Izgrev
Between Borisova Gradina and the eastern ring road. Residential, embassy-heavy, and useful if you are here for business.
Panel apartment blocks along the edge of Borisova Gradina in Izgrev
Why people stay in Izgrev
Izgrev — Sunrise in Bulgarian — is the strip of residential blocks along the eastern edge of Borisova Gradina, running from Dragan Tsankov to G. M. Dimitrov metro. It shares a border with Iztok but the character is different: less diplomatic, more everyday, mostly 1970s and 1980s cooperative housing built for engineers and academics. It is quiet, safe, and 15 minutes to the centre by metro.
Useful for business travellers going to the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences or the office towers along Tsarigradsko Shose. Not much reason to stay here otherwise unless you find a good apartment rental at $40 to $70. Almost nothing to do at street level after 20:00 — the park is your evening walk, and dinner is a 5-minute taxi to Lozenets or Iztok. If you want a base for hiking Mount Vitosha and using the city as a day trip, Izgrev works because it is close to bus 66 to Dragalevtsi.
The blocks between Dragan Tsankov and Kosta Loulchev have several small hotels and apartments at $45 to $70. G. M. Dimitrov metro is at the eastern edge. Streets like Latinka and Charls Darvin are quiet residential. Avoid the blocks facing Tsarigradsko Shose — heavy traffic, dust. The area picks up energy near the university buildings at the northern edge, and drops off entirely to the south.
Things to do in Izgrev
Enter the park at the Dragan Tsankov gate near the university. The eastern half has the observatory, the tennis courts, and a small children's zoo. Free entry to the park, $2 for the zoo.
Charls Darvin 8. Armenian-Bulgarian family restaurant, mains $6 to $12. Open 12:00 to 22:00, closed Sundays. Small — book same-day by phone.
Not a sight strictly, but the Soviet-era physics and chemistry buildings at 15 Noemvri 1 are impressive modernist blocks. Public passage-through allowed on weekdays; the ground-floor cafeteria is open to the public at lunch, $3 to $4 a meal.
Small flea market on the plaza next to the metro station, Sundays 08:00 to 14:00. Old cameras, Soviet-era watches ($10 to $30), records. Bargaining is expected.
What to see
Hotels in Izgrev
Getting around Izgrev
M1 metro at Joliot-Curie (western edge) and G. M. Dimitrov (eastern edge) — 10 to 12 minutes to Serdika, $0.90. From the airport, M4 to Serdika then M1 east, 30 minutes. Bus 66 from G. M. Dimitrov metro goes to Dragalevtsi cable car (start of Mount Vitosha hikes), 20 minutes, $0.90. Bus 88 covers internal streets. Taxi to the centre is $4 to $6.
Questions about Izgrev
Honestly, only if the price is significantly lower than Lozenets or Iztok, or if you are hiking Vitosha every day and want fast access to bus 66. Otherwise the neighbouring districts are more interesting for the same money.
Bus 66 from G. M. Dimitrov metro station to Dragalevtsi cable car. It runs every 20 to 30 minutes 06:00 to 22:00, takes about 20 minutes, and costs $0.90 one way.
