Free Sofia Tour's Blog

April 3, 2018

Night Transport in Sofia

Night Transport in Sofia? When? Where? How? Great news everyone! There is going to be public night transport in Sofia. Starting April 7th  2018 until 4 bus lines will be running during the night. So what is the deal? There will be 4 new lines that cross the city and connect the large neighborhoods. The four lines are as follows: N1, N2, N3 and N4. Here is also a map of their routes. Sofia night transport routes N1 will be running from Liulin district 1 and 2 towards Mladost 4 district with 50 stops. N2 will be running from Obelya district towards Studentski grad district with 38 stops. N3 will be running from Ovcha kupel district towards Levski dristrict  with 33 stops. N4 will be running from Drujba district towards Gotse Delchev district with 49 stops one way and 55 stops the other way There is going to be a transfer location where all of the lines meet so that one could be able to change them and this is going […]
March 26, 2018

Cycling in Sofia

Riding a bike in Sofia Hooray! The snow is gone, the temperatures are slowly rising, everything around you, including yourself, is waking up from a long winter’s slumber and what better time to take out your bicycle, hop on it and feel the wind whistling in your ears? Cycling in Sofia? There is no better time of the year to ride a bike in Sofia than spring or summer, so we decided to give you a little bit more information on the topic, should you ever decide to go around on two wheels. Riding a bike in the city could be quite frustrating and cycling in Sofia is indeed a challenge due to the bad infrastructure, lack of proper cycling lanes and bike parkings, but mostly because of the poor bicycle culture in general. However, this doesn’t stop thousands of people to choose the bike as a means of transport in the city and that number is growing steadily every year. There are quite a few reasons and a lot […]
January 19, 2018

Taking a taxi in Sofia – what should we know?

Hi everyone! The following  post aims to give you more information about taxis in Sofia and the taxi-network in the capital of Bulgaria. How to take a taxi in Sofia? The most secure way to take a taxi in Sofia is to order one via phone, internet or apps. This way the taxi company will keep some important data about the ride. So if a problem occurs, they can track the car, the road, the driver and the time of the ride, making it easier to solve the problem and leaving smaller room for scam. Of course you can also take a taxi on the street by just waving a hand to an approaching taxi-car. On every cab there is a light indicator on the front window. Green light means that the taxi is free and most probably will stop to pick you up. Red light means car is busy and probably won’t stop. On key places like Sofia Airport, Central Bus Station, Central Railway Station, Palace of Justice, etc. […]
January 7, 2018

Vitosha mountain: Winter Olympics in Sofia or How to go Skiing

Winter sports at Vitosha mountain, Sofia? Few of the people visiting and falling in love with Sofia and Vitosha mountain are aware of the city’s longstanding ambition to host the Winter Olympic Games. Inspired by Sarajevo’s successful example from 1984, the Bulgarian capital has tried several times to win the competition for Winter Olympics’ host. It came closest in the run-up for the 1992 Games by finishing second – only a couple of votes away from the victorious Lillehammer (Norway). Today, Sofia is a bit further away from fulfilling its Olympic dream. However, the city’s beautiful mountain Vitosha is still there. It remains one of the most preferred options for winter sports in Bulgaria. It is located only 30 minutes away from the city center by car. Vitosha mountain welcomes the fans of skiing and snowboarding not only in the winter weekends, but also during the week – at daylight and after sunset. How to ski and snowboard in Sofia and Vitosha mountain? The first and most important prerequisite for […]
December 19, 2017

How to get to Bansko (from Sofia)

