Bulgaria's capital is slowly but surely bridging the gap between its communist past and its future as a new member of the EU, writes PETER CLUSKEY
SOFIA IS A charming city, but it’s a city with a split personality – and once you’ve come to terms with the extraordinary tug of war with the past that’s going on here, you’ll find evidence of it everywhere.
On the one hand the Bulgarian capital is one of Europe’s oldest cities, dating back to the eighth century, with all the residual reserve you’d expect of a communist past it managed to jettison just 20 years ago.
On the other hand its people, particularly the young, are friendly, outgoing and striving desperately for modernity – which is why they’re hugely enthusiastic about its recently acquired future as a member of the European Union.
It’s been a frustrating couple of years though since EU accession, in January 2007. The property boom we were so familiar with here in Ireland was every bit as important to the Bulgarian economy. Now that’s turned to bust, and the global recession has hit the tourism and ski industries as well.
The good news, however, is that EU funding is cushioning the blows, improving the country’s infrastructure, attracting overseas investment and giving Sofia a 21st-century makeover as a chic new location for western European weekenders.
The first evidence of that EU cash is the brand new airport. The second thing you’ll notice is that Bulgaria still uses its own currency, the lev, which is pegged to the euro at €1 to about 1.96 leva. And the next thing you’ll see is that the periphery of this city of one and a half million people is a wasteland of bleak communist-era apartment blocks.
Sofia was badly bombed by the Americans and the British during the second World War, so swathes of the city centre have been rebuilt as well. Large parts of the Old City have survived, however; they are full of typically European tree-lined boulevards and balconied buildings designed by 19th-century Russian and Viennese architects – all criss-crossed by old- fashioned trams.
You’ll be drawn by the buzz towards Sveta Nedelya Square, the city’s central hub, which gives easy access to the main shopping and sightseeing districts, including the Tzum department store, to the north, and Vitosha Boulevard, to the south.
That positions you perfectly to start your tour at the Largo, a remarkable ensemble of three enormous Soviet-style buildings grouped around Ploshtad Nezavisimost – Independence Square – which featured a statue of Lenin until it was replaced by one of more politically correct Saint Sofia, in 2000.
The most impressive building is in the centre, the former headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party, now the national assembly.
To one side it has the council of ministers in a building shared, bizarrely, with the Tzum shopping mall. And to the other there’s the president’s office, the ministry of education and . . . the Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan.
Because of its central location, the foyer of the Sheraton is a popular coffee spot for political movers and shakers, business types and tourists who just want to sit back and watch.
Then it’s off to the city’s most popular tourist attraction, Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, one of the world’s largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals, with its dramatic onion-shaped domes. Watch out for the central gold-plated dome, which has the words of the Lord’s Prayer inscribed around its inside in thin gold letters.
Outside, in the big circular plaza, there’s the inevitable flea market, colourful, fun and perfect for buying souvenirs and postcards, before you head for Sofia’s main covered market, the Halite, an ornate building topped by a clock tower, where you’ll find an eclectic mix of goodies, from alcohol to clothes to Bulgarian regional delicacies.
Like Dublin, Sofia had a reputation for a while as a destination for UK stag parties, but their virtual disappearance has been one positive side effect of recession.
Nightlife is centred on Vitosha Boulevard, with plenty of cool cafes, trendy bars and decent restaurants. If you must, yes, there is an Irish pub, JJ Murphy’s, at 6 Karnigradska. It has plenty of craic and football at the weekends – a real home from home.
Go there
Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) flies from Dublin to Sofia.
Where to stay, where to eat and where to go in Sofia
5 places to stay
Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan. 5 Sveta Nedelya Square, 00-359-2-9816541, www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/sofia. Perhaps the grandest hotel in the city and certainly an architectural landmark, so visit even if you’re not staying. Doubles from €155.
Radisson SAS Sofia. 4 Narodno Sabranie Square, 00-359-2-9334334, www.sofia.radissonsas.com. Fantastic views from the front rooms, which overlook parliament and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Double rooms from about €140.
Maria Luisa Hotel. 29 Maria Luisa Boulevard, 00-359-2-9805577, www.marialuisa-bg.com. If you’re looking for some old-world charm, this four-star hotel is a listed building dating back to the turn of the 20th century. A double room costs from €104, including a buffet breakfast.
