SofiaCapital
Bulgaria · Country profile
Sofia is the elegant, history-layered capital of Bulgaria, the city of the mineral springs and the golden domes that spreads across the plain of the foot of the great mountain of the Vitosha, at the crossing of the ancient routes of the Balkans. One of the oldest capitals of Europe, founded over the ruins of the Roman city of the Serdica, it layers the Roman, the Byzantine, the Ottoman and the modern Bulgarian centuries within its streets, its churches, its baths and its boulevards, crowned by the sublime Alexander Nevsky cathedral and framed by the snowy slopes of the mountain above the town. The cathedral, the churches of the early centuries, the mineral baths, the parliament and the museums of the city anchor the essential visits, while the mountain of the Vitosha with its trails and its ski runs, and the monasteries and the wine valleys of the region, fill the days beyond the capital. Golden, deep and endlessly walkable, Sofia is the dignified, mineral-rich heart of the Bulgarian nation.
About Sofia
Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria. The city's documented population is around 1,300,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Bulgarian Lev (BGN) and Bulgarian is spoken; the dialling code is +359. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Sofia Airport.
The Golden Domes of the Nevsky and the Church of the Painted
Sofia is a walkable, history-deep capital where the essential circuit moves between the great cathedral, the Roman ruins and the churches of the centre, with the parks, the boulevards and the mineral baths distributing the laid-back daily life. The Alexander Nevsky cathedral with its golden domes, the early Christian rotunda and the basilicas of the old town, the mineral springs of the centre and the great museums of the city anchor the classic visits, while the parliament of the town and the park of the citizens frame the modern life. The cable car and the trails of the mountain of the Vitosha that looms over the city, the monasteries and the ancient ruins of the surrounding region fill the day trips, and the whole capital runs the easygoing, cafe-rich rhythm of the Balkan city of the springs.
The Springs of the Mineral and the Museum of the Baths
The climate of the city is the continental of the Balkan interior, with the warm, sometimes hot summers, the cold, snowy winters, and the brilliant spring and the golden autumn of the city and its mountain, each season pleasant in its way for the walking of the long boulevards. The lev is the currency, with the Bulgarian the language of the city and the English and the Russian common in the younger and the former days. The centre, the churches and the mountain make the core visits, and the metro and the buses of the city run the efficient movement of the town. Layered clothing for the seasons and comfortable walking shoes complete the practical preparation for the walking city.
The Mountain of the Vitosha and the Trails of the Ski Runs
The cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky, the tremendous cathedral of the golden domes and the copper doors that dominates the centre of the capital, is one of the largest churches of the Orthodox world and the great symbol of the Bulgarian nation, its vast interior with its stained glass and its painted vaults crowding with the pilgrims, while the early Christian rotunda and the basilicas of the centre, the tiny churches of the painted red brick that stand in the shadow of the modern city, preserve the oldest layers of the town. The mineral baths of the capital, the great mosque-style bath building that the state restored to the museum of the springs, remembers the millennia of the Roman and the Ottoman presence, and the parliament of the city, with the statue of the national hero at its steps, anchors the modern political life of the state. The cabriolet of the mountain of the Vitosha, with its trails, its ski slopes and its viewpoints over the whole of Sofia, and the monasteries and the ancient necropolises of the surrounding region with their frescos, complete the essential, golden, endlessly deep circuit of the capital of the Bulgarians.
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- Country
- Bulgaria
- Population
- 1,300,000
- Coordinates
- 42.6952, 23.4061
- Capital
- Sofia
- Region
- Europe
- Currency
- Bulgarian Lev (BGN)
- Languages
- Bulgarian
- Calling code
- +359
- Country code
- BG
Entry requirements for Bulgaria
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Bulgaria for tourism.
Getting to Sofia
Airports we list for Sofia:
Frequently asked questions
Is Sofia the capital of Bulgaria?
Yes — Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria.
What currency do I need in Sofia?
The local currency is the Bulgarian Lev (BGN). Languages spoken in Bulgaria include Bulgarian.
What is the dialling code for Bulgaria?
The international dialling code for Bulgaria is +359.
Which airport should I fly into for Sofia?
