Banya Bashi Mosque – If you arrive outside prayer times you can drop in to tour Sofia’s only mosque. It was designed by Mimar Sinan, the epoch-defining Turkish architect responsible for spectacular works across the Ottoman Empire during this period. Banya Bashi is from 1576, built at the very beginning of the city’s Ottoman period. The name comes from Sofia’s mineral baths, which had attracted visitors throughout the region during the 1500s.
Serdica Amphitheatre – Sofia’s own Roman amphitheatre wasn’t discovered until 2004. In its day it was one of the largest in the Roman empire, holding gladiator fights and grisly battles pitting men against wild beasts. What’s also interesting about this arena is the way it had three lives: First it was a theatre, then an amphitheatre that was sacked by the Goths. In the 400s the arena was rebuilt but was abandoned not long after. After it was unearthed it became integrated into the design of the Arena di Serdica hotel, but visitors off the street are free to look down at the ruins from the hotel’s specially-designed gallery.
Central Mineral Baths – Sofia has a lot of spring activity, and these waters have drawn visitors since medieval times. The Ottomans developed their own hammam at this site, and when it was destroyed following the Bulgarian Revival a new city bathing complex was built. The Central Baths date to 1913 and were in use up until the mid-80s. It’s one of Sofia’s most photographed buildings, constructed in the neo-byzantine style with a large dome behind an impressive vestibule. The gardens are open to the public and the fountain at the centre is fed by the hot natural mineral water. You’re free to try it if you’re brave enough!
Archaeological Museum – housed in a former mosque built in 1496, this museum displays a wealth of Thracian, Roman and medieval artefacts. Highlights include a mosaic floor from the Church of Sveta Sofia, a 4th-century BC Thracian gold burial mask, and a magnificent bronze head, thought to represent a Thracian king.
Sofia History Museum – the history of Sofia is presented on two floors of the magnificent former Turkish Mineral Baths, just behind the mosque. Exhibitions are divided thematically over eight chambers, with the most interesting rooms dedicated to the Bulgarian royal families of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the findings of recent archeological digs around town. There are plenty of signs in English.
Royal Palace – Originally built as the headquarters of the Ottoman police force, this is where Bulgaria’s national hero Vasil Levski was tried and tortured before his public execution in 1873. After the liberation, the building was remodelled to become the official residence of Bulgaria’s royal family. It now houses the Ethnographical Museum.
National Museum of Military History – tells the story of warfare in Bulgaria, with most space given to the period from the 1876 April Uprising through to WWI. Weaponry, rebel flags, uniforms and decorations are on show, while outside is an impressive collection of Soviet-made military hardware including Scud missile launchers, tanks and MiG fighters.
Earth and Man National Museum – is one of the largest mineralogical museums in the world. The museum covers mineral kingdom on Earth in different aspects – environment, source of raw materials and energy, subject of scientific knowledge, the subject of emotional and aesthetic impact.
The National Art Gallery – is a cultural gem that offers visitors an in-depth look at Bulgarian art and history. This magnificent structure, originally built as a royal palace, now serves as a national gallery featuring a diverse collection of artworks from the medieval period to contemporary pieces. Art lovers will be captivated by the extensive collections, which include masterpieces by Bulgarian artists and a selection of international works that reflect the rich tapestry of artistic expression.
Zhenski Pazar Market – is a vibrant marketplace that has been serving the city since the 19th century. This open-air bazaar is a sensory treat, offering an array of fresh produce, meats, spices, and homemade products from local vendors. The market also features a selection of restaurants and cafes where visitors can savor traditional Bulgarian cuisine. The architecture surrounding the market reflects the city’s diverse history, adding to the market’s unique atmosphere.
Paradise Centre Mall – is the largest mall in Bulgaria. This shopping and entertainment center features wide streets, rocky walls, exploding geyser, atrium with an artificial lake, water cascades, suspended gardens and more. Paradise is not just a mall, it is a lifestyle center which combines shopping with entertainment opportunities and impresses with scale and design.
