Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lost? Just count the blocks . . .
Thank heavens for Sveti Kirov, creator of www.map-guide.bg, a series of free
maps that include the MAP&GUIDE SOFIA (also Bulgaria, Plovdiv, Varna, Nesse-
bar, Burgas, Sunny Beach, and Golden Sands). Not only are the top attractions
very clearly marked as three-dimensional drawings on the map, but every street
is named, dimensions accurate, and the street numbers are indicated on every
block, as well as the tram lines (with tram numbers that run on them). So with
a little concentration, even those with no sense of direction will not get lost.
Maps are distributed by advertisers featured; track down the full list by look-
ing at the website, or just head for the Sheraton, Grand Hotel, or Radisson;
reception staff are usually happy to hand over a copy even if you're not stay-
ing there.
Tips
shopping street—together these are the main north-south artery of the city, effectively
carving the central city in two. To the east lies the “golden brick road”—historic
Tsar
Osvoboditel,
lined with government buildings, including the former Royal Palace,
opposite which lies the City Garden, the real heart of the city. In fact the majority of
city's sites, and most of the best hotels and restaurants, lie east of bul Maria Luiza. You
may be tempted to stick to this side of Sofia, but it's worth crossing bustling Maria Luiza,
if only to find yourself in the
Zhenski pazar
(“Ladies market”), where broad-hipped
women pick out the best fruit and vegetables while catching up on the day's gossip—
this is the closest Sofia ever gets to Bulgaria's rural roots, and a personal top favorite.
GETTING AROUND
ON FOOT
The best way to get around the city center is on foot. You can walk to every site and
restaurant with the exception of the Boyana church and the National History
Museum. See the walking tour below. Make sure you have sensible shoes—many of
the streets are cobbled; still more are potholed.
BY TAXI
All registered taxis are yellow and must operate by meter. You can hail a taxi from the
street or call; make sure the meter is on or ask the price upfront (best to have estab-
lished with your concierge or host what the going rate should be) as taxi drivers are
notorious for charging foreigners up to three times the going rate. Taxi drivers also tend
to be quite aggressive, so try not to get into an argument—just take down the license
and registration details surreptitiously and ask your embassy to report the driver to
&
0800 18018
or 02/988 5239 (the latter used to report any criminal activity).
According to most reliable sources, the best (read honest) taxi service is offered by
OK
Taxis,
&
02/911 19.
Drivers and even dispatchers often speak only Bulgarian, so best
to get your concierge or host to assist and have your destination written in Cyrillic.
BY TRAM OR BUS
Traveling by tram, bus, and metro is incredibly cheap—a single ticket (interchangeable
for all three) is .70lev/45¢/25p; a day pass is 3lev/$2/£1. Tickets are purchased from
newsdealers or booths near stops; remember to validate the ticket once on board or you
could be fined 5lev/$4/1£ by a plainclothes official skulking on board. All public
