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Showing posts from August, 2023

8 things to love about Sofia

Sofia Airport Metro Station 1 Easy to navigate Sofia is not a big city when compared to other European cities like Paris or Berlin. This means that walking around the city can be a pleasurable experience and no crowds to jostle with. The metro system is simple and easy to use and gets you to the center of the city from the airport in 30 minutes for only 1.60 BGN. There are monitors in the train that show the next stop and an announcement both in Bulgarian and in English as the train approaches a station. It’s best to buy a day ticket if you plan to use the metro throughout the day. 2 Several historical landmarks are in the same neighborhood St. Petka Church, Roman ruins, Banya Bashi Mosque When you get off at Serdika Metro station, you’ll find the Roman ruins just outside the exit door. There’s no need to go up the stairs and cross the street to the Largo area. Beside the ruins are the Banya Bashi Mosque from the 16th century, a remnant of the Ottoman rule in Bulgaria and the elevate

DIY Sightseeing in Bucharest

Stavropoleos Monastery Cloister One of the top attractions of Bucharest is the Stavropoleos Church and Monastery from the 18th century. While it is in the heart of the old town, it is a tranquil place. Church of Stavropoleos Monastery  The Church was built in 1724. It was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1838. In 1841 the steeple was taken down due to the risk of its imminent collapse. The long process of restoring the Church and monastery began in the beginning of the 20th century from the designs of Ion Mincu. Today, there are six nuns living in the monastery. Iconostasis of the Church of Stavropoleos Stavropoleos Monastery  This fresco of the archangels is hung on the wall of the cloister. Cărturesți Carusel This is definitely one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, an attraction that can’t be missed when visiting Bucharest. It’s not only a bookstore, it’s a gift shop, an art gallery, a record store and has a café on the top floor. There are so many things to tempt th

Sighișoara, A Medieval Hilltop Town

Strada Tamplârilor (Carpenter’s Street) When I was planning a trip to Romania, the place I wanted to visit the most was Sighisoara (pronounced see gui sho ara; the ghi is the same sound as gui in guild ). It was the one place that called to me among all the pretty little towns in the country. Perhaps it was the image of colorful houses and the rustic ambience that appealed to me the most. I knew how much farther away Sighisoara is from the capital, Bucharest, and I studied all the options of getting there on my own. I just couldn’t imagine going to Romania without seeing Sighisoara. Citadel or Town Square ( Piața Cetății) Sighisoara sits on top of a hill surrounded by medieval fortifications. It is like a fairytale village with its storybook setting, cobblestone streets, towers, a covered stairway, an intriguing history complete with an evil prince and an impressive clock tower. Clock Tower (Turnul cu Ceas) The 64-meter Clock tower is perhaps the first thing you see as you approach th