A keen traveller flew to Bulgaria for 11 hours to try the local pastry - and spent just £90.

Mickey Squires, 29, heard from a Bulgarian colleague that Sofia is a great place to visit - so snapped up return flights when they were reduced to just £44.

After asking himself 'what do I have to lose?' he booked the trip for November 8.

The recruiter, from Newark, Nottinghamshire, took two small bags just to carry essentials and arrived in Sofia by 11:20am.

After a friend in the area picked him up from the airport, he spent the day exploring the city using a self-guided tour on his phone.

Throughout the day he fuelled up on local delicacies including a traditional pastry called a banitsa, as well as stopping for a sit-down meal.

He then continued touring the city into the evening to get a glimpse of Sofia by night before heading back to the airport for a 10:30pm flight back.

While Mickey has visited tourist-heavy destinations such as Venice too, he said he enjoyed a "more understated" city.

He said: "I booked the flights about three weeks before - it was a short turnaround.

"On my tour I stopped off at all the main landmarks - cathedrals, synagogues, mosques and a shopping hall.

"I went to a local bakery for a banitsa because I try and have something local wherever I go for an authentic experience.

"The highlight was on the way into the city, seeing the The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with the gold top."

Mickey flew with Ryanair, setting off at 5:55am from Stansted and arriving at 11:20am.

He had a Wetherspoons breakfast at the airport to fuel him for the day ahead.

On arrival he said goodbye to his friend and started his tour, using an app called GPS My City.

He spent several hours visiting the National Palace of Culture, National Art Gallery, Banya Bashi Mosque, Central Market, the Synagogue, and Saint Sofia Monument.

At around 4:30pm he stopped for a pizza and a drink at a local restaurant, which he said was "delicious" and kept him fuelled to continue sightseeing.

He said: "I then did the reverse in the late afternoon to look at the buildings again which looked even nicer in the dark.

"They were prepping for the Christmas market as well."

His flight home saw him return to Stansted for 11:55pm.

Mickey said: "Very long day and very tiring but definitely worth it on a budget!

"I try to go to places lots of people don't go - especially at this time of year.

"It's nice when it's not too crowded. It's really inspired me to go to lost of other places tourists are less likely to go."

COST BREAKDOWN:Flights - £43+ £12 to reserve a seatBreakfast at airport - £10Day pass for public transport in Sofia - £2.17Pizza and a Coke at restaurant - £14Snacks throughout the day - £9.70= £90.87