Sofia Travel Forum

Where to find shopping deals in Sofia, Bulgaria

I am in Sofia for a weekend in October and need to stock up on some supplies before flying to Norway for the autumn. I don't want to buy anything in Norway (because of the ridiculous prices there), so I'm looking for Bulgarian shops to find the following items:

1) Good quality (non-Chinese) winter hat, touqe, scarf, mittens, and coat. For the gloves, it would be nice to find the kind that allows me to use my fingertips without taking them off. I want to stay warm outdoors while doing picky work with my fingertips. Too many bulky gloves are designed such that I have to take them off before working with my hands.

2) Cargo pants, with lots of pockets, and inner layer to stay warm in a Norwegian autumn (passed the arctic circle). I know they sell special clothes in Norway, but I'm not spending $100 on a pair of pants.

3) If you know of any second hand clothing stores in Sofia, please let me know. In North America, they are called Value Village shops. You can find pants, and coats for 3-10euros there. Do you know of the Bulgarian equivalent?

3) Non-expensive simple headphones (without microphone). I bought a set of headphones in Belgrade for 5euros, and they lasted 2 months. I'm looking for a similar pair in Sofia.

Thanks

Your best bet will be to try the Pirotska Str. and maybe the Maria Luisa Blvd. (they cross at the mosque in the city center). Hopefully, by October the "real winter" clothes will already be available. The Vitosha Blvd. (the continuation of Maria Luisa that leads to the National Palace of Culture) is also full of clothing stores, but the prices might equal the Norwegian prices, no kidding.

The market (called the Women's Market located to the west of the Maria Luisa Blvd. along the Stefan Stambolov Str.) is full of cheap clothes, but they are of substantially lower quality, mostly cheap Turkish and Chinese stuff. However, if you buy two pieces of each item, you might still be better-off :) You can also buy cheap electronic stuff there, which will last a couple of weeks at least. Seriously, there might be some good deals there, but it is not a place where foreigners go, so you can easily be singled out and asked for a higher price. And beware of pickpockets, they are not everywhere, but still...

Second-hand clothes are ubiquitous, but I don't know the names of many shops apart from a chain called "Shik-Shik". As far as I remember they have a store on Exarch Yosif Str. just to the left of the entrance of the mosque, along the tram line, opposite to the public mineral fountains. A second shop, I think, was located along the Maria Luisa Blvd. somewhat halfway between the Pirotska Str. and the Lions Bridge. As you see, this entire area is the "cheaper" part of the city center. The clothes sold at the second-hand shops are sold by the kilo, but you normally see the prices of the individual items, as well. If you are somewhat familiar with Bulgarian or have a friend to walk with you, look for "European clothes" (funny enough, but true), "Second-hand clothes", or "Clothes per kilo" ads.

Hope that helps,
Venelin

Ill check them out, thanks