by Deensel (image cropped) / CC BY-SA 2.0
Bulgaria's Vibrant Capital Amidst Vitosha Mountains
Table of Contents
A. About Sofia
Bulgaria's vibrant capital Sofia rises against the beautiful backdrop of the Vitosha Mountains.
Architecturally, Sofia presents itself primarily as a 19th and 20th-century city. But it has retained some valuable evidence of its past like Roman and medieval relics and the medieval Boyana Church with its beautiful 13th-century frescoes.Even 20 years after the fall of communism, Sofia is still struggling to catch up economically with Europe.
The city is famous for its clubs, cool cafés, and great-value restaurants with live music.
➕ The Good
Sofia, first of all, proves to be a well-balanced city, getting good scores in most of our categories.
The Bulgarian Capital is most notable very safe and public transport features a comprehensive network of bus, trolleybus, tram and metro lines.
Furthermore, prices in Sofia are surprisingly low (for a European capital) and the nightlife is great.
➖ Negative Aspects
Fortunately, Sofia doesn't score lower than 4/10 in any category. On the other hand, no category really stands out as excellent.
Compared to most cities on our list, there is a lack of impressive tourist attractions, resulting in a rather low score for sights.
B. Best Things to Do in Sofia in 2025 (Detailed List with Photos and Information)
In total, we count more than twenty in Sofia. The following sights contribute to a good score of 5.80/10 in this most important category:
# Alexander Nevsky Cathedral 6
With its beautiful golden domes, this huge Orthodox cathedral in the neo-Byzantine style is the symbol of Sofia.
Inside, you can marvel at the opulent interior with impressive mosaics, murals, and icons or visit the crypt housing the Bulgarian museum of ancient art.
Orthodox Cathedral Completed: 1912 | Height: 53 m | Style: Neo-Byzantine
by Pudelek (Marcin Szala) / CC BY-SA 3.0
# BOJANA CHURCH 6
Located on the outskirts of Sofia, this medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church consists of three buildings.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most complete and perfectly preserved monuments of east European medieval art.
Church 🌍 World Heritage Site: since 1979 | Completed: early 11th century | Style: Medieval Bulgarian Orthodox
by DMY / CC BY-SA 3.0
# National History Museum 6
Housed inside the former residence of the last communist leader Todor Shivkov, Bulgaria's largest museum covers millennia of recorded Bulgarian history.
History Museum Established: 1973
by Edal Anton Lefterov / CC BY-SA 3.0
# Saint Sofia Church 5
Known for its distinct red-brick exterior, this church — one of the capital's oldest — gave the city of Sofia its name in the 1300s.
Eastern Orthodox Church Built: 14-6th century | Style: Roman & Byzantine
by learchos Kapoutsis / CC BY-SA 2.0
# Ivan Vazov National Theatre 5
Built in 1907 by the Austrian architects Helmer & Felner, this exceptionally beautiful building is named after Ivan Vazov - the Bulgarian 'Shakespeare' and houses Bulgaria's national theatre.
Theatre Completed: 1907 | Capacity: 940 visitors | Style: Neo-Baroque
by Plamen Agov / CC BY-SA 3.0
# Saint Nikolas Russian Church (Tsurkva Sveta Nikolai) 5
With its green-and-gold onion-shaped domes and its fine frescoes, this Russian Orthodox Church is one of the highlights of Sofia.
Russian Orthodox Church Completed: 1914 | Style: Russian Revival
by Plamen Agov / CC BY-SA 3.0
# St-George's Rotunda 5
Built in the early fourth century as Roman baths, this cylindrical domed structure is famous for the 12th-, 13th-, and 14th-century frescoes inside the central dome.
Church Style: Early Christian
by Dennis Jarvis / CC BY-SA 2.0
# Archaeological Museum (National Institute of Archaeology) 5
Housed in the 15th-century former great mosque of Sofia, this highly regarded Archaeological Museum features as a highlight the Thracian treasure of Valcitran (15-12C BCE), which consists of solid gold tableware.
by Ann Wuyts / CC BY-SA 2.0
# Church of St-Petka-of-the-Saddlers 4
This small medieval Bulgarian Orthodox sanctuary features a small semi-circular apse, impressive traces of frescoes, and a crypt discovered during excavations after the Second World War.
Bulgarian Orthodox Church Consecrated: 1924 | Style: Neo-Renaissance
by Ann Wuyts / CC BY-SA 2.0
#10 | Boris's Garden (Borissova gradina)4
This vast park features tree-lined avenues and colorful flowerbeds, decorative outdoor sculptures, elegant pavilions, and public monuments.
Park Land Area: 3.02 km2 / 790 Acres / 320 Hectares | Created: 1884
by Aryadne / CC BY-SA 3.0
C. Other Notable Sights and Attractions in Sofia
#11 | Catedral de Sveta-Nedelya 4
This striking and beautiful church is one of the largest in Sofia.
Bulgarian Orthodox Church Consecrated: 10th century / 1867 / 1933 | Style: Medieval
by Plamen Agov / CC BY-SA 3.0
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- Sofia Central Baths (Museum of the History of Sofia) 4
- National Art Gallery 4
- Banya Bashi Mosque 4
- Royal Palace (National Art Gallery and the Ethnographic Museum) 4
- Muzeiko 4
- Museum of Socialist Art 4
- South Park 4
- The Synagogue 4
- National Palace of Culture Congress Centre 4
- Central Market Hall (Tsentralni Hali) 4
- National Museum of Military History 4
D. Best Day Trips and Excursions from Sofia
Vitosha Mountain 6
Forming an impressive backdrop, Vitosha Mountain with its sharp silhouette can be seen from almost everywhere in Sofia.
The easiest way to visit the mountain for hiking, alpinism, and (in winter) skiing, is taking a bus or a taxi to Simeonovski Gondola Lift, then taking the lift to Aleko Hut.
Mountain | Viewpoint Distance from Sofia: ca. 20 km | Elevation: 2,292 m / 7,520 ft
by Podoboq / CC BY-SA 2.0
RILA MONASTERY 6
Located in the mountains, this photogenic monastery is famous for its architecture, paintings, murals, and frescos and is one of the largest Orthodox monasteries in the world.
Monastery 🌍 World Heritage Site: since 1983 | Distance from Sofia: 117 km from Sofia | Construction: 10th century, rebuilt between 1834 and 1862
by Raggatt2000 / CC BY-SA 3.0
E. Top 10 List of the Best Things to Do in Sofia (including close-by excursions)
To sum things up, these are the ten best sights we recommend to you when visiting Sofia for at least two entire days. If you plan to do some of the excursions, you will need more time, as most of them are more than 2 hours away from Sofia.