky Mania H-8, Studentski grad, bl. 15, 514, tel. +359 2 868 20 66/+359 888 903 536, delta_sky@hotmail. com, www.sky-jet.com. Paragliding and motor pargliding  courses, flying equipment. Vertical World G-6, ul. 711-ta 3, Knyazhevo, tel. +359 888 484 700, [email protected], www. verticalworldbg.com. Bungee jumping, alpinism, caving, trekking, biking and adventure tourism. Training and equipment provided.

H-8, Studentski grad, tel. +359 2 68 71 62. Out amongst  the high-rise dorms of Sofia’s “student city”, 7km southeast  of the centre. Admission fee: 6Lv, plus a three more leva for  skate rental. Works from September to March. QOpen , Wed 18:30 - 20:00, Sat 17:00 - 20:30, Sun 17:00 - :20:30.

Outdoor swimming pools Diana Complex ul.Nikola Gabrovski, Dianabad district, tel. +359 2 962 01 01. Another big swimming complex in the city, recently renovated. It offers three outdoor swimming  pools (two Olympic-sized pools and one with a high diving  board) and an indoor fitness hall. The complex has a beach volleyball playground and a cocktail bar, a beer bar and a barbecue. Kids will enjoy the bouncy Chinese castle with water slide. Th ere is a V.I.P. zone where you get a wel come cocktail, access to a chairlounge, an umbrella, a table and a even a pillow! QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Admission: 4Lv (all day). Deckchair additional 3Lv; VIP Zone additional 7Lv.

Tennis & Squash Academic Tennis Club ul. Nezabravka 3-5, Borisovata

Maleevi Tennis Club G-7/8, bul. Nikola Vaptsarov 57, tel. +359 2 962 22 88/+359 878 622 282, fax +359 2 962 86 65, [email protected], www.maleevaclub. com. 09:00-19:00T 09:00-19:00Tennis, ennis, squash, tennis school, fitness, massage, Thai massage, solarium, hairdresser, cosmetics, restaurant, bar, events hosting and shop. QOpen 09:00 19:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 15:00.

Maxi Club H-7, bul. Simeonovsko shose 110, tel. +359 2 962 23 04, [email protected], www.maxisofia. com.

Lyulin Beach Lyulin-6, bul. D.Neru 30. Luxurious swimming complex completely in contrast with the endless rows of ugly grey flats that make up the surroundings. Three swimming pools, one with artificial waves, and a beach area covered with real sea sand. There’s a bar in the middle of the pool as well as a beach bar, pizzeria and barbeque. There’s a kid’s corner with pool, cradles, slides. Catch the metro to Lyulin Station and some 10 minutes walk to get there. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Admission: 6Lv.

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Sofia In Your Po cket

72

St.Sofia Golf Club & SPAC-5, bul. Tsarigradsko Shose

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

July - September  2009

sofia.inyourpocket.com

Business direCtory

Business direCtory

Bulbank - Uni Credit Group B-3, pl. Sveta Nedelya 7,

British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce G-8, ul.

Privatisation Agency C-4, ul. Aksakov 29, tel./fax

tel. +359 2 923 21 11, fax +359 2 988 46 36, www. bulbank.bg.

Nikolay Haytov 2, entr.5, 1st f loor, tel./fax +359 2 971 47 56, [email protected], www.bbcc.bg.

+359 2 980 98 27, [email protected]., www. priv.government.bg.

Corporate Commercial Bank B-3, ul. Graf Ignatiev 10,

Bulgaria Economic Forum C-2, bul. Vitosha 86, tel.

United Nations in Bulgaria C-3, ul. Khan Krum 25, tel.

tel. +359 2 980 93 62, fax +359 2 980 89 48, corpbank@ corpbank.bg, www.corpbank.bg.

+359 2 951 52 59, fax +359 2 953 29 24, info@biforum. org, www.biforum.org.

+359 2 969 61 00, fax +359 2 981 31 84, info@undp. bg, www.un-bg.bg.

First Investment Bank D-4, ul. Dragan Tsankov 37, tel.

Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum C-4, ul. Slavyan-

World Bank G-8, Interpred, bul. Dragan Tsankov 36, tel.

+359 2 910 01 00, fax +359 2 980 50 33, fib@fibank. bg, www.fibank.bg.

ska 42, tel. +359 2 986 52 02, fax +359 2 986 56 25, [email protected], www.bblf.bg.

+359 2 969 72 29, fax +359 2 971 20 45, itaushanova@ worldbank.bg, www.worldbank.bg.

Deloitte B-1, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 103, tel.

HVB Bank Biochim B-4, ul. Ivan Vazov 1, tel. +359 2

Bulgarian Dutch Business Club B-2, ul. Sofroniy

+359 2 802 33 00, fax +359 2 802 33 50, bulgaria@ deloitte.com, www.deloitte.com.

926 92 10, fax +359 2 926 94 40.

Vrachanski 1, tel. +359 2 987 99 11, chairman@bg-nl. com, www.bg-nl.com.

Business facilities

Ernst & Young H-8, Business Park Sofia, Building 10

64 00, fax +359 2 917 65 78, [email protected], www.ing.bg.

Business & Officials Ever wondered if cars can fly, swim or drive by themselves? Who knows, it might as well be possible since everyday gadgets were considered science fiction twenty  years ago. The best way to learn everything about those  four, three and two wheel machines these days is not the internet, but the annual Sofia International Motor Show in the Inter Expo Center.

Accountants & Consultants

fl.2, tel . +359 2 817 71 00, fax +359 2 817 71 11, offic e. [email protected], www.ey.com.

Eurobalance Ltd. G-8, ul. Karnegi 10, tel. +359 2 980 77 47, [email protected], www.eurobalance.net.

Four Consult G-7, ul. Racho Dimchev 8, tel./fax +359

ING Bank D-1, ul. Emil Bersinski 12, tel. +359 2 917

OBB (United Bulgarian Bank) B-2, ul. Sveta Sofia 5, tel. +359 2 811 28 00, fax +359 2 988 08 22, info@ ubb.bg, www.ubb.bg.

2 981 30 82, tel. +359 897 886 925, [email protected], www.fourconsult.com.

Poshtenska Banka (Bulgarian Post Bank) B-4, bul. Tsar Tsar Osvoboditel 14, tel. +359 2 816 60 00, fax +359 2 988 81 10, [email protected], www.postbank.bg.

Grant Thornton C-3, ul. Uiliyam Gladston 54, tel. +359

Pro Credit Bank A-2, bul. Hristo Botev 131, tel. +359

2 980 55 00, fax +359 2 980 48 24, office@gtbulgaria. com, www.gtbulgaria.com.

2 921 71 00, fax +359 2 921 71 10, [email protected], www.procreditbank.bg.

KPMG D-3, ul. Frityof Nansen 37, tel. +359 2 969 73

Raiffeisen Bank C-5, ul. Nikolay Gogol 18-20, tel.

00, fax +359 2 980 53 40, [email protected], www. kpmg.bg.

+359 2 919 85 101, fax +359 2 943 45 28, www. raiffeisen.bg.

Price Waterhouse Coopers B-3, bul. Maria Luiza 9-11,

SG Expressbank B-1, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 73, tel. +359 2 937 04 76, fax +359 2 981 79 17, www. sgexpressbank.bg.

tel. +359 2 935 52 00, fax +359 2 935 52 66, pwc. [email protected], www.pwc.com/bg.

Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry A-5, ul. Iskar 9, tel. +359 2 987 26 31, fax +359 2 987 32 09, [email protected], www.bcci.bg.

Bulgarian Industrial Assosiation B-2, ul. Alabin

Business Park Sofia H-8, Mladost 4, tel. +359 2 489 90 81, fax +359 2 489 90 80, [email protected], www.businesspark-sofia.com. Office space accommodating over 200 companies, restaurants, cafes, shops, banks.

Bulgarian International Business AssociationB-1,

Inter Expo Center (IEC) G-8, bul. Tsarigradsko shose 147, tel. +359 2 965 52 20, fax +359 2 965 52 30, bulreklama@bulgarreklama. [email protected], com, www.iec.bg. Exhibition and congress complex with 8 separate halls, restaurants and cafes.

bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 55, tel. +359 2 981 95 64, fax +359 2 981 91 69, [email protected].

