My visit to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, was amazing. It was a celebratory trip with friends after finishing our degree last summer! We spent four days there which was the perfect amount of time. Overall, the trip was quite cheap with food and drinks being a very reasonable price and our Airbnb only costing £65 each! I would definitely recommend Bulgaria for any students looking for a city break.

 

Day 1

On our first day, we walked to St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, one of the 50 largest Christian church buildings in the world. It is a magnificent building with so much detail on it. We didn’t go inside as we weren’t wearing the right clothing, so we returned later in our trip. By the cathedral there were a few market stalls set up selling a variety of items. We bought some rose perfume and learnt that roses are the national flower of Bulgaria and are prominent on lots of decorations and souvenirs. I was surprised at the amount of Nazi memorabilia that was being sold at the market and throughout the city. We walked towards South Park, a long walk in the heat, so we stopped for ice cream on the way. The park was beautiful and a great place to relax and escape from the relentless heat. We got the tram back to the centre where we then stopped for a drink at one of the many bars lining Vitoshka street. One of my favourite buildings was the ‘Largo’ building. It is an ensemble of three buildings that represent the three socialist classicism edifices in Sofia. This is located right next to the Serdica 1 and 2 metro station. This station is incredible – it is full of ruins from Roman Serdica which we found by accident but is worth making the trip to see. We had dinner at a traditional Bulgarian Tavern called ‘Tavern Hadjidragana’. The atmosphere was incredible with wooden menus and a band that played traditional music. We were the only tourists inside and the food was delicious so I would highly recommend visiting if you want a traditional meal. 

 

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The atmosphere was incredible with wooden menus and a band that played traditional music

 

Day 2

Our second day started with a sudden change of plans. Originally, we were planning on a day trip to the South, to the Rila Monastery and Boyana Church (they have coaches from the cathedral), however, we had to make an emergency trip to the hospital. It was a very stressful morning, but luckily, we knew someone who was Bulgarian to help translate. The healthcare was free and thankfully we were seen relatively quickly. We went back to our Airbnb to rejuvenate before making our way back to the Cathedral from the previous day. Inside was even more beautiful. You aren’t allowed to take photos inside without buying a photo pass – and they are very strict on this with guards keeping watch. We then headed towards Saint Nicholas Church, a small but beautiful Russian church. It is only a five-minute walk from the Cathedral making it easy to see both in one trip. We walked to Sofia’s City Garden, the oldest public garden in Bulgaria. It is a must-visit with stunning fountains and a string of colourful umbrellas surrounded by food stalls. It was a lovely haven within the city centre. After lunch we walked 10 minutes to the Seven Saints Church which was another stunning church. We didn’t go inside this one but there are daily services if you did want to venture inside. 

 

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[Sofia’s City Garden] is a must-visit with stunning fountains and a string of colourful umbrellas surrounded by food stalls

 

Day 3 & 4

Our last full day started with us visiting the Central Mosque of Sofia, the Banya Bashi Mosque. This is the only Mosque in Sofia and is a remnant of the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria. The mosque is next to a small park which fronts the Regional History Museum of Sofia which until 1986 was a mineral bathhouse. The Museum is a beautiful building with gorgeous yellow and red colours, as well as a magnificent fountain. After lunch we visited the Red Flat which is an un-touched flat depicting what everyday life was like in Communist Bulgaria. It was very interesting, but we thought it was too long. You are given headphones that talk you through each section in the flat. I think it’s a great place to visit – but it might be worth skipping some of the talking points. In the evening, we had a table booked at Sense Rooftop which has incredible views of St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral – sit on the balcony to get the best view! We only had one drink before dinner at Shtastlivestsa Vitoshka. The restaurant was stunning with lovely floral decorations. The food was delicious, and the portions were big. On our final day there was only enough time for breakfast at Izzy’s Coffee and Brunch, an independent café. The staff were lovely here and the food was beautifully presented.

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The Museum is a beautiful building with gorgeous yellow and red colours, as well as a magnificent fountain

 

Summary

Overall, Sofia was a beautiful city with lots of history. The churches were beautiful and we learnt a lot about the history of Bulgaria. The food was incredible and cheap, as were the drinks, making Bulgaria an ideal destination for students. I would recommend visiting for three days but four if you want to do a day trip like we had originally planned. 

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