• VisitSofia.bg, Sofia's official tourist information website. Available in several languages, including English.
• 42.6932623.3343331 Main tourist information centre, 22 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd (in the underpass of Sofia University, under the intersection south of the main building), ☏ +359 2 491 83 44. M-F 09:30 – 18:00. (updated Jun 2024)
• 42.69795623.3219142 Tourist information centre (the Largo), Nezavisimost Sqr (in the pedestrian underpass/entrance to the Serdika II metro station), ☏ +359 2 49 49 315. M–F 09:30–18:00. (updated Jun 2024)
• 42.69492723.3247443 Tourist information kiosk (Chitalnyata (The Reading Room)) (kiosk in the City Garden, the small park in front of the National Theatre), ☏ +359 885 921 620. 10:00 – 20:00 (every day). A small reading room/library in a glass kiosk that also serves as a tourist information point. (You can get a library membership by donating at least one book, but the books are only in Bulgarian.) (updated Jun 2024)

• 42.69523.4083331 Sofia Airport (Летище София SOF  ^IATA) (9 km east of the city center). It is the busiest airport in Bulgaria, with annual passenger traffic of approximately 4 million.  

Over 20 airlines operate service to/from Sofia, with direct flights to/from Athens, Paris, Vienna, London, Rome, Amsterdam, Munich, Warsaw and other European cities. There are also domestic flights from Varna and Burgas.

Along with traditional carriers, some low-cost companies serving Bulgaria are EasyJet (to/from London-Gatwick, Madrid, Manchester) and Wizz Air (to/from Paris-Beauvais, Barcelona, Brussels-Charleroi, Dortmund, Eindhoven, London-Luton, Milan-Bergamo, Rome-Fiumicino, Valencia) and RyanAir. Bulgaria Air, the national carrier operates service to/from Alicante, Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Bucharest, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Larnaca, London (Gatwick & Heathrow), Madrid, Málaga, Manchester, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Paris, Rome, Skopje, Tel Aviv, Tirana, Tripoli, Valencia, Vienna and Zürich.

Budget airlines including EasyJet, Eurowings and Wizz Air operate from Terminal 1, while the traditional carriers including Bulgaria Air but also Ryanair operate from Terminal 2. There are shops, cafes, post offices, ATMs, and money exchange offices at the airport. For more details, see the airport website^{[dead link]}.

There is a free shuttle bus operating between Terminals 1 and 2 every 15–30 minutes between 05:00 and 23:00. Outside of those hours, a free shuttle bus can be requested at the information desk or you can use Busses #84 or 184 depending on direction (see below). After midnight you might asked to book a cab for such ride.

To travel between the airport and the city centre:

• Sofia Metro Line 4 (Yellow) operates service to the airport between 05:30 and 24:00. The stop is next to Terminal 2 (leave the building and go east). The journey to the city centre takes 20–30 minutes. The journey to the central bus station takes approximately 35 minutes and a transfer is required. A single ticket costs 1.60 лв. You no longer need an extra ticket for each piece of large luggage. You can also buy a day ticket for all modes of public transport for 4 лв. The access gates as well as some ticket vending machines also accept credit cards and payment apps such as Apple Pay.
• Public Busses #84 and 184 operates service between both terminals and the city centre. The journey takes 30–40 minutes. Tickets can be purchased from news stands or ticket machines in the airport as well as by contactless payment aboard. A single ticket costs 1.60 лв. An extra ticker for large luggage is no longer needed. The bus makes a stop at Orlov Most (Sofia University metro station), where you can transfer to the metro.
• Taxi service from the airport is regulated. OK Supertrans AD is the only contracted taxi operator from the airport. It is best to request a taxi either from the taxi stand to the right when you leave the arrivals area or the taxi office right adjacent to the exit from the baggage reclaim. Beware of touts offering taxi service as well as non-contracted taxis with the fake "OK" logo which usually wait in front of the terminal instead on the official taxi rank besides it. A taxi to the city center will cost approximately 15 лв. The regulated taxi fare is: initial fee of 0.70 лв, price per km 0.79 лв in the day or 0.90 лв at night, price per minute of stay of 0.22 лв, price for ordering a taxi via phone of 0.50 лв. You can also use the Ridenow Taxi app.

