Long weekend in Sofia, Bulgaria for £45.01 each including flights and hotel.
I've based this trip on 2 adults flying out of Stansted on Saturday 19th November returning Monday 21st November. You will be flying with Ryanair and staying in the 2* Hotel cheap, which has great reviews, don't be scared by the name!!
You will have 3 full days to explore the city as you land early morning and return late night!!
The hotel has great reviews on TripAdvisor, it is central to town being only a 5 minute tram ride or a 20 minute walk. It has a private bathroom and is a modern hotel.
This deal only includes a 10kg hand luggage with an additional handbag but this is sufficient for a 2 night stay.
Price breakdown
Flights booked with Ryanair - £45.96
Hotel booked with Ebookers with voucher code - HOT14MVC - for 14% off - £44.06
Total price - £90.02
Total price each - £45.01
Top comments
3722
12 Sep 1637#33
Hi folks, if you'd like I'll try and answer any questions to those who have booked or are thinking of booking. I am Bulgarian and have done my BSc in Sofia and so can give some info and tips to any of you who have some questions/concerns.
Although I am sorry to see some strong expressed negative views, I don't want to argue on the internet and try to prove anyone wrong.
I also believe that in general the biggest perk of Sofia/Bulgaria are the cheap prices you would enjoy, and if your appearance and conduct doesn't scream of 'tourist' you would not be taken advantage of (scammed).
In general if you're going in the coming months (bring warm clothes, though weather has been very unpredictable with all the climate change), definitely go to the Vitosha mountain, which is just outside of Sofia. You would enjoy some peace, nice walks, food, skiing, cable cars, and other lovely people that are out and about.
As for the city, there are plenty of fine restaurants for you to enjoy at very good prices; just stick to the central parts of the capital and you'd be more than safe. Go to places like foursquare to check reviews in advance.
Additionally you can go shopping at boutiqes to catch some additional bargains.
Many brits also take advantage of cheap medical care; I know more than a handful old and young who for example have chosen to fix any dental issues in Bulgaria.
Most people are delighted to see you, and not in a 'wow Brits! Let's milk them' way, but with genuine pleasure that you are our guests.
qwerta369
12 Sep 169#2
What I love about this deal is the name of the hotel. Talk about saying it how it is.
Hot.
ally8971
12 Sep 168#17
Thought for a minute it was for a long weekend on the Sofa LOL.
M_z to ScampiLamp
12 Sep 168#6
Yes, if you want an actual break anywhere, don't take a 4 month baby with you! :stuck_out_tongue:
Latest comments (79)
Chasloyal
15 Sep 16#79
Do you suffer from some kind of age denial disorder or are you just a straight forward dinlow from your mother stamping on your nut when she saw what an ugly sprog she'd brought in to the world?
Krooner
15 Sep 16#78
MnMs
15 Sep 16#77
Hi fellow Hotukdealers,
When I saw this I couldn't resist at this incredible price. I looked further into flights from the North and booked the same dates from Liverpool for just £8 more. Its quite incredible to fly to the ofher side of Europe for £33.98 when you consider most people in their 20s spend more than that on a night out these days. Having looked on line at various sites it appears there is quite a few things to do in Sofia which is exciting, Cant wait! For anyone else that's on board well done and have a great time!
Thanks,
MnM
Chasloyal
14 Sep 16#76
Are you sure you're voting Labour or did you mean Momentum?
Chasloyal
14 Sep 16#75
Struggling with widely used slang?
Krooner
14 Sep 161#74
tarryboy
14 Sep 16#73
Sorry, but you do believe something (something ridiculous, I might add), otherwise you wouldn't be putting your point across. I have an issue with uncle Sam's biggest ally? How do you justify making "educated" guesses (accusations) like that? If I had an issue I wouldn't be here, I'd be long gone. I have my own views on how they handle international/internal affairs, like everyone else, that's why I'm voting labour in the next general elections, see that's what a democracy is, we get to choose who leads us, and what flag we waive.
Chasloyal
14 Sep 16#72
I don't need to believe anything. I can see your agenda is an anti septic one and frankly I don't really care one way or the other as regards them. Educated guess says you got issues with Uncle Sam's biggest ally and to be honest I can't stand that mob either but of course depending on what flag you wave you're on that one too, let's not go down that road eh
Peho
14 Sep 16#71
Sofia is a great place to visit. Some pretty nice bars, restaurants and most hotels are top notch.
