Free Sofia Tour's Blog
October 28, 2019
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 […]
September 16, 2019
Have you ever considered visiting Sofia by car? A lot of people do and that is why this time we are focusing on everything you need to know about parking in Sofia. WHERE CAN I PARK? In Sofia the company responsible for all the transport and parking is called the Urban Mobility Centre aka UMC. They are the ones providing parking premises, passes, tokens and basically everything connected with parking in the city as well as impounds your vehicle. If you don’t want to get there it is always better to pay for the parking. There are two types of short term paid parking zones in the center – a Green one and a Blue one. They are active only during the day and the municipality of Sofia has given detailed information about the reach of those zones and provided a map. BLUE ZONE Parking limit: The maximum duration of parking in this zone is up to 2 (two) hours. Working hours: Weekdays from 08.30 to 19.30 Saturday from 08.30 […]
July 10, 2019
Ever wondered whether Bulgaria and Hungary have something in common or whether there’s some other connection between their capital cities – Sofia and Budapest? It turns out that yes, there is. The following post will tell you about one of them: Sofia’s yellow cobblestones. THE STORY OF SOFIA’S YELLOW COBBLESTONES After Bulgaria’s Liberation from the Ottoman Empire in 1878, Sofia was designated as capital of the newly established country. However, it was chosen for its geographic location and not its architecture; at the time, it did not look much like a city, let alone a capital. Dirty puddles, mud, and stinking water covered the city center. This is why Prince Dondukov, head of the Provisional Russian government in power at the time, quickly ordered changes. In 1901, Sofia’s first trams set off on six routes, served by 25 individual trains, and in 1905, Maria Louise Boulevard became the first city street to be paved. Afterwards, the Municipality began an ambitious plan to pave a big portion of the city. It bought two quarries in the neighboring Vitosha mountain – […]
June 21, 2019
Sofia is Bulgaria’s capital and largest city. Situated in the very heart of the Balkan peninsula, it is one of Europe’s oldest cities. While still undiscovered by many, more and more people are now falling in love with the city’s unique east meets west vibe. HISTORY OF SOFIA For the past 6000 years, this city has seen it all. Once called Serdica – an important trade center in the Roman empire. Then conquered by the Bulgarians in the 9th century, then conquered by the Byzantine Empire, then re-claimed by the Bulgarians, and then a stronghold of the Ottoman empire. After Bulgaria gained its independence in the late 19th century, Sofia was chosen as the country’s new capital. It’s now been capital for 140 years. The city’s appearance today has been widely shaped by the twists and turmoils of the 20th century. Up until WW2 Bulgaria was a parliamentary monarchy and Sofia’s architecture was influenced by the examples of Austrian, French, and German architecture. The second half of the 20th century […]
February 15, 2019
If you are reading this then you are most likely visiting Sofia for the first time. No worries! We are here to guide you through your first experience with a list of essential things to do and see in Bulgaria’s capital and largest city. 1. Explore Sofia’s main landmarks From its beautiful temples to the ancient Roman ruins, Sofia has a lot to offer. The city is full of must-sees due to its rich historical and cultural heritage. A great way to get a good overview of the city’s historical center is of course one of our daily free walking tours. This will get you acquainted with the city’s most important sights in just 2 hours. The tours start in front of the Palace of Justice and end right next to Sofia’s most legendary building – St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. 2. Vitosha Boulevard Sofia’s city center is very compact and walking is the best way to get your bearings and experience the Bulgarian lifestyle. It is inevitable that you will […]
January 8, 2019
Free Sofia Tour is looking for talent! It’s the beginning of 2019, winter holidays are (unfortunately) gone and we at the Free Sofia Tour are already starting to think ahead. That’s right, we are looking for new guides to join our team! You might have seen us on the street, you might have seen us in the media, you might have heard someone tell you stories of us. If you haven’t… this is who we are and what we do. Our primary goal is to make every guest of our tour feel welcome to Sofia and Bulgaria. We want to ignite a spark of interest in such a way so that they would want to come back and recommend it to their friends. We are passionate about what we do. That’s why we constantly strive to make each tour personal, fun, informative, helpful and unforgettable. Are you one of our new guides? Take a look at our poster and if you see yourself in it, don’t hesitate to contact us. If you […]
November 14, 2018
You are planning to visit Sofia? You are 12 – 18 years old? This article is written just for you! I chose these places from my hometown, because as a teenager myself, I’ve visted them plenty of times and I think that they are all worth your time. I hope that this information will be useful for you and will be very happy if you decide to visit my city and add different ideas to this list, so that more teenagers can experience Sofia their way. Number One: Escape Rooms Escape rooms are places where you can get locked in for about one hour and you have to solve tasks, in order to escape. When you are ready with all of the obstacles in your quest you can go out and enjoy freedom once again. Apart from that, you can celebrate your birthday there. There are many different escape rooms in Sofia. The first one that opened in my city, is called “Dextrophobia“. The one which I personally visited for the […]
October 25, 2018
You have already explored Sofia? Great! Then it’s time to see what else Bulgaria has to offer. Sofia is the perfect starting point for various types of day trips including small historical towns, natural landmarks and so much more. Here are our top 7 suggestions for day trips from Sofia: The Rila Monastery and the Rila mountain The Rila Monastery is truly one of Bulgaria’s most emblematic symbols and one of its most picturesquely located landmarks! Nested amongst the majestic peaks of the highest mountain on the Balkans, the monastery is simply an architectural and ethnographic piece of art to be discovered at the end of a scenic mountainous road that leaves you breathless on every turn. And if the inexhaustible array of stunning views displayed towards ancient forests, crystal-water mountain creeks and stiff alpine cliffs are not enough to have you hold your camera out throughout the whole journey, then the sophisticated lines of the monastery complex, its colorful inner yard facade and authentic atmosphere, are certain to do so. No […]
August 10, 2018
We’ve all been to Paris, Rome, Venice and Prague. We all adore those places – vibrant and full of stories. But today we will walk you through a hidden pearl in the heart of the Balkans – Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of pounding the pavement in this ancient and at the same time rapidly modernizing city, and are looking for adventures to remember – here’s the lay of the land in our green, cultural, innovative and adventurous Sofia. First things first If you’re new to Sofia, then you can’t skip a walk in the ancient centre of the city. Culturally rich, culinary tempting and vibrant with cozy coffee shops and modern bars – that’s the right place to experience life in the city. The best thing to do is to get on one of those Free Sofia Tours and learn the most interesting facts about Sofia, the people and the best places to visit. Let the adventures begin Adventure activities seem to be getting more […]