Sofia

Bulgarian cooking is built on fresh vegetables, dairy, grilled meats and herbs. Meals often begin with a cold salad and a glass of rakia, the fruit brandy that is a national tradition. Sofia's restaurants cover traditional home-style cooking, modern Bulgarian cuisine and a wide range of international options.

Yogurt and white brined cheese are everyday staples, and bakeries sell flaky pastries for breakfast or a quick snack. Soups, stews served in clay pots, and grilled meats are common main courses, while seasonal produce such as tomatoes and peppers is excellent in summer.

Eating out is relaxed and social, and portions are generous. Bulgarian wine has a long history and local wines are widely available by the glass, and craft beer and specialty coffee have also become popular in the city.

The area was settled in antiquity by the Thracians, and the Roman city of Serdica became an important regional center after being taken in the first century AD. Emperor Constantine is said to have favored the city, and its Roman-era walls, streets and buildings survive in places beneath the modern center.

The settlement later passed between Byzantine and Bulgarian rule and was known as Sredets in the medieval Bulgarian period. The name Sofia comes from the Church of St. Sofia and is in use from around the fourteenth century. The Ottomans took the city in the late fourteenth century and held it for about five centuries, making it a regional administrative center.

After the Russo-Turkish War, Sofia was chosen as the capital of the restored Bulgarian state in 1879. It grew quickly with planned streets and new public buildings, was heavily bombed in the Second World War, and was rebuilt during the socialist era with large housing districts and monumental architecture. Since 1989 it has become a modern European capital.

Bulgarians are generally warm but somewhat reserved with strangers. A handshake is a common greeting, and it is polite to greet shop staff and people you meet in small settings. Bulgaria has a distinctive head gesture: nodding sideways generally means yes and nodding up and down can mean no, so confirm with words when it matters.

When entering Orthodox churches and monasteries, dress modestly, keep voices low and be careful about photography, especially during services. Lighting a candle is a common custom. If invited to a home, it is usual to remove your shoes and bring a small gift such as flowers or sweets.

Tipping of around ten percent in restaurants is customary if service was good. Many cafés and bars are social centers, and people often linger over a single drink. Traditional holidays such as Baba Marta on March 1, when people exchange red and white martenitsi bracelets, are widely observed.