Interpred World Trade Centre G-8, bul. Dragan

16-20, tel. +359 2 932 09 11, fax +359 2 987 26 04, [email protected], www.bia-bg.com.

Bulgarian Stock Exchange B-2, ul. Tri ushi 10, tel. +359 2 937 09 34, fax +359 2 937 09 46, [email protected], www.bse-sofia.bg.

European Commission Representation B-3, ul. Moskovska 9, tel. +359 2 933 52 52, fax +359 2 933 52 33, [email protected], www. evropa.bg.

Tsankov 36, tel. +359 2 969 50 52, fax +359 2 971 20 06, [email protected], www.wtcsofia.bg.Rentable www.wtcsofia.bg. Rentable office space, conference facilities.

Sterling Serviced Office Group B-3, ul. Saborna 2A, tel. +359 2 926 41 11, fax +359 2 926 41 00, sofia@ sterlingoffice.com, www.sterlingoffice.com. The only  serviced office centre in Sofia.

German-Bulgarian Trade Trade and Industrial Chamber

Foreign representations

G-8, ul. Fr. J.-Curie 25A, tel. +359 2 816 30 10, fax +359 2 816 30 19, [email protected].

Albania B-5, ul. Krakra 10, tel. +359 2 946 12 22, [email protected].

Advertising agencies

Bulgarian officials

Huts JWT G-8, ul. Charlz Darvin 14B, tel. +359 2 971

Council of Ministers B-3, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 1, tel.

Institute for Market Economics B-5, bul. Patriarh

Austria B-4, ul. Shipka 4, tel. +359 2 932 90 32, fax

71 95/+359 2 971 71 96, fax +359 2 971 71 78, info@ hutsjwt.com, www.hutsjwt.com.

+359 2 940 27 70, fax +359 2 980 20 56, [email protected], www.government.bg.

Evtimiy 61, tel. +359 2 952 62 66, [email protected], www. ime.bg.

+359 2 981 05 67, [email protected], ww w.aussenministerium.at/sofia. QOpen 10:00 - 12:00.

Leo Burnett G-8, ul. Maragidik 6, tel. +359 2 943 44

Ministry of Foreign Affairs G-8, ul. Aleksandar Zhendov 2, tel. +359 2 948 29 99, fax +359 2 870 30 41, [email protected], www.mfa.government.bg.

International Monetary Fund Representative Office B-3, BNB, pl. Aleksandar Batenberg 1, tel. +359 2

Belgium E-4, pl. Velchova zavera 1, tel. +359 2 988 72

51, fax +359 2 943 41 65, [email protected]. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

McCann Erickson G-8, bul. Shipchenski prohod 63,

National Assembly B-4, pl. Narodno Sabranie 2, tel.

Invest Bulgaria Agency B-4, ul. Aksakov 31, tel. +359

tel. +359 2 971 96 41, fax +359 2 971 95 04, office@ mccann.bg, www.universalmccann.com.

+359 2 939 39, fax +359 2 981 31 31, infocenter@ parliament.bg, www.parliament.bg.

2 985 55 00, fax +359 2 980 13 20, [email protected], www.investbg.government.bg.

Canada B-4, ul. Moskovska 9, tel. +359 2 969 97 10,

Ogilvy & Mather C-1, ul. Dospat 60-62, tel. +359

Presidency B-3, bul. Knyaz Do ndukov 2, tel. +359 2 923

Italian Chamber of Commerce B-5, ul. Oborishte 1B,

2 952 34 00, fax +359 2 953 34 19, [email protected], www.ogilvy.bg.

93 33, [email protected], www.president.bg..

tel. +359 2 846 32 80, fax +359 2 846 32 81, info@ camcomit.bg, www.camcomit.bg.

Cyprus E-3, ul. Plachkovitsa 1A, tel. +359 2 961 77 30, fax +359 2 862 94 70, [email protected].

Banks BNP Paribas Bulgaria B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 2, tel. +359 2 921 86 40, fax +359 2 921 86 95, [email protected], www.bulgaria. bnpparibas.com.

Sofia In Your Po cket

71

Business connections American Chamber of CommerceH-8, Business Park

981 45 06, fax +359 2 981 25 24, [email protected].

North American Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce

Sofia, Building 2, tel. +359 2 974 27 43, fax +359 2 974 27 41, [email protected], www.amcham.bg.

C-1, ul. Petko Karavelov 1A, tel. +359 2 951 53 87, fax +359 2 951 69 84, [email protected], www. nabcc.org.

Atlantic Club of Bulgaria C-4, ul. Slavyanska 29, tel.

OJB Shalom bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 50, tel. +359

+359 2 981 06 99, fax +359 2 981 57 82, natoinfo@ natoinfo.bg.

2 870 163, www.shalom.bg.

sofia inyourpo cket com

sofia.inyourpocket.com

90, fax +359 2 963 36 38, [email protected], www. diplomatie.be/sofia.Only diplomatie.be/sofia.Only in case of emergency out of office hours call tel.+359 (0) 888 63 19 3. fax +359 2 981 60 81, [email protected].

Czech Republic B-5, bul. Yanko Sakazov 9, tel. +359 2 946 11 11, fax +359 2 946 18 00, sofia@embassy. mz2.bg, www.mzv.cz/sofia.

Denmark B-4, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 54, tel. +359 2 917 01 00, fax +359 2 980 99 01, [email protected], www. ambsofia.um.dk.

July - September  2009

73

72

Business direCtory Bulbank - Uni Credit Group B-3, pl. Sveta Nedelya 7,

British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce G-8, ul.

Privatisation Agency C-4, ul. Aksakov 29, tel./fax

tel. +359 2 923 21 11, fax +359 2 988 46 36, www. bulbank.bg.

Nikolay Haytov 2, entr.5, 1st f loor, tel./fax +359 2 971 47 56, [email protected], www.bbcc.bg.

+359 2 980 98 27, [email protected]., www. priv.government.bg.

Corporate Commercial Bank B-3, ul. Graf Ignatiev 10,

Bulgaria Economic Forum C-2, bul. Vitosha 86, tel.

United Nations in Bulgaria C-3, ul. Khan Krum 25, tel.

tel. +359 2 980 93 62, fax +359 2 980 89 48, corpbank@ corpbank.bg, www.corpbank.bg.

+359 2 951 52 59, fax +359 2 953 29 24, info@biforum. org, www.biforum.org.

+359 2 969 61 00, fax +359 2 981 31 84, info@undp. bg, www.un-bg.bg.

First Investment Bank D-4, ul. Dragan Tsankov 37, tel.

Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum C-4, ul. Slavyan-

World Bank G-8, Interpred, bul. Dragan Tsankov 36, tel.

+359 2 910 01 00, fax +359 2 980 50 33, fib@fibank. bg, www.fibank.bg.

ska 42, tel. +359 2 986 52 02, fax +359 2 986 56 25, [email protected], www.bblf.bg.

+359 2 969 72 29, fax +359 2 971 20 45, itaushanova@ worldbank.bg, www.worldbank.bg.

Deloitte B-1, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 103, tel.

HVB Bank Biochim B-4, ul. Ivan Vazov 1, tel. +359 2

Bulgarian Dutch Business Club B-2, ul. Sofroniy

+359 2 802 33 00, fax +359 2 802 33 50, bulgaria@ deloitte.com, www.deloitte.com.

926 92 10, fax +359 2 926 94 40.

Vrachanski 1, tel. +359 2 987 99 11, chairman@bg-nl. com, www.bg-nl.com.

Business facilities

Ernst & Young H-8, Business Park Sofia, Building 10

64 00, fax +359 2 917 65 78, [email protected], www.ing.bg.

Business & Officials Ever wondered if cars can fly, swim or drive by themselves? Who knows, it might as well be possible since everyday gadgets were considered science fiction twenty  years ago. The best way to learn everything about those  four, three and two wheel machines these days is not the internet, but the annual Sofia International Motor Show in the Inter Expo Center.