Eurolines Bulgaria is the largest operator of international buses to/from Bulgaria. Buses operate to/from Belgrade (5 hr, €23) and other cities in Serbia, Vienna (15½ hr, €59) and other cities in Austria, Paris (36 hr, €120) and other cities in France, Berlin (28 hr, €110) and other cities in Germany, Budapest (11-13 hr, €48), and Prague (21 hr, €63).

MATPU 96 is the largest operator of buses in Bulgaria. The schedule is available in Bulgarian and English online. Buses operate several times per day from Skopje (5½ hr, €15).

Another company running between Skopje and Sofia is Kaleia Travel with two departure per day, 07:00 and 17:30 (both ways). Ticket booth no. 10 in the main terminal building. 40 лв.

• 42.71027823.3233332 Central Bus Station (Tsentralna Avtogara, Централна автогара), bul. "Knyaginya Maria-Luiza" 100 (in the north part of the city centre; on the same large boulevard that passes through Independence Sqr and Lion's Bridge). Serves both national and international lines, but mainly the former. Schedules and fares are available in Bulgarian online. Next to the Central Railway Station, so it's served by the same metro station on Metro Line 2 (Blue). Also accessible via busses № 78, 85, 213, 305, 404, 413, and trams № 1, 3, 6, 7. (updated Feb 2024)
• 42.71098423.3221643 International Bus Station / Bus Station Serdika (Автогара Сердика) (right between the Central Railway Station and the Central Bus Station). A parking lot with two low buildings with ticket offices on the sides. Used by international lines. The large Bulgarian company Union-Ivkoni also uses it for some of its national lines, e.g. to Pernik, Radomir and Kyustendil. (updated Feb 2024)

Three smaller bus stations serve national and local lines:

• 42.67266123.2718134 Bus Station West (Ovcha Kupel) (Avtogara Zapad, Автогара Запад (Овча купел)), bul. "Ovcha Kupel" 1 (in the Ovcha Kupel neighbourhood, several kilometres south-west of the city centre). Mainly used by smaller companies serving local lines around Sofia (and the appearance matches), but also to Blagoevgrad, Dupnitsa and Kyustendil. Accessible by trams № 4 and 11, and buses № 103, 107 and 260. The nearest metro station, Ovcha Kupel on Line 3 (Green), is 1.4 km (0.87 mi) north along the same boulevard. (updated Feb 2024)
• 42.66876723.3524695 Bus Station South (Автогара Юг), bul. "Dragan Tsankov" 23 (in the Iztok neighbourhood, several kilometres south-east of the city centre - beyond the Borisova Garden). A small prefab building huddled under the overpass where Dragan Tsankov Blvd goes over Samokov Blvd. Buses to Samokov and Velingrad. Accessible via buses № 67 and 413 ("Interpred" stop), as well as metro station Zholio Kyuri (Joliot-Curie) on Lines 1 and 4 (Red, Yellow) - 400 m/yd to the north of Bus Station South along the same boulevard. (updated Feb 2024)
• 42.70337323.3600536 Bus Station Poduyane (Автогара Подуяне) (between the neighbourhoods of Poduyane and Suha Reka, close to Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, several kilometres north-east of the city centre). Another questionably looking shack. Buses to Botevgrad, Etropole and Pravets north of Sofia (but there are also some that start from the Central Bus Station). Accessible via trolleybus № 1 and buses № 78, 79, 90, 100, 120 (but only 79 stops right in front of it). The nearest metro station is Hadzhi Dimitar, the end point of Line 3 (Green) - a 10-15 min walk; follow the large Vladimir Vazov Blvd east along the river until you reach a large intersection, then make sure you cross to the eastern side and head south - look to your left for the bus station's parking lot. (updated Feb 2024)

Sofia is perhaps the largest railway hub in the country. A list of all the available daily trains would resemble a description of Bulgaria's railway network. Nevertheless:

A major line through North Bulgaria connects Sofia to Varna on the Black Sea coast (8-8½ hr, sleeper cars available on overnight trains). It passes through Shumen (about 7 hr), Targovishte (6½ hr) and Pleven (3-3¾ hr). Off the line, Ruse (about 7 hr) and Veliko Tarnovo (5-6½ hr) require changing at Gorna Oryahovitsa. In the North-West, Vidin (5-6½ hr) and Vratsa (2-3 hr) require changing at Mezdra. The line crosses the Balkan Mountains through the scenic Iskar Gorge, about an hour away from Sofia, so keep your camera ready.

