Bulgaria Away - 6th June 2009

[Claret Murph]

Yer gufct is male :

[gufct]

Male most definitely.

[AidoM]

Are you male or female?

Does it matter once it's Irish

[McCarthys Sofia]

Some tips that ye lads may find useful upon arrival in Sofia.

When ye get to the airport only use ok taxis from outside the terminal, they are the regulated taxis and the number on the side of the taxi reads 9732121.
There are copy taxis of these as well so make sure this number is on the side of the door. The journey to the centre should cost no more than 12 leva which is 6 euros. Also bus leaves from the terminal number 284 or 84 depending on the terminal you land in and this is 1 euro to the centre.

Vitosha bvd is the main street and there are lots of bars off this street and parks with smaller bars which have good prices 1 euro per pint.

there is a strip club on vitosha bvd, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES go in there, u will get ripped. It has happened to many visitors here and there is no getting out of it once they ask you to pay x amount. So avoid this.

Accom wise for cheaper look for rental apartments, if you google short term rental sofia you will find these and all these apartment are in the centre. They work out about 30 euros a head and are very good quality.
Hostels are ok here as well and are about 12 euros per night inc breakfast.

The stadium is about a 20 minute walk from the centre and is centrally located.

Keep away from the roma community at all costs and watch your wallets as they are expert pick pockets.

There are many clubs in sofia all are all fine normally but do not mess with the security. They are all martial experts mostly and have no porblem proving that to you.

Once you follow these general rules you will have no problems and will have a very cheap weekend.

Restaurants are cheap and you can get a meal for 6 euros roughly depending on what you order.

It is a very safe city on the streets and generally you will never see fights.

Always carry id with you because if the police stop you they will want to see id and it is law here for foreigners to carry id and incurs a fine or a night in the clink if you do not have this.

Stick with these tips and you will have no problem.

[AidoM]

Some tips that ye lads may find useful upon arrival in Sofia.

When ye get to the airport only use ok taxis from outside the terminal, they are the regulated taxis and the number on the side of the taxi reads 9732121.
There are copy taxis of these as well so make sure this number is on the side of the door. The journey to the centre should cost no more than 12 leva which is 6 euros. Also bus leaves from the terminal number 284 or 84 depending on the terminal you land in and this is 1 euro to the centre.

Vitosha bvd is the main street and there are lots of bars off this street and parks with smaller bars which have good prices 1 euro per pint.

there is a strip club on vitosha bvd, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES go in there, u will get ripped. It has happened to many visitors here and there is no getting out of it once they ask you to pay x amount. So avoid this.

Accom wise for cheaper look for rental apartments, if you google short term rental sofia you will find these and all these apartment are in the centre. They work out about 30 euros a head and are very good quality.
Hostels are ok here as well and are about 12 euros per night inc breakfast.

The stadium is about a 20 minute walk from the centre and is centrally located.

Keep away from the roma community at all costs and watch your wallets as they are expert pick pockets.

There are many clubs in sofia all are all fine normally but do not mess with the security. They are all martial experts mostly and have no porblem proving that to you.

Once you follow these general rules you will have no problems and will have a very cheap weekend.

Restaurants are cheap and you can get a meal for 6 euros roughly depending on what you order.

It is a very safe city on the streets and generally you will never see fights.

Always carry id with you because if the police stop you they will want to see id and it is law here for foreigners to carry id and incurs a fine or a night in the clink if you do not have this.

Stick with these tips and you will have no problem.

Thanks very much for all this info McCarthy. It's really a great steer for all us lads going there in just over 3 weeks time.

I note that you're an Irish pub there and we hope that your prices won't be "jacked up" for our visit. This is a huge reason why Irish fans get majorly pi$$ed off on away trips and results in the fans staying away from Irish pubs. The Porter House in Mainz bucked this trend last September and benefitted hugely from it; hopefully you will do the same . If you do this you will have a large amount of fans around and should make sure that you have plenty of booze in for the few days around the match. Hope it doesn't work out like in Basel in 2003 where the manager of the Irish Bar was "allegedly" sacked for the bar running out of booze
Are you near a square in the city or do you know where there is one as Irish fans like squares to meet up in before games?

