I’m gonna be honest with you; I think I underestimated a bit the Bulgarian capital during the past years, believing it doesn’t have much to offer. So when I found a super budget deal of 20€ return ticket from Athens, I thought that it would be a good chance to spend a weekend in Sofia – two full days – with my boyfriend and our friendly couple. We booked our tickets for February and when the day came, we jumped in our 1-hour direct flight.
After spending our weekend in Sofia, I can tell you that it was the biggest pleasant surprise ever; much more beauty than I expected! I was definitely wrong for my impression, so yeah, I’m guilty for not having given Sofia a chance earlier 🙈. It’s the ideal weekend getaway, as the main attractions are closely located, so you’ll get a good impression in two days!
So here I will show you the best places to visit in Sofia, where to eat the best food in town as well as other tips you need to know! Book your flights, get ready to organize your trip and here we go!
Things to Know Before You Visit
Some things to have in mind before booking your tickets:
- One thing that you need to consider is when you would like to visit Sofia. We visited early February and the temperature even reached -11°C (12.2°F)! In winter it can be really cold, so I would suggest that you avoid this season for this specific city, unless you have no other choice or you don’t want to miss a good ticket deal you found.
- The Bulgarian currency is Lev (Lv), which is equal to 0.51€ or 0.55$. You can pay by card in most places, which I recommend, but keep some cash on you for taxis/tips. We exchanged a small amount of euros at the airport when we arrived. Yes, definitely the worst rate but time was limited to search for a good exchange point 🙈
- Keep in mind that some hotels might not accept to keep your luggage till your flight on your last day. This was the case with our hotel, which told us that there was no more space in their luggage room. So we walked to the nearby Lockers Sofia (121 Knyaz Boris I str.), stored our luggage and were able to return as many times as we want to even change our clothes! Best part? We only paid around 3€ for the whole day!
How to Get Around
After you land at Sofia International Airport, you will need to get to your accommodation. The airport is located only 10km outside of the city center and taxis are really cheap. So I recommend taking taxi from the airport and expect to pay around just 5€-6€. Keep in mind that it is common practice to leave a tip to the driver. Likewise, get a taxi to the airport on the day of your departure. Personally, the last thing I want when I’m returning with my luggage is having to catch buses and metro lines!
During your weekend in Sofia, the easiest way to get around is… on foot! Yes, you read that right, you can reach everything by walking, as all the main attractions are so close to each other! We never walked more than 20-30 minutes to get from one place to another, but if you don’t like walking you can get a taxi again – you can imagine that it will be even cheaper for such short distances.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
The first thing to come to mind when you think of Sofia and also the first to be on your list is – what else? – the cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky! It is an Orthodox cathedral, believed to be one of the top 50 largest Christian churches in the world. It is actually so big that it can hold 5,000 people! It’s mostly famous for its 12 domes, colored in turquoise and gold, which make it reeeally impressive! You absolutely need to visit it, and my personal advice is to admire it during sunset – the lighting is magical, giving it an amazing pastel/pink hue. Don’t miss to take your photos during this time as the light is perfect for shooting too 😉 Choose your favorite angle among the many and start snapping! You may have to wait a bit for people to leave but nothing major – at least during winter.
Ivan Vazov National Theater
Very close to Alexander Nevsky is located the Bulgarian National Theater, the Ivan Vazov Theater. It is the oldest theater in the country and also the most beautiful one, colored mostly in red with an impressive facade! Also, it is surrounded by a small park where you can leisurly take your walk. Don’t miss to visit this place and make sure to be there early in the morning if you want to take photos without people in them, as later in the day it tends to get busier.
TIP: There is a Starbucks coffee right opposite Ivan Vazov so if you get to the place early in the morning for photos (or even if not), it is a good chance to grab a coffee or a snack afterwards 😉
The Mineral Baths
During your weekend in Sofia, you should definitely visit the Central Mineral Baths. It’s an impressive yellow building in the centre of Sofia, a city known for the mineral springs in the area. It was used as the city’s public baths until 1986, whereas now it accommodates the Sofia Regional Historical Museum since September 2015. It is so beautiful that is definitely worth a visit!
The Russian Church
The Russian Church of St. Nicholas the Miracle-Maker, is a Russian Orthodox church in central Sofia. It was built as the official church of the Russian Embassy and of the Russian community in Sofia, and was named for the patron saint of the Emperor who ruled Russia at the time, Nicholas II. Its color is white and has some amazing turquoise domes with gold finish! It is just right down the street from the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, so you can combine these two in the same visit.
The place was not crowded at all during afternoon when we visited it, and we took our shots uninterrupted. One of the photo-worthy spots is exactly behind the church, where you have full view of it, and another one is at the small alley at the side 😉
Serdika II Metro Station
You don’t have the chance to jump into an old Roman city every day, and especially in a metro station! Well, this does happen inside the Serdika II metro station of Sofia, named after ancient Serdica, as it lies in the ruins of that city. A part of it lies in full view in the station. In order to find the best spot and admire the perfect view, stand at the beginning of the room where the old city ruins are located, and you will see the Parliament building appearing on the glass-made roof. Simply amazing!
National Art Gallery
The National Art Gallery is Bulgaria’s national gallery, housing over 50,000 pieces of Bulgarian art. It is an impressive yellow building (yes, yellow again – Sofia has a thing for yellow 😛) located on Knyaz Aleksandar I street. Walking along Knyaz Aleksandar I is a convenient way to see all the major attractions in a row. Well, having to get a little out of your straight way for some of them. So if you are following this road it’s impossible to miss this gallery.
Souvenirs in Vitosha Boulevard
A weekend in Sofia is not complete without taking a walk in the famous Vitosha Boulevard. It’s the main commercial street in the center of Sofia and offers a variety of shopping stores, bars and restaurants. It’s also the best place to search for souvenirs. So I would suggest you spend at least 1-2 hours to walk around and find the best bargains. There are so many magnets to choose from, and any other souvenir you may actually ask for! In case you want more choices, the underground space of Serdika II metro station is also filled with souvenir shops. So feel free to take a look there too!
Where to Eat
We chose to have dinner at Shtastlivetsa restaurant, located on Vitosha Boulevard, as we read great reviews about it. Indeed, it deserved every single one of them! The atmosphere was great, everything tasted heavenly and the variety was so large that it took us almost half an hour to decide what to order! Plus, we paid around 60€ for one salad, one appetizer, four main dishes, some bread and a bottle of wine. Totally a bargain!
For dessert, order a crepe or a waffle from vaflaki a few steps away. The calories may be many, but the taste will reward you 😛. Also the staff was so kind and honest, and they even advised us to buy water from another store which was selling it cheaper! 🙈
Should I include anything else in my weekend in Sofia guide? Do not hesitate to contact me for more information and feedback!
Fovero!