Studentrose
13 Sep 16#70
texaco
13 Sep 16#69
Fly
texaco
13 Sep 16#68
Fly
3722
12 Sep 1637#33
Hi folks, if you'd like I'll try and answer any questions to those who have booked or are thinking of booking. I am Bulgarian and have done my BSc in Sofia and so can give some info and tips to any of you who have some questions/concerns.
Although I am sorry to see some strong expressed negative views, I don't want to argue on the internet and try to prove anyone wrong.
I also believe that in general the biggest perk of Sofia/Bulgaria are the cheap prices you would enjoy, and if your appearance and conduct doesn't scream of 'tourist' you would not be taken advantage of (scammed).
In general if you're going in the coming months (bring warm clothes, though weather has been very unpredictable with all the climate change), definitely go to the Vitosha mountain, which is just outside of Sofia. You would enjoy some peace, nice walks, food, skiing, cable cars, and other lovely people that are out and about.
As for the city, there are plenty of fine restaurants for you to enjoy at very good prices; just stick to the central parts of the capital and you'd be more than safe. Go to places like foursquare to check reviews in advance.
Additionally you can go shopping at boutiqes to catch some additional bargains.
Many brits also take advantage of cheap medical care; I know more than a handful old and young who for example have chosen to fix any dental issues in Bulgaria.
Most people are delighted to see you, and not in a 'wow Brits! Let's milk them' way, but with genuine pleasure that you are our guests.
kammyd to 3722
13 Sep 161#62
Hi
I am interested in the deal and seen your post where you are willing to give some help. I have a couple of questions
How easy it to get vegetarian food ?
also what is the best place to book transport from the airport to the hotel and back to the airport and what does it roughly cost ?
could you recommend some activities or places to see over the weekend ?
how is the weather like in mid November. i.e. is it like the UK or colder ?
Thank You in advance for all your help
Mutlukiz to 3722
13 Sep 16#63
Thank you for that good info I'd like to find out more. I'm looking to have some dental work done and combine it with a trip to a country I haven't yet visited. Do you know of any facebook groups or any other ways to get information that is a balanced view and not just tourist holiday stuff?
mydealsonly to 3722
13 Sep 161#67
Lovely to read someone that is making sense.
3722
13 Sep 16#66
Hi there, I'm not a doctor but here are some resources that might help you:
The best taxi service you could get is arguably 'OK supertrans' , https://www.oktaxi.net/onlineorder_en.php - you could take a look at their webpage and fare. The phone to request a taxi is also there (country code is +359). However when you fill in the form, I would expect them to contact you to confirm things. As you see you can set 'to' and from' locations. Current exchange rate is 1 BGN = 0.434607 GBP or 1 GBP = 2.30093 BGN (BGN being 'Lev' - the local currency) ; so in other words a jorney of around 13 kilometers (Airport toHotel Cheap) according to the tariff should not cost you more than 6-7 quid. However, it's best if you confirm with them in advance what should you expect to pay given the details of your jorney, as it depends on night/day fare; waiting time, etc. Beware of companies that imitate the logo of this one - as it has the best reputation, there are rivals that have done similar design of their taxis in order to fool people! So either call by phone, use the app (from the homepage you can see Apple and Google store) or if you pick up one from the street be sure it is the real deal.
And again, as I said in the first post, it is generally colder than the UK, so have some warm clothes with you.
I hope this helps.
tarryboy
13 Sep 16#64
wtf, seriously wtf??? I'm thinking of the best way to respond to this. I can't think of it. So according to you, all the Syrian refugees/economic migrants are soldiers of the Islamic state? And the women they bring along with them are their numerous wives? You actually believe that? And if America and it's allies say they are bombing only isil targets ( http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11915407/America-admits-mistakenly-bombing-MSFs-Kunduz-hospital-in-Afghanistan.html ) you believe that too? You do know that in war there is collateral damage? In these wars there's a lot more collateral than any other type of damage. BTW, the only reason why that bombing has been mentioned is because it was an international hospital.
alisonmore1
12 Sep 16#15
How do you get to stansted
qwerta369 to alisonmore1
12 Sep 162#16
maps.google.com
dannyblackbeard to alisonmore1
12 Sep 162#18
Seek out the tinman, lion and scarecrow then follow the yellow brick road.
where is the best place to book transport from the airport to the hotel and vice versa
GretelRatzinger
13 Sep 161#58
If I wasn't going there for Christmas I'd be booking this! Sofia is a beautiful city with friendly people and best of all, it's super cheap!