South of the Balkan Mountains, another major line connects Sofia with Plovdiv (2½-3 hr) and with Burgas on the Black Sea (7-8 hr, sleeper cars on late trains). There's also the smaller Sub-Balkan Line which runs below the southern slopes of the mountains, through the Sub-Balkan Valleys. The network ensures direct trains from Yambol (6-6½ hr), Stara Zagora (5 hr), Svilengrad by the Greek/Turkish border (5 hr), and Pazardzhik (2-2½ hr).

Another line descends south from Sofia towards the Greek border, with direct trains from Pernik (40 min), Kyustendil by the North Macedonian Border (3 hr), Blagoevgrad (2-3 hr), Sandanski, and Petrich (4 hr). Further timetables can be found on the BDZ website (in English).

There are several train stations and stops in Sofia, but of interest to travellers are mostly two. Since May 2024, due to track renovations, most trains to destinations in Northern Bulgaria arrive at/depart from Sofia North station. This most notably affects some of the "tourist trains" to Varna (a couple direct ones remain). Nevertheless, it's still possible to buy tickets for those destinations at Sofia Central, as there are shuttle trains from Sofia Central to Sofia North, and you'll have to change trains there. Renovations are expected to last about a year.

• 42.71194323.3210387 Sofia Central Station (Централна железопътна гара София/Tsentralna zhelezopatna gara Sofiya/Tsentralna Gara) (on the northern end of the city centre). The station can be somewhat confusing. Domestic departures go from the main terminal and that is where you can buy tickets for domestic travel. If you want to travel to an international destination, use ticket windows 21 or 22 on ground floor. It's opened 06:30-18:15. They speak some English and to book a ticket, you will need your passport. They only take cash. Platforms can be accessed from the main floor down the escalators at the far left corner. Platform numbering is somewhat confusing: Roman numerals indicate the platform number (I to VI), and Arabic numerals (1 to 12) indicate the actual track. Each platform is divided into East and West. Departures and arrivals are indicated on reliable electronic panels, but, beware, they indicate the track number, not the platform! (updated Dec 2021)
• 42.72633723.3164798 Sofia North Station (София Север, Sofia Sever) (about 3 km (1.9 mi) north-west of Sofia Central: follow Knyaginya Maria Luiza Bld west, then Rozhen Bld north, turn east at the tram tracks T-intersection). A secondary station used by few passengers under normal circumstances. There's a tram turnaround in front of the station; tram lines 3 and 27 start there and pass through Sofia Central Station and its public transport hub (incl. a metro station). Alternatively, you can ride them further: Tram 3 stops at Pirotska Str (close to the Women's Market) and Vazrazhdane Sqr (close to Nezavisimost Sqr and Mall of Sofia); Tram 27 stops at Lion's Bridge, Sveta Nedelya Sqr (close to Nezavisimost Sqr), Vitosha Blvd, and the National Palace of Culture. You can also use Bus 413 to get to Sofia Central. (updated May 2024)

The motorway network in Bulgaria is still under construction.

Access to Bulgaria's capital is via several entry points:

• From the north (Vidin) & south (Thessaloniki) via E79.
• From the east - via Thrace Highway E80/A1.
• From the west - from the Bulgarian-Serbian border point of Kalotina.

The following motorways heading for Sofia are already in service:

• A1 connects Sofia to Burgas and the Black Sea coast, as well as Istanbul.
• A2 ends about 80 km from each city; the rest of the route is a regular 2-lane road. Extensions into the cities are planned.
• A3 is planned to be from Sofia to Thessaloniki, about 2/3 of the route is already in service.

