Sofia! Not a bad trip from Chicago when you have little time in hand

Traveling within or outside of the US is easily accessible for any resident who lives in the country at any point of time, but the trick is to know when and where to find the best possible airfares available at that particular point of time. Traveling from one of the most famous cities in the United States of America (USA), Chicago to the Bulgarian capital Sofia can be an altogether new experience for any traveler. Ever thought, Sofia, huh! That can be nice place to explore. Let’s find out the ‘wheres’ and ‘whats’ of it all.

First things first, we need to cover all the essentials for you to get there safely with minimal attack to your stack of cash (or cashless payment, duh! It’s 21^st century).  If you’re traveling for solely holidaying reasons then the best time to beat the crowd is to travel in the month of January. Airfare is expected to be at least 4 percent lesser during this time of the year. The peak season to travel in this route is June, with flight ticket prices at least 24 percent hiked during the month. This route is also perfectly fine, if you’re one of those to get excited about impromptu vacations, as most inexpensive flight tickets have been available on this route even just 24 hours before the scheduled departure of the flight.

Sofia is not your everyday extravagant destinations, where you’ll find ski resorts and white sand beaches or mountains to hike; instead you’ll find small old churches with onion-shaped domes, Ottoman mosques and stubborn red army monuments which give the city a serene but distinguished look. Excavators have unearthed history of around 2,000 years previous which reveals the city’s connection to the ancient Roman Empire as well as other empiric associations. Home to numerous museums, galleries, clubs and restaurants, there are plenty to explore in the Balkan national capital.

Let’s get the hang of how to travel in the city first

Sofia is a well-connected city with a lot of options for transportation. There are buses, shuttles, trams, taxis, rented cars as well as metro.  You have to take your pick before you start to discover the city for what it is.

• If you’re a traveler planning to get around the city by using metro a lot there are smaller plans for travelers like the 3-day card that gives access to all lines interconnecting the city for the said period.
• Getting a yellow taxi, like in any other city is another option for traveling around the capital.
• Rented cars whether self-driven or maneuvered by a driver is another option you have when you’re taking a tour around Sofia. A few things to remember during your time of driving through are as follows-
• The driver mandatorily has to be at least 18 years of age.
•  The car headlights are supposed to be on throughout the day and the night in the city.
• There are green and blue car parking zones which charge differently at different time of the day and different day of the week. Traveler needs to be absolutely sure about the rules and regulations before they start to drive around the city.

Places you can’t miss while you’re in Sofia

1. This is a city of churches and mosques and cathedrals and the first stop you make is to the St. Alexander Nevski cathedral. The architecture dates back to the 1880s. The building was a monument for the soldiers who lost their lives for the liberation war against the Ottomans.

• The St. George Rotunda is the oldest building in modern Sofia. Step inside this medieval monument to see the frescoes that were the creations of the Ottomans when the building was turned into a mosque.

• If you’re a fashionista, who hopes to travel to more places than just Paris, then yes, you can’t miss a trip to the Vitosha Boulevard with its lines of posh boutiques and fashion houses. Only window shopping is also an option if you’re not one of the upmarket shoppers. The street-side cafes with the outdoor seating and an art nouveau style renovation makes the boulevard one of the best places to explore in the city.

• When you climb about 2,200 meters up the Vitosha Mountain toa monumental nature park you give your trip more fuel to experience multiple things during a single trip.

• The city is all about going off the beaten path, in doing that right the Museum of Socialist Art is a good place to find the artworks of the Communist period in the country. The Lenin statue at the entrance of the museum may seem a bit coerced, but there are a lot of great works to explore which makes this place worth a visit if you truly want the feel of Bulgaria.

• If you’re not too satisfied with your visit to the Vitosha Boulevard because you couldn’t buy anything, there is a great option for you too. The Central Market Hall whichwas once an important trading site in the city has been refurbished in the new millennium and now is home to shops that sell clothing, jewelry, budget-friendly food court and much more. Sorry to say this, but if you consider yourself a miser deep-down, you can still take a walk through these lanes to soak your eyes to the Neo Renaissance architecture of the buildings.  

• Maybe this shouldn’t have come so far down at the seventh number. But things in this city are unique enough that it is a tough pick. National History Museum is the largest museum in the city which has about 700,000 artifacts in its possession. There are also informational materials available and a souvenir shop for researchers and connoisseurs.

• Everybody will love to visit UNESCO World Heritage Site.So, for that, Boyana Chruch is a must watch for everybody under that category of heritage site lovers. The church is an ensemble of three buildings which has been constructed in three different centuries. Visit the place to know its history from the place itself.

• Sofia Public Mineral Baths is a landmark site in the city, keeping up with the eastern European tradition of being obsessed with everything hot springs and public bathhouses; this place is something you have to experience once if you’re in the vicinity.

1. The second oldest church in Sofia, Hagia Sophia Church dates back to the 6^th century. The elaborate flora and fauna mosaic work is a gentle reminder of the beginning of the time of Christianity.

Take a day or two to fully discover the beauty of the Bulgarian capital which is a combination of the Greek, Roman, Ottoman as well as modern day Soviet culture which has all left its mark on the city that makes this place uniquely distinguished and intriguing. Immerse yourself in the world of the bygone days in Sofia.