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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.
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 end up on Vitosha boulevard. It is by far the busiest pedestrian zone in our capital full of many great bars, restaurants and shops.
3. Sofia’s parks.
You will be surprised how green Sofia is. Large parks and smaller green areas are one of Sofia’s great advantages. Make sure to enjoy at least a couple of hours walking around South Park or Borisova Garden (Sofia’s largest park). However, probably the most crowded one of them all is the City Garden. Also known as “the garden in front of the National Theatre” it truly is one of the most social places in town. Enjoy a drink or two with your friends in this great outdoor environment!
4. Vitosha Mountain
Sofia is one of the very few European capitals that does not have a big river or a sea next to it. Instead of that, there is quite a high mountain (2290m), at least according to the Bulgarian standards. It’s the Vitosha Mountain Apart from giving you a lot of great picture opportunities from pretty much every part of town, it is also the nearest hiking option. It is well connected to the city center and you’ll be there in no time. Here’s how to get there.
5. Traditional Bulgarian Food
No visit to Bulgaria is complete without experiencing traditional Bulgarian food. The best way to do this is by visiting a traditional Bulgarian restaurant such as Manastirska Magernitsa or Pod Lipite. Decorated in an authentic folklore style such restaurants often offer a show that includes live Bulgarian music and dances. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to try rakia!
6. Visit a Museum
We recommend that you visit at least one museum during your Sofia visit. And now comes the hard part… which one? Most museums are situated in the center of the city. Here are some of our favorites:
- History Museum of Sofia – You will find it in one of the city’s most beautiful buildings – The Former Mineral Baths
- National Archeological Museum – Situated right in front of the Presidency, this is for all interested in learning much more about the remote past of our lands
- The Red Flat – Sofia’s new interactive “Museum of Communism”. Go back to the 1980s and enter the home of a regular Bulgarian family!
- National History Museum – This one is a little bit further away from the city center, but totally worth the visit. It’s also where you’ll find some of Bulgaria’s most impressive golden treasures
- Museum of Totalitarian Art – Bulgaria’s socialist past is currently best represented in this museum. The museum includes a collection of statues and paintings from the 1944-1989 period
- National Art Gallery Square 500 – One of Sofia’s newest galleries, often referred to as “The Bulgarian Louvre” it truly offers a great variety of both Bulgarian and foreign art
Museum of Sofia/Former Mineral Baths
7. Nightlife in Sofia
No list of “things to do and see” would be complete without talking about the city’s nightlife. In Sofia it is mainly situated in the city center. Apart from the Vitosha boulevard, a favorite when it comes to nightlife and bars is Shishman street. Several pub crawls also operate in the city. Here are some of our favorite bars and clubs:
- Bar Petak/Bar Friday
- Barabar
- Dada Cultural Bar
- Exe Club
- Sofia Pub Crawl
8. Adventure Activities (Things to Do and See)
There are many options for adventure lovers near Sofia. Everything from rock climbing to mountain biking to paragliding and kayaking. Here is a more detailed list of such activities.
9. Attend a Performance
If you love performing arts you’ve come to the right place. Sofia is full with affordable options for lovers of all art.
- Sofia Opera and Ballet House – With its 126 years of history it offers rich variety of classical and modern opera and ballet performances for adults, kids and even for babies.
- Watch a theatre performance – Unfortunately, there are currently no performances in languages other than bulgarian. However, there are several options for subtitled theatre performances.
- Attend a Classical Concert – For more information in English you can visit Hall Bulgaria.
- Go to the National Palace of Culture – a leading venue for all types of events in Sofia. The National Palace of Culture always has something exciting to offer.
Ivan Vazov National Theatre|Photo by: Ch. Duchemin
10. Explore beyond Sofia
If you’ve come here for just 2 or 3 days you might not have the time to do this. However, we do encourage you to dive deeper into what Bulgaria has to offer. There are countless of opportunities for day trips, nature escapes, hiking and so much more. If you have the time, we recommend a visit to Plovdiv, The Rila Monastary and Veliko Tarnovo.
Top 10 Things to do and See in Sofia was created by Free Sofia Tour
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