Coming from North Macedonia, via Kyustendil the roads are relatively good but driving within speed limits would avoid you much hassle caused either by traffic police, or road conditions. From Central Europe you can drive almost the whole length on highways (via Slovenia-Croatia-Serbia or Hungary-Serbia), with only the last 100 km between Niš in Southern Serbia and Sofia being heavily trafficked mountain roads around the Nishava ravine in not the best shape.

This article or section might have obsolete information. The public transport payment system was overhauled at the start of 2023; paper tickets are no longer in use. And the Sofia Metro has 4 lines now... Plunge forward and update it!

Sofia has a well-developed, cheap, and efficient public transport system^{[dead link]} that consists of buses, trolleybuses, trams, and subway lines. The transport network can be confusing for visitors who do not know it well, but there is a journey planner. The public transport operates from 05:00–23:00. Night transport is back since November 1st 2023^{[dead link]}, and as of April 2025 there are four night lines: N1 (zh.k. Lyulin 0650) to Mladost 4 0669), N2 (Obelya quarter 0874 to zh.k. Studentski grad 1694), and N3 (zh.k. Levski G 2430 to zh.k. Ovcha Kupel 2 0684) and N4 (zh.k. Druzhba-2 0612 to zh.k. Gotse Delchev 0600). Note: the four digit codes are the codes of the stops themselves.^{[dead link]}

The price of a single metro ticket is 1.60 лв only paid in the local currency cash, while a bus/tram/trolleybus ticket is 2 лв. There are also daily travel cards (4 лв). Tickets and daily cards can be bought at most newspaper stands especially ones adjacent to public transport stops. If you can't find any, you can always buy tickets from the driver. Validate your card/ticket as soon as you get on the bus/tram/trolleybus. The inspectors rarely understand English and you might have problems with them if you travel without a ticket. Inspectors ambush and board buses and trams in groups (and their attitude is generally not friendly at all), sometimes accompanied by police, and make no exceptions. The fine is 40 лв.

Tickets can also be purchased using contactless bank cards and payment apps such as Apple and Google Pay (Visit Sofia, which might be the easiest solution for foreign visitors. In the metro, the ticket gates have a contactless symbol indicating the location of the reader (it's on the left side, not the right). On buses and trams, there are blue electronic readers with the same contactless symbol. Contactless purchases will be capped to the cost of the daily travel pass. Visit Sofia states: "If you travel more than three times during the day, from 16:30 to 00:00, including a combination of ground transport, the system automatically charges a daily pass price of 4 лв, regardless of how many times you used public transport. The only condition is to use the same bank card throughout the day and for one person only."

The day ticket needs to be shown to the person at the ticket office before every metro trip, as they are supposed to check the date stamp (manually applied at the time of sale) before activating the ticket barriers to accept it. If you are staying for 4 or more days, or 3+ days and arriving directly in the city centre, you can also buy a 3-day ticket on an electronic card from the public transport offices (not from metro stations or at the airport) for 10 лв + 2 лв card fee.

There are 15 tram lines, 9 trolley lines, 93 bus lines and 4 metro lines. Some of the buses cover the area outside the city centre including neighboring villages. Useful routes are bus #84 from both terminals of the airport to the center; from the train/bus station to Orlov most - bus #213 or #214 or tram #1, #7 and #18 to Vitosha Street and Sv. Nedelya Square, #1, #6, #7 to the National Palace of Culture, #18 to Slaveykov square or #6 to Macedonia square.

Streets have adequate tiled pavements, especially in the city centre. However, they are frequently uneven and potholed, and walking is further made difficult by parked cars, street vendors and cafes. Except for areas in the very centre, pavements rarely have slopes for wheelchair access or designated lanes for bicycle riders. Pedestrian crossings are numerous and are relatively respected by drivers. Use pedestrian underpasses to cross large intersections, though avoid ones in the suburbs as these are usually derelict.

Mini-buses (marshrutki) stop if you just wave a hand and are usually fast way to go somewhere without need to change the car, but they aren't common anymore. You pay to the driver when you get on the car. Prices are 1.50 лв. You must tell the driver if and when you want to get off.

Taxis in Sofia are yellow. Taxis can be caught on the streets or can be ordered by phone, they arrive fast and are reliable. A drive inside Sofia will rarely exceed 10 лв and a trip from the airport to the city center 8-15 лв.