Accountants & Consultants

fl.2, tel . +359 2 817 71 00, fax +359 2 817 71 11, offic e. [email protected], www.ey.com.

Eurobalance Ltd. G-8, ul. Karnegi 10, tel. +359 2 980 77 47, [email protected], www.eurobalance.net.

Four Consult G-7, ul. Racho Dimchev 8, tel./fax +359

ING Bank D-1, ul. Emil Bersinski 12, tel. +359 2 917

OBB (United Bulgarian Bank) B-2, ul. Sveta Sofia 5, tel. +359 2 811 28 00, fax +359 2 988 08 22, info@ ubb.bg, www.ubb.bg.

2 981 30 82, tel. +359 897 886 925, [email protected], www.fourconsult.com.

Poshtenska Banka (Bulgarian Post Bank) B-4, bul. Tsar Tsar Osvoboditel 14, tel. +359 2 816 60 00, fax +359 2 988 81 10, [email protected], www.postbank.bg.

Grant Thornton C-3, ul. Uiliyam Gladston 54, tel. +359

Pro Credit Bank A-2, bul. Hristo Botev 131, tel. +359

2 980 55 00, fax +359 2 980 48 24, office@gtbulgaria. com, www.gtbulgaria.com.

2 921 71 00, fax +359 2 921 71 10, [email protected], www.procreditbank.bg.

KPMG D-3, ul. Frityof Nansen 37, tel. +359 2 969 73

Raiffeisen Bank C-5, ul. Nikolay Gogol 18-20, tel.

00, fax +359 2 980 53 40, [email protected], www. kpmg.bg.

+359 2 919 85 101, fax +359 2 943 45 28, www. raiffeisen.bg.

Price Waterhouse Coopers B-3, bul. Maria Luiza 9-11,

SG Expressbank B-1, bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 73, tel. +359 2 937 04 76, fax +359 2 981 79 17, www. sgexpressbank.bg.

tel. +359 2 935 52 00, fax +359 2 935 52 66, pwc. [email protected], www.pwc.com/bg.

Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry A-5, ul. Iskar 9, tel. +359 2 987 26 31, fax +359 2 987 32 09, [email protected], www.bcci.bg.

Bulgarian Industrial Assosiation B-2, ul. Alabin

90 81, fax +359 2 489 90 80, [email protected], www.businesspark-sofia.com. Office space accommodating over 200 companies, restaurants, cafes, shops, banks.

Bulgarian International Business AssociationB-1,

Inter Expo Center (IEC) G-8, bul. Tsarigradsko shose 147, tel. +359 2 965 52 20, fax +359 2 965 52 30, bulreklama@bulgarreklama. [email protected], com, www.iec.bg. Exhibition and congress complex with 8 separate halls, restaurants and cafes.

bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 55, tel. +359 2 981 95 64, fax +359 2 981 91 69, [email protected].

Interpred World Trade Centre G-8, bul. Dragan

16-20, tel. +359 2 932 09 11, fax +359 2 987 26 04, [email protected], www.bia-bg.com.

Bulgarian Stock Exchange B-2, ul. Tri ushi 10, tel. +359 2 937 09 34, fax +359 2 937 09 46, [email protected], www.bse-sofia.bg.

European Commission Representation B-3, ul. Moskovska 9, tel. +359 2 933 52 52, fax +359 2 933 52 33, [email protected], www. evropa.bg.

Tsankov 36, tel. +359 2 969 50 52, fax +359 2 971 20 06, [email protected], www.wtcsofia.bg.Rentable www.wtcsofia.bg. Rentable office space, conference facilities.

Sterling Serviced Office Group B-3, ul. Saborna 2A, tel. +359 2 926 41 11, fax +359 2 926 41 00, sofia@ sterlingoffice.com, www.sterlingoffice.com. The only  serviced office centre in Sofia.

German-Bulgarian Trade Trade and Industrial Chamber

Foreign representations

G-8, ul. Fr. J.-Curie 25A, tel. +359 2 816 30 10, fax +359 2 816 30 19, [email protected].

Albania B-5, ul. Krakra 10, tel. +359 2 946 12 22, [email protected].

Bulgarian officials

Huts JWT G-8, ul. Charlz Darvin 14B, tel. +359 2 971

Council of Ministers B-3, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 1, tel.

Institute for Market Economics B-5, bul. Patriarh

Austria B-4, ul. Shipka 4, tel. +359 2 932 90 32, fax

71 95/+359 2 971 71 96, fax +359 2 971 71 78, info@ hutsjwt.com, www.hutsjwt.com.

+359 2 940 27 70, fax +359 2 980 20 56, [email protected], www.government.bg.

Evtimiy 61, tel. +359 2 952 62 66, [email protected], www. ime.bg.

+359 2 981 05 67, [email protected], ww w.aussenministerium.at/sofia. QOpen 10:00 - 12:00.

Leo Burnett G-8, ul. Maragidik 6, tel. +359 2 943 44

Ministry of Foreign Affairs G-8, ul. Aleksandar Zhendov 2, tel. +359 2 948 29 99, fax +359 2 870 30 41, [email protected], www.mfa.government.bg.

International Monetary Fund Representative Office B-3, BNB, pl. Aleksandar Batenberg 1, tel. +359 2

Belgium E-4, pl. Velchova zavera 1, tel. +359 2 988 72

51, fax +359 2 943 41 65, [email protected]. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

McCann Erickson G-8, bul. Shipchenski prohod 63,

National Assembly B-4, pl. Narodno Sabranie 2, tel.

Invest Bulgaria Agency B-4, ul. Aksakov 31, tel. +359

tel. +359 2 971 96 41, fax +359 2 971 95 04, office@ mccann.bg, www.universalmccann.com.

+359 2 939 39, fax +359 2 981 31 31, infocenter@ parliament.bg, www.parliament.bg.

2 985 55 00, fax +359 2 980 13 20, [email protected], www.investbg.government.bg.

Canada B-4, ul. Moskovska 9, tel. +359 2 969 97 10,

Ogilvy & Mather C-1, ul. Dospat 60-62, tel. +359

Presidency B-3, bul. Knyaz Do ndukov 2, tel. +359 2 923

Italian Chamber of Commerce B-5, ul. Oborishte 1B,

2 952 34 00, fax +359 2 953 34 19, [email protected], www.ogilvy.bg.

93 33, [email protected], www.president.bg..

tel. +359 2 846 32 80, fax +359 2 846 32 81, info@ camcomit.bg, www.camcomit.bg.

Cyprus E-3, ul. Plachkovitsa 1A, tel. +359 2 961 77 30, fax +359 2 862 94 70, [email protected].

Business connections

BNP Paribas Bulgaria B-4, bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 2, tel. +359 2 921 86 40, fax +359 2 921 86 95, [email protected], www.bulgaria. bnpparibas.com.

American Chamber of CommerceH-8, Business Park

981 45 06, fax +359 2 981 25 24, [email protected].

North American Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce

Sofia, Building 2, tel. +359 2 974 27 43, fax +359 2 974 27 41, [email protected], www.amcham.bg.

C-1, ul. Petko Karavelov 1A, tel. +359 2 951 53 87, fax +359 2 951 69 84, [email protected], www. nabcc.org.

Atlantic Club of Bulgaria C-4, ul. Slavyanska 29, tel.

OJB Shalom bul. Aleksandar Stamboliyski 50, tel. +359

+359 2 981 06 99, fax +359 2 981 57 82, natoinfo@ natoinfo.bg.

2 870 163, www.shalom.bg.

Sofia In Your Po cket

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

Slovak Republic B-5, bul. Yanko Sakazov 9, tel. +359

00, fax +359 2 937 99 09, [email protected], www. sofia.vm.ee/blg.

2 942 92 10, fax +359 2 942 92 35, embassy@sofia. mfa.sk.

Finland A-3, ul. Bacho Kiro 26-28, tel. +359 2 810 21

South Africa A-3, ul. Bacho Kiro 26, tel. +359 2 981

10, fax +359 2 810 21 20, [email protected].

66 82, fax +359 2 981 57 76, saembsof@techno-link. com.

