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Since Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007, it has had to comply with EU human rights standards such as the ban on all forms of negative discrimination, including on the basis of sexual orientation. In fact, since 2003, when the country began negotiations with the EU, it has made tremendous efforts to align its legislation regarding sexual minorities to the European norms and standards. However, non-discrimination is still a far cry from equal rights, and at the moment there are no provisions in Bulgarian law regarding civil unions or marriage for homosexual couples, and co-habiting partners cannot adopt children, nor do they have hospital visitation or inheritance rights. While other cities in Central and Eastern Europe have been holding tolerance or equality parades in the past few years, there have been no gay pride parades in Sofia. Attempts were made in 2000 and 2002, but were toned down to "parties" in which about 1000 participants took part.
Nevertheless, Bulgaria, and especially Sofia, is a tolerant place, and actually much more open to homosexuality than many Eastern European countries. There are more than a handful of popular gay bars and clubs in the city, and homosexual couples can generally walk around the centre of the city safe from harassment. Below, Sofia Life would like to present our guide to the city's hottest gay and lesbian spots. We have also compiled a list of websites of GLBT organizations and different portals where Sofia's homosexual community communicates on the web, and are good starting points for meeting people before coming to Sofia. The main organization for advancing GLBT rights in Bulgaria is the Bulgarian Gay Organization Gemini, which was started in 1992 by a gay couple, but several other gay organizations and portals exist for Bulgaria. So if you're a gay visitor to Bulgaria, we welcome you, and hope you'll only experience the positive side of life in Sofia.
Above: BGO Gemini, the largest gay rights organization in Bulgaria
Sofia's gay and gay-friendly venues:
Bars and Clubs
Exit Club:
16 Lavele
A coffeeshop by day and laid-back club by night, Exit Club is a very popular and friendly club perfect for pre-partying.
18+:
18 Vitosha Blvd.
This gay and lesbian club is open to everyone, and the atmosphere is very mixed and friendly. The mostly young crowd tends to spend most of their time on the dance floor, where a variety of music is played.
Adonis Bar:
122 Knyiaz Boris St.
Adonis is one of the oldest gay bars in the Balkans, and recently re-opened after a brief closure. The small bar is a bit hard to find, as you have to ring a bell next to a black door, and follow the stairs down to the small basement club.
In Da Club:
33 Tsar Samuil St.
This brand-new gay club has three levels, massive dance floors, and is open 24 hours a day so the party never stops.
Sax:
67 Vassil Levski Blvd.
Come for the drinks and dancing, stay and marvel at the aquarium in the basement. The large ground floor is a popular straight bar, while the basement is a gay bar, though the clientele sometimes mix and the atmosphere is friendly throughout. Mostly dance and techno music played. Open Tuesday through Saturday.
Art Bistro 69:
69 Patriarh Evtimii Blvd.
This gay-friendly mixed bar features daily themed parties, such as jazz nights, video nights, retro parties, etc. Always a fun choice.
Why Not:
31 Stamboliysky Blvd.
A private gay club, it's a bit hard to find and you have to ring the doorbell of an iron door to get in. However, once inside it's a crowded dance club on Friday and Saturday nights, with occasional shows.
Essense:
29 Alexander Stamboliysky Blvd.
A lesbian bar open Wednesday through Saturday.
Remi Bar:
23 Serdika St.
A new, small stylish cafe and bar with friendly service and mostly local patrons.
Vital:
5 Alabin St.
A gay and lesbian cafe open during the daytime, with tables outside during the summer, and snacks as well as drinks and coffee available. In the evening, Vital turns into a low-key bar.
Accommodation and Tours
Scottys Hotel:
Ekzarh Iosif St.
+36 (309) 323334
The first gay hotel in Sofia, Scotty's is located in a renovated and restored historical building in the very centre of the city and offers a variety of rooms. The staff is exclusively gay and ready to point out the best spots in town.
GayGuide.Net Tours
sofia.gayguide.net/Gay_Guide/Guided_Tours/
Sofia's gay guide provides a variety of gay-tailored tours around Sofia and throughout Bulgaria.
Bulgarian GLBT Organizations and Websites:
BGO Gemini: www.bgogemini.org
European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA): www.ilga-europe.org
Bulgaria's gay portal: www.gay.bg
Bulgarian gay portal for men: www.bgmen.com
Dolphin Gay Club for Naturism and Sport: www.momcheto.com
Tangra Gay Sports Club: www.tangra-bulgaria.org
Gay News Bulgarian Portal: www.gaynewsbg.com
GayGuide Sofia: www.sofia.gayguide.net - A guide specially catering to the gay or lesbian traveller. Also available for Warsaw, Cracow, Prague, and Budapest.
If you know of other particularly gay-friendly places in Sofia, please let us know; and feel free to post your comments about gay Sofia on this page below. We encourage different viewpoints and want to hear your thoughts about the gay cause in Sofia (though we won't tolerate abusive or hateful comments). We've included a few Sofia-specific GLBT websites above, though many are only in Bulgarian. We hope they'll be a helpful resource; if you know of any other helpful websites, let us know as well! | | | |