There are many companies offering taxi services, some of them are OK Supertrans taxi (973 2121), €1 Taxi, "962-22-26", Yellow Taxi (91119) and Radio CV Taxi (91263) with fares around 0.80 лв/km. Some taxi companies have smartphone apps available that allow you to register and order taxis to your specific address in real time, thus eliminating the risk of falling prey to scams. As of June 2017, Yellow Taxi has the most user-friendly app for foreigners.

There are some taxis trying to imitate the most popular ones but with outrageous prices (up to 5.90 лв/km) so check before you board, these taxis usually hang around hotels and tourist spots picking on unsuspecting customers, The general rule is that if a taxi driver comes to you and offers you a drive, never accept it because they will try to rip you off.

Taxi drivers may not stop if you hail them on the street and often don't have much change, so plan accordingly (or leave tips!)

The TaxiMe app (similar to Uber) works well in Sofia. It is possible to use a US phone number and to have a credit card entered so that the taxi hail and payments are all automatic.

Regular taxis will not take more than 4 passengers, so do not count on small children sitting in laps or otherwise squeezing extra people in a taxi.

Renting a car is possible, but not necessarily a good idea if your plans are restricted to visiting only Sofia and not travelling elsewhere in the country. Driving here can be strenuous for those with less experience behind the wheel - be prepared for traffic jams and disorganized traffic. Those of you who plan on visiting more of the country can rent a car from a local company (much cheaper than the big brands) or use a broker as some of the local companies do not even have websites.

If you need to park your car, you are recommended to do it in a paid guarded lot. Parking in the center is difficult and you may be parked illegally without knowing it; foreign license plates may attract unwelcome attention of Bulgarian police and of criminals. Even if there are other cars parked in the area, double check that there are no signs or pavement markings prohibiting it. Parking in the central city area on working days is paid^{[dead link]}, it is divided in a so-called Blue Zone ("Синя зона") — 2 лв per hour, and a Green Zone ("Зелена зона") — 1 лв per hour. If you have a Bulgarian mobile number, you can also pay by SMS: send the vehicle registration plate number to "1302" for the "Green zone" or 1303 for the "Blue zone". This will charge parking for an hour through your phone bill. Five minutes before the prepaid time is up you will receive a warning sms. You can either send another message for another hour or move your car.

Pay attention to trams or buses stopping in the middle of the road. If you see a stopped tram or bus on your left, you must stop and let the passengers get on/off, according to the Bulgarian traffic code. Failing to stop in this manner may be very dangerous.

Driving with your lights on is compulsory, day and night, all year long.

Sofia is one of the greenest capitals in Europe, with the big park zones ideal for biking. Slow traffic in downtown is perfect for cycling. On a bike you will save time and will enjoy sport activity. Sofia also has a few bike paths around the downtown area and in districts such as Mladost, Nadezhda, Hipodruma. Be careful as many cars double park and may open doors without noticing you. Rent a bike) Bike rental operates 10:00-20:00 (April to November). Discover Sofia by bike map or joint to an experienced bike guide.

Sofia was founded because of the quality of its mineral waters. In the city, there are 7 independent mineral water springs. One of the springs is in the central area of the city and is accessible for everybody - cross the square behind the mosque, next to TSUM (the intersection of Iskar and Ekzarh Yosif streets).

• 42.699423.32372 Sofia History Museum (Central Mineral Baths). Museum of the history of Sofia itself, housed in the colourful old building of the Central Mineral [Water] Baths (built 1913). Exhibits include many luxurious items formerly belonging to Bulgaria's last monarchs. There's a hot spring tap in a corner of the façade, but a larger cluster of mineral water drinking fountains can be found just across the small street to the north (left when facing the building). 10 лв. (updated Mar 2025)