Office Express H-9, bul. Tsarigradsko shose 135, tel. +359 0800 1 80 80, [email protected], www.offex.bg. Office delivery service. QOpen 08:30 - 18:30, Sat 08:30 - 14:00. Closed Sun.

Real estate

Spain C-5, ul. Sheynovo 27, tel. +359 2 946 12 09,

Address B-5, pl. Bulgaria 1, tel. +359 2 810 33 48,

[email protected], www.embespbg.com.

Germany G-8, ul. Fr. J. Curie 25, tel. +359 2 918 38

Sweden G-8, ul. Alfred Nobel 4, tel. +359 2 930 19

[email protected], www.address.bg. QOpen 09:00 - 19:30. Closed Sun.

00, fax +359 2 963 16 58, [email protected], ww w. sofia.diplo.de.

60, fax +359 2 973 37 95, ambassaden.sofia@for eign. ministry.se, www.swedenabroad.com/sofia.

Greece C-5, ul. San Stefano 33, tel. +359 2 843 30 85,

Switzerland G-8, ul. Shipka 33, tel. +359 2 946 01 97,

dost 4, Bulding 7B, tel. +359 2 976 99 77/+359 77/+359 888 372 091, [email protected], [email protected], ww w.colliers.com. w.colliers.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

fax +359 2 946 12 49, [email protected], www.info.greekembassy-sofia.org.

fax +359 2 946 16 22, [email protected], www.eda.admin.ch/sofia.

Discover Bulgaria Properties H-8, Mladost-4, bl.

Hungary D-3, ul. 6-i septemvri 57, tel. +359 2 963 11

Turkey C-4, bul. Vasil Levski 80, tel. +359 2 935 55 00,

35, fax +359 2 963 21 10, [email protected].

fax +359 2 981 93 58, [email protected].

China H-8, ul. Aleksandar fon Humbolt 7, tel. +359 2

Ukraine G-6, ul. Boryana 29, tel. +359 2 818 68 28,

973 38 73, fax +359 2 971 10 81, [email protected], www.chinaembassy.bg.

fax +359 2 955 52 47, [email protected], http:// www.mfa.gov.ua/bulgaria.

Ireland A-3, ul. Bacho Kir o 26-30, tel. +359 2 985 34 25,

United Kingdom B-3, ul. Moskovska 9, tel. +359 2 933

fax +359 2 983 33 02, [email protected].

92 22, fax +359 2 933 92 19, [email protected]. bg, www.british-embassy.bg.

fax +359 2 952 11 01, [email protected]. 09:30 - 12:30.

QOpen

Italy B-4, ul. Shipka 2, tel. +359 2 921 73 00, fax +359 2 980 37 17, [email protected], www. ambsofia.esteri.it.

USA G-7, ul. Kozyak 16, tel. +359 2 937 51 00, fax +359 2 937 53 20, ir [email protected], www.usembassy.bg.

Lawyers

Colliers International H-8, Business Park Sofia, Mla-

473, vh.2-3, tel. +359 2 881 57 14, fax +359 2 881 53 32, [email protected], properties. discover-bulgaria.com. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. A 

Grato Investment G-7, bul. Bulgaria 102, Business Centre Bellissimo, office 2, tel. +359 2 428 13 08/+359 885 665 730, fax +359 2 428 13 07, [email protected], ww w.gratoinvestments.com w.gratoinvestments.com.. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Tvoyat Dom (Your Home) C-3, pl. Slaveykov 7, entr.B, tel. +359 2 986 48 86, fax +359 2 987 52 88, info@ tvoyatdom.com, www.tvoyatdom.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Arsov Natchev Ganeva B-5, ul. Shipka 36, tel. +359

Recruitment 

2 943 40 66, fax +359 2 946 33 48, info@anglaw. com, www.anglaw.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Correct Consult Bulgaria Ltd. G-7, bul. Knyaz Boris I

08, fax +359 2 971 10 95, ww w.bg.emb-japan.go.jp.

49, tel. +359 2 851 91 15, off [email protected], www.correct-consult.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00.

Korea H-8, bul. Andrey Saharov, Mladost 1, tel. +359 2

Dia Consult C-2, ul. Uzundzhovska 16, tel. +359 2

77 53 48, saebyolkа saebyolkа @yahoo.com. @yahoo.com.

981 91 78, fax +359 2 980 20 26, diacon@techno-link. com, www.diaconsult.bg. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Babysitting and Home care

Japan G-8, Lyulyakova gradina 14, tel. +359 2 971 27

Macedonia G-8, ul. Fr. J.Curie 17, tel. +359 2 870 50 98, fax +359 2 971 28 32, [email protected]. Netherlands G-8, ul. Oborishte 15, tel. +359 2 816

Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. C-3, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 36,

03 00, fax +359 2 816 03 01, [email protected], www. netherlandsembassy.bg.

tel. +359 2 987 70 96, fax +359 2 988 73 60, info@ dpc.bg, www.dpc.bg. Q Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Norway B-4, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 54B, tel. +359 2

Kambourov & Partners C-3, ul. Neofit Rilski 55, tel.

981 11 06, fax +359 2 981 90 10, [email protected], www.norvegia.bg.

+359 2 986 99 99, fax +359 2 986 99 95, [email protected], www.kambourov.biz. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Poland C-3, ul. Khan Krum 46, tel. +359 2 987 26 10, fax +359 2 987 29 39, [email protected], www. polamba-bg.org.

Portugal B-1, ul. Pozitano 7, tel. +359 2 921 68 68, fax

Stoychev, Valkov & Co. Law firm ul. Damyan Gruev 20, fl.4, apt.9, tel. +359 2 852 69 99/+359 2 852 49 99, [email protected], www.lawyers-bg.net. QOpen 09:30 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

+359 2 921 68 21, [email protected].

Romania G-8, bul. Mihay Eminesku 4, tel. +359 2 971

01 00, fax +359 2 980 99 01, [email protected], www. ambsofia.um.dk.

Office supplies

Thalasso treatments, massage, manicure and more. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. A 

Picasso B-3, ul. Aleksandar Batenberg 10, tel. +359 2 989 66 99/+359 2 989 06 68, [email protected], www. cosmelas.com.Studio cosmelas.com.Studio for laser cosmetics. QOpen 09:00 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. W

Visages B-2, bul. Vitosha 50, tel. +359 2 988 42 51. Cosmetic services, massage, manicure, tatoos and more. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun 11:00 18:00.

Yves Rocher Beauty Center C-2, bul. Vitosha 63, tel. +359 2 986 31 64/+359 2 987 99 10. Various cosmetic services with quality products. QOpen 09:30 - 20:00, Mon, Sat 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. A 

Bulgarian language courses Atlas-S B-3, ul. Hristo Belchev 1, et. 3, tel. +359 2 987 20 08/+359 2 980 43 92, fax +359 2 980 55 79, [email protected], [email protected], www.atlas-s.com.QOpen 09:00 - 18:30, Sat 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Sofia University Department of Language Learning G-8, ul. Kosta Lulchev 27, tel. +359 2 871 00 69/+359 2 872 00 69, fax +359 2 870 53 28, office@ deo.uni-sofia.bg,ww w.deo.uni-sofia.bg. w.deo.uni-sofia.bg.The only certified centre for testing of Bulgarian as foreign language. QOpen 08:30 - 17:00.

York Learning Centre D-3, ul. Rakovska 187 A, et. 3, tel. +359 2 986 21 45/+359 45/+359 898 457 433, info@ york-bg.com, www.york-bg.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 14:00.

Catering 

Mery Poppins D-4, ul. Milin Kamak 40, tel. +359 2

Luxe B-3, ul. Triaditsa 5, tel. +359 2 980 02 03/+359

865 48 10/+359 878 621 936, info@marypoppins-bg. com, www.marypoppins-bg.com. Recruitment agency for  babysitters and homecare services. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

888 241 164, [email protected], www.luxebg.com. Catering and event planning. Q A 

Tina V (G-8) ul. Nikolay Gogol 1, tel. +359 2 846 54 85/+359 889 322 529, [email protected], [email protected], www.tina-v. com. Babysitting and homecare recruitment agenc y.QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. United Phili C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 28, tel. +359 78 808 568, [email protected] [email protected]. Babysitting and homecare recruitment a gency. gency. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Beauty salons

Russia G-8, bul. Dragan Tsankov 28, tel. +359 2 963 44

20, [email protected], www.multirama.bg. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. A 

2 952 34 30, [email protected], www.charmant.bg.

