Top places to visit in Sofia

• Boyana Church

  unesco medieval church · 4.5 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  UNESCO-listed medieval church at the foot of Vitosha, famed for its remarkably lifelike 1259 frescoes.

• Banya Bashi Mosque

  ottoman mosque · 4.4 rating · about 0.3 h · check the fee at the gate

  Sofia's only working mosque, a graceful 16th-century Ottoman design attributed to Mimar Sinan.

• Central Mineral Baths & Sofia History Museum

  city history museum · 4.4 rating · about 1.3 h · check the fee at the gate

  An Art-Nouveau former bathhouse now housing the Sofia History Museum, with free-flowing mineral springs outside.

• Ivan Vazov National Theatre

  theatre · 4.8 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Bulgaria's stately 1907 national theatre, its neo-classical facade overlooking the City Garden.

• Sofia Synagogue

  sephardic synagogue · 4.1 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  One of the largest Sephardic synagogues in Europe (1909), with a Moorish-revival interior and a small museum.

• Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

  orthodox cathedral · 4.8 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  Sofia's emblematic neo-Byzantine Orthodox cathedral (1912) with gilded domes and a crypt museum of Bulgarian icons.

• National Palace of Culture (NDK)

  congress centre · 4.5 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  A vast 1981 congress and cultural centre fronted by fountains and a lively park at the head of Vitosha Boulevard.

• Sveta Nedelya Cathedral

  orthodox cathedral · 4.8 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  A domed Orthodox cathedral on Sofia's central square, rebuilt after a 1925 bombing.

• Russian Church of St Nicholas

  russian orthodox church · 4.8 rating · about 0.4 h · check the fee at the gate

  A jewel-box Russian Orthodox church (1914) with gilded onion domes and green-and-gold tiling.

• National Museum of History

  history museum · 4.6 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate

  Bulgaria's largest museum in the Boyana district, holding Thracian gold including the Panagyurishte treasure.

• St Sofia Basilica (Sveta Sofia)

  basilica · 4.7 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  6th-century red-brick basilica that gave the city its name, above a Roman necropolis you can visit underground.

• Rotunda of St George

  roman rotunda · 4.6 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  The oldest building in Sofia, a 4th-century red-brick Roman rotunda hidden in a courtyard amid Serdica ruins.

Things to do

• Sofia Old Town Walking Tour Walking Tour · 2 h · from EUR 12 per person
• Rila Monastery & Boyana Church Day Trip Day Trip · 9 h · from EUR 55 per person
• Communist History Walking Tour Cultural · 2.5 h · from EUR 18 per person
• Bulgarian Food & Wine Tasting Tour Food Tour · 3 h · from EUR 35 per person
• Mount Vitosha Hiking Day Hiking · 6 h · from EUR 40 per person
• Sofia Craft Beer & Pub Crawl Nightlife · 3 h · from EUR 25 per person

Day trips and tours

• Rila Monastery & Boyana Church Day Tour 9 h · from EUR 55
• Plovdiv Day Trip from Sofia 10 h · from EUR 60

Where to stay in Sofia

• City Center / Serdika about EUR 110 per night

  The historic heart around the Largo and Serdica ruins — walkable to nearly every sight.

• Oborishte about EUR 130 per night

  Elegant, quiet embassy district around Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the galleries.

• Vitosha Boulevard / NDK about EUR 100 per night

  The lively pedestrian shopping and cafe strip below Mount Vitosha.