• 42.68839723.3507113 National Museum of Military History, 92 Cherkovna Str., ☏ +359 2 946 18 05, fax: +359 2 946 18 06, [email protected]. 10:00-18:00. Huge outdoor display of Warsaw Pact tanks, planes, APCs and other equipment, and indoor displays on the Bulgarian military history going back several centuries. Adults 8 лв. (updated Jan 2025)
• 42.69611123.3272224 Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum, 6A Moskovska Str, ☏ +359 2 988 41 91, fax: +359 2 980 11 62, [email protected]. Has a permanent collection of traditional Bulgarian costumes and a changing exhibition.  
• 42.69611123.3344445 Earth and Man National Museum (Национален музей), 4 Cherni Vruh Blvd, ☏ +359 2 865 66 39, fax: +359 2 866 14 57, [email protected]. 10:00-18:00. Has the biggest collection of gigantic minerals in the World. 2 лв.  
• 42.65497223.2707786 National Museum of History, 16 Vitoshko lale str. (ул. Витошко лале 16) (Take trolley #2 southwest from the corner of Praga Blvd. and Patriarh Eftimiy Blvd. Get off at the roundabout at the end of the bus line. Cross the busy Okolovrustino Shosse (ring road) and walk through the trees. The museum is not visible from the road, nor are there any signs.), ☏ +359 2 955 42 80, fax: +359 2 955 76 02, [email protected]. 09:30-18:00. The National Museum of History (Национален исторически музей) in the Rezidentsia Boyana in Sofia contains more than 650,000 exhibits and is one of the largest history museums on the Balkans, so be prepared to spend several hours. The aim of the museum is to provide a comprehensive view on Bulgarian history from the prehistory to present, in as broad of a European context as possible. One main attraction are golden or silver mugs and jewellery that date from Thracian (around 4th century BC) and Roman periods. About half of the exhibits have English captions. 10 лв, 1 лв for students.  
• 42.69633123.3245647 National Institute of Archaeology and Museum, 2 Saborna Str., ☏ +359 2 988 24 06, fax: +359 2 988 24 05, [email protected]. 10:00-18:00. 10 лв.  
• 42.7040523.311998 National Polytechnic Museum, 66 Opalchenska Str, ☏ +359 2 831 30 04, fax: +359 2 931 40 46, [email protected]. 09:00-17:00.  
• 42.69568323.3284649 National Museum of Natural History, 1, Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd, ☏ +359 2 987 41 95, fax: +359 2 988 28 94. 10:00-18:00. Has four floors of everything from rocks and minerals to insects and stuffed bison. It is a nice way to spend a rainy afternoon.  
• 42.69391123.31984510 The Red Flat, 24 Ivan Denkoglu str., Sofia, ☏ +359 98 825 2032. Daily 10:30–19:30. Half tour, half experience. Walk around a house setup like an old communist flat from the 1980s. You're allowed to touch and play with just about anything. There's an audio guide in English, Spanish and Bulgarian. 18 лв. (updated Apr 2023)
• 42.6930123.3275811 House-Museum of Ivan Vazov (On the corner of the streets G. Rakovski and Ivan Vazov.).  
• 42.68805723.33465612 Museum of Sport, 1A Bulgaria Blvd (National Stadium Vasil Levski), ☏ +359 2 930 07 61. 09:00 to 17:00.  
• 42.693423.3352313 Museum of Paleontology and historical geology, 15 Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd (Inside Sofia University.), ☏ +359 2 930 82 00.  
• 42.68916723.32305614 National Literature Museum, 138 G. S. Rakovski Str., floor 2, ☏ +359 2 988 24 93.  
• National Agricultural Museum, 30 Suhodolska Str, ☏ +359 2 929 67 53.  
• National Ecclesiastical History-Archeological Museum, 19 Sveta Nedelya Sq, ☏ +359 2 988 13 43, [email protected]. 09:00 to 17:00. 

• 42.723.3315 Museum of Socialist Art, 7, Luchezar Stanchev St. 1756 Sofia. Tu - Su, 10:00 - 18:00. 6 лв. (updated Jun 2024)
• 42.69648123.32678616 ^{[dead link]} National Art Gallery, 1 Batenberg Sq., ☏ +359 2 980 00 93. 10:30 to 18:00. Has old Bulgarian art, icons, etc. Also includes collections of the former National Gallery for Foreign Art, which are exhibited along with the 19th- and 20th-century collections of the National Art Gallery at National Gallery Square 500 (Kvadrat 500 in Bulgarian), which is at 1, 19th February St., St Alexander Nevsky Sq. and is open Tu-Su 10:00-18:00 and closed Mondays and holidays. 4 лв.  
• 42.69448923.3242817 Sofia City Art Gallery (Софийска градска художествена галерия), 1 General Gurko St (The entrance is from Kniaz Al. Batenberg St), ☏ +359 2 987 2181. 10:00 to 19:00. 4 лв; free entrance every second and fourth Thursday.  