Sofia In Your Po cket

Denmark B-4, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 54, tel. +359 2 917

tegledachki.com, tegledachki.com, www.detegledachki.com.Recruitment  agency for babysitters and homecare services.

Multirama C-3, ul. Solunska 2, tel. +359 2 400 66

Serbia G-8, ul. Veliko Tarnovo 3, tel. +359 2 946 16 33, fax +359 2 946 10 59, [email protected], www. emb-serbia.com.

2 946 11 11, fax +359 2 946 18 00, sofia@embassy. mz2.bg, www.mzv.cz/sofia.

Lora Catering B-5, bul. Todor Aleksandrov, bl. 75, ent.D, fl.1, opposite Arena cinema Liulin, tel. +359 2 920 13 01/+359 888 800 548, [email protected], [email protected], www.loracatering.com. Professional catering services for  all occasions.

Detegledachki , tel. +359 888 816 309, 309, info@de-

28 58, fax +359 2 971 36 19, [email protected]. 58, fax +359 2 963 41 03, [email protected].

Czech Republic B-5, bul. Yanko Sakazov 9, tel. +359

July - September  2009

00, fax +359 2 965 11 20, [email protected], www.ambafrance-bg.org.

Israel D-2, pl. Bulgaria 1- NDK, tel. +359 2 951 50 44,

fax +359 2 981 60 81, [email protected].

Business direCtory

Estonia B-3, ul. Bacho Kiro 26-30, tel. +359 2 937 99

France B-5, ul. Oborishte 27-29, tel. +359 2 965 11

90, fax +359 2 963 36 38, [email protected], www. diplomatie.be/sofia.Only diplomatie.be/sofia.Only in case of emergency out of office hours call tel.+359 (0) 888 63 19 3.

sofia.inyourpocket.com

Business direCtory

Charmant C-1, ul. Sveti Ivan Rilski 15, et. 2, tel. +359

MDM Catering F-7, ul. Strandzha 132, tel. +359 2 833 40 83/+359 83/+359 898 50 43 07, info@mdmcatering. info@mdmcatering. com, www.mdmcatering.com. Business and corporate catering.

Cleaning Cleani ng ser vices Borivan Ltd. F-7, Zh.k.Obelya, bl. 118, vh. V, tel. +359 2 931 16 20/+359 886 520 055, fax +359 2 934 66 90, [email protected], www.borivan.com. Machine cleaning and washing, grinding and polishing. Contact telephone for weekends and holidays 0885 405 610. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Vasilka Cleaning Agency G-7, ul.Kamen Andreev 24, fl.4 ,office 404, tel. +359 2 952 34 34/+359 889 245

Office 1 Superstore G-8, bul. Tsarigradsko shose 139, tel. +359 0 700 10 700, [email protected], www. office1.bg. Q A 

sofia inyourpo cket com

sofia.inyourpocket.com

73

Business Park Sofia H-8, Mladost 4, tel. +359 2 489

Advertising agencies

Banks

74

Business direCtory

July - September  2009

75

74

Business direCtory

Business direCtory

Estonia B-3, ul. Bacho Kiro 26-30, tel. +359 2 937 99

Slovak Republic B-5, bul. Yanko Sakazov 9, tel. +359

00, fax +359 2 937 99 09, [email protected], www. sofia.vm.ee/blg.

2 942 92 10, fax +359 2 942 92 35, embassy@sofia. mfa.sk.

Finland A-3, ul. Bacho Kiro 26-28, tel. +359 2 810 21

South Africa A-3, ul. Bacho Kiro 26, tel. +359 2 981

10, fax +359 2 810 21 20, [email protected].

66 82, fax +359 2 981 57 76, saembsof@techno-link. com.

France B-5, ul. Oborishte 27-29, tel. +359 2 965 11

Real estate

00, fax +359 2 965 11 20, [email protected], www.ambafrance-bg.org.

Spain C-5, ul. Sheynovo 27, tel. +359 2 946 12 09,

Address B-5, pl. Bulgaria 1, tel. +359 2 810 33 48,

[email protected], www.embespbg.com.

Germany G-8, ul. Fr. J. Curie 25, tel. +359 2 918 38

Sweden G-8, ul. Alfred Nobel 4, tel. +359 2 930 19

[email protected], www.address.bg. QOpen 09:00 - 19:30. Closed Sun.

00, fax +359 2 963 16 58, [email protected], ww w. sofia.diplo.de.

60, fax +359 2 973 37 95, ambassaden.sofia@for eign. ministry.se, www.swedenabroad.com/sofia.

Greece C-5, ul. San Stefano 33, tel. +359 2 843 30 85,

Switzerland G-8, ul. Shipka 33, tel. +359 2 946 01 97,

dost 4, Bulding 7B, tel. +359 2 976 99 77/+359 77/+359 888 372 091, [email protected], [email protected], ww w.colliers.com. w.colliers.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

fax +359 2 946 12 49, [email protected], www.info.greekembassy-sofia.org.

fax +359 2 946 16 22, [email protected], www.eda.admin.ch/sofia.

Discover Bulgaria Properties H-8, Mladost-4, bl.

Hungary D-3, ul. 6-i septemvri 57, tel. +359 2 963 11

Turkey C-4, bul. Vasil Levski 80, tel. +359 2 935 55 00,

35, fax +359 2 963 21 10, [email protected].

fax +359 2 981 93 58, [email protected].

China H-8, ul. Aleksandar fon Humbolt 7, tel. +359 2

Ukraine G-6, ul. Boryana 29, tel. +359 2 818 68 28,

973 38 73, fax +359 2 971 10 81, [email protected], www.chinaembassy.bg.

fax +359 2 955 52 47, [email protected], http:// www.mfa.gov.ua/bulgaria.

Ireland A-3, ul. Bacho Kir o 26-30, tel. +359 2 985 34 25,

United Kingdom B-3, ul. Moskovska 9, tel. +359 2 933

fax +359 2 983 33 02, [email protected].

92 22, fax +359 2 933 92 19, [email protected]. bg, www.british-embassy.bg.

Israel D-2, pl. Bulgaria 1- NDK, tel. +359 2 951 50 44, fax +359 2 952 11 01, [email protected]. 09:30 - 12:30.

QOpen

USA G-7, ul. Kozyak 16, tel. +359 2 937 51 00, fax +359 2 937 53 20, ir [email protected], www.usembassy.bg.

Italy B-4, ul. Shipka 2, tel. +359 2 921 73 00, fax +359 2 980 37 17, [email protected], www. ambsofia.esteri.it.

Lawyers

Colliers International H-8, Business Park Sofia, Mla-

473, vh.2-3, tel. +359 2 881 57 14, fax +359 2 881 53 32, [email protected], properties. discover-bulgaria.com. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. A 

Grato Investment G-7, bul. Bulgaria 102, Business Centre Bellissimo, office 2, tel. +359 2 428 13 08/+359 885 665 730, fax +359 2 428 13 07, [email protected], ww w.gratoinvestments.com w.gratoinvestments.com.. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Tvoyat Dom (Your Home) C-3, pl. Slaveykov 7, entr.B, tel. +359 2 986 48 86, fax +359 2 987 52 88, info@ tvoyatdom.com, www.tvoyatdom.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Arsov Natchev Ganeva B-5, ul. Shipka 36, tel. +359

Recruitment 

2 943 40 66, fax +359 2 946 33 48, info@anglaw. com, www.anglaw.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Correct Consult Bulgaria Ltd. G-7, bul. Knyaz Boris I

08, fax +359 2 971 10 95, ww w.bg.emb-japan.go.jp.

49, tel. +359 2 851 91 15, off [email protected], www.correct-consult.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00.

Korea H-8, bul. Andrey Saharov, Mladost 1, tel. +359 2

Dia Consult C-2, ul. Uzundzhovska 16, tel. +359 2

77 53 48, saebyolkа saebyolkа @yahoo.com. @yahoo.com.

