About Walter Wornick Expertise I can answer questions about travel to and within Bulgaria. I can advise on sites to see and historic significance of many towns, cities and areas in Bulgaria. I am especially interested in the many monasteries and Eastern Orthodox churches in the country, places of horticultural interest, railroads, museum villages, folk festivals and places of scenic beauty, agricultural products, wines and birdlore.
Experience I have visited Bulgaria, as a tourist, six times in the last six years. I have traveled widely in the country and have many contacts there. I have some knowledge of the history of the country and collect books about Bulgaria for reference purposes.I do not speak Bulgarian, but have associates who do.
Publications I have written about trips to Bulgaria for the International Travel News and the Ascutney Travel Newsletter.
Education/Credentials I have an MS in Education and some advanced work.
Expert: Walter Wornick Date: 2/28/2004 Subject: Travel from Sofia
Question I hope this isn't too vague. My wife and I are flying into Sofia in late March and other than the plane tickets themselves, we have no firm plans. We are getting wildly conflicting advice, ranging from (a) you should rent a car and drive all over, including Thessaloniki and Okrid (spelling?)in Macedonia to (b) don't even dream of driving here, the cops are thugs, and crossing a border is an 8-hour nightmare.
We'll be in Bulgaria 6 nights. Since we are going on frequent flyer tickets, we're not particularly concerned about keeping prices at rock-bottom and, bourgeois though it is, good mattresses are important to us.
Your advice is obviously to steer away from driving (a disappointment, since we loved driving in Slovenia and Croatia and we enjoy exploring small non-touristy towns). But it sounds too stressful and risky. If we rule out cars, what should we do for six days in and near Sofia and Plovdiv?
Thanks very much.
Doug Herbert
Washington, D.C.
Answer First, I would concur that Bulgaria is not a practical country to do with a rental car. That comes from someone who also loves to do his traveling with a rental car. You will be spending a few days in Sofia, where parking is difficult to come by and you will see cars parked in intersections, on sidewalks, etc. Car parts are also expensive and anything that can be stolen from a parked car, often is....Roads are also poorly signed and when they are, in cyrillic. Driving from Sofia to Plovdiv is doable, as it is a good road. However, there are Police checkpoints, or whatever you want to call them and it is possible to be shaken down for some minor or non-existant infraction or even having insurance from one end of the country that they will tell you is no good where you are? I am sorry, but will continue this answer shortly...
I would suggest taking the bus or train between Plovdiv & Sofia, if that is where you wish to go. Take local tours out of there. It all depends when you will arrive and leave Sofia as to how much you can do. Let's say 1 1/2 days in Sofia and one full day tour to the Rila Monestary, in the mountains south of Sofia. If you go by private car, there are other stops you can make of interest.
Sorry, I had to stop in mid-stream and hope the balance of this goes out to you. I don't know if you have prebooked in Plovdiv & Sofia or are open to other ideas? You could certainly use Sofia as a base and see the sights there and then a day trip to Rila and a day trip to the museum town of Koprivshtitsa. Then the balance ion Plovdiv with visits to the "old town" with various homes open as museums, Icon Museum, Roman theater, Dzhumaiya Mosque, etc...Bachkovo Monastery a UNESCO site and Bulgaria's 2nd largest is also nearby.
Since you indicate that your air ticket is free, thus more funds are available, I would suggest using a driver/ guide who will pick you up at the airport, provide tours of Sofia, resturant and other needed info...tour to Rila. Thus you could spend 2 days in Sofia and drive on to Veliko Tarnovo, the first capitol of the country and tour and overnight in Arbanasi at a quaint inn (with good mattresses). Then on over the Historic Shipka Pass and the Museum Complex of Etera, etc...to Plovdiv and back to Sofia, if that is where you leave from. You would see much more of the country this way and it's small town life and scenic and historic areas.
I have travelled this way on my 7 visits to Bulgaria and hope to get there again this fall. I use a small agency, Mike Travel. that can be reached at <miketrvl@mbox.infotel.bg>Unfortunately, the Bulgarian Lev is tied to the Euro now so prices are much higher against the dollar. I have no axe to grind for this agency but have found it reliable for my needs and as one who likes to travel by car having a driver guide in a country where few speak a foreign language, is of great help. They can provide accomodations all over the country and tours, if they have space available in their program. Nice to be able to stop to look at the storks and have a coffee or glass of wine as one desires. The infrastructure and the people are poor, for the most part, but they are a warm folk living in a very scenic country. Have a safe trip.
