What was left as a ghost stadium has now turned into a free urban training ground, since its gates are wide open.

Not too long ago it seemed to remain useless, but recently adopted by Sport Club Levski, Stadium Rakovski is now up and running for youth football, but yet free for random visitors as well.

You can see joggers, sprinters, street-fitness, kangoo-jumpers, massive group runs, taekwondo, high-lander training and much more, all done freely by people who don’t like sports halls and gyms. Or someone who’s just sunbathing and looking at the magnificent scene of Vitosha mountain in all its beauty revealed in front.

Who knows how a four-floor house facade for firefighters’ training was put there, but it was! And it’s not the only temptation for trouble for the bold kids, as the old scoreboard offers hard climbing, but a great sight if you make it up there (but still – “Do not try this at home!”).

But what I praise it for the most is its other face, the night one. The city lights put a pink balloon over it and somehow you always feel safe there, although the crowd is gone. Think about the fantastic stuff you can think of and probably distinguish your hopes and dreams chasing one another across the forgotten tribunes.

Go during a full moon and you can see your shadow as if it were daytime.

This unexpected big-open-air-coziness is unique and always succeeds to take you away from the city madness.