Postcards from My Memories: Sofia, Bulgaria.

There’s a mellow quality to Sofia’s cultural vibrancy that’s at once exciting and youthful, while laid-back and decidedly grown-up.

I’ve always wanted a venue to expose the delightfully distinctive aesthetics and harmonies from Bulgaria, my second home, to the insofar uninitiated. For too long the country’s formal, folk-like modesty has allowed its art and music to be overshadowed by Western Europe’s overwhelming cultural confidence.

The entire country has a storied heritage of frescos, murals and icons that decorate and punctuate the landscapes, both rural and metropolitan. In Sofia, the country’s capital, its largest city, and once a second-home of mine, the thriving art and cultural scenes easily rival the more well-traveled Rome, Paris, Barcelona and London — only without all of the hoopla that goes with excessive tourism. There’s a mellow quality to Sofia’s cultural vibrancy that’s at once exciting and youthful, while laid-back and decidedly grown-up.

First, there’s the art. Sofia’s immensely large collection of medieval paintings are juxtaposed with contemporary art at the National Gallery Quadrat 500. Meanwhile, the Sofia City Art Gallery operates as the hub of a buzzing gallery scene for the city’s painting and sculpture set.

Opera and ballet are big draws in the Balkan city’s refined yet visceral culture. All of the classics rotate through the Sofia Opera and Ballet but if you want to see distinctly Bulgarian drama, you’ll want to check out the Ivan Nazov National Theatre.

As much as I love the art scene in Sofia, it is the Balkan cuisine that I miss most dearly. Bulgaria is like many countries in which food is a significant part of the culture. Bulgaria is an epicurean society and sharing a meal is part of connecting with others.

From freshly baked banitsas (buttery filo dough pastry sheets filled with Bulgarian feta cheese) for breakfast to carnivorous lunches and dinners of grilled steaks served with fresh salads and a glass of Bulgaria’s very strong national beverage, rakia, or mavrud, the local red variety, this is a country that celebrates gastronomic satiety.

I miss Shtasliveca for its pleasant and affordable fare, featuring vegetarian and vegan options, and Soul Kitchen, which has a vegan and raw menu.

When the world gets ahead of our current situation, I look forward to going back to Sofia, an otherworldly city that doesn’t so much as sleep, but dreams.

— Christina Lucas