981 91 78, fax +359 2 980 20 26, diacon@techno-link. com, www.diaconsult.bg. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Babysitting and Home care

Japan G-8, Lyulyakova gradina 14, tel. +359 2 971 27

Macedonia G-8, ul. Fr. J.Curie 17, tel. +359 2 870 50 98, fax +359 2 971 28 32, [email protected]. Netherlands G-8, ul. Oborishte 15, tel. +359 2 816

Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. C-3, bul. Patriarh Evtimiy 36,

03 00, fax +359 2 816 03 01, [email protected], www. netherlandsembassy.bg.

tel. +359 2 987 70 96, fax +359 2 988 73 60, info@ dpc.bg, www.dpc.bg. Q Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Norway B-4, bul. Knyaz Dondukov 54B, tel. +359 2

Kambourov & Partners C-3, ul. Neofit Rilski 55, tel.

981 11 06, fax +359 2 981 90 10, [email protected], www.norvegia.bg.

+359 2 986 99 99, fax +359 2 986 99 95, [email protected], www.kambourov.biz. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Poland C-3, ul. Khan Krum 46, tel. +359 2 987 26 10, fax +359 2 987 29 39, [email protected], www. polamba-bg.org.

Portugal B-1, ul. Pozitano 7, tel. +359 2 921 68 68, fax

Stoychev, Valkov & Co. Law firm ul. Damyan Gruev 20, fl.4, apt.9, tel. +359 2 852 69 99/+359 2 852 49 99, [email protected], www.lawyers-bg.net. QOpen 09:30 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

+359 2 921 68 21, [email protected].

Romania G-8, bul. Mihay Eminesku 4, tel. +359 2 971

Office supplies

Yves Rocher Beauty Center C-2, bul. Vitosha 63, tel. +359 2 986 31 64/+359 2 987 99 10. Various cosmetic services with quality products. QOpen 09:30 - 20:00, Mon, Sat 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. A 

Bulgarian language courses Atlas-S B-3, ul. Hristo Belchev 1, et. 3, tel. +359 2 987 20 08/+359 2 980 43 92, fax +359 2 980 55 79, [email protected], [email protected], www.atlas-s.com.QOpen 09:00 - 18:30, Sat 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Sofia University Department of Language Learning G-8, ul. Kosta Lulchev 27, tel. +359 2 871 00 69/+359 2 872 00 69, fax +359 2 870 53 28, office@ deo.uni-sofia.bg,ww w.deo.uni-sofia.bg. w.deo.uni-sofia.bg.The only certified centre for testing of Bulgarian as foreign language. QOpen 08:30 - 17:00.

York Learning Centre D-3, ul. Rakovska 187 A, et. 3, tel. +359 2 986 21 45/+359 45/+359 898 457 433, info@ york-bg.com, www.york-bg.com. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 14:00.

Catering 

888 241 164, [email protected], www.luxebg.com. Catering and event planning. Q A 

Tina V (G-8) ul. Nikolay Gogol 1, tel. +359 2 846 54 85/+359 889 322 529, [email protected], [email protected], www.tina-v. com. Babysitting and homecare recruitment agenc y.QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. United Phili C-3, ul. Angel Kanchev 28, tel. +359 78 808 568, [email protected] [email protected]. Babysitting and homecare recruitment a gency. gency. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

2 952 34 30, [email protected], www.charmant.bg.

Charmant C-1, ul. Sveti Ivan Rilski 15, et. 2, tel. +359

MDM Catering F-7, ul. Strandzha 132, tel. +359 2 833 40 83/+359 83/+359 898 50 43 07, info@mdmcatering. info@mdmcatering. com, www.mdmcatering.com. Business and corporate catering.

Cleaning Cleani ng ser vices Borivan Ltd. F-7, Zh.k.Obelya, bl. 118, vh. V, tel. +359 2 931 16 20/+359 886 520 055, fax +359 2 934 66 90, [email protected], www.borivan.com. Machine cleaning and washing, grinding and polishing. Contact telephone for weekends and holidays 0885 405 610. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Vasilka Cleaning Agency G-7, ul.Kamen Andreev 24, fl.4 ,office 404, tel. +359 2 952 34 34/+359 889 245

Office 1 Superstore G-8, bul. Tsarigradsko shose 139, tel. +359 0 700 10 700, [email protected], www. office1.bg. Q A 

Sofia In Your Po cket

sofia.inyourpo cket.com

sofia.inyourpocket.com

July - September  2009

streets & Maps

index Denkoglu B-2/3 Dragan Tsankov bul. C/D-4, D-5 Dunav A/B-4 Dyakon Ignatiy B-3 Dzheims Baucher E-3/4 Ekzarh Yosif Elin Pelin Evlogi Georgiev

A-2/3/4/5 D-4/5 C-4/5, D-3

Aksakov B/C- 3, C-4 Alabin B-2/3 Aleksandar  Batenberg pl. B-3 Aleksandar Nevski pl. B-4 Aleksandar  Stamboliyski bul. B-1/2 Angel Kanchev B/C-3 Antim I A-2, B-1/2 Arsenalski bul. E-2 Atanas Dalchev G-8

Garibaldi pl. B-3 Georgi Benkovski A/B-4 Gladston C-2/3 Graf Ignatiev B-3, C-3/4 Gurko B/C-3, C-4

Baba Nedelya pl. D-2 Bacho Kiro A/B-3 Budapeshta A-3/4, B-4 Bulgaria bul. D-1/2 Bulgaria pl. C-2

Han Asparuh C-2/3 Han Krum C-3 Hristo Belchev B-3, C-2/3 Hristo Botev bul. A-2, B-2, C-2 Hristo Smirnenski D-4, E-4

Cherkovna Cherni vrah bul.

Iskar Ivailo

F. Z. Kyuri Frityof Nansen

Index 4km Party Centre 43 8th Ball 46 Adams restaurant 39 Adonis 44 Alcohol 43 Alexander Palace 23 Am-Gul 41  Amsterdam 41  Anel 20 Angels Club 46 Annette 33 Apartament 52 39 Apartment House Dunav 26 Apartment House Iztok 26 Apartment House Sofia 26 Aris 25 Art Club Museum 38 Arte 23 Art-Hostel 26 Art 'Otel 20 Atlantic 23 Avenue 47  B29 Piano Bar 46 Babbles 43 Bacardi Box 47  Back Stage 46 Backstage Karaoke Bar 41  Bar & Diner Maraia 30 Barabar 39 Bar na kraya na na vselenata 47  Basic 39 Baskerville 39 Be My Guest 26 Best Western Hotel Expo 21  Biblioteka Cool House - Piano Bar 41  Bilkovata 39 Bistro Zita 30 Bitburger 37  Blaze 40 Boyansko hanche 31  Brilyantin 44 Brod 25 Buddha Bar 39 Bulgari 23, 28 Bulgaria 38 Butchers 31  By The Way 40 Cabaret 44 Cactus 31  Cappuccino bar & dinner 40

Sofia In Your Po cket

Cosmetic services, massage, manicure, tatoos and more. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun 11:00 18:00.

Luxe B-3, ul. Triaditsa 5, tel. +359 2 980 02 03/+359

Russia G-8, bul. Dragan Tsankov 28, tel. +359 2 963 44

G-8 D-2/3, E-3

Visages B-2, bul. Vitosha 50, tel. +359 2 988 42 51.

865 48 10/+359 878 621 936, info@marypoppins-bg. com, www.marypoppins-bg.com. Recruitment agency for  babysitters and homecare services. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Beauty salons

Street Index

989 66 99/+359 2 989 06 68, [email protected], www. cosmelas.com.Studio cosmelas.com.Studio for laser cosmetics. QOpen 09:00 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. W

Mery Poppins D-4, ul. Milin Kamak 40, tel. +359 2

20, [email protected], www.multirama.bg. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. A 

11-ti avgust A/B-4 13-ti mart D-3 20-ti april B/C-1, C-2 6-ti septemvri B-4, C-3/4, D-3

Picasso B-3, ul. Aleksandar Batenberg 10, tel. +359 2

tegledachki.com, tegledachki.com, www.detegledachki.com.Recruitment  agency for babysitters and homecare services.

