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The Basilica of St Sofia, the church the city is named after — Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0

Things to Do

Gold domes and Roman streets in the centre, hot springs you can drink from and a mountain at the end of the high street. Every guide here says what a sight costs, how long it takes and whether it's worth your weekend.

Cathedral Church Sveta Nedelya

11 Best Things to Do in Sofia: My Personal Favourites

The best sights in Sofia sit close together and most are free. My 11 favourites, with prices, hours and a weekend plan.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia: My Guide to Visiting

Sofia's gold-domed cathedral is free and open every day. How I visit it, from the crypt icons to the market outside.

Boyana Church

Boyana Church in Sofia: The Frescoes and How I'd Visit

A tiny UNESCO church at the foot of Vitosha, painted in 1259. What it costs, the rules and how I fit it in.

Vitosha Mountain: How I Get Up There and Where I Go

Sofia's own mountain, 2,290 metres high and one city bus away, and how I spend a day up there.

We did not go inside, would have been great but on tours you do not always get what you want. National Archaeological Museum was officially opened and

The Best Museums in Sofia: My 9 Favourites and What They Cost

Nine Sofia museums I'd happily spend a morning in, what each costs in 2026, and the Thursday trick that cuts the bill.

Sofia seen from Vitosha

The Best Viewpoints in Sofia: 8 Places With a View

Where I go for the best view of Sofia, from the peaks of Vitosha to the hotel rooftops, and the hour to go.

Boulevard Vitosha (4)

Vitosha Boulevard, Sofia: My Walk from St Nedelya to NDK

Sofia's main street, walked the way I walk it: what's on it, what's a minute off it and where I eat.

Archaeological Complex Serdica, Sofia, Bulgaria

Ancient Serdica in Sofia: Where to See the Roman Ruins

Roman Sofia sits around the metro station. My route round the Serdica ruins, what is free and what costs €3.

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

The Best Churches in Sofia: My 8 Favourites, Ranked

Sofia's churches run from a Roman rotunda to a gold-domed cathedral. My 8 favourites, the prices and my route.

East facade of Russian Church in Sofia, Bulgaria

The Russian Church in Sofia: My Guide to St Nicholas

Sofia's gold-domed Russian Church is free to visit. How I leave a wish note in its crypt, and what sits nearby.

Sveta Sofia Church, Sofia, Bulgaria

St Sofia Basilica in Sofia: The Church That Named the City

The red-brick church that gave Sofia its name, with Roman tombs underneath. How I visit it and what it costs.

Church of Saint George, Sofia 2021.

Rotunda of St George in Sofia: Frescoes, Ruins and How I'd Visit

Sofia's oldest building hides in a courtyard behind the Presidency. What to see inside and how I fit it in.

National Palace of Culture

National Palace of Culture (NDK): My Guide to Sofia's 1981 Giant

Sofia's 1981 palace of culture: what it is, what's on by month and how I fit its fountains into a weekend.

National Historical Museum, Bulgaria

National History Museum Sofia: Thracian Gold and How I'd Visit

Bulgaria's biggest museum, out in Boyana: the Thracian gold, each hall, tickets and how I pair it with Boyana Church.

2014-06-15 in the Museum of socialist art (Sofia).

Museum of Socialist Art in Sofia: Lenins, the Red Star and How to Find It

Sofia's lawn of retired Lenins and the Party House red star, with 2026 prices, hours and how to find the gate.

Hot mineral water taps at the side of centalna mineralna banja Sofia, Sofia Public Mineral Baths, Bulgaria, old people get mineral water from there, because it

Central Mineral Baths in Sofia: the Hot Springs and the Museum

Sofia's old bath house is a museum now, but the hot springs still run free outside. What to see and where to soak.

View toward Lozenets quarter from South park, Sofia, Bulgaria. Kempinski Hotel Zografski is seen at the centre.

The Best Parks in Sofia: My 8 Favourite Green Spaces

Where I go for lawns, lakes and shade in Sofia, from Borisova Gradina to South Park at sunset, and what each suits.

Borisova Gradina: My Guide to Sofia's Oldest Park

Sofia's oldest park: what's where, the loop I walk from Orlov Most, and the season for boats, roses and skating.

Unique Things to Do in Sofia: 12 Off-the-Beaten-Path Picks

The odd side of Sofia I show friends after the big sights: a saint's crypt, peace bells, bronze lions, a candlelit bar.

Sofia with Kids: My Favourite Things to Do with Children

Where I take children in Sofia and the ages each suits, from fossils and a 10-seat planetarium to boulders on Vitosha.

How to Make Friends in Sofia: 10 Ways to Meet People

Sofia's expat scene is small and friendly. My 10 ways to meet people here, for a weekend or a move, with costs.

Banya Bashi Mosque, Sofia

Banya Bashi Mosque, Sofia: Visiting the City's Only Working Mosque

Sofia's one working mosque sits on its hot springs. When to go in, what to wear and what to see around it.

Sofia Synagogue

Sofia Synagogue: Visiting Europe's Third-Largest Synagogue

Europe's third-largest synagogue sits behind Sofia's market hall. Hours, tickets, the 1943 story and what is nearby.

Swimming Pools in Sofia: Where I Swim in Summer and Winter

Where I swim in Sofia: the summer outdoor pools, the lap pools and the hot mineral pools just outside the city.

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

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.