The Berkeley Guides:
Berkeley Guide to Europe:
Bulgaria:
Sofia
Long overlooked by bargain-hunting backpackers, historic Sofia is ripe for discovery. Compared with other European capitals, prices are cheap, the people friendly, and the atmosphere relaxed. Despite its bland Soviet-inspired architecture, Sofia has Roman churches, Byzantine and Ottoman mosques, and yellow-brick roads crowded with all sorts of characters--even the occasional dancing bear led by a mandolin player. If you're an outdoorsy type, Sofia is ringed by the Balkan Mountains to the north and the Ljulin range to the west; Mt. Vitosha, a year-round playground, is on the city's doorstep. Of course, the Communists left Sofia with some godawful monuments and a decaying urban infrastructure. But since 1989 the capital of Bulgaria has definitely regained some of its former funk. The moral of the story: Visit now before Sofia gets "discovered" by hipsters in search of another Prague to exploit.
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