Multirama C-3, ul. Solunska 2, tel. +359 2 400 66

Serbia G-8, ul. Veliko Tarnovo 3, tel. +359 2 946 16 33, fax +359 2 946 10 59, [email protected], www. emb-serbia.com.

Thalasso treatments, massage, manicure and more. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. A 

Lora Catering B-5, bul. Todor Aleksandrov, bl. 75, ent.D, fl.1, opposite Arena cinema Liulin, tel. +359 2 920 13 01/+359 888 800 548, [email protected], [email protected], www.loracatering.com. Professional catering services for  all occasions.

Detegledachki , tel. +359 888 816 309, 309, info@de-

28 58, fax +359 2 971 36 19, [email protected]. 58, fax +359 2 963 41 03, [email protected].

76

Office Express H-9, bul. Tsarigradsko shose 135, tel. +359 0800 1 80 80, [email protected], www.offex.bg. Office delivery service. QOpen 08:30 - 18:30, Sat 08:30 - 14:00. Closed Sun.

G-8 C-3, D-2

A/B-4, B-3 B-2

Ivan Shishman Ivan Vazov

B/C-4, C-3 B-3/4, C-4

Kaloyan B-3 Knyaz Boris C-1/2 Knyaz Dondukov bul. B-3/4/5 Kozloduy F-7  Kozyak G-7  Krakra B/C-5 Krum Popov D-3/4 Krastyo Sarafov D-3/4 Karnigradska B-2 Lavele B-2 Lege B-3 Lyuben Karavelov C -3/4, D-3 Madrid bul. Makedonia pl. Maria Luiza bul. Moskovska

G-8 B-2 A-3, B-3 B-4

Naicho Tsanov bul. Narodno sabranie pl. Neofit Rilski Nezavisimost pl. Nikola Vaptsarov bul.

Captain Cook 35 Cargo 40 Casa Boyana 21  Casa de Cuba 40 Casa Ferrari Bed and Breakfast 23 Central 21  Central Forum 21  Central Park Hotel 21  Chalet Suisse 36 Checkpoint Charly 31  Chepishev 31  Chervilo 45 Chillout Bar & Dinner 36, 40 Chillout Lounge 40 Classic 33 Club 703 40 Club Liqueur 44 Club Sugar 44 Coffee House 38 Comercial 31  Cookies bar & dinner cafe 31  Costa Coffee 38 Crystal Palace Boutique Hotel 21  Dedeman Sofia Princess 22 Diter 24 Don Domat 33 Egur, Egur 28 Elate Plaza 21, 31  Escape 45 Etno 28 Exit Club 44 Fix Mix 38 Flannagans 42 Gioia 32 Grand Hotel Sofia 20 Greenville Hotel & Apartment  Houses 22 Hadzhidraganovite kashti 28 Halbite 28 Happy Bar & Grill 29 Harmony 25 Hilton 20 Holiday Inn Sofia 20 Hostel Mostel 26 Hostel Sofia 26 Internet Hostel 26 Irish Harp 42 Jim Beam Club 47  Jimmy's 38 J. J. Murphy's 42

75

F-7  B-4 C-2/3 B-3 G-7/8

Oborishte Orlov most

B-5 C-5

Panayot Volov A-5, B-5 Parchevich C-2/3 Patriarh Evtimiy bul. C-2/3 Pencho Slaveykov bul. C-1, D-1/2 Pirotska A-1/2, B-3 Pop Bogomil A-3/4 Pozitano B-1/2/3 Praga bul. C-1  Rakovski

A-4, B-4

San Stefano C-5 Serdika A-3, B-3 Sheinovo C-5 Shipka B-5 Simeonovsko shose G-8, H-8 Sitnyakovo bul. G-8 Slaveykov pl. C-3 Slavyanska B-3/4, C-4 Sofiiski geroi G-7  Sofroniy Vrachanski A-2, B-2 Solunska B-2, C-3 Stara planina B-4, A-5

Kapri Kempinski Hotel Zografski KFC Kohinoor Kolikovski Hotel Krivoto Kumbare Kushtata s chasovnika Latinka Lavazza Club Lebed Legends Les Fleurs Boutique Hotel L'Etranger Life House Lion London Minute Lozenetz Magdanoz (Parsley) Magnito bar & dinner Magnolia Manastirska magernitsa Maraia fusion bar & diner Maskata Maxi Park Hotel & Spa McCarthy's McDonald's Rock'n'Roll Meg Lozenetz Miss Kapriz Moderato Mon Ami Moskva Motto NAI-klub Niky Onda Coffee Break Opera Orient 33 Orisha bar & dinner O'Nice O! Shipka Palms Merkur Casino Park Hotel Vitosha Planeta Pod lipite Pop Bogomil Pri Latsi Pri Miro Pri Yafata Radisson SAS Grand Hotel Red Bed and Breakfast Renaissance

24 20 30 30 24 33 29 31  24 38 31  24 22 29 45 24 38 24 28 31  30 29 32 47  22 40 30 24 33 32 33 34 41  46 25 39 41  47  41  38 34 38 22 46 29 25 29 35 29 20 25 25

Stefan Kardzha Saborna Sv. Naum bul. Sveta Nedelya pl.

1  :   1  1   0 

B-3/4 B-3 E-3/4 B-3

 0   0   0 

Todor Aleksand rov bul. A-1,B-1/2 Totleben bul. C-1  Tri ushi B-2 Triaditsa B-3 Tsar Asen B-2, C-2 Tsar Osvobodi tel bul. B-4, C-5 Tsar Samuil B-2, C-2 Tsar Simeon A-1/2/3/4 Tsarigradsko shose G-8, H-9 Tulovo C-5 Tundzha C-1, D-2 Vasil Levski bul. A-4, B-5, C-3/4 Veliko Tarnovo G-8 Veslets A/B-3 Vitosha bul. B/C/D-2, D/E-1  Vladayska B1  Vladimir Vazov bul. G-8 Vazrazhdane pl. B-1/2 Yanko Sakazov bul. Yuri Venelin

B-5 C-4

Residence Oborishte 22 Retro club Gramophone 45 RotasaR 25 Ruski klub 34 Salsa plus 45 Scotty's Boutique Hotel 25 Seasons 32 Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan 20 Shipka 25 SkyWay Hotel 22 Social Jazz Club 46 Sofia Guesthouse 26 Sofia Plaza 22 Starbucks café 39 Stroezha 47  Sushi Bar 32 Sveta Sofia 22 Swingin' Hall 46 Taboo Club 46 Taj Mahal 30 Tambuktu 35 Tazka 33 Tea House 41  The Black Lodge 40 The Blue Box 40 The Bookies 39 The Club 46 The Net 47  The Rooms 26 Toba&Co 41  Toucan Bluzz & Rock 47  Triada 23 Trikrakoto pile 32 Trops Kushta 30 Troyantsite 32 Tsarsko Selo 23 Tsentralni hali 30 Tunka Tunka Chervena Linya (Thin Red Line) 41  Ugo 34 Uno Enoteca 32 Upstairs 41  Vagabond 35 Variety 24 Vega Sofia Hotel 23 Victoria 34 Vishnite 32 Vodenitzata 31  Vratata (The Door) 32 Zhadnata Lamya 32 Yalta 45 Yesterday Karaoke Bar 46

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index Street Index

11-ti avgust A/B-4 13-ti mart D-3 20-ti april B/C-1, C-2 6-ti septemvri B-4, C-3/4, D-3

Denkoglu B-2/3 Dragan Tsankov bul. C/D-4, D-5 Dunav A/B-4 Dyakon Ignatiy B-3 Dzheims Baucher E-3/4 Ekzarh Yosif Elin Pelin Evlogi Georgiev

A-2/3/4/5 D-4/5 C-4/5, D-3

Aksakov B/C- 3, C-4 Alabin B-2/3 Aleksandar  Batenberg pl. B-3 Aleksandar Nevski pl. B-4 Aleksandar  Stamboliyski bul. B-1/2 Angel Kanchev B/C-3 Antim I A-2, B-1/2 Arsenalski bul. E-2 Atanas Dalchev G-8

Garibaldi pl. B-3 Georgi Benkovski A/B-4 Gladston C-2/3 Graf Ignatiev B-3, C-3/4 Gurko B/C-3, C-4

Baba Nedelya pl. D-2 Bacho Kiro A/B-3 Budapeshta A-3/4, B-4 Bulgaria bul. D-1/2 Bulgaria pl. C-2

Han Asparuh C-2/3 Han Krum C-3 Hristo Belchev B-3, C-2/3 Hristo Botev bul. A-2, B-2, C-2 Hristo Smirnenski D-4, E-4

Cherkovna Cherni vrah bul.

Iskar Ivailo

G-8 D-2/3, E-3

F. Z. Kyuri Frityof Nansen

Index 4km Party Centre 43 8th Ball 46 Adams restaurant 39 Adonis 44 Alcohol 43 Alexander Palace 23 Am-Gul 41  Amsterdam 41  Anel 20 Angels Club 46 Annette 33 Apartament 52 39 Apartment House Dunav 26 Apartment House Iztok 26 Apartment House Sofia 26 Aris 25 Art Club Museum 38 Arte 23 Art-Hostel 26 Art 'Otel 20 Atlantic 23 Avenue 47  B29 Piano Bar 46 Babbles 43 Bacardi Box 47  Back Stage 46 Backstage Karaoke Bar 41  Bar & Diner Maraia 30 Barabar 39 Bar na kraya na na vselenata 47  Basic 39 Baskerville 39 Be My Guest 26 Best Western Hotel Expo 21  Biblioteka Cool House - Piano Bar 41  Bilkovata 39 Bistro Zita 30 Bitburger 37  Blaze 40 Boyansko hanche 31  Brilyantin 44 Brod 25 Buddha Bar 39 Bulgari 23, 28 Bulgaria 38 Butchers 31  By The Way 40 Cabaret 44 Cactus 31  Cappuccino bar & dinner 40

G-8 C-3, D-2

A/B-4, B-3 B-2

Ivan Shishman Ivan Vazov

Kaloyan B-3 Knyaz Boris C-1/2 Knyaz Dondukov bul. B-3/4/5 Kozloduy F-7  Kozyak G-7  Krakra B/C-5 Krum Popov D-3/4 Krastyo Sarafov D-3/4 Karnigradska B-2 Lavele B-2 Lege B-3 Lyuben Karavelov C -3/4, D-3 Madrid bul. Makedonia pl. Maria Luiza bul. Moskovska

G-8 B-2 A-3, B-3 B-4

Naicho Tsanov bul. Narodno sabranie pl. Neofit Rilski Nezavisimost pl. Nikola Vaptsarov bul.

Captain Cook 35 Cargo 40 Casa Boyana 21  Casa de Cuba 40 Casa Ferrari Bed and Breakfast 23 Central 21  Central Forum 21  Central Park Hotel 21  Chalet Suisse 36 Checkpoint Charly 31  Chepishev 31  Chervilo 45 Chillout Bar & Dinner 36, 40 Chillout Lounge 40 Classic 33 Club 703 40 Club Liqueur 44 Club Sugar 44 Coffee House 38 Comercial 31  Cookies bar & dinner cafe 31  Costa Coffee 38 Crystal Palace Boutique Hotel 21  Dedeman Sofia Princess 22 Diter 24 Don Domat 33 Egur, Egur 28 Elate Plaza 21, 31  Escape 45 Etno 28 Exit Club 44 Fix Mix 38 Flannagans 42 Gioia 32 Grand Hotel Sofia 20 Greenville Hotel & Apartment  Houses 22 Hadzhidraganovite kashti 28 Halbite 28 Happy Bar & Grill 29 Harmony 25 Hilton 20 Holiday Inn Sofia 20 Hostel Mostel 26 Hostel Sofia 26 Internet Hostel 26 Irish Harp 42 Jim Beam Club 47  Jimmy's 38 J. J. Murphy's 42

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B/C-4, C-3 B-3/4, C-4

F-7  B-4 C-2/3 B-3 G-7/8

Oborishte Orlov most

B-5 C-5

Panayot Volov A-5, B-5 Parchevich C-2/3 Patriarh Evtimiy bul. C-2/3 Pencho Slaveykov bul. C-1, D-1/2 Pirotska A-1/2, B-3 Pop Bogomil A-3/4 Pozitano B-1/2/3 Praga bul. C-1  Rakovski

A-4, B-4

San Stefano C-5 Serdika A-3, B-3 Sheinovo C-5 Shipka B-5 Simeonovsko shose G-8, H-8 Sitnyakovo bul. G-8 Slaveykov pl. C-3 Slavyanska B-3/4, C-4 Sofiiski geroi G-7  Sofroniy Vrachanski A-2, B-2 Solunska B-2, C-3 Stara planina B-4, A-5

Kapri Kempinski Hotel Zografski KFC Kohinoor Kolikovski Hotel Krivoto Kumbare Kushtata s chasovnika Latinka Lavazza Club Lebed Legends Les Fleurs Boutique Hotel L'Etranger Life House Lion London Minute Lozenetz Magdanoz (Parsley) Magnito bar & dinner Magnolia Manastirska magernitsa Maraia fusion bar & diner Maskata Maxi Park Hotel & Spa McCarthy's McDonald's Rock'n'Roll Meg Lozenetz Miss Kapriz Moderato Mon Ami Moskva Motto NAI-klub Niky Onda Coffee Break Opera Orient 33 Orisha bar & dinner O'Nice O! Shipka Palms Merkur Casino Park Hotel Vitosha Planeta Pod lipite Pop Bogomil Pri Latsi Pri Miro Pri Yafata Radisson SAS Grand Hotel Red Bed and Breakfast Renaissance

24 20 30 30 24 33 29 31  24 38 31  24 22 29 45 24 38 24 28 31  30 29 32 47  22 40 30 24 33 32 33 34 41  46 25 39 41  47  41  38 34 38 22 46 29 25 29 35 29 20 25 25

Stefan Kardzha Saborna Sv. Naum bul. Sveta Nedelya pl.

1  :   1  1   0 

B-3/4 B-3 E-3/4 B-3

 0   0   0 

Todor Aleksand rov bul. A-1,B-1/2 Totleben bul. C-1  Tri ushi B-2 Triaditsa B-3 Tsar Asen B-2, C-2 Tsar Osvobodi tel bul. B-4, C-5 Tsar Samuil B-2, C-2 Tsar Simeon A-1/2/3/4 Tsarigradsko shose G-8, H-9 Tulovo C-5 Tundzha C-1, D-2 Vasil Levski bul. A-4, B-5, C-3/4 Veliko Tarnovo G-8 Veslets A/B-3 Vitosha bul. B/C/D-2, D/E-1  Vladayska B1  Vladimir Vazov bul. G-8 Vazrazhdane pl. B-1/2 Yanko Sakazov bul. Yuri Venelin

B-5 C-4

Residence Oborishte 22 Retro club Gramophone 45 RotasaR 25 Ruski klub 34 Salsa plus 45 Scotty's Boutique Hotel 25 Seasons 32 Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan 20 Shipka 25 SkyWay Hotel 22 Social Jazz Club 46 Sofia Guesthouse 26 Sofia Plaza 22 Starbucks café 39 Stroezha 47  Sushi Bar 32 Sveta Sofia 22 Swingin' Hall 46 Taboo Club 46 Taj Mahal 30 Tambuktu 35 Tazka 33 Tea House 41  The Black Lodge 40 The Blue Box 40 The Bookies 39 The Club 46 The Net 47  The Rooms 26 Toba&Co 41  Toucan Bluzz & Rock 47  Triada 23 Trikrakoto pile 32 Trops Kushta 30 Troyantsite 32 Tsarsko Selo 23 Tsentralni hali 30 Tunka Tunka Chervena Linya (Thin Red Line) 41  Ugo 34 Uno Enoteca 32 Upstairs 41  Vagabond 35 Variety 24 Vega Sofia Hotel 23 Victoria 34 Vishnite 32 Vodenitzata 31  Vratata (The Door) 32 Zhadnata Lamya 32 Yalta 45 Yesterday Karaoke Bar 46

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