My kind of town: Sofia

Telegraph.co.uk, 2006-06-28

     Author Danielle Trussoni lived in Sofia for three years and returns regularly.

     Why Sofia?

     Sofia is my second home. My husband and I married there, own a flat and plan to live there when we leave the US. I love the extremes of the city: it is both historic and absolutely modern. There is something irreverent about Bulgarians - especially those my age, who witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall - and Sofia captures this insouciance.

     What do you miss most when you are away?

     I miss the pace of Sofia, the slowness. My husband and I spent many afternoons in cafes, doing nothing but watching beautiful people stroll by. There is a sense that the most important thing to do in a day is to have coffee in the morning and then find the right thing to wear for an afternoon walk. But of course there is always adventure to be found in Sofia if you look in the right places.

     What's the first thing you do when you return?

     Take a stroll through Sitniakovo Market and buy a bag of the famous Bulgarian tomatoes.

     Where would you meet friends for a drink?

     Opera, a bar in the old Sofia Opera Building (113 Rakovski St, near Nevski cathedral; 2988 2141). It is all chandeliers and mirrors and fizzy green cocktails, so be sure to dress up. Motto (18 Aksakov St; 2987 2723), a chic bar around the corner from the Radisson Hotel, has a gorgeous garden with big wooden benches and lots of shady trees - the perfect place for spending a summer afternoon. If you're looking for excitement, you can check out the fashion victim nouveau-riche clientele (which often includes the local mafia and their aspiring model girlfriends) at Chervilo (lipstick), a club at 9 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd, near the Nevski cathedral (2981 6633).

     Where are your favourite places for lunch?

     For authentic Bulgarian dining, try Chasovinika (81 Skobelev St; 888 309090) near the NDK cultural centre. Dani's is a great bistro in the centre of the city, just off Vitosha Blvd at 18a Angel Kanchev St (2987 4548).

     And for dinner?

     Mahaloto (51 Vasil Levski Blvd; 887 617972) is the restaurant of choice. A friend, a New York chef who came to Bulgaria to help open a health food restaurant (see Kibea, below), loves the place. Da Vidi (36 Han Asparuh St; 2980 6746), my favourite restaurant in Sofia, has spectacular food, soft lighting and a good wine list. Kibea (2a Dr G Valkovich St; 2980 3067) is the only health food restaurant in Sofia (and the only one not to allow smoking).

     Where would you send a first-time visitor?

     The Nevski cathedral (above) and the antique market around it.

     What would you tell them to avoid?

     NDK, the social realist nightmare of a cultural centre built by Ludmila Jivkova, the daughter of a Communist-era leader.

     Public transport or taxi?

     Taxis are everywhere. Don't pay more than 40 stotinki (around 15p) per kilometre

     Handbag or moneybelt?

     Handbag. There is some theft, as in any city, but I've never had a problem.

     What should I take home?

     A vintage Mont Blanc fountain pen. I've found beautiful Mont Blancs from the 1950s and 60s that have never been used. You can hunt them down in antique stores and the many markets that are held each weekend in the city.

     And if I only have time for one shop?

     An Optika on Vitosha Boulevard, where you'll find the best sunglasses around at reasonable prices.

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