Living in Sofia for the past five years has given me a deep appreciation for urban Balkan life, but my favorite mornings always start long before the capital wakes up. I sit on my balcony with a thick cup of dzhezve coffee, watching the dawn light hit Vitosha Mountain, knowing that the true heart of…
Is Bulgaria More Catholic or Orthodox? Understanding Local Faith When I first moved from London to Sofia, my morning coffee ritual involved sitting outside a small café facing the golden copper domes of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Watching locals walk past, I noticed how many people would stop, turn toward the church, make the sign of…
Setting Out from Sofia to the Rila Mountains My typical weekday morning in Sofia starts with a quick espresso at a corner café along Vitosha Boulevard before the urban traffic gets going. Leaving the city behind for the granite peaks of the Rila range is a routine I never grow tired of. Planning a day…