Sofia seen from the wooded slopes of Vitosha
Photo: Ivano Giambattista, CC0

Plan Your Trip

Flights from the UK, the airport run, euros and cards, SIM cards, taxis and how safe the city is at night. The practical side of a trip to Sofia, plus plans for a weekend, a long weekend or two weeks in the Balkans.

Yellow brick road
Guide

Sofia Travel Tips: What I'd Tell You Before a First Trip to Bulgaria

What I tell friends before their first Sofia trip: visas, the euro, the airport metro, taxis and the head nod.

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Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, located in Sofia (Bulgaria), is one of the ten largest Orthodox cathedrals in the world, with an area of 3170 m² and a height of 53
Guide

My Perfect Weekend in Sofia: A 2-Day Plan with Costs

How I would spend 48 hours in Sofia: what to see, where to eat, the Saturday night out and what it all costs.

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L'esterno del terminal 1 dell'aeroporto di Sofia
Guide

Flights from the UK to Sofia: Airlines, Airports and Fares

Which airline flies to Sofia from which UK airport, how long it takes, the fares I saw and getting into town.

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Sofia; der "Frauenmarkt" (Schenski pasar)
Guide

Sofia Prices in 2026: What Things Cost

Sofia is cheap by UK standards, though hotel rooms close the gap. Pints, meals, metro rides and a weekend, in euros.

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Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria. Its foundation stone was laid on March 3, 1882, four years after signing the Treaty of San Stefano, granting the
Itinerary

My Sofia Itinerary: How I'd Spend 3, 4 or 5 Days

How I'd spend 3, 4 or 5 days in Sofia: one area a day, two day trips by bus or train, and what each day costs.

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Sofia, winter - Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Guide

The Best Time to Visit Sofia, Month by Month

When I'd come to Sofia, season by season: the weather, the festivals, the cheap flights and the months I'd skip.

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Sofia Airport Metro Station
Guide

Sofia Airport to the City Centre: Metro, Bus and Taxi

How I get from Sofia Airport into town: the metro, bus 84, the night bus and a fair taxi fare, with times and prices.

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A Tatra T4 in service with the Sofia public transport in 2018.
Guide

Getting Around Sofia: Metro, Trams, Taxis and Tickets

How I get around Sofia on foot, by metro, tram and taxi, with the 2026 fares and the ticket I would buy for a weekend.

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1 taxi new Sofia Bulgaria
Guide

Taxis in Sofia: Fares, Apps and How to Avoid Rip-Offs

Metered cabs in Sofia are cheap and easy to book. What a ride costs, the apps I use and the rip-offs to dodge.

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An LG Nexus 5X LG smartphone with a Project Fi SIM card in a partially-ejected SIM card tray.
Guide

Bulgaria SIM Cards and eSIMs: Prices, Networks and Where to Buy

The eSIMs and prepaid SIMs I would buy in Bulgaria, what each one costs in euros, and when your UK roaming will do.

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Welcome to the euro Bulgaria
Guide

Money in Bulgaria: The Euro and Cards

Bulgaria swapped the lev for the euro in 2026. Cards, cash, ATMs and old leva, from a Brit who pays here daily.

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Ivan Vazov National Theatre, Sofia, Bulgaria.
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Sofia on a Budget: How I'd Do Sofia Cheaply in 2026

Free sights, €6 set lunches and €2 travel days: how I do Sofia cheaply, with three days costed line by line.

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Sofia, Stadtzentrum, Boulevard Witoscha (ein Fußgängerzone; trotz Straßenbahnschienen dürfen dort nicht mehr Straßenbahnen fahren
Guide

Is Sofia Safe? My Honest Take as a Brit Who Lives Here

Sofia is a safe, easy capital with a few rip-offs. Where I walk at night, the scams I dodge and who to call.

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Musagenitsa metro station in Sofia Bulgaria on 20230629
Guide

Sofia Metro: Lines, Fares, Hours and the Stops I Use

How I ride the Sofia metro: the four lines, the €0.80 tap-in fare, train times and the stops nearest the sights.

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This is a photo of a monument in Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria identified by the ID
Itinerary

My Bulgaria Itinerary: 7 Days by Bus and Train, or 10 by Car

How I'd see Bulgaria from Sofia in 7 days by bus and train or 10 by car, with every leg timed and the costs added up.

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Bulgaria Trip Day Three. Part of a large fleet of Czechoslovakian built locos from Skoda running in Bulgaria as classes 42, 43, 44 and 45. These are staple
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Getting Around Bulgaria: Buses, Trains, Driving and Taxis

Buses, slow trains, hire cars and taxis: the one I take on each Bulgarian route, and what each one costs.

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This is a photo of a natural heritage site in Bulgaria, id:
Guide

Trains in Bulgaria: Routes, Fares and Tickets from Sofia

Bulgaria by rail from Sofia: the routes I take, real BDZ fares, night trains, tickets and when I catch the bus.

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A Sač dish served in a restaurant in Nesebar
Guide

Tipping in Bulgaria: How Much to Leave

About 10% at the table, the coins at the bar: how I tip in Sofia, from restaurants and taxis to hotels and hairdressers.

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Church of St. John at Kaneo, Ohrid.
Itinerary

My Balkans Itinerary from Sofia: 2 Weeks by Coach and Train

My two-week loop from Sofia through Thessaloniki, Skopje and Lake Ohrid, plus an eastern version by train to Istanbul.

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Guide

Sofia in Winter: Snow, Christmas Markets and Where I Warm Up

Sofia from December to February: the cold, the snow, the markets and the warm corners I head for.

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This is a photo of a natural heritage site in Bulgaria, id:
Guide

What to Pack for Bulgaria: My Packing List for Every Season

What goes in my bag for Bulgaria, season by season: the plug, the paperwork, church clothes and mountain layers.

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Boulevard Vitosha (2)
Guide

Solo Female Travel in Bulgaria: My Guide From Sofia

Bulgaria suits a first solo trip. How I stay safe in Sofia, get home at night, meet people and do day trips alone.

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