nirajshah8

I'm currently in Sofia, Bulgaria and will be in the country until the end of October. I've travelled extensively through other Balkan countries but this is my first time in Bulgaria. My first impressions of Sofia have been that it's a beautiful city center, the food has been great, and the people are relatively nice. However, I have been taken aback a bit by the level of staring by some of the population and the way they scoff at me towards their friends either at the gym or other random areas around town.
As an avid traveler, it doesn't bother me that much, but is this normal in this part of the Balkans? For reference, I am a 36 year old male, born in India but lived most of my life in the US, with an American accent. Am I just being paranoid or is this just typical Balkan hospitality?

Either way, I'll be staying 6 weeks or so in the county; would love to know any recommended side trips from Sofia but within Bulgaria. Is the country easily accessible via bus/train or is a rental car necessary?

Thank you!

SanDiego1K

We did a driving trip thru the Balkans two years ago. Sofia was our final stop. We experienced none of the staring that you mentioned. We visited Rila Monastery https://rilskimanastir.org/en/ on our route from Skopje, North Macedonia, to Sofia. It is well worth a visit.

@kokonutz is a frequent poster on FlyerTalk. He and his wife spent two months in Bansko, Bulgaria. You'll find his blog about it here: https://readyjetroam.com/bansko-bulg...l-destination/

I look forward to other folks response about where you should go and what you should see.

kokonutz

Thanks for the shout out, Carol!

Lisa and I actually spent the entire summer in Bulgaria from Sofia to Burgas, Sozopol, Sunny Beach, Varna, Plovdiv and then Bansko for a couple months.

To me they are the warmest and most accepting folks.

We are in Croatia right now (is this the Balkans?) and we fee the same way here!

Maybe if you learn a few Bulgarian words?

As for getting around you�ll find an air Bulgaria as well as a Bulgarian train ride review on the blog. Neither were great. I recommend taking busses - cheap and convenient.

We love Bulgaria and would be there right now if they allowed people with US passports to come in.

Palal

There aren't many people of South Asian descent travelling through Bulgaria. As for the scoffing - I find Bulgarians as people to be visibly unhappy in general (the baseline is for them to not smile and when you a smile it's probably genuine), so the scoffing is most likely not directed at you.

I'm also in Croatia now - here people are more reserved (I guess it's the Germany of the Balkans).

Romanianflyer

The staring is probably because many people just do not encounter other ethnicities in their daily lives. Bulgarians tend to be warm, friendly people - but outwards they can have a bit of a cold stare in general irrespective of whom they encounter, eg in public transport or passing by on the street.

The country is definitely easily accessible by bus or train. Although buses are usually faster, I actually prefer trains as the landscape is often prettier (eg. the line through the Iskar Gorge north of Sofia, which you will pass through on most train services to Ruse/Veliko Tarnovo). Another plus side of the train is that it is far more spacious and allows you to stretch your legs. It definitely also has a bit of an old school Eastern European "charm" to it (others might say "hopelessly outdated" instead of charm though). My pick of the bunch would however be getting a rental car, as there is so much to see off the main roads!

As for main places to visit, definitely Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo, each of them worth at least two days. Rila Monastery is another classic of course, although there are a few more of such places (eg Bachkovo Monastery just south of Plovdiv, easy to combine with the ruins of Assen's Fortress). On the coast there are plenty of places too to visit. For cities, Varna is by far the nicest. The town of Balchik is lovely too and has a lot of history. Although it is already out of season for this, there are also plenty of beach resorts. Some are more laid-back/family friendly, while others (Sunny Beach) decidedly more for partying.

If you are interested in Bulgarian wine, mountain hiking or weird communist monuments, I can recommend a bunch of other things too, so don't hesitate to write more although it would be handy to know if you are able to get a rental car or not, as for some your own wheels is a must.

GUWonder

If you are perceived to be Roma (known exonymously as "Gypsies"), then you may be on the receiving end of the anti-Romani prejudices that are endemic in Europe. And some ethnic Indians/South Asians -- more so male ones than female ones -- in Europe may be perceived to be just that by immutable looks alone, and then you may be getting a window into the anti-Romani prejudices in action in Europe (even up here in Sweden). But in Bulgaria and much of SE Europe, ethnic Indians will often get looks of curiosity more than anything else, more so that as long as you don't get perceived to be a refugee/asylum seeker. Also, you may find that with the 45+ year-old Bulgarians, there is still that Bollywood interest out there in parts in Bulgaria.

MaxVO

I also found Plovdiv adorable, and this year BBC Travel named it the "Happiest Town" on earth.
It was a very easy drive from Sofia.