[McCarthys Sofia]

Our prices will stay the same, pints start at 1 euro 5 cents for local beer on tap.

We are just around the corner from les Fleurs hotel on vitosha bvd up one flight of stairs on alabin street around the corner from mc donalds, we only opened 6 months ago.

There is a main park where people normally meet and its called NDK just at the top of vitosha bvd facing the vitosha mountain.

I have noticed a few posts for people wanting to change money, wait until you get to Sofia. There is a beareau de change half way down vitosha bvd just one street up from pizza palace restaurant across from a kebab place and they will give you a rate better than any bank and charge no commission. dont ask me how they do it but we use them all the time and they are fair and will not rip you off. Their rate is normally 1.9 odd.

If anyone needs any more info bounce stuff off me, been here for 4 years and it pi**es me off to see people get ripped off when they get here. Does not happen al lthe time but its good to keep on the alert.

Another tip for anyone who wants something different is to try the shooting ranges... great buzz and not that expensive, for 25 euros you can try a range of weapons.

Thanks very much for all this info McCarthy. It's really a great steer for all us lads going there in just over 3 weeks time.

I note that you're an Irish pub there and we hope that your prices won't be "jacked up" for our visit. This is a huge reason why Irish fans get majorly pi$$ed off on away trips and results in the fans staying away from Irish pubs. The Porter House in Mainz bucked this trend last September and benefitted hugely from it; hopefully you will do the same . If you do this you will have a large amount of fans around and should make sure that you have plenty of booze in for the few days around the match. Hope it doesn't work out like in Basel in 2003 where the manager of the Irish Bar was "allegedly" sacked for the bar running out of booze
Are you near a square in the city or do you know where there is one as Irish fans like squares to meet up in before games?

[cobra]

We are just around the corner from les Fleurs hotel on vitosha bvd up one flight of stairs on alabin street around the corner from mc donalds, we only opened 6 months ago.
.

Have just changed hotels this morning, we got a room in Hotel Niky, see its only a few 100 yards from your joint, our original hotel, the Rotasar is too far from centre, so changed. I see the national art gallery for foreign art is on Alabin street too, happy days
Found a map of Sofia here, some amount of park around the stadium itself, it looks like a good meeting spot for day of game

[Sligo Hornet]

Our prices will stay the same, pints start at 1 euro 5 cents for local beer on tap.

We are just around the corner from les Fleurs hotel on vitosha bvd up one flight of stairs on alabin street around the corner from mc donalds, we only opened 6 months ago.

There is a main park where people normally meet and its called NDK just at the top of vitosha bvd facing the vitosha mountain.

I have noticed a few posts for people wanting to change money, wait until you get to Sofia. There is a beareau de change half way down vitosha bvd just one street up from pizza palace restaurant across from a kebab place and they will give you a rate better than any bank and charge no commission. dont ask me how they do it but we use them all the time and they are fair and will not rip you off. Their rate is normally 1.9 odd.

If anyone needs any more info bounce stuff off me, been here for 4 years and it pi**es me off to see people get ripped off when they get here. Does not happen al lthe time but its good to keep on the alert.

Another tip for anyone who wants something different is to try the shooting ranges... great buzz and not that expensive, for 25 euros you can try a range of weapons.

That's the Hotel I'm in.....happy days!!

Very useful ino there....thanks.....particularly about the Bureau de Change and the good price of pints in your Pub!!

[gufct]

Have just changed hotels this morning, we got a room in Hotel Niky, see its only a few 100 yards from your joint, our original hotel, the Rotasar is too far from centre, so changed. I see the national art gallery for foreign art is on Alabin street too, happy days
Found a map of Sofia here, some amount of park around the stadium itself, it looks like a good meeting spot for day of game

When are you flying in cobra im in on the Easyjet flight Thursday about 11.40am. I still have a spare bed going in my suite just €40 B&B and as Cobra says the Niky is as central as you can get.

McCarthy whats the advice with bouncers in Bars,Clubs & other establishments as Bratislava was a total disaster with the Bouncers being glorified Thugs itching to hit someone.

[Newryrep]

Some tips that ye lads may find useful upon arrival in Sofia.