Dear travelers! We know many of you have already seen our lovely capital Sofia. You’ve probably walked around the historical part of the city with the Free Sofia Tour. You’ve strolled down the Yellow brick road, entered the ancient Rotunda of St. George, gazed at the beautiful St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral. But now you probably want to spend some time outside of Sofia and you’re wondering where to go next? Well, for those of you who like skiing, snowboarding or hiking, going to one of our mountain resorts comes naturally as a next destination here in Bulgaria. One of these great places is Bansko. Let’s talk about Bansko! Bansko is a small town situated in Southwestern Bulgaria, surrounded by Rila, Pirin and Rhodope mountains. It is one of our most popular ski resorts and a popular site for recreation with its pine forests, mountain peaks and lakes near the town. The distance between Sofia and Bansko is 160km and it takes approximately 2 hours to get there by car and […]
October 30, 2017

Sofia Alternative Tour

Adventure seekers, Sofia Alternative Tour is finally here! 365 Association proudly presents the beginning of something unseen… We have been exploring the city the way no tour guide did before. Therefore, we are ready to give you the chance to unfold some secrets that have stayed hidden even for locals. Until now. Sofia Alternative Tour is here! If you: are always searching for a way off the beaten path; want to see places on your own and take part in a treasure hunt; want to escape from the crowd and participate in something different than your typical tourist experience; are not afraid of city legends and the ghosts behind them; sometimes act before you think and jump before you are pushed; think you can handle the Bulgarian style of communication; like riddles and you think you can deal with the pieces of the Sofia puzzle; are comfortable with giving, taking and sharing; If you’re The Alternative Tourist – Our brand new project is for you. You will discover the hidden spots of Sofia on your own, […]
July 20, 2015

Pedestrian Friendly Sofia

Walk through pedestrian friendly Sofia As goes the famous song by Aerosmith. This time we are not going to sing, but we will walk you through the pedestrian secrets of our city. This post is for all who are keen on going by foot. Walking has always been the primary means of human locomotion. There is simply no way to avoid it and we are doing it all the time – we are walking out of home in the morning, going to school or work, we are walking during the day, we are walking to the party in the evening. We are made for walking and it is good for us. Not only does it help us keep fit, but it also gives us a chance to slow down and discover the extraordinary and unique aspects of a place. Sofia has all the perfect characteristics of a pedestrian friendly capital. Although it is the biggest city in Bulgaria, the capital is ideal for a stroll with its many parks, lively […]
May 11, 2015

The 365: Communist Tour of Sofia

This year the 365 Association, which stands behind the Free Tours of Sofia and Plovdiv, is launching two new and exciting projects: the 365: Communist Tour (link for the tour) and Culture Tour (link for the tour). The idea behind starting a 365: Communist Tour actually arose out of the experience of our guides doing the Free Sofia Tour. On many occasions our guests show a deeper interest in the topic and have asked about what it was like in Bulgaria during that period, wanting to learn more about the story of our side of the Cold War. The 365: Communist Tour – Communism and Europe The Cold War is, of course, something that practically affected the whole world in the previous century. It has been over 25 years since communism officially disappeared in Europe. It is natural that memories are already starting to fade away or get distorted. At the same time, most people still have strong opinions on the topic. If you just talk to a local about it, you […]
February 13, 2015

February 14th in Sofia – St. Valentine’s Day or Celebrating Wine?

February 14th is just around the corner. And the closer it gets, the more excited we are. Why? Because in Bulgaria, it is not merely a holiday – but a two-in-one holiday! On this date, we Bulgarians celebrate not only St. Valentine’s Day but also the Day of St. Triphon Zarezan – the feast of vine growing and wine-producing. St. Valentine’s Day in Bulgaria? Although St. Valentine’s Day is not a traditional Bulgarian feast, for many people in Bulgaria February 14th is a very special day, because it involves a lot of romance and love. Over the last decades, we have embraced the well-known Western celebrations of St. Valentine’s Day – spending the day or evening with a loved one at a romantic place – a nice restaurant, a romantic dinner at home, the cinema, or the theater… And couples who happen to have more free time (and money) indulge in a nice hotel with mineral water, spa procedures, and massages, or with a short trip outside the country (Venice, Paris, Rome). […]