• 42.69583923.33296918 St. Aleksander Nevski Cathedral. One of the largest orthodox churches worldwide and the largest in the Balkan Peninsula.  
• 42.64467223.26617219 Boyana Church, 1-3 Boyansko Ezero Str. (Catch bus 64 from metro station Vitosha to Boyana Church stop. This is a small plaza with a few shops and a newly-built 5-star hotel ("All Seasons Residence"). Coming from central Sofia it may be faster to get bus 64 in the opposite direction from "Center of Hygiene", near to a large complex of hospitals just west of the National Palace of Culture; trams 9 and 10 can bring you near to this bus stop, but it is somewhat difficult to find. https://www.sofiatraffic.bg/en has a comprehensive guide to all buses but may not work on all phone browsers.), ☏ +359 2 959 09 39, fax: +359 2 959 29 66, [email protected]. 09:00 to 17:00. This small 14th-century church and garden is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The church contains some very well preserved murals. Entrance is 10 лв, or 2 лв for students, however only 8 people are permitted inside at once, for a maximum of 10 minutes. During busy periods you may have to wait up to or over an hour, yet the queue is self-policed so be prepared to stand outside doing nothing for a while and don't forget who arrived after you! This is at the foot of Vitosha mountain and is a good starting point for day trips in the mountain, including a 1- to 2-hour hike to Boyana Waterfall and/or Lake (the lake is nothing special, and the paths to the waterfall are not well-defined and occasionally involve climbing up bare rock; there is an easier route and a difficult route which has gradients of up to 1:1).  
• 42.69686123.32286120 Church of St. George (Behind the Sheraton Hotel).  
• 42.696523.331521 Hagia Sophia Church, 2 Paris str.. It is across the square and to the right from the Aleksandar Nevski Cathedral. It was built in the 6th century over an even older church. It is a witness of the whole Bulgarian history and is a valued cultural monument. In the 14th century it gave its name to the city of Sofia. It was destroyed several times and during the Ottoman rule it was used as a mosque. 
• 42.69861123.31972222 Catholic cathedral St. Joseph, 125, Knjaz Boris I (next to Sheraton Hotel), ☏ +359 2 9815548. Holy Masses: Sa 17:30 & Su 10:30 in Bulgarian; 12:00 in Latin; 18:00 Bulgarian  
• 42.69677823.32155123 Saint Nedelya. (updated Jul 2016)
• 42.695723.329124 St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. (updated Aug 2017)

• 42.69951123.32257525 Banya Bashi Mosque. Beautiful yet simple Ottoman-mosque. Built by Mimar Sinan. It's active and there is a guide inside. (updated Dec 2021)
• 42.70027823.32101126 Sofia Synagogue. 09:00 to 16:30. One of the largest in Europe.  

• 42.69722223.32833327 Amphitheatre of Serdica (in the geographical center of the city under the flags of the EU).  
• 42.6914323.3326428 Battenberg Mausoleum. The mausoleum and final resting place of Prince Alexander I of Bulgaria (1857–1893), the first Head of State of modern Bulgaria.  
• 42.69648123.32678629 Knyaz Battenberg's Palace (Right in front of the city garden.).  

