We're going to the neighbor, Sofia!

In our culture we ‘d prefer going to socialize, drink coffee, ask for salt or help the neighbor...If you are sincere, that neighbor door is always open to you. This is exactly what Bulgaria is like... You can go to this country where you will feel at home while walking around the streets because of our common culture, whether by the sea, skiing, cultural tourism, or to be treated in its thermal waters. We are going to Capital Sofia.

Bulgaria is that Balkan country in the pattern of "cold air coming from the Balkans" that we learned in primary school as "our western neighbors are Greece and Bulgaria". Hello from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria!

In fact, we realized that it was so close until we left, it was really easy as if we were going to the next flat, when the plane took off from Istanbul and landed 55 minutes later. Be sure, plane trips in our country are much longer, If you are not going to choose a plane, your travel is even easier, after you leave Kapıkule by road, our beautiful Bulgaria is with you!

Actually, at the beginning of the article, I should talk about a more important issue, instead of transportation. I'm sure you can guess what it is. Our changing travel habits with the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected the whole world, and travel restrictions by country in this direction. It comes before the visa, plane ticket or accommodation. But we continue by saying "Being healthy comes first".

The first validation to pass Bulgaria, we provide the necessary conditions. Now let's talk about the visa as if we were continuing an old-fashioned article. A valid Bulgaria or Schengen visa is required to enter Bulgaria. (Visa-free for those with special and service passports).

Now that the necessary conditions are met, we can set out. When you enter Sofia, the first thing that will catch your attention will be seclusion. Because if you come from Istanbul, you can feel alone in a city with only 3 million inhabitants. By the way, the population growth rate of Bulgaria in the last 20 years is negative. The European Union, of which it became a member in 2007, is an important factor in the population decline. The reason is that the young population leaves Bulgaria and settles in the European Union countries and continues their lives there.

Secondly, the thing you should pay attention to is the Bulgarian texts written in Cyrillic Alphabet that you cannot read. By the way, did you know that the birthplace of the Cyrillic Alphabet is Bulgaria, not Russia?

Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria, founded in 681. Sofia is a city where we can find direct flights from our country and make our neighbors feel like we are in Bulgaria.

When you think of the capital, you should not think of a very big and crowded place, Sofia is a very boutique and secluded place. It takes 15 minutes to reach the center from the airport, which is the farthest place. The first beauty that welcomes you on the way from the airport to the city is the linden trees on the roadside. If you come in the season, you can be sure that they will organize a great welcome ceremony for you not only with their visuals but also with those fragrant scents.

Speaking of the season, the question of "when to go" for your visit to Sofia may come to your mind. The answer is quite simple, always! Almost all of the seasons in our country are experienced in Bulgaria at the same time of the year. For this reason, summer or winter, depending on what you are looking for (sun/ski/spring), it is always a place to come.

Due to its location, it is possible to see traces of many communities (Thracians, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, Slavs and Bulgarians) in the city, where a continuous life has been lived since ancient times. Wide roads, large buildings and pro-communist monuments are the first to catch the eye. The reason is the communist regime, which was accepted as a result of the political events in 1944 and continued until 1990.

Of course, there are other remarkable works in the country, which is governed by the parliamentary system today. In the center of the city, is possible to visit many city spotlights that are within walking distance of each other in 1 day with good planning.

You can start your tour with the "Aleksandr Nevski Cathedral", one of the most iconic places in Sofia, perhaps Bulgaria.

In Bulgaria, you can see places of worship of many faiths together. The religions believed in the country where there is freedom of belief are as follows; 77% Christian, 10% Muslim 5% Atheist 8% other. By the way, there is freedom of mask like freedom of belief. In Bulgaria, it is not compulsory to wear masks in open areas. Just be aware that there is a necessity in closed areas..

I mentioned above that the must-see places in Sofia are within walking distance of each other. I think that the energetic state you had at the beginning of your walk is gradually decreasing. Let's go to parks and gardens where you can recharge yourself and play a leading role in making a city look beautiful. Borisova Park, which I guarantee to get lost in, and the City Park, where you can rejuvenate while you are there, are the two best alternatives.

At the beginning of my article, I mentioned the linden smell of the city. In fact, there are other things that stink in the city. The smell of our friendship, which we have met for centuries on common values, taking refuge in good and bad memories. Especially the smell of memories with the signature of the great leader Mustafa Kemal ATATURK. In the yellow army house building opposite the City Park where you can get rested, also imagine that he had admired whole world through a janissary arm-master outfit at the masquerade ball held on May 11, 1914.  He was wandering in these streets with the thoughts of foundations of the future Turkish Republic. In every aspect of Sofia, you will get a smell from everywhere.

So much so that as you continue your tour in the city, you will continue to encounter structures that will reinforce these feelings and thoughts. He ate at the "Bulgaria Restaurant" just ahead of the Officer's Club, worked at the "Sırmacıyev Building" on Tsar Osvoboditel street, and was built on the same plot of land, instead of his one-story house, which was allocated to him and was later destroyed by the bombing of Sofia in World War II. and the building where our Embassy is still located and much more…

Let's do some shopping. Vitosha street, named after the mountain on which it is located, is the most famous shopping and walking street of the city. On this street, which is closed to vehicle traffic, you can find something that will interest you at any time of the day. You can witness the performances of street performers on the street while you shop for local products and chain brands. If you are looking for a more local place, Sofia Central Indoor Market, if you say no, I am looking for a shopping center, TZUM shopping center is just for you.

You can visit the ze Sofia Monument. In fact, on the way to these places, you will stop in front of the giant buildings you will pass by and see on site how large the buildings of the communist era architecture preferred. In addition, the illuminated versions of these buildings at night are much more beautiful than the daytime ones.

There's no way to limit your trip to Bulgaria and Sofia. Since the country is not very large in general, it is possible to easily reach other beauties of the country within a few hours' drive. Among these alternatives, the popular ski resort Bansko, whose name we have heard often lately, Sandanski, one of the cities that we have not heard of, but unfortunately, healing, historical villages that live the Bulgarian atmosphere and of course Plovdiv, which is indispensable for us Turks, take the lead. In addition, Varna and Burgas, which are among the other important cities of the country, can be good alternatives for those who want to add the pleasure of the sea to their holiday. The city of Veliko Trnovo, which was the capital before Sofia, is one of the important places that should be included in your plans.

Despite all the beauty it has, our neighbor Bulgaria cannot find the value it deserves by both us Turks and European tourists. But after you come here and see it, you can easily understand how late you are. I hope you can visit our historical neighbor country Bulgaria in a short time. Have a nice trip in advance.