Free Sofia Tour's Blog
November 18, 2020
We must admit that the citizens of Sofia are spoiled by having the Vitosha mountain so close by. There are many different ways to get there. However, today we are focusing on one of our favorites. One of the many hiking paths available is the one that takes you to the Boyana waterfall. The Boyana Neighbourhood Once a village, neighbouring the big city, today Boyana is one of the nicest and most preferred residential areas in Sofia. It is right at the foot of the Vitosha Mountain. Therefore, it is 8km away from Sofia’s city center. To access it you need to go beyond Sofia’s ring road between Dragalevtsi and Knyazhevo. There are mostly houses in Boyana owned by what would be considered as the wealthier part of the Bulgarian society. However, the area is also home to a few must sees during your trip to Sofia. By far, the most famous landmark is the Boyana Church. A UNESCO world heritage site dating back to the 10th century. Another very […]
May 31, 2018
Whether you are visiting Bulgaria for a short city break or you are about to spend quite some time here, one of the best places to visit are the seven Rila Lakes in the Rila Mountains. Another must do is to visit hot mineral water pools and spend a day in relaxation. And what better than a combination of both? Located at less than 100 km away from Sofia the Seven Rila lakes is a natural phenomenon that gathers people from all over the world with captivating beauty and stunning views albeit summer or winter. The Seven Rila Lakes The seven Rila lakes are naturally created glacial lakes and as the name says they are a total of 7 and each one carries a name associated with its most characteristic feature: Salzata (“The Tear”) due to its clear waters that allow visibility in depth. Okoto (“The Eye”) after its almost perfectly oval form. Babreka (“The Kidney”) after its shape resembling a kidney. Bliznaka (“The Twin”) consisting of inner and outer […]
June 28, 2012
Sofia is probably the only European capital with such a big mountain so close to the city center. If we don’t consider the European ministates like Andorra. Vitosha is a ski resort (though a bit underdeveloped), nice hiking place and gives you a great panorama view of the city. The city is also one of the highest capitals in Europe. It’s Andorra la Vella again on top, followed by Liechtenstein’s Vaduz and arguably Madrid. So the question inevitably pops up – ‘How to get to Vitosha mountain?’. Here are some options: WALKING AND HIKING IN VITOSHA This is actually how organized tourism in Sofia started. In 1895 the famous Bulgarian writer Aleko Konstantinov managed to convince around 300 people to leave the ‘dusty streets’ and ‘stuffy cafes’ of Sofia and get a refreshing walk from the city centre to the top of the mountain – Cherni Vrah (Black Peak) at 2290 m above sea level. In front of the National Theatre there’s a stone that marks the starting point of this interesting […]