Gabi
13 Sep 161#57
Back to the deal and it's hot for the price. Beats Skegness hands up ?
Chasloyal
13 Sep 16#56
To the best of my knowledge the septics, the snails and us are only bombing ISIL positions so you are actively subscribing to the self styled cailphate's soldiers, numerous wives and sprogs coming to live in Europe :confused:
In that case I'm all for raising dough for the Bulgarians, be they government regulated or football casuals, to have more shooters to protect us all from that death cult :man:
tarryboy
13 Sep 16#55
Phrase it however you want, but if those people stay put, they die, there's no two ways about it, so when they get banged up by the heartless Bulgarian vigilante groups it's probably a relief compared to the American, UK, French and all the other countries that are bombing them, and the death they leave behind, at least they are still alive, even though it's in hand cuffs and at the mercy of racist nationalists.
vladdy
13 Sep 16#54
He's right, 4-5 stars in east europe are much nicer compared to the old UK ones, but they can be pricey.
vladdy
13 Sep 16#53
Been to Sofia, wouldn't go back :smiley:. Save your money, Transylvania was much nicer around east europe.
baroni1971
13 Sep 16#52
Cheapest flights through ebooker from Belfast are £218.76 with a one stop in LHR - we are ripped off big time
Chasloyal
13 Sep 16#51
People that actually started this conflict five years ago because they thought it would be a walk in the park but then started it having it on their toes within six months because surprise surprise the man in power did not want to let go of it.
The people that recklessly continue to have children whilst living in a theatre of war, many of them even twisted enough to use those childrem on the off chance of getting in to a better country.
Are those the people you mean?
And think very carefully before you answer because the last time I looked, refugees fleeing conflict are meant to request asylum in the first safe country they reach........not pick n choose where they want to go because of lifestyle choices hmmmm see that's the point they cease to be refugees and are proving they're actually economic migrants.
Chasloyal
13 Sep 16#50
Yep you clearly know your stuff don't you :smirk: I very much doubt you'll find a football match anywhere in the world with more far right insignia on show in the stands than at the Sofia derby. Both Levski and CSKA 100% on the 'Gott mit Uns' vibe.
Think you'll find that the vast majority of Eastern European countries have a massive right footer culture, might have something to do with them having been oppressed by socialist tyranny for nigh on half a century after WW2 #justsaying
kamenitzabrit
13 Sep 161#49
I should have added that in the centre, Tzum department store/mall is worth a visit.... http://www.tzum.bg/en/
It's near the St Nedelya 'Happy' that I mentioned earlier, on the edge of the central shopping area, and with several other touristy sites quite close.
Almost opposite is Pirotska street, which is worth walking along (during the day) to get an idea of a slightly less touristy part - there used to be a nice café half way along with tables outside ideally placed for people watching, but like everything else it has probably changed.
Sclubone
13 Sep 16#48
WARNING: Only catch official and metered taxis, especially from the airport! Otherwise you could be lured by an English-speaker and end up paying the same again.. other ripoff risks are most likely rare in Sofia, and there is also a great free city tour on Saturday mornings.
cret16
13 Sep 162#45
Lived and worked in Sofia for 3 years....just moved. If you stay in the centre and go for a weekend its quite nice. This time of year the temperatures will be in the 20+c. You will be ripped off left right and centre, taxi's and shops can be the worst, unless you know which taxi companies are reliable. Service in hotels can be very bad. The Hotel Cheap is near the train station and a bit out of the centre. Round the corner of this hotel is one of the best 3 star hotels in Sofia, The Favorit. Five star hotels can be just as cheap as 3 or 4 star hotels. Personally, I would prefer to spend a little more and visit another city and get better service, but if you want a cheap break, then this is it.
qwerta369 to cret16
13 Sep 16#47
Probably the most useful comment here.
kamenitzabrit
13 Sep 161#46
If anyone is wary because of the language etc then visit a 'Happy' at least once - it's a bit like wimpy, with picture menus and so on, but much much better - many Bulgarians choose to go there, so it's worth a visit... http://www.happy.bg/en/home.html
click on 'our restaurants' at the top, and on the map Sofia is the logo on the centre left - it then gives you a list of the various sites in Sofia (avoid Liulin, not that a tourist would go there anyway), with St Nedelya being a useful location
You get the same menu everywhere, sometimes portions are smaller than in other restaurants, but at least there is some form of quality control and standards, for those who like to have some sort of comfort zone.
