There has been some talk on other threads about Sofia, and I have had the good fortune of spending about 6 weeks there over the last 3 years, so I'm going to help give you guys a breakdown and answer any questions you may have.
Background:
How in the world did I end up in Sofia? Well a few years ago one of my friends got assigned there for work for 3 years and was set up in a very nice apartment. I really had no familiarity w/Bulgaria before that but told him I would come visit when he got settled. So in May of 2007 I booked a two week trip to Sofia w/o any idea of what to expect.
May was a great time to be there since there climate is similar to the East Coast/Mid Atlantic region it was Spring and the weather was perfect. I dont know if there is every a bad time to go, but weather wise Spring and Fall are the nicest climates.
Where to stay:
As far as hotels/hostels I cant give much advice here because I stayed w/a friend. Sofia itself isnt very big and taxi's are so cheap they may as well be free so as long as you are in the city you should be fine. The City Centre is the area that has the most foot traffic. I spent one night at a placed called "Hotel California" that was a nice low budget hotel - the room was about $50 per night, definitely a good deal.
Game/Girls
Both times I was there I ended up meeting a girl that I hung out w/for the whole trip. Bulgaria girls are smart and beautiful. They are all in shape w/very good bodies, if you like thin girls. Usually have dark hair, blondes are few and far between. Its not difficult to pull here but it takes a little time. Almost all of the younger generation speaks very good English. Being American helps because its rare that Americans are there so there is a natural curiousity and they are curious as to what you think about their country and why you are there. But its not a one night stand type culture. if you meet a girl one day or night, spend some time with her afterwards, you'll probably be banging her by the second or 3rd date and for the rest of your trip. But you wont roll in and pull a bunch of 1 night stands.
Nightlife:
I enjoyed the nightlife scene there. Lots of clubs and lounge type places. A google search can probably give you most of the good places. There is also a part of town called Student City which has many bars/clubs right near each other that are mostly geared towards the younger crowd, as its basically in an area thats almost all college kids. Walking into a club/lounge you really cant tell you're in a foreign place, its mostly American music, although I'd recommend checking out a place called Nightclub that places Bulgarian music (chalga).
All in all its a great little city. Its also very cheap. If you are w/2 or 3 guys you can get a bottle of vodka at most clubs for about $50 plus mixers. You can get a bottle, some mixers, and invite girls to have a drink and spend less then $50 each easily if you have a couple of guys with you.
I will say though that I had a huge advantage in that I had people I knew there who knew the layout and spoke the language. That made my trips much easier. If you have any other specific questions let me know and i'll check back.
Background:
How in the world did I end up in Sofia? Well a few years ago one of my friends got assigned there for work for 3 years and was set up in a very nice apartment. I really had no familiarity w/Bulgaria before that but told him I would come visit when he got settled. So in May of 2007 I booked a two week trip to Sofia w/o any idea of what to expect.
May was a great time to be there since there climate is similar to the East Coast/Mid Atlantic region it was Spring and the weather was perfect. I dont know if there is every a bad time to go, but weather wise Spring and Fall are the nicest climates.
Where to stay:
As far as hotels/hostels I cant give much advice here because I stayed w/a friend. Sofia itself isnt very big and taxi's are so cheap they may as well be free so as long as you are in the city you should be fine. The City Centre is the area that has the most foot traffic. I spent one night at a placed called "Hotel California" that was a nice low budget hotel - the room was about $50 per night, definitely a good deal.
Game/Girls
Both times I was there I ended up meeting a girl that I hung out w/for the whole trip. Bulgaria girls are smart and beautiful. They are all in shape w/very good bodies, if you like thin girls. Usually have dark hair, blondes are few and far between. Its not difficult to pull here but it takes a little time. Almost all of the younger generation speaks very good English. Being American helps because its rare that Americans are there so there is a natural curiousity and they are curious as to what you think about their country and why you are there. But its not a one night stand type culture. if you meet a girl one day or night, spend some time with her afterwards, you'll probably be banging her by the second or 3rd date and for the rest of your trip. But you wont roll in and pull a bunch of 1 night stands.
Nightlife:
I enjoyed the nightlife scene there. Lots of clubs and lounge type places. A google search can probably give you most of the good places. There is also a part of town called Student City which has many bars/clubs right near each other that are mostly geared towards the younger crowd, as its basically in an area thats almost all college kids. Walking into a club/lounge you really cant tell you're in a foreign place, its mostly American music, although I'd recommend checking out a place called Nightclub that places Bulgarian music (chalga).
All in all its a great little city. Its also very cheap. If you are w/2 or 3 guys you can get a bottle of vodka at most clubs for about $50 plus mixers. You can get a bottle, some mixers, and invite girls to have a drink and spend less then $50 each easily if you have a couple of guys with you.
I will say though that I had a huge advantage in that I had people I knew there who knew the layout and spoke the language. That made my trips much easier. If you have any other specific questions let me know and i'll check back.