Soviet Vibes in Bulgaria

Five nights traversing the brutalist concrete of Sofia and the ancient wonders of Plovdiv

Published 21/01/26

After finishing my exams and submitting my last assignment of the uni semester, I naturally sought a little adventure before lectures restart. I had a look at Google Flights and found very reasonably priced tickets to Sofia. This was perfect as one of my travel goals for 2026 is to explore more of the Balkans - I'm yet to visit a country in the region that hasn't impressed me, and I'm happy to report that Bulgaria was no exception. I also got really fortunate with my flight as it was nearly empty, resulting in a free emergency exit row window seat with no one next to me. Bliss!

Upon arrival in Sofia, it was immediately clear that my Russian knowledge would help me get around in this country. The languages are quite different gramatically, but there's a lot of shared vocabulary. Sometimes I would see an advertisement and understand literally all of the text. Pretty cool, and makes me want to try learning some Bulgarian in the future. Sofia's metro system, which began operations in 1998, is extremely efficient and uses the same Soviet-style metro cars that anyone who's been to Kyiv or Moscow will be familiar with. Although, the interiors have been totally refurbished and are very modern. I was particularly impressed by the Lavov Most metro station, which was the closest one to my hotel. It felt grand, and the lighting made it very aesthetically pleasing. Check it out if you'r ever in Sofia!

The first order of business in Sofia was a general walkaround. You immediately notice the religious diversity walking around Serdika, with a mosque and a sinagogue both within close proximity to the many Orthodox churches. Around 10% of Bulgaria's population are Muslims, while the city's Jewish community is now sadly very small due to the Holocaust, which did extend to Bulgaria as Sofia's Tsarist regime had allied with the Nazis. I definitely recommend visiting the places of worship of all three major religions. I feel these complemented my previous visits to mosques and churches in Istanbul very well.

Of particular interest to me was the Museum of Socialist Art. The grounds are free to visit, and full of monuments to Lenin, Che Guevara and countless other communist figures. There's even more on the inside, which does require paying for a ticket. The museum itself contains propaganda from dozens of former and current communist states, and is one of very few places where you can still find a bust of Stalin. The purpose of the museum is not to glorify dictatorship, but to preserve history, and its a pleasure to visit for anyone with in an interest in Central and Eastern European politics. It's a small place, but worthwhile. Moreover, Sofia's cityscape remains absolutely full of brutalist buildings and commie blocks, if that's of interest to you.

My second full day consisted of a day trip to Rila Monastery - one of Bulgaria's seven UNESCO sites. Getting out here with public transport is a real hassle, so I did book a tour on this occasion. It cost £17 and I'd say it was worth it for ease of transport, although I'm not convinced having a guide actually added any depth to the experience. Still, I'm glad to have seen the monastery and was particularly happy with the number of beautiful cats wandering the grounds.

I went for dinner later that evening at a Bulgarian restaurant called Hadjidraganov's Houses. I had been somewhat concerned that it would be a tourist trap due to the general aesthetic, but it was incredible, authentic, reasonably priced and the service was top class - I was offered the 'best seat in the house' which had me placed at a table with a burning wood fire. It was super comfy. I ordered a Bulgarian chicken cutlet dish, which was served on a wood plate with potatoes and a salad. Best meal I've had so far in 2026; can recommend for sure!

After a few days exploring Sofia and its surroundings, it was time to experience another city in Bulgaria. I embarked on a trip to Plovdiv, which is about two hours away from Sofia by train or bus. This place is fascinating as its the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe, founded around 6000 BC. The centre is littered with ancient structures including a really cool Roman amphitheatre. The old town architecture is really lovely, there are some great viewing points and I had a picture-perfect lunch of mushroom soup at a cafe in the Kapana area of the city. There was also some kind of performance occurring during my visit, so I got to see/hear renditions of Bella Ciao, Dancing Queen and various other songs. Pure vibes, and the cats only added to the charm!

My last full day in Bulgaria was pretty chill. I didn't leave Sofia, and had initially intended to visit some museums, but found that almost all of them are closed on Mondays. Therefore, I just had coffee, a nice lunch and knocked back a few beers with an online friend who happened to be visiting at the same time as me. We talked a lot about our future travel plans/dreams, you should follow him on Instagram where he uploads lots of travel content: @BackpackWithBailey.

As I left Bulgaria, I was greeted by some of the clearest views I've ever had from a plane window despite us being in the depths of winter. I got some stunning views of the Balkan mountains as well as the Alps as we flew over Austria and Germany. Never have I been so thankful to have a window seat! This was a great, much-needed break. I'll definitely return!