The other advantage is that they are usually non-stop 24 hours, even Christmas day, so also a safe place to go after a club or bar when the streets are a bit quieter.
Even many locals won't walk to the train station from the centre, as Maria Louisa street can be a bit dodgy especially near the lions bridge, and there are ladies of the night hanging around with the associated problems.
Malabus
13 Sep 161#40
Nothing much in Sofia.
kamenitzabrit to Malabus
13 Sep 16#44
Exactly when were you there, for how long, and what would you expect to find in a European capital city in order to obtain your seal of approval ?
Let's not forget this deal was aimed at the long weekend market, and whilst nobody is pretending Sofia is the equal of Vienna or Rome, there's more than enough cultural tourism to do in a weekend, or just chill out cheaply if you prefer.
I found it a fascinating place in which to observe a very different type of city and culture, but then on my first visit I had the benefit of a local couple as tour guides, and I even stayed in their tiny apartment - one of the advantages of meeting people through football matches and keeping in touch. :smiley:
I returned a few more times, at various times of the year, going to other towns and cities, finding a job there, and spent several years mixing with locals and mostly avoiding tourists........ could write a book and who knows it might actually happen.
bojangles
13 Sep 161#43
not in the eastern european countries I have visited.
mikes123
13 Sep 16#42
We did not like Sofia. Nothing much to do and run down. Very cheap place to eat and drink. Change your money up in Sofia, much better rate than UK. Voted hot as good price.
musicals
13 Sep 16#41
Precisely. And the service is fabulous (I've stayed in Slovakia, Czech, Romania and Bulgaria), the rooms spotless.
Tomas88
13 Sep 16#39
Actually most of 3 or 4 stars hotels in Eastern Europe are much better and cleaner than any 4 or 5 stars overpriced old crappy hotels in UK. Not to add much better customer service
crazylegs
13 Sep 16#38
Long weekend with a nice girl called Sofia, in a Cheap hotel in a town people wouldn't walk through let alone drive through, must visit one of the cheap Nazi markets whilst visiting too :stuck_out_tongue:
ally8971
12 Sep 168#17
Thought for a minute it was for a long weekend on the Sofa LOL.
johnatanasoff to ally8971
13 Sep 16#36
best comment
sofiasar
12 Sep 16#35
long weekend in Sofia, oh thank you :smiley:
has2Bcheaper
12 Sep 16#34
I saw the flights at said price a few minutes ago, not sure if it's just me but seems to have jumped up to £38+ now!
sgs222
12 Sep 161#32
Good point, but's let's not forget who started bombing Syria in the first place...
Brickz79
12 Sep 161#31
Sofia is one of the worst cities I have ever had the displeasure to visit
ScampiLamp
12 Sep 161#5
Would we be crazy to attempt this with what will then be a 4 month old baby ? Fancy a break away and this is so cheap..
M_z to ScampiLamp
12 Sep 168#6
Yes, if you want an actual break anywhere, don't take a 4 month baby with you! :stuck_out_tongue:
bojangles to ScampiLamp
12 Sep 161#10
not with that hotel!
I would look for a 4* minimum whenever possible in Eastern Europe, unless your happy to stay in squat.
Bulgaria is a cheap country, so a 4* hotel may not be much more expensive.
kamenitzabrit to ScampiLamp
12 Sep 161#30
The baby will probably not notice the difference, and it's the perfect age for cheap breaks as you can fit them into any hotel room - get away as often as you can before you have to pay full fare !
We flew with a month old baby, and then a few more times before a year old - just try to give it a bottle feed at take off to stop ears popping (that's what we were told and it worked every time).
amarone82
12 Sep 16#29
thanks, just bought tickets for a family of 3 10.09 to 15.09 from Birmingham to sofia return £90
will go to see mother in law
nickmassey
12 Sep 161#28
stopped over there for a day and night on the way back from Dubai a couple of weeks ago. Have to say, it is really nice and also very cheap. Some nice looking bars and places to visit. I'd definitely recommend it, for a cheap break for a couple of days.
