Hi, I am going to visit Bulgaria next week, and I really want to go to Buzludja Monument (Паметник на Бузлуджа) any idea on how I can go there from Sofia? Also if you have any advice or recommendations of places or old towns in Bulgaria I would like to hear them, thankss

7 comments

  1. The best way to explore the Balkan mountain chain from Sofia is to take the Subbalkan railway. All you need to do, is take the train to Kazanluk (Казанлък). From there Buzludzha is just north. You will have to find transport to Shipka (Шипка) from there and follow the red trail.

    Here is the location of the monument on an electronic map: https://kade.si/#tm=17/2826913.42/5271807.63/0

    However, I must advise you that visiting any peaks in the Balkan mountain during winter is ill-advised. The mountain is a barrier between the barren Arctic winds from the North-East and the warm Mediterranean winds from the South. Thus, during winter abrupt changes in weather are common and winds raging in almost 100 km/h possible. Quite a lot of people have lost their lives this way. The summer offers much better climate for your trip. Also, entrance into the monument is not possible and illegal. It is also dangerous, as pieces of the ceiling can fall out.

    Is there any type of touristic destinations that are of interest to you? Perhaps we could offer you safer options for this time of the year.

  3. Go to Shipka monument and read up in advance. No need to pay respect to worst political doctrine so far

  4. What Murtudun said. I don’t understand why people always go for the ruined monument with a bad road to a totalitarian regime instead of the monument to a glorious victory with a functioning museum and a decent road. In any case, if OP is looking for actual directions: rent a car from Sofia- do NOT use the trains. From there you have two options:

    * Exit Sofia through Tsarigradsko shose and take the highway through Plovdiv and Stara Zagora. This route might prove faster, but is longer and lacks museums.
    * Exit Sofia through Botevgradsko shose and take the road following the mountain. It’s shorter, but has more turns. On the plus side, it passes through Sopot, Karlovo and Kalofer- all have their history of famous people and museums.

    The winters are pretty mild here. I don’t know why the others are trying to scare you off. It rarely snows, and if it does it usually melts within a week (except in the mountains). Just keep in mind that it’s windy on top of the mountain so dress accordingly.

    PS. While you’re in the region the town of Shipka has a gorgeous church with golden domes and Kazanlak has several museums- even one dedicated to the rose. Etara, which is near Gabrovo, is a wonderful “museum” which takes the form of a small village from the XIX-th century. It’s very nice and rustic.

  5. Take the train to Kazanlak, then the bus to Shipka or Kran and then you can hike to the peak. Keep in mind that it’s pretty cold and windy up there so you’ll need warm clothes and good boots. There are two ski slopes on Buzludzha and there’s tons of people driving to the peak for it, so you can also hitch-hike.

  6. I would advice against going. At least in the winter, it is the worst season for such a place. Chances are that the weather is bad, even if the road is not blocked by snow, the peak is the same height as most clouds and it is almost ensured that there will be a thick fog and you will be left disappointed by the limited view. And the monument itself is locked at all times, meaning you can just look at it from the outside, nothing more.

    If you can, leave it for late spring or early summer, when the weather is nice and warm. The nature here is gorgeous and the sunny days are way more. Not to mention the roads are easier to traverse (currently the panoramic road between Shipka and Buzhludza is blocked off because of possible snow accumulations). Plus, it is likely that the pandemic restrictions will be more loose then.

    All in all, pretty much everything interesting in Bulgaria is way better in late spring, if you want the best memories, plan for that time.

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