Participate in a traditional Bulgarian dance workshop; walk to a waterfall near the city; stroll through the shopping streets; go green in the heart of the city; taste Banitsa, a Bulgarian delight; or even ski at an altitude of more than 2000 meters; the opportunities to have a good time in Sofia satisfy travelers in many ways! Discover our 15 ideas for visits and activities to do in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria !
Contemplate the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Outside and inside, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral should not leave you indifferent! This impressive orthodox cathedral can accommodate 10 people. Neo-Byzantine in style, it is composed of 000 naves and has a rich decoration: gold, marble, alabaster, stained glass windows, frescoes, mosaics, etc. Also pass into the crypt housing a collection of Orthodox icons. A must to do in Sofia!
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Marvel at Boyana Church
Boyana is a neighborhood on the outskirts of Sofia, in which there is a architectural gem. Boyana Church was originally built in the XNUMXth century and UNESCO considers it a among the best-preserved monument of medieval art in Eastern Europe. Indeed, it contains an important collection of frescoes dating from the thirteenth century.
Boyana Church
Taste Bulgarian gastronomy
Bulgarian flavors have strong similarities with those of neighboring Greece and Turkey. Here are some dishes to try during your stay in Sofia:
- La banitsa : a base of filo pastry, cheese and yogurt, traditionally eaten for breakfast.
- The tchouchki burek : peppers stuffed with cottage cheese
- Le garlic sauce : cold soup made with yogurt, cucumbers and dill
Banitsa
Admire the heritage
All of this monuments must be added to your list of things to see and do in Sofia:
- The Hagia Sophia;
- the Church of St. George;
- the Russian Church of St. Nicholas;
- the Sofia Synagogue;
- the Pont aux Lions and the Pont aux Aigles;
- the Monument to the Soviet Army;
- the statue of Hagia Sophia.
Russian Church in Sofia
Take a folk dance lesson
Follow a traditional Bulgarian dance workshop will lead you to learn more about the customs and traditions of the country. Folk dances require agility, speed, sensitivity, dexterity and rhythm. The horo is the most common dance, participants hang on and dance in an open circle or in a line. An original activity to do in Sofia!
Bulgarian dance in Sofia
Walk to Boyana Waterfall
Sofia has the distinction of being at the foot of the Vitocha mountain range. Thus, it is possible to go hiking close to the city! The boyana waterfall hike makes a loop of about 5 kilometers, which takes a little over 2 hours of walking. A refreshing walk in Sofia for nature lovers.
The Boyana waterfall
Skiing on Mount Vitocha
Mount Vitocha can be visited all year round and it will particularly delight winter sports enthusiasts.. The ski area has 7 slopes for a total of 29 kilometers of descents. The summit of Pic-Noir offers a superb view of the city of Sofia. It is amazing to observe a European capital at the top of a mountain!
Snow-capped Mount Vitosha
Vibrate culture
The art and live performance lovers will not fail to take a moment in one of the cultural structures of the capital:
- The National History Museum;
- Muzeiko, a fun museum around science, history and engineering;
- the National Palace of Culture;
- the National Gallery of Foreign Arts;
- the Ivan Vazov National Theater.
The Ivan Vazov Theater
Toast with the specialties of the Balkans
For an introduction to Bulgarian drinks, start with rakia, a brandy usually eaten at the start of a meal. Continue with red or white country wines and end with a coffee, of which the Bulgarians are major consumers. Finally, the wisest will turn to the Mineral water that the country produces in large quantities. Nasdravé! ("Health" in Bulgarian)
Toast in a café on Boulevard Vitosha
Kneel in front of Klek stores
This type of store is unique in the world! Faced with the high rents of commercial spaces, sellers have taken over the city's basements. Thereby to do your shopping you have to kneel in the street. You will find there, every day and sometimes 24 hours a day, snacks, drinks, alcohol or tobacco.
A store in Sofia's basement
Take a free ride
Young Bulgarians offer a free guided tour of Sofia that lasts 2 hours and takes you to more than 30 key places of the city. The tour is only available in English, but even if you don't understand the language you will benefit from a very interesting preconceived route ! Save time if you go quickly to the capital.
Sofia Monuments Tour
Stroll in Pirotska Street
Pirotska Street, in the heart of the city, was Sofia's first pedestrian street. There are cafes; shoe, clothing and home decor stores; and hotels. A few steps away you will also discover the central market, a covered market since 1911 with more than 170 shops.
Sofia Central Market
Go shopping at the Sofia flea market
Near the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a flea market is full of small stalls on which objects from the former USSR dominate. Let yourself be surprised by military medals, icons, chapkas, souvenirs of all kinds, jewelry, army uniforms etc. A nice walk to do in Sofia for immerse yourself in Bulgarian culture !
Sofia flea market
Open your eyes wide to urban art
Street art in Sofia started in 2009 with works on electrical transformers. Little by little, the artists moved on to the walls, restoring color to gray areas of concrete. A 2-hour guided walking tour organized by young Bulgarians will offer you an enlightened look at the most beautiful works to see in Sofia !
Street art in Sofia
Picnic at Borisova Gradina Park
In the city center, Borisova Gradina park offers you more than 300m000 of greenery ! Created in 1884, it is the oldest park in the city. Large rows of trees lead to different gardens. You can jog or cycle there, but also play football or tennis. Relax around a picnic in this beautiful setting!
Borisova Gradina Park
Useful information
Here is some additional information to prepare your stay:
- Formalities: For European nationals, a simple identity card or a valid passport is sufficient to visit Bulgaria.
- Climate : check the weather trends month by month to know when to go.
- Health : No compulsory vaccine. You can take your European health insurance card with you.
- Cash : Bulgarian Lev (BGN). 1 BGN is approximately equal to 0,51 EUR.
- How to get there : the way the fastest and most convenient is the plane. Allow around 3 hours from Paris to Sofia by direct flight. Other possibilities: the bus, the train or the car!
- Travel: Sofia has a lot of public transport such as bus, trolleybus, metro and trams.
- Tourism Pass : the Sofia Pass card offers 3 days of public transport plus discounts at over 60 locations (museums, bars, restaurants, activities, etc.) across Sofia. Please note that the tourist information center site is only available in Bulgarian, English and Chinese.
Find a hotel or rental in Sofia:
The essentials of Sofia and after?
In perpetual evolution, Sofia attracts more and more visitors attracted by an inexpensive destination, the heritage wealth and pleasant natural environment. Has the discovery of the capital of Bulgaria made you want to take a tour of the Balkan countries? Why not head for the Carpathians in Romania?