• 42.696723.335330 Monument to Vasil Levski. It commemorates the hanging of Bulgarian national hero and major revolutionary figure Vasil Levski in the city on 18 February 1873.  
• 42.693723.332331 Monument to the Tsar Liberator. Representing the power of freedom and across from it are the National Assembly and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.  
• 42.6962523.3315332 Monument to the Unknown Soldier. Across from Aleksandar Nevski cathedral; on the side of Hagia Sofia's Church.  
• 42.6962823.3305333 Tsar Samuil Monument. A statue of the Bulgarian warlord and tsar Samuil, who ruled Bulgaria between 997 and 1014. (updated Jul 2016)
• 42.692323.310534 Russian Monument. An obelisk built by the Russians. (updated Jul 2016)
• 42.6905523.3344435 Monument to the Soviet Army. (updated Sep 2021)

• 42.697723.323336 Largo. 3 buildings of Socialist Classicism architecture.  
• 42.69611123.32638937 Prince Alexander of Battenberg Square. The largest square in Sofia. Includes the National Art Gallery.  
• 42.6919223.324338 Petko R. Slaveykov Square (along Graf Ignatiev Str. , between Solunska Str. and Rakovski Str.). A famous square, real Sofia center with a monument of writers father and son Slaveykov. It`s a biggest open-air book market in the Balkans.There are round benches and street musicians act very often. Free.  
• 42.688323.328539 Patriarh Evtimiy Square. A popular meeting place.  
• 42.68472223.31888940 Park National Palace of Culture. (updated Jul 2016)

• 42.688623.337941 Borisova Gradina (Boris Garden). The oldest and best known park in the city. Includes the Ariana Lake.  
• 42.695223.325642 City Garden. It's the oldest and most central public garden, in existence since 1872.  
• 42.658223.329743 Sofia Zoo, 1 Srebarna Str. 09:00 to 17:00.  

• 42.67015323.30841444 Yuzhen Park (South Park). A nice park in the south-east part of the city, although a bit too crowded on weekends. Vibrant with open area cafes, entertainment for children and grown-ups, and a few ponds with ducks.  
• 42.69745823.34234445 Oborishte Park, Yanko Sakazov blvd. A park near the center of the city with places to eat and drink. Also known as "Zaimov Park". (updated Jul 2016)

• 42.69055623.337546 Orlov Most. A bridge over the Perlovska River near the centre of Sofia  
• 42.70523.32388947 Lavov Most. A bridge over the Vladayska River near the central train station. (updated Jul 2016)

• 42.69444423.33277848 National Assembly of Bulgaria, 2 Narodno Sabranie Sq, ☏ +359 2 939 39, fax: +359 2 981 31 31, [email protected].  
• 42.69361123.33549 Sofia University, 15 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd, ☏ +359 2 9308, fax: +359 2 946 02 55.  
• 42.69444423.33166750 Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 15 November Str, ☏ +359 2 979 53 33, fax: +359 2 981 72 62.  
• 42.6941523.3265351 Ivan Vazov National Theatre, 5 Dyakon Ignatiy Str, ☏ +359 2 811 92 19, fax: +359 2 987 70 66, [email protected].  
• 42.694823.3359952 SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library, 88 Vasil Levski Str, ☏ +359 2 988 28 11, fax: +359 2 843 54 95. 08:30 to 20:30.  
• 42.685223.31953 National Palace of Culture, 1 Bulgaria Sq, ☏ +359 2 916 63 00, fax: +359 2 865 70 53. The biggest congress center in the Balkans (a massive monolithic communist-style building). If asking for directions, ask for NDK (en-de-ka), as most Bulgarians refer to it by this acronym.  
• 42.695223.329954 Central Military Club. It`s a multi-purpose monument of culture building in the city center. Also known under the name Kristal.  
• 42.617323.334855 Snail House, Boulevard "Simeonovsko Shose 187, 1434 Simeonovo. Novelty architecture. (updated Jul 2019)

A magnificent landmark mountain very popular with the locals and rising just south of the capital. It is easily accessible by public transportation, bus 63 (from stop Tsar Boris III) or 66 (from Metrostantsiya Vitosha metro stop), or by car. Day trips in Vitosha on a sunny day are highly recommended.

In the winter, it is well suited for skiing and its proximity allows one day ski-trips; in the summer it is great for hiking. A great way to spend few days in Sofia, being on its "balcony," enjoying sunny days on the mountain with a spectacular view on the capital. So going to Sofia provide gives you a unique chance to witness the rare symbiosis of the metropolitan city with its nature park.

Great sights to see are the stone rivers (like 42.609223.24063 Zlatnite Mostove , the largest), the 42.5851123.290274 golden bridges and 42.611723.27035 Ushite Peak , with a magnificent view onto the metropolis.