Sightseeing in Sofia & Wintersport in Borovets

Az úti célról: Sofia is a city with a sparkling future; it’s the energetically resilient Bulgarian capital that still revels in its own idiosyncrasies as it forges towards a more cultured and urbane existence. Dramatically ringed by the Balkan Mountains to the north and the Vitosha Mountains to the south, Sofia stands on an open plain 550m above sea level in western Bulgaria. It is this duality between urban sprawl and natural wonder that makes it a fascinating place to visit, with more to arrest the attention than many other Eastern European capitals. Development is rife and roads are mercifully being improved. It boasts boutique hotels galore and the spanking new Metro lines and stations are enough to make Western visitors look on with jealousy. Of course, the Communist influence still pervades in the streets; the country’s relatively short occupation from 1945 to 1989 is still visible in its neo-Stalinist architecture. Despite this, most of Sofia’s major tourist attractions pre-date this era. Buildings like the Aleksander Nevski Cathedral, the Central Sofia Synagogue and the Banya Bashi mosque are stark reminders of the country’s multicultural past, whilst the charming UNESCO-listed Boyana Church in the Vitosha Mountains is an absolute must-visit. Locals strike the balance between Russian insouciance and Mediterranean flare and continue to be proud up-keepers of the country’s hospitable heritage. The Bulgarian language and Cyrillic alphabet still prosper, resisting tourism’s penchant for English internationalism, which is not widely spoken outside of restaurants, shops and hotels.

Az úti célról: Borovets egy síközpont, amely a Rila-hegység lejtőin található. Borovets az ország egyik legnagyobb hegyi üdülőhelye. A borovetsi síterület 24 pályát foglal magában, amelyek összhossza meghaladja az 58 km-t, valamint sífutópályákat, biatlonpályát, éjszakai síelési lehetőségeket és egy téli parkot gyermekek számára. Összesen 12 felvonó és vontatólift található itt. Ezek modernek, jól karbantartottak és kiváló kapacitással rendelkeznek.