Grand Hotel Sofia. 1 Gurko Street, 00-359-2-8110811, www.grandhotelsofia.bg. This deluxe business five-star is right in the centre of Sofia, overlooking City Garden. It offers weekend packages, including a late breakfast, from €180.
Crystal Palace Boutique Hotel. 14 Shipka Street, 00-359-2-9489489, www.crystalpalace-sofia.com. Winner of the Sofia Building of the Year prize in 2004, this hotel is something of a cultural monument. Rooms start at about €80, including breakfast.
5 places to eat
The Clock House. 15 Moskovska Street, 00-359-2-9327595, www.clockhousebg.com. The Clock House sets out to be both elegant and cosy, and somehow manages to achieve it. It’s a 19th-century building near Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and City Hall.
Hadjidraganov’s Houses. 75 Kozloduy Street, 00-359-2-9313148, www.kashtite.com. This city-centre restaurant serves traditional Bulgarian fare in an unforgettable setting based on four of the country’s palaces. Diners are treated to traditional Bulgarian folk music every night.
Manastirska Magernitsa. 67 Han Asparuh Street, 00-359-2-9803883, www.magernitsa.com. Opened in 2002, Manastirska Magernitsa serves Bulgarian dishes in its four traditional dining halls in the city centre. The food is good, but prices are a little higher than the Sofia average.
In Canto. 111 Alexander Malinov Boulevard, 00-359-2-8070707, www.holidayinnsofia.bg. This is part of the five-star Holiday Inn complex that opened in December 2008, 10km from the city centre, overlooking Vitosha Mountain. The dining room is modern and formal, and the menu is Mediterranean and Italian.
Gara Za Dvama. 18 Benkovski, 00-359-2-9897675. The name means “Railway Station for Two”, and the theme of this Russian restaurant is based on a love story about a waitress and a pianist. Sounds twee, but the restaurant is delightful.
5 places to go
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. This striking neo-Byzantine church is Sofia’s number-one tourist attraction. It was built in the early part of the 20th century to honour the 200,000 soldiers killed in the Russo-Turkish war and the consequent liberation of Bulgaria from nearly 500 years of Ottoman rule.
Sveta Nedelya Cathedral. This magnificent church is one of Sofia’s best-known landmarks. Built between 1856 and 1863, it’s older than Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Its interior is decorated with murals. Communists attempted to blow up this cathedral in April 1925, in an attempt to assassinate Tsar Boris III.
Buyuk Djami. Sofia’s impressive Great Mosque, which dates back to the 15th century, now houses Sofia’s excellent archaeological museum. Among its exhibits are a second-century bronze-gilt head of Apollo and a fourth-century plaque showing gladiatorial fights in the circus in Roman Serdica (modern day Sofia).
The Largo. Nezavisimost Square. Built in the 1950s, this is Bulgarian communist architecture at its most impressive and one of the chief showpieces of post-war Sofia. The Largo marks the start of a stretch of vivid yellow cobblestones that link many of Sofia’s main attractions.
The Red House Centre for Culture and Debate. 15 Ljuben Karavelov Street, 00-359-2-9888188, www.redhouse-sofia.org. Don’t be put off by the title, which carries a whiff of communist cultural worthiness. The Red House in the city centre used to be the home of Bulgarian sculptor Andrey Nikolov, and a permanent exhibition of his work is still housed there.
Where to shop
It’s not all embroidered tablecloths and Russian dolls. Sofia has an impressive assortment of shops, from high-class fashion boutiques to traditional shops and charming markets. The main shopping area centres around Vitosha Boulevard, but for something a little different, take a look on and around Tsar Ivan Assen II Street.
Hot spot
Swinging Hall. 8 Dragan Tzankov Boulevard, 00-359-2-9630696, www.swinginghall.com. A late-night jazz, pop and rock club with live music every night and a jam session every Sunday.
Coffee break
The Vienna Café. 29 Maria Luise Boulevard, 00-359-2-9805577, www.marialuisa-bg.com. This is part of the listed Hotel Maria Luisa and the perfect place to grab half an hour of peace and quiet. The coffee is good, and don’t forget to try the pastries.