When........

......these tips and you will have no problem.

Great info, since i dont get in to late fri and saturday is matchday can you recommend something to do/somewhere to go on the Sunday so I can see a bit of Sofia .Likely to be suffering from a slight hangover, and the Mrs isnt a morning person , river cruise or something ?

[Polster]

Found a map of Sofia here, some amount of park around the stadium itself, it looks like a good meeting spot for day of game

Who's bringing the ball?

[Sligo Hornet]

Great info, since i dont get in to late fri and saturday is matchday can you recommend something to do/somewhere to go on the Sunday so I can see a bit of Sofia .Likely to be suffering from a slight hangover, and the Mrs isnt a morning person , river cruise or something ?

This would be ideal for you and Mrs Newryrep........guaranteed to clear the hangover!

http://www.eclipseleisure.co.uk/stag...n-Bungee-Jump/

[cobra]

When are you flying in cobra im in on the Easyjet flight Thursday about 11.40am. I still have a spare bed going in my suite just €40 B&B and as Cobra says the Niky is as central as you can get.

Not landing in Sofia til 2350 Friday night with wizz air, straight to McCarthys then as its so close.

How much the Savoy whiskey(A " gullamo" one) in McCarthys?, not a beer man unfortunately.

[Polster]

If anyone needs any more info bounce stuff off me

Cheers for the info, is there a general closing time for the bars there or are we good to go as long as we are standing?

[paul_oshea]

Polster going by the last bulgaria game then all pubs will be closed by 8.30

[AidoM]

Our prices will stay the same, pints start at 1 euro 5 cents for local beer on tap.

We are just around the corner from les Fleurs hotel on vitosha bvd up one flight of stairs on alabin street around the corner from mc donalds, we only opened 6 months ago.

There is a main park where people normally meet and its called NDK just at the top of vitosha bvd facing the vitosha mountain.

I have noticed a few posts for people wanting to change money, wait until you get to Sofia. There is a beareau de change half way down vitosha bvd just one street up from pizza palace restaurant across from a kebab place and they will give you a rate better than any bank and charge no commission. dont ask me how they do it but we use them all the time and they are fair and will not rip you off. Their rate is normally 1.9 odd.

If anyone needs any more info bounce stuff off me, been here for 4 years and it pi**es me off to see people get ripped off when they get here. Does not happen al lthe time but its good to keep on the alert.

Another tip for anyone who wants something different is to try the shooting ranges... great buzz and not that expensive, for 25 euros you can try a range of weapons.

This is very good info Mc'Cs and really appreciated. Good news about the price of the local brew and your prices for Heino and Murphys (not my brand) in your menu seem ok.

I've had a look at the NDK park and it looks good but it would be even better if there were pubs around it - are there? Is there a square near your place where we could congregate and have access to pubs etc during Saturday.

Good news on the money front as well. Our crew not arriving in to Sofia until 22.15 on Thursday so we will probably need some local stake money as the bureau is unlikely to be opened when we get in to the centre of the city.

A few other questions:

1. How long does it take to get from the airport to the city centre
2. Is there/will there be transport on the Saturday from the city to the stadium
3. Will a copy passport be OK for ID purposes

[AidoM]

.....................

Another tip for anyone who wants something different is to try the shooting ranges... great buzz and not that expensive, for 25 euros you can try a range of weapons.

Sligo fancy going for an accident

[Sligo Hornet]

Sligo fancy going for an accident

Only if it's "Shoot the Flag (Bearer)"

[cobra]

2. Is there/will there be transport on the Saturday from the city to the stadiums

Stadium looks as though its easy enough walking distance from city centre.
On McCarthys pub website, where it shows the location of the pub, there is a road to the right of the pub named "graft ignatiev str". Stadium looks to be at the end of that road, not too far

[Paddser]

Cheers for the info McCarthy...

Few quick questions:

1) We dont arrive into Sofia until 2.50am on Thurs night/Fri morn. Will there be plenty of taxis running from the airport at that time? Will your bar be open?

2) How has the weather been/expected to be?

3) Is it easy enough to find your way around the city centre? ie Signs we can read!