Just be careful with the taxi's - there are loads of dodgy ones around that look legit. We were told that someone had been charged 90euro to get a few miles from the airport to get to our hotel, whereas it cost us less than £3
Krooner
12 Sep 161#11
You can buy nazi memorabilia at the street markets in Sofia. That's where all the dealers in that kind of thing go.
christopherstaniforth3 to Krooner
12 Sep 16#13
dont talk rubbish
Thetrout to Krooner
12 Sep 161#20
Most of it is Fake though. You'll see exactly the same items in every Flea market type shop all over Bulgaria
kamenitzabrit to Krooner
12 Sep 161#27
There's masses of Communist era stuff as well, but not sure how genuine it is - Bulgaria is known for anything being faked, all sorts of documents and stuff, although since they joined the EU it isn't quite as bad.
Shops were happily selling fake designer clothing, Rolex watches etc before joining, and you could easily get a university degree, have your passport stamped (as if you had flown out and back) without leaving the country, get a car mot'd without it being seen, and so on and on....... and of course the same people still live there and have the same outlook on life.
Have a look on ebay at some of the dreamers selling militaria at vastly inflated prices to get an idea of what you'll come up against if trying to haggle - prices to foreigners start way higher to begin with.
bepurple
12 Sep 161#22
Does anyone whose been around this time know what the weather is like?
Thetrout to bepurple
12 Sep 162#23
I was there 2 years ago at this time and it was in the high twenties most days. It can cloud over a fair bit at this time of year though
I was in Sofia in June this year and it is a beautiful city, there's a lot of history in the place
kamenitzabrit to bepurple
12 Sep 16#26
I lived and worked in Bulgaria full time for a few years, and it's rather chilly in November, but the minimum temperature could easily be above freezing the whole month - best to check a forecast before leaving home to know what clothes to take.
stphnstevey
12 Sep 16#25
adventure
Yaba_Daba_Doo
12 Sep 164#24
By plane, a lot of airlines fly there
Krooner
12 Sep 16#21
Yes, I'm told you have to hunt for the real stuff nowadays, but in the eighties and nineties it was rife.
Most street corners seemed to have a table and a snaggletoothed crone selling the stuff though. There was a stall set up literally outside our hotel! A mate bought a lapel pin while we were there, personally it all felt a little morbid to me.
Daddio
12 Sep 162#19
I went there back in 1989. It was definitely a very interesting experience. Although it was fairly communist back then. Little kids begging on the street and if you're wearing jeans you ended up with a crowd coming up saying how amazing they are. Also lots of people approaching asking to exchange money. I did enjoy it there though, everything was so cheap and the skiing was great.
Opening post
I've based this trip on 2 adults flying out of Stansted on Saturday 19th November returning Monday 21st November. You will be flying with Ryanair and staying in the 2* Hotel cheap, which has great reviews, don't be scared by the name!!
You will have 3 full days to explore the city as you land early morning and return late night!!
The hotel has great reviews on TripAdvisor, it is central to town being only a 5 minute tram ride or a 20 minute walk. It has a private bathroom and is a modern hotel.
This deal only includes a 10kg hand luggage with an additional handbag but this is sufficient for a 2 night stay.
Price breakdown
Flights booked with Ryanair - £45.96
Hotel booked with Ebookers with voucher code - HOT14MVC - for 14% off - £44.06
Total price - £90.02
Total price each - £45.01
Top comments
Although I am sorry to see some strong expressed negative views, I don't want to argue on the internet and try to prove anyone wrong.
I also believe that in general the biggest perk of Sofia/Bulgaria are the cheap prices you would enjoy, and if your appearance and conduct doesn't scream of 'tourist' you would not be taken advantage of (scammed).
In general if you're going in the coming months (bring warm clothes, though weather has been very unpredictable with all the climate change), definitely go to the Vitosha mountain, which is just outside of Sofia. You would enjoy some peace, nice walks, food, skiing, cable cars, and other lovely people that are out and about.
As for the city, there are plenty of fine restaurants for you to enjoy at very good prices; just stick to the central parts of the capital and you'd be more than safe. Go to places like foursquare to check reviews in advance.
Additionally you can go shopping at boutiqes to catch some additional bargains.
Many brits also take advantage of cheap medical care; I know more than a handful old and young who for example have chosen to fix any dental issues in Bulgaria.