Hotels

• Sofia Balkan Palace 5-star · EUR 130 to EUR 220 per night
• Grand Hotel Sofia 5-star · EUR 120 to EUR 200 per night
• Sense Hotel Sofia 5-star · EUR 110 to EUR 180 per night
• Hostel Mostel Sofia EUR 12 to EUR 35 per night

Where to eat

• Shtastlivetsa Bulgarian, European · about EUR 18 per person
• Moma Bulgarian Food & Wine Bulgarian, Wine bar · about EUR 21 per person
• Manastirska Magernitsa Bulgarian, Traditional · about EUR 18 per person
• Hadjidraganov's Houses Bulgarian, Grill · about EUR 18 per person
• Skara Bar Bulgarian, Grill · about EUR 12 per person

Getting to Sofia

Airport: Sofia (SOF)

How visitors arrive in Sofia

• Fly into Sofia (SOF) By air from Sofia Airport · common

  Sofia Airport is the busiest in Bulgaria, with budget and traditional carriers. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Train to Sofia Central By train from Plovdiv / Varna / Burgas / Bucharest / Istanbul · possible

  Sofia is a major railway hub with lines from Bulgarian cities and international links from Bucharest and Istanbul. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• International bus By road from Belgrade / Vienna / Budapest · possible

  International buses arrive at Serdika station from cities such as Belgrade, Vienna, Berlin and Budapest. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the airport to the centre

• Metro Line 4 from Sofia airport

  Metro Line 4 stops a short walk outside Terminal 2 and runs to the centre; changing is needed for the central bus station. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Bus 84 from both terminals

  Bus 84 serves both terminals and the centre, and stops at Orlov Most where you can change to the metro. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• OK Supertrans official airport taxi

  OK Supertrans is the contracted airport taxi firm. Use the official rank to the right of arrivals or the taxi office by baggage reclaim. Fares are regulated. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Avoid touts and cars with a fake OK logo waiting at the terminal; use the official rank or order via a company app or phone. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the railway station to the centre

• Metro from Central Station and bus station

  Sofia Central railway station and the central bus station share a Metro Line 2 stop at the northern edge of the centre. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

Getting around

• Metro

  Sofia's metro includes a line to the airport and a station serving Sofia Central Station.

  Sofia Metropolitan

• Taxi

  Taxis in Sofia can be hailed on the street or ordered by phone or through apps such as TaxiMe.

  Get TaxiMe

• Tram

  Trams run on many routes through central Sofia alongside the buses and the metro.

• Walking

Paying

• Metro gates accept bank cards and payment apps, and contactless works on buses and trams. International rail ticket windows take cash only. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

Safety and scams to avoid

• Airport taxi overcharging

  Sofia Airport arrivals

  Unofficial or rigged-meter taxis at the terminal quote inflated fixed fares to the centre.

  How to avoid it: Use the official OK Supertrans desk or take Metro Line 4 directly into town.

• Dynamic currency conversion on cards

  ATMs and card terminals citywide

  ATMs and shops offer to charge your card in your home currency at a poor built-in exchange rate.

  How to avoid it: Always choose to be charged in euro (EUR), the local currency, to get your bank's rate.

Best time to visit Sofia

• Jan 4°C
• Feb 7°C
• Mar 11°C
• Apr 17°C
• May 21°C
• Jun 25°C
• Jul 28°C
• Aug 28°C
• Sep 23°C
• Oct 18°C
• Nov 11°C
• Dec 5°C

More in Bulgaria

• Plovdiv
• Varna
• Nessebar
• Bansko
• Burgas
• Veliko Tarnovo

Frequently asked questions about Sofia

What are the top-rated places to visit in Sofia?

The highest-rated places in our Sofia guide are Ivan Vazov National Theatre, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sveta Nedelya Cathedral, Russian Church of St Nicholas, St Sofia Basilica (Sveta Sofia).

Where should I stay in Sofia?

Our guide covers these areas to stay in Sofia: City Center / Serdika, Oborishte, Vitosha Boulevard / NDK.

How do I get around Sofia?

Ways to get around Sofia covered in our guide: Metro, Taxi, Tram, Walking.

What scams should I watch out for in Sofia?

Scams reported to us for Sofia include Airport taxi overcharging; Dynamic currency conversion on cards. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.

What is the weather like in Sofia?

Average daytime highs in Sofia run from 4°C in Jan to 28°C in Aug.

Which airport is nearest to Sofia?

The nearest airport to Sofia has the code SOF.