The Welcoming Green Heart of Sofia Bulgaria, Sofia, Bulgaria

It was a short comfortable ride from Ruse, and once again we were thankful we’d decided to put the bikes on public transport. Narrow, crowded roads, with next to no shoulder would have made cycling a nerve wracking proposition. And the detour off the main freeway through steep inclines would have tested our endurance.

As it was, we arrived in Sofia with plenty of light to spare. The bus and train stations are next to each other on the northern edge of the city center. Once we’d reassembled the bikes and loaded them up, we headed next door to the international bus station to see if we’d be able to get them on a bus to Belgrade in Serbia. As a long line of depressed-looking backpackers wound out of the office door, we decided to cut our losses, head for our Airbnb apartment and do it all another day. Afterall, we had a week here.

The afternoon had gotten away from us as we settled into another lovely apartment on the east side of town. With plenty of secure space for the bikes, a washing machine, excellent WiFi, and fully equipped kitchen, it was an absolute bargain at 22 Euro a night. We decided to do a shop at the small market up the road and kick back for the evening. It had been a long day. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).