Most people are delighted to see you, and not in a 'wow Brits! Let's milk them' way, but with genuine pleasure that you are our guests.
Hot.
Latest comments (79)
When I saw this I couldn't resist at this incredible price. I looked further into flights from the North and booked the same dates from Liverpool for just £8 more. Its quite incredible to fly to the ofher side of Europe for £33.98 when you consider most people in their 20s spend more than that on a night out these days. Having looked on line at various sites it appears there is quite a few things to do in Sofia which is exciting, Cant wait! For anyone else that's on board well done and have a great time!
Thanks,
MnM
Although I am sorry to see some strong expressed negative views, I don't want to argue on the internet and try to prove anyone wrong.
I also believe that in general the biggest perk of Sofia/Bulgaria are the cheap prices you would enjoy, and if your appearance and conduct doesn't scream of 'tourist' you would not be taken advantage of (scammed).
In general if you're going in the coming months (bring warm clothes, though weather has been very unpredictable with all the climate change), definitely go to the Vitosha mountain, which is just outside of Sofia. You would enjoy some peace, nice walks, food, skiing, cable cars, and other lovely people that are out and about.
As for the city, there are plenty of fine restaurants for you to enjoy at very good prices; just stick to the central parts of the capital and you'd be more than safe. Go to places like foursquare to check reviews in advance.
Additionally you can go shopping at boutiqes to catch some additional bargains.
Many brits also take advantage of cheap medical care; I know more than a handful old and young who for example have chosen to fix any dental issues in Bulgaria.
Most people are delighted to see you, and not in a 'wow Brits! Let's milk them' way, but with genuine pleasure that you are our guests.
I am interested in the deal and seen your post where you are willing to give some help. I have a couple of questions
How easy it to get vegetarian food ?
also what is the best place to book transport from the airport to the hotel and back to the airport and what does it roughly cost ?
could you recommend some activities or places to see over the weekend ?
how is the weather like in mid November. i.e. is it like the UK or colder ?
Thank You in advance for all your help
http://alldentaltravel.com/ - an agency dedicated to this kind of service
http://www.dw.com/en/dental-tourists-search-for-treatment-in-bulgaria/a-15534834 - an article from Deutsche Welle
And here is an international Irish site that has reviews of practitioners and details for booking in the country - http://www.whatclinic.com/dentists/bulgaria
See if it helps you.
Many places offer meat free meals, I did a little research and here are a handful of nice places that are offering vegetarian cuisine:
http://www.dreamhouse-bg.com/english#superb-vegetarian-food
http://soulkitchen.bg/en
http://www.cabra.bg/index.html
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g294452-d8520976-Reviews-Veda_House-Sofia_Sofia_Region.html
http://www.mixofigs.bg/index.php/en/
http://www.izbite.com/en - Bulgarian restaurant
http://corso.bg/#/en/restaurant/menu
http://lacasalatinabg.com/en-index.html
http://cactus.bg/en/
http://vegankitsch.myorganicmarket.bg/en/
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g294452-d982486-Reviews-Orisha_Bar_Dinner-Sofia_Sofia_Region.html
http://somavital.bg/category/%d0%be%d0%b1%d0%b5%d0%b4%d0%bd%d0%be-%d0%bc%d0%b5%d0%bd%d1%8e/
https://www.kohinoor.bg/en/
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g294452-d2515302-Reviews-Kring-Sofia_Sofia_Region.html
http://lovinghut.bg/en/
http://www.sunmoon.bg/bakery/
The best taxi service you could get is arguably 'OK supertrans' , https://www.oktaxi.net/onlineorder_en.php - you could take a look at their webpage and fare. The phone to request a taxi is also there (country code is +359). However when you fill in the form, I would expect them to contact you to confirm things. As you see you can set 'to' and from' locations. Current exchange rate is 1 BGN = 0.434607 GBP or 1 GBP = 2.30093 BGN (BGN being 'Lev' - the local currency) ; so in other words a jorney of around 13 kilometers (Airport toHotel Cheap) according to the tariff should not cost you more than 6-7 quid. However, it's best if you confirm with them in advance what should you expect to pay given the details of your jorney, as it depends on night/day fare; waiting time, etc. Beware of companies that imitate the logo of this one - as it has the best reputation, there are rivals that have done similar design of their taxis in order to fool people! So either call by phone, use the app (from the homepage you can see Apple and Google store) or if you pick up one from the street be sure it is the real deal.
As for activities, as I said, I believe that Vitosha mountain is the best one, if you are not the mountaneering type of person, take a look at these guides - http://www.sofia-guide.com/attractions-in-sofia/ & https://www.lonelyplanet.com/bulgaria/sofia and see if you find anything that might interest you.
And again, as I said in the first post, it is generally colder than the UK, so have some warm clothes with you.
I hope this helps.
In that case I'm all for raising dough for the Bulgarians, be they government regulated or football casuals, to have more shooters to protect us all from that death cult :man:
The people that recklessly continue to have children whilst living in a theatre of war, many of them even twisted enough to use those childrem on the off chance of getting in to a better country.
Are those the people you mean?
And think very carefully before you answer because the last time I looked, refugees fleeing conflict are meant to request asylum in the first safe country they reach........not pick n choose where they want to go because of lifestyle choices hmmmm see that's the point they cease to be refugees and are proving they're actually economic migrants.
Think you'll find that the vast majority of Eastern European countries have a massive right footer culture, might have something to do with them having been oppressed by socialist tyranny for nigh on half a century after WW2 #justsaying
http://www.tzum.bg/en/
It's near the St Nedelya 'Happy' that I mentioned earlier, on the edge of the central shopping area, and with several other touristy sites quite close.
Almost opposite is Pirotska street, which is worth walking along (during the day) to get an idea of a slightly less touristy part - there used to be a nice café half way along with tables outside ideally placed for people watching, but like everything else it has probably changed.
http://www.happy.bg/en/home.html
click on 'our restaurants' at the top, and on the map Sofia is the logo on the centre left - it then gives you a list of the various sites in Sofia (avoid Liulin, not that a tourist would go there anyway), with St Nedelya being a useful location
You get the same menu everywhere, sometimes portions are smaller than in other restaurants, but at least there is some form of quality control and standards, for those who like to have some sort of comfort zone.
The other advantage is that they are usually non-stop 24 hours, even Christmas day, so also a safe place to go after a club or bar when the streets are a bit quieter.
Even many locals won't walk to the train station from the centre, as Maria Louisa street can be a bit dodgy especially near the lions bridge, and there are ladies of the night hanging around with the associated problems.
Let's not forget this deal was aimed at the long weekend market, and whilst nobody is pretending Sofia is the equal of Vienna or Rome, there's more than enough cultural tourism to do in a weekend, or just chill out cheaply if you prefer.
I found it a fascinating place in which to observe a very different type of city and culture, but then on my first visit I had the benefit of a local couple as tour guides, and I even stayed in their tiny apartment - one of the advantages of meeting people through football matches and keeping in touch. :smiley:
I returned a few more times, at various times of the year, going to other towns and cities, finding a job there, and spent several years mixing with locals and mostly avoiding tourists........ could write a book and who knows it might actually happen.
I would look for a 4* minimum whenever possible in Eastern Europe, unless your happy to stay in squat.
Bulgaria is a cheap country, so a 4* hotel may not be much more expensive.
We flew with a month old baby, and then a few more times before a year old - just try to give it a bottle feed at take off to stop ears popping (that's what we were told and it worked every time).
will go to see mother in law
Just be careful with the taxi's - there are loads of dodgy ones around that look legit. We were told that someone had been charged 90euro to get a few miles from the airport to get to our hotel, whereas it cost us less than £3
Shops were happily selling fake designer clothing, Rolex watches etc before joining, and you could easily get a university degree, have your passport stamped (as if you had flown out and back) without leaving the country, get a car mot'd without it being seen, and so on and on....... and of course the same people still live there and have the same outlook on life.
Have a look on ebay at some of the dreamers selling militaria at vastly inflated prices to get an idea of what you'll come up against if trying to haggle - prices to foreigners start way higher to begin with.
I was in Sofia in June this year and it is a beautiful city, there's a lot of history in the place
Most street corners seemed to have a table and a snaggletoothed crone selling the stuff though. There was a stall set up literally outside our hotel! A mate bought a lapel pin while we were there, personally it all felt a little morbid to me.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g294452-d2157083-r299885927-Flea_Market-Sofia_Sofia_Region.html
Had to check the current date to make sure this wasn't a prank.
Hot.