Kvadrat 500 – This massive visual-arts gallery combines the holdings of the National Gallery and the former Museum of Foreign Art. The result is several hundred paintings spread out over 28 rooms. Works range from African tribal masks to countless 19th- and 20th-century paintings, mostly by lesser-known artists. Minor sketches by Renoir and Matisse and works by Gustave Courbet are on display.
National Historical Museum – This museum’s home is also a piece of Bulgarian history in its own right. The National Historical Museum is housed in the former dictator Todor Zhivkov’s residence. It’s a hulking slab of Stalinist architecture fronted by a massive open yard. The collection at the museum is gigantic; the 65,000 items on display is just one tenth of what is held behind the scenes in its archives. The variety of items here is also mind boggling, going from 20th-century space research equipment to treasures belonging to the Odrysians who held sway in Bulgaria until they were conquered by the Romans in the 1st century.
National Institute of Archaeology – Ferdinand I was on hand when this museum was inaugurated back in 1905 as a way of bring all of the important archaeological finds scattered around Sofia and Bulgaria under one roof. And the roof they chose was that of the city’s former Grand Mosque, decommissioned following the Bulgarian Revival. The main sections here are Prehistory, Main Hall (containing items from classical civilisations), Medieval Section and Treasury. The last on that list has the Valchitran and Lukovit Treasures, two breathtaking hoards of Thracian Gold. Discovered in 1953, the Lukovit Treasure dates to the time of Alexander the Great’s invasion of Thrace in 400BC.
Vitosha Mountain – Climbing to more than 2,200 metres behind Sofia’s southwestern suburbs is Vitosha, a monumental peak in a nature park, promising more adventure than you could ever cram into one trip. The easiest way to access Vitosha is via Aleko, the mountain’s ski resort, which is where the Simeonovo gondola lift will drop you off. From there the walk to Vitosha’s Black Peak is surprisingly light when then weather’s good in spring or autumn, as the peak is part of a large plateau that seems to go on forever thanks to its shallow gradient. Of course, you don’t need to go that far for an incredible, vertiginous view of Sofia.
Vitosha Boulevard – The fanciest street in the city, Vitosha Boulevard is where all the posh boutiques and fashion houses are clustered. If you’re not an upmarket shopper then you can just console yourself with those arresting views of Vitosha Mountain which is capped with a dusting of snow for much of the year and framed by the street’s tall buildings. It’s a thoroughly pleasant place to spend a couple of hours; the cafes along the pedestrian street have outdoor seating and in recent years the lampposts, benches and kiosks have been redesigned into an elegant art nouveau style, recalling the early years of the Bulgarian Revival.
Ivan Vazov National Theatre – The Viennese architects Helmer & Fellner, responsible for a catalogue of extravagant buildings across Central Europe, built this theatre in 1909. True to form the Ivan Vazov National Theatre is a grand neoclassical structure that remains the last word in Bulgarian culture to this day. The building with its towering portico is an iconic sight for Bulgaria, appearing on banknotes, and is most famous for its drama productions. Chief Director here is Alexander Morfov, responsible for acclaimed Bulgarian and Russian language adaptations of Don Quixote and Shakespeare plays in here and in Russia.
St. George Rotunda – The heart of ancient Serdica and the oldest building in modern Sofia, this red brick church was built all the way back in 300s. It’s a wonder that this building has survived unscathed for such an amount of time, and all around are interesting little details that hit home the great age of the site and civilisations that have passed though. Step inside to view the detailed medieval frescoes that had been painted over by the Ottomans when the church was converted to a mosque in the 1600s. These were only rediscovered and restored in the 1990s. Outside you can see the flagstones of a Roman street and other remnants of Ancient Serdica.
St. Sofia Church – It was this church that gave the city of Sofia its name in the 1300s during the Second Bulgarian Empire. This unassuming red brick building goes right back to Byzantine times and was founded in the 500s on top of the ancient city of Serdica’s necropolis, as well as an older church from a century before. When you visit you can see the remnants of this ancient church and the tombs that date back more than 1500 years. For two centuries after the Ottoman invasion this was a mosque, but was abandoned after one earthquake in the 1800s brought the minaret down and another killed the Imam’s two son’s.
Borisova Gradina – Sofia’s most famous park was landscaped in the 1880s right after the Bulgarian Revival, making it the oldest one in the city. It was developed over the next 50 years by three different designers: the Swiss Daniel Neff, the Alsatian Joseph Frei and then the Bulgarian Georgi Dutev (when the park’s Soviet monuments were installed). But what’s impressive is that all the landscapers worked within the original plan, and the upshot is a pleasing sense of coherence for such a big project. It all makes for a refreshing afternoon amble, and if you’re here on a summer evening there are free concerts to catch.
St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral – The scale of this building will blow you away. Inside St. Alexander Nevski has room for 10,000 people and it’s the second largest cathedral in the Balkan region. As with a great deal of Sofia’s grand architecture, the city’s cathedral dates to the 1880s. This was directly after the Ottomans were overthrown and the state of Bulgaria was re-established. It was originally dedicated to the Russian soldiers that lost their lives in the course of this liberation. The crypt here is open to visitors and has a big collection of icons.
Boyana Church – On the lower slopes of Vitosha Mountain (which we’ll come to next) is this UNESCO heritage site. The location of this medieval church is almost dreamlike, in a grove of tall softwood trees in a quiet suburb of the city. Boyana Church was built in three stages from the 1000s to the 1800s, but the most important additions were made during the Second Bulgarian Empire in the 1200s. This is when the fabulous interior frescoes were painted, depicting some 240 historical and biblical figures in a realistic style 200 years before renaissance artists were doing the same. The paintings, by an unknown artist, include contemporary portraits of two Bulgarian rulers, Tsar Konstantin Assen and Tsar Koloyan, next to their wives.
Sofia Zoo – Lions, tigers, elephants and bears are among the animals at Sofia’s small zoo, situated in a park about 2km south of the city centre. There are also play areas for children, and a couple of simple cafes. It’s free for children under seven years.
Pirotska Street
Mall of Sofia
Eagle’s Bridge
Central Market
National Ethnology Museum
National Palace of Culture
Central Mineral Baths
St. Nedelya Church
Park Vrana
Sofia City Garden
Hot Springs Mineral Water Fountains
National Gallery for Foreign Art
National Museum of History
Sofia Arsenal – Museum of Contemporary Art
Independence Square / The Largo / Parliament
Puppet Museum
Museum of Socialist Art
Kuklite (The Dolls Art House)
Sofia University Botanical Garden
Alexander Nevsky Antiques Market
Visit the art shops on Tsar Samuil
Bitaka Flea Market
The Snail House
Sports Museum
Food
Shopska Salad – tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet green peppers and red or green onions with a truckload of finely grated sirene cheese (a local Bulgarian feta) and parsley on top
Tarator Soup – cold yogurt soup and includes dill, cucumber, garlic
Mish Mash – scrambled eggs and whatever vegetable is on hand – typically bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions, plus some sirene cheese for good measure
Fried bread with feta and jam – a popular Bulgarian breakfast food
Banitsa – baked pastry dough filled with yogurt, sirene cheese, and eggs
Bob Chorba – soup containing dried white beans, onions, tomatoes, savoury herbs and carrots
Kashkaval – mild white cheese sort of similar to swiss or edam in terms of taste, like a much milder cheddar
Lozovi Sarmi – grape leaves stuffed with rice, onion, and spices
Palachinki – pancakes served with jam or Nutella
Tikvenik – pastry filled with pumpkin purée sweetened with brown sugar, warm spices, and orange zest
Tourist Info 