Bulgaria was not on my travel list, but when we got a 4-day public holiday we decided to travel there as we already had a Schengen visa and we wouldn’t have to go through the hassle of applying for visa.
We traveled by direct Fly Dubai flight from Dubai to the capital city of Sofia. It took us approximately 5 hours and 25 minutes. Fly Dubai operates 4 direct flights weekly.
Indian passport holders need a visa to travel to Bulgaria, since January 1, 2025 it has joined the Schengen Area, now Indian nationals need to apply for Schengen visa to travel to Bulgaria.
About Bulgaria
Bulgaria is a Balkan country located in Southeast Europe. It is a nation with diverse terrain encompassing Black Sea coastline, a mountainous interior and rivers, including the Danube.
A cultural melting pot with Greek, Slavic, Ottoman and Persian influences. It has a rich heritage of traditional dance, music, costumes and crafts.
Sofia is the capital and largest city in Bulgaria. It is situated in the foot of the Vitosha Mountain. Sofia is a small, modern and youthful city not like grand cities of Western Europe.
On our 3 nights and 4 days visit, we stayed at the spacious, modern and centrally located Grand Hotel Millennium and explored the city and beyond.
What is the best time to visit Bulgaria?
The best time to visit the country depends on your priorities. Ideally June-August(summer season) is perfect for outdoor activities. Winter season from December-March is good for skiing.
Where to stay?
Whether it is luxury, mid-range or budget hotels, Sofia offers great options. We stayed at the Grand Hotel Millennium, a 5-Star property.
Getting Around
Sofia offers a convenient mix of metro, trams, buses and taxis.
Things to do and see in Sofia
We kept Sofia as our base and took long day trips out of the city and also did an extensive city tour. We also visited Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria and it is a 2-hour drive from Sofia.
Day 1
We arrived at our hotel from the airport around 12ish and after freshening up, we immediately went on a walking city tour. Our hotel was in the center and we could easily cover everything by walk.
The places we visited were:
• Church of Saint George (Rotunda)
• St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
• Vitosha Boulevard
• National Palace of Culture
• Central Mineral Baths & Sofia History Museum
• National Art Gallery (Royal Palace)
• Ancient Serdika Archaeological Complex
• Ivan Vazov National Theatre & City Garden
• Vitosha Mountain (short ride from the city center)
• Boyana Church (10-15 minutes ride from the city center)
Day 2
On day 2, we took a private tour to the city of Plovdiv followed by a wine tasting tour in Thracian Valley. We spent our morning strolling through the Plovdiv Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and had a traditional Bulgarian lunch.
We also visited the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis, Ancient Roman Stadium, Nebet Tepe, Hisar Kapia Gate, Creative District, Tsar Simeon Garden and singing Fountains.
Early evening we had a wine tasting tour in Villa Yustina, a boutique winery located in Ustina village-Thracian valley, about 26 kilometers from Plovdiv in the scenic foothills of the Rhodope mountains.
Day 3
Highlight of our Bulgaria trip was the combined visit of the Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery, a popular day tour from Sofia.
It was an action-packed day where we hiked around the beautiful Seven Rila Lakes and soaked up the beauty of Rila National Park. Tour of the iconic Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site was a treat for the eyes.
Last and fourth day after breakfast we shopped for couple of hours and then left to the airport. It was a short trip but we could cover most of the places. If we had couple of extra days we would have visited Varna for its Black Sea beaches and parkland.
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