When visiting Bulgaria, one of the most stunning places you’ll see pictures of is Seven Rila Lakes. It’s an absolutely jaw-dropping place to go, and it’s an easy day trip from Sofia. Before heading up to the mountains, here’s what you should know to plan your trip. Getting To Seven Rila Lakes There is no real public transit option to get to Seven Rila Lakes. (Technically, you can get there by bus but it’s highly inefficient.) Most people take their own cars – but beware! Especially in the high season of the summer months, parking can be an absolute nightmare. If you drive, either go super early in the morning,…
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Spreadsheeting: How Much I Spent in Bulgaria
Bulgaria was definitely not on the original plan, so I didn’t initially budget for it. It was on the list of countries that I was using to replace the three weeks of trekking I’d planning in Nepal, so I was hoping it would be less than $50/day (which was what I’d originally earmarked for Nepal). In all, in 6 days in Bulgaria, I spent $259.79. How did that work out?
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Balchik: Amazing Gardens by the Sea
When I was researching Varna, one thing I saw randomly was a picture of a fountain at the botanical gardens in Balchik. So of course I looked it up. It looked pretty, but I had some level of question because there were so few photos of it online, and not a ton of information. The gardens were Queen Maria’s summer gardens around her summer palace, so they’re all set on the Black Sea. Balchik is about an hour north of Varna, and there are many minibuses that go between the two cities.
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I Can See Russia From Here: The Black Sea
Varna is a town I think you’re going to hear more about in coming years. It’s a resort town in Bulgaria on the coast of the Black Sea, and is fairly well-known in Europe. I think it’s about to get even more well-known! It’s the third-largest city in Bulgaria, and tends to be a summer destination due to it being on the sea. It’s absolutely beautiful, and I was surprised by the Black Sea. First, it was cold! At least to me. Even in August, it was about 70F. In my world, that’s cold! However, it was so refreshing in the heat (and in the general European aversion to air…
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Plovdiv, Bulgaria: The Coolest City You’ve Never Heard Of
I left Sofia for Plovdiv, and it was pouring down rain! I was practically soaked by the time I made it on the train – with only a few minutes to spare. I’d waited to share a cab with some others from my hostel, and it makes me so anxious when people cut things so close! Note to self: do not share cabs if it means you’re going to risk missing your train. So where in the world and what in the world is Plovdiv? I had never heard of it before researching Bulgaria (this is a theme of all of Bulgaria for me… it’s been a discovery!), but it’s…
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Breathtaking Views at Seven Rila Lakes
When I was researching what to do in Sofia, I came across day trips from Sofia, and one that was highly recommended was the Seven Rila Lakes. I decided that sounded perfect – I have seen many temples, many churches, and many museums – it’s a good change to get out into nature! Seven Rila Lakes is about an hour and a half drive from Sofia, and I used a tour organized by my hostel to get there. In my car, there were three others – Hailey, an Australian girl, and a pair of French friends – Eric and Genevieve.
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Sofia, Bulgaria
I took the train into Sofia from Thessaloniki, and to be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s Bulgaria, so I knew I’d try to find Viktor Krum (no luck…), but other than that… I had no idea what was in store. I am definitely making up this part of the itinerary as I go! I booked two nights in a hostel in Sofia, and checked in after getting off the train. I decided to walk in from the train station – about a mile – and it was a good way to start seeing the city. I spent the afternoon walking around town. First, I went to Cathedral…
