Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
house museums are closed on Mondays (the exception being Oslekov House, which
opens in the morning). Of the six, the most impressive are Lyutov House and
Oslekov House, the latter's grand facade painted with images of Rome, Venice, and
Padua. Kableshkov House is a far humbler abode, but of historic interest as the birth-
place of rebel leader Todor Kableshkov (b. 1851): Todor launched his disastrous
Uprising on April 20—ahead of schedule, due to a traitorous spy—by sending the
Ottoman authorities notice of their intent in the famous “Bloody Letter,” written in
the blood of a dead Turk.
There are plenty of places to eat and family-run B&Bs in the village; avoid the well-
positioned tourist trap The First Rifle and head across the river to The Old Pear Tree
(56 Hadjinentso Pavlev; & 0887/733430 )—it's a little off the beaten track (walking
distance from Lyutov House) but this is where the locals choose to eat, and serves the
best food in town. If you opt to travel to the village by public bus (12lev/$7/£3.75
return; one daily leaving at 1:30pm) rather than an organized tour or hiring a car and
driver, you may have to overnight. One of the best B&Bs is the small but efficiently
run Astra (11 Hadzhi Nencho Palaveev; & 07184/2364; www.hotelastra.org; from
42lev/$27/£15); Dina Petkova does not speak much English (very few in the village
do), but she is warm and welcoming. Equally recommended is pretty Tryanova kashta
(5 Gereniloto; & 07184/3057 or 0888 427 841; 35lev-60lev/$23-$38/£12-£21,
depending on size), offering three rooms in a listed building just up from the main
square—try to topic the corner “red room,” which is delightful; alternatively the “blue
room.”
National History Museum Built by the Communist dictator Todor
Zhivkov, the building alone is worth making the journey here: A fabulous brooding
presence at the foot of Vitosha, the “Palace” (it has no bedrooms; only huge entrance
areas and massive meeting halls) has a wealth of '70s design detailing, and clearly no
expense was spared in ensuring that the proportions suitably awed and intimidated all
who came to seek an audience. The collection is no less impressive. Founded in 1973,
the museum houses more than 650,000 exhibits, the most interesting of which are dis-
played on the halls on the second floor, dating from “Prehistory: 6th to 2nd millennia
B . C .” (Hall 1) and “Bulgarian lands from the end 6th century B . C . to 6th century A . D .”
(Hall 2), to “Bulgarian State during the Middle Ages 7th-14th century” (Hall 3) and
“Bulgaria under Ottoman rule 1396-1878” (Hall 4). On the third floor you'll find the
Feeling Devout
The best time to experience any of Sofia's Orthodox Churches is when the
domes are filled with the sonorous sounds of chanting, and the candelabras are
ablaze with the flickering flames lit by the devotional for the living and the
dead. Religion is alive and thriving in Bulgaria, and the rich ritual and huge and
varied community it serves—from young vamps in figure-hugging jeans and
snakeskin boots, to aged widowers in black bent over walking sticks—can
affect even the most jaded traveler. If you feel moved to participate, purchase
a few candles from the booth—note that traditionally candles for the dead are
placed on the floor, while candles for the living are around eye-height. Daily
liturgy usually takes place at 8am and 5pm; at Alexander Nevsky Saturday the
vigil occurs at 6:30pm, while the Sunday evening Mass takes place at 9:30pm.
Moments
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