Journey Through the Balkans Woven by History and Nature: Romania and Bulgaria, March 2024【113】

During the two-day Easter holiday, I added two days of paid leave and traveled to Eastern Europe for six days and five nights.

I flew to Bucharest, Romania, on a three-hour flight from London.

It took about 30 minutes by bus to reach Bucharest city center from the airport.

You can pay for the bus fare using contactless credit card payment.

After dropping off my luggage at the hotel, I went for a walk around the city.

I visited a stylish bookstore called Cărturești Carusel.

Stavropoleos

For dinner, I had a reservation at a Romanian restaurant called Caru' cu Bere.

The Parliament is said to be the largest administrative building in the world.

Day 2 in Romania.

I joined a tour in the morning and headed to Brașov.

Peleș Castle

The castle was very luxurious, both outside and inside, with many highlights to see.

Since it is built on a mountain, it was about 10 degrees cooler than the city of Bucharest.

After touring the castle, I took a break at a café before heading to the next tourist spot.

The city of Brașov.

I toured the city and had lunch.

We went to a Romanian restaurant called Sergiana, where the portions were also very large.

From this city, we headed to Bran Castle.

This castle was the model for Dracula's Castle.

Compared to Peleș Castle, it has a simple appearance, but it was cozy and had a relaxing atmosphere.

After touring Bran Castle, we returned to the city, had some of the food we had taken out the day before along with crackers and a little alcohol, and then went to sleep.

Early morning on the third day in Romania.

We took a taxi from Bucharest to Ruse, and then a train from Ruse to Veliko Tarnovo.

Since the train network between Romania and Bulgaria is not well-developed, we couldn't find a good schedule and had to travel early in the morning.

We left Bucharest around 4 AM to catch the 6 AM train from Ruse.

Once we arrived in Veliko, we walked to the city center.

Since we were planning to take a bus from Veliko to Sofia in the evening, we thought of leaving our luggage at the bus station, but there were no lockers available.

Under the clear blue sky, we got tired from carrying our luggage for about a week, so we took a break at a café.

This city was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire and is known for its historical ruins and as the hometown of former Ozeki Kotooshu.

Tsarevets Fortress

We toured the ruins, climbed the hill lightly, went to the top, and then came back down.

A light lunch at a Bulgarian restaurant.

I had yogurt soup and salad.

Afterwards, I enjoyed walking around the city and then took a bus to Sofia.

When I arrived in Sofia late at night, I got takeout from a Thai restaurant and ate it at the hotel.

Second day in Bulgaria.

The previous day, I was on the move all day, and with the heat and heavy luggage, I was exhausted, so I decided to take it easy in Sofia this day.

Saint George

I did a little sightseeing on the way to the café.

Breakfast at a café called Sabale.

It was a perfect holiday morning with delicious coffee and food.

Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky

The Basilica of Saint Sofia (6th century)

National Art Gallery

While visiting tourist spots in the city, I went to an art museum and got a bit tired, so I rested at the hotel.

As night fell, I had dinner at a Bulgarian restaurant.

First, a toast with Bulgarian beer.

Yogurt soup and an appetizer set.

The food was delicious, and the staff were very friendly, making it a fantastic restaurant.

The weather was good, and without being pressed for time, I could leisurely explore the beautiful city, making it feel like a perfect holiday rather than a trip.

Third day in Bulgaria.

This day, I joined a tour in the morning and headed to Rila.

Before Rila, we stopped by Boyana Church.

This church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for its beautiful frescoes inside.

Since it is small and the interior is narrow, you can only stay inside for a limited time.

From Boyana Church, it took about two hours by bus to reach Rila.

The Rila Monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is famous for a type of fried bread called mekitsa.

The guide described it as a doughnut without a hole.

After about two hours of sightseeing, we returned to Sofia by bus.

Once back in Sofia, I had dinner at a Bulgarian restaurant called Moma.

I don't remember the names, but all the dishes were delicious.

And the portions were large.

After dinner, I had a cocktail at a nearby terrace bar before returning to the hotel.

The last day in Bulgaria.

This day, I took a walk around Sofia with a friend of a friend who is Bulgarian.

Central Synagogue of Sofia

We happened to come across this Jewish worship facility, which was very quiet and beautiful.

After picking up my luggage at the hotel, I took the train to the airport.

This concluded my trip to Romania and Bulgaria.

Both Romania and Bulgaria are not well-known to Japanese people, but they are full of attractions. Compared to other European countries, they felt more affordable, so if you get the chance, I highly recommend visiting them.

Author