Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
plenty of Turkish stalls, that line the fresh
produce market. It's a great place to wan-
der and pick up a bag of sweet cherries
or a freshly baked banitsa, but do watch
your bag.
SHOPPING
Most head for
TZUM,
a relatively small modern shopping mall opposite the Shera-
ton, or the boutiques lining
Vitosha Boulevard
—Sofia's main shopping street. Hristo
Botev street runs parallel to Vitosha, and has better bargains, like
Decade
(no. 16)
which stocks locally produced cotton leisure wear, and
Rumi Factory Outlet
(no. 23)
where you can pick up relatively cheap Bulgarian leather products. Inveterate shop-
pers should also include a wander down
Graf Ignatief
and
Tsar Ivan Shishman
streets—fashionistas looking for local designs make a beeline for the bohemian crea-
tions at
Atelie Mirela Bratova
(no. 4), peruse the collections at
Magazine No 10
(no. 4) or, if you prefer a more quirky take, keep going to
525
(no. 525).
Pirotska
(near Tzum, opposite the mosque) is another popular shopping street, and
as it's pedestrianized a more pleasant experience than Vitosha Boulevard; stroll down
here or head north after a few blocks to get to the
Zhenski Pazar
(see walking tour
above)—stepping into this open-air market after Vitosha and Pirotska feels like time
travel, with the clientele picking through heaps of fresh produce a century away from
their high-heeled counterparts perusing the racks in glitzy boutiques.
BULGARIAN FOLK CRAFTS
Alexander Nevski Square Flea Market
If the weather is fine this open-air arts
and crafts flea market in front of the Cathedral and St. Sofia Church is the best place
to browse for bargain-priced icons (though not equally so; don't buy at the first stall).
Also on offer are embroidered tablecloths, Russian dolls, knitted socks, handmade
toys, ceramics, various carved items, and so-called antiques (coins, uniforms, medals),
many dating from the Communist era.
Centre of Traditional Folk Arts and Crafts
Conveniently located on the ground
floor of the Ethnographic Museum (also an outlet on Paris St.), and open daily, this
has the entire range of crafts produced throughout the country. Not always the best
prices, but mark-ups aren't huge, and you're sure to find something to suit even the
smallest budget—from painted dolls with rose oil capsules to sachets with traditional
Bulgarian spices.
2 Aleksandur Batenberg.
&
989 5210.
A 2nd location at 4 Paris St.;
&
02/989-
6416.
www.bulgariancrafts.hit.bg.
Chushkarcheto Carpet House
Incredibly professional and hard to beat when it
comes to selection of predominantly Chiprovtsi carpets. And if none of the ready-made
kilims or rugs suit you, you can have one tailor-made to your design and color specifi-
cations, then have it shipped over.
38 G.S. Rakovski St.
&
02/983-6609.
www.tchukilim.com.
Traditzia
This “charity gallery” is a great place to shop for a wide variety of crafts
(kilims, knitted or silk accessories, paintings, dolls, tea towels, greeting cards, jewelry,
and so on), not least because by shopping at Traditzia you directly support artists that
hail from far-flung poverty-stricken regions, as well as the mentally and physically
challenged, and staff are friendly.
36 Vasil Levski Blvd. (across the road from Downtown Hotel).
&
02/981-7765.
www.traditzia.bg.
