Sofia on a cold rainy day – Top 9 Indoor Activities in Sofia

You know the feeling when you go to a new and exciting destination and you can’t wait to explore all the sights and then… it starts raining. You most probably do if you’re already here. Sofia is one of those cities that might appear amazingly beautiful on a nice sunny day or incredibly gray and depressing when it’s cold and rainy. Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with 9 exciting things to do when it’s raining in Sofia:

1.  Visit one of Sofia’s great coffee spots

Fortunately, in recent years many great coffee shops opened in Sofia. Depening on where you’re staying in the city you might consider visiting the Rainbow Factory, Vanilla or Chucky’s Coffee House. Or, if you prefer having your coffee in a more formal environment then Grand Café is the option for you. Have a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate while planning your rainy day schedule.

2. Check out Sofia’s quirky shops

The center of town is home to some unique, artsy stores that might have you spending at least a couple of hours exploring. You might consider Gifted Urban Culture Hub, Elephant Bookstore and Mental Syndicate – all situated in the center of the city.

Gifted Urban Culture Hub

3. Enter the Red Flat

This is Sofia’s newest and coolest indoor experience – a time capsule to Bulgaria from the 1980’s. Enter the home of a regular Bulgarian family and find out how regular Bulgarians lived during the controversial years of the Cold War.

The Red Flat

4. Visit a Museum

This one is for all lovers of art and culture. Great museums might not be the first thing that comes to your mind when thinking about Sofia but there are actually a few really good ones. Here are just some of our favorites:

• Sofia History Museum
• Square 500 National Art Gallery
• Sofia City Gallery
• National Archeological Museum

5. Escape Rooms

Over the last 5 years escape rooms became so popular in Sofia that there are now more than 60 different ones spread all around town. Escape rooms are a fun way to spend a couple of hours solving riddles while having fun with your friends. You can try 3 KEY Rooms – they were the pioneers in Sofia. Escaping from a secret laboratory, fighting robots, traveling with a time machine or helping King Arthur and Merlin to find Excalibur. The choice is yours.

6. Visit a dark restaurant!

Have you heard about the concept of dark restaurants? Imagine letting go of the visual and immersing yourself in a completely different world… One full of taste, texture, sound and real human intercation. Tenebris Dark Restaurant is the first dark restaurant on the Balkans. You will spend a few hours with your friends in pitch-black darkness, trying to guess what you are actually eating. A visually impaired host will be your guide on this culinary journey, while giving you interesting insights.

7. Visit one of the many shopping malls

An indoor activity that can save a rainy day in any city is of course a trip to one of the shopping malls. You have everything under one roof – food, enternteinment, shopping, etc. Luckily for you, Sofia is home to many shopping malls. Check out the nearest one to your location and spend some time there until the rain stops. The most easily accessible shopping malls in Sofia are Paradise Center, Park Center Sofia and Mall of Sofia as they all have a metro station very close by.

8. Go to the Cinema

That might seem like an obvious option as there are cinemas in all shopping malls. However, there are several independant small cinemas situated in the heart of Sofia that we recommend. Make sure to check out the programs of Dom na Kinoto (Cinema House) or Odeon Cinema. 

The center of Sofia on a rainy day

9. Indoor Games

If you are a fan of indoor games and happen to be close to the National Palace of Culture, consider yourself lucky! Close by you will find Sofia’s most famous bowling hall – Galaxy Center. At the oposite side of the palace you will also find the Billiard, Snooker and Darts center (BSD Sofia). There also plently of other games there. If you are a fan of board games you might also consider checking out Abordage.

Visiting Sofia for the first time? Make sure to also check out our Ultimate Sofia Travel Guide