I didn’t need to rent a car in Sofia, my office had planned a business trip and took care of everything. It was a one-day trip. That has always been the practice in other places too and I was slightly apprehensive. Waiting for the driver to spot me and pick me up wastes a lot of time. But fortunately, the experience was far better here.
The pickup
I was picked up right in time. My driver was waiting with the car, Hyundai I20 even before my arrival. He showed me his photo ID card and we rolled out of the airport entering Sofia, a magnificent city. A city steeped in history market with iconic reminders of the Greek, Ottoman, Roman and Soviet influence. My driver told me that it would take around 20 min to reach the hotel, in the city centre.
The same car was to transport me to the office where I had a meeting. I was spending 24 hours with this guy and since I didn’t know much about the place, I had to rely on him. He was friendly and eager to help. A quick shower and breakfast, and I was all set to reach the office. He was a perfect navigator and knew the address of my destination, even before I entered the car. Told me it would take ten minutes and we reached in eight. Very impressive!
The meeting was over before the lunch break. After lunch, I had three hours in hand to look around the city and then catch the flight back home. My driver had already planned where he could take me in the next three hours.
He had enquired about my interests and on learning that my leanings were towards art and history, he took me to the places I would enjoy in the shortest trip. I realized it had been a great a idea to rent a car in Sofia.
I spent some time in the art street. It is a gallery and museum showcasing the works of the best artists of Bulgaria. Called Absinthe, all works are made in watercolor. This was truly amazing, and I bought a painting from here. The Doll's house was equally spectacular filled with antiques.
He took me to the Boyana Quarters Church. An eleventh-century church, the paintings inside are still vibrant. He also told me that the area is an exclusive residential part of Sofia.
From there we headed straight to the national museum. It was delightful. With items from Bulgaria’s Paleolithic past as old as 1.6 million years B.C. to the relics of the ancient Bulgarian aristocracy, there was so much to watch that I spent around one hour here.
It was 5 pm, and I just had time to grab some coffee and banitsa, a kind of a baked pastry with feta cheese from Bulgaria, as suggested by Jack, my driver. He told me that Bulgarian food was a must try and I decided to save it up for my next trip.
Conclusion
When he gave me the bill after dropping me at the airport, I realized that the charges were very reasonable. I was impressed by the driver's service and gave him a hefty tip. I paid with my credit card and was happy with their service. Will surely recommend these guys with a good review and will rent a car in Sofia when I am back the next time.
