Itineraries
Where to stay
Around Alexander Nevsky for the cathedral, museum and Roman ruins on foot; Vitosha Boulevard for restaurants and evening walks; the Central Market Hall and Banya Bashi for food and the train station.
The areas: Around Alexander Nevsky, Vitosha Boulevard, Market Hall and Banya Bashi.
Where to stay in Sofia: areas and adviceHotels in SofiaPlaces to see
All things to do in BulgariaChurchAlexander Nevsky CathedralThe Neo-Byzantine cathedral of the Bulgarian Patriarch, Bulgaria's biggest, holding up to 10,000 people.Entry: Open daily until 5:30 PM
RuinsAncient Serdica complexRoman streets of ancient Serdica, including the decumanus maximus, shown below Nezavisimost Square in the Largo.Entry: Largo area free every day, 7 AM to 10 PM
MosqueBanya Bashi MosqueSofia's only active mosque, built in 1566 to 1567 by the architect Mimar Sinan, with a tiled interior.Entry: Active mosque; visit outside prayer times
ChurchBoyana ChurchA UNESCO-listed medieval church in the Boyana district, known for its frescoes, open in short visits.Entry: Visits in short timed slots
MarketCentral Sofia Market HallA covered market built in 1909 to 1911 on Maria Luiza Boulevard, with richly sculpted stone facades.Entry: Pay as you go
ChurchChurch of St George RotundaThe oldest preserved building in Sofia, a 3rd to 4th century Roman rotunda with later frescoes inside.Entry: Check the opening hours
MuseumNational Archaeological MuseumThe country's main archaeology museum, on Atanas Burov Square, with Thracian, Roman and medieval finds.Entry: Pay at the door; closed Mondays Nov to Apr
TempleRila MonasteryBulgaria's largest and best-known monastery, with a main church, museums and a medieval tower, in the Rila mountains.Entry: Grounds and church open daily; museums ticketed
ChurchSaint Sophia ChurchA 6th-century basilica above the tombs of the Serdica Necropolis, one of the oldest churches in Sofia.Entry: Check the opening hours
TransportSofia AirportBulgaria's main international airport, in the east of Sofia, used to start and end most trips.Entry: Pay as you go
TransportSofia Central StationThe central railway station on Maria Luiza Boulevard, an illustrative starting point for trips out of Sofia.Entry: Pay as you go
FoodVitosha BoulevardSofia's main pedestrian street, lined with restaurants and coffeeshops, running south toward Vitosha mountain.Entry: Pay as you go