Sofia walking tour & city guide

The 'square of religious tolerance'

In the heart of the city, a mosque, a synagogue, an Orthodox church and a Catholic cathedral stand within a few hundred meters of each other: the Banya Bashi Mosque, the Sofia Synagogue, one of the largest in Europe, the Sveta Nedelya Church and St. Joseph's Cathedral. Nearby, the ruins of Roman Serdica have been excavated beneath the streets and around the Serdika metro station, and the 4th-century Rotunda of St. George hides in a courtyard behind the Presidency.

The ornate Central Mineral Baths, now the city museum, stand beside public taps where locals fill bottles with warm mineral water.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Vitosha Boulevard

The neo-Byzantine Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, with its gold-leaf domes, is the symbol of Sofia and one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in the Balkans. Next to it is the tiny 6th-century St. Sofia Church, which gave the city its name.

Vitosha Boulevard, the main pedestrian street, runs south toward the mountain, lined with shops and cafés and ending at the National Palace of Culture and its park. On the edge of the city, the Boyana Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holds remarkable frescoes from 1259.

Visiting tips

The metro links the airport and the center, and much of the city is walkable. Mount Vitosha, reached by bus and a short hike or cable car, offers hiking in summer and skiing in winter. The Rila Monastery, Bulgaria's most famous, is a popular day trip.