Attractions in Sofia
Vitosha Boulevard is a main pedestrian thoroughfare with many shops and restaurants.
One of the symbols not just of Sofia but of Bulgaria itself, this massive, awe-inspiring church was built between 1882 and 1912 in memory of the 200,000 Russian soldiers who died fighting for Bulgaria’s independence during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78). It is named in honour of a 13th-century Russian warrior-prince.
Originally built as a final resting place for Bulgarian kings, this crypt now houses Bulgaria's biggest and best collection of icons, stretching back to the 5th century. Enter to the left of the eponymous church's main entrance.
Tiny 13th-century Boyana Church is included on Unesco’s World Heritage list and its 90 murals are among the very finest examples of Bulgarian medieval artwork. A combined ticket includes entry to both the church and the National Museum of History, 2km away.
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.
Built in the 4th century AD, this tiny red-brick church is Sofia's oldest preserved building. The murals inside were painted between the 10th and 14th centuries. It's a busy, working church, but visitors are welcome. To find the church, enter through an opening on ul Sâborna.
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.
This remarkable, partly covered excavation site, situated just above the Serdika metro station, displays the remains of the Roman city, Serdica, that once occupied this area. The remains were unearthed from 2010 to 2012 during construction of the metro. There are fragments of eight streets, an early Christian basilica, baths and houses dating from the 4th to 6th centuries. Plenty of signage in English.
This beautiful church with glittering mosaic exterior and golden domes was completed in 1914 for Sofia’s Russian community, and named in honour of St Nikolai, the ‘miracle worker’. Students believe that the saint brings them luck, so they go there to pray prior to important exams. The cramped interior features icons painted between the 11th and 14th centuries.
This tiny church, located in the centre of the Serdika metro complex, was built during the early years of Ottoman rule (late 14th century), which explains its sunken profile and inconspicuous exterior. Inside are some 16th-century murals. It’s rumoured that the Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski is buried here.
Housed in the former communist presidential palace, this museum occupies a stunning, if inconvenient, setting; unless a coach party turns up, you may have the place to yourself. The exhaustive collection includes Thracian gold treasures, Roman statuary, folk costumes, weaponry and icons, and outside you can see some Russian MiG fighters. There are regular temporary exhibitions, too.
You can almost sense the ghosts of generations of school parties dutifully trooping through the musty halls of Bulgaria's oldest museum, founded in 1889. Rocks, minerals, stuffed birds and animals, and mounted insects are on display.
Zlatnite Mostove – Zlatnite Mostove is a spray of large boulders – a 'stone river' – that runs down a slope from an altitude of about 1700m down to 1350m. The name, which translates to 'golden bridges', refers to the colour of lichen that grows on the stones. The boulders and green areas make for a popular sunbathing and picnicking spot. Hike up from near the Boyana Church. A taxi from the centre of Sofia will cost about 22 lv one way.
Sofia Synagogue – Sofia’s Moorish-style synagogue was designed by Austrian architect Friedrich Gruenanger, and was consecrated in 1909. Built to accommodate up to 1170 worshippers, it is the second-largest Sephardic synagogue in Europe, and its 2250kg brass chandelier is the biggest in Bulgaria. There's a small museum on the 2nd floor with an exhibition dedicated to the rescue of Bulgarian Jews during WWII.
Completed in 1863, this magnificent domed church is one of the city’s major landmarks, and is noted for its rich, Byzantine-style murals. The church was targeted by communists on 16 April 1925 in a failed bomb attack aimed at assassinating Tsar Boris III.
This working monastery is probably the oldest of its kind in Bulgaria. It was built around 1345, but abandoned only 40 years later. The monastery contains colourful murals and is revered as one of the hiding places of the ubiquitous anti-Turkish rebel leader Vasil Levski. The location is within the Vitosha National Park, about 1.5km south of the Dragalevtsi suburb of Sofia.
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.
Sofia’s only working mosque was built in 1576. It’s certainly an eye-catching edifice, and the red-brick minaret makes a convenient landmark. Visitors are welcome outside prayer times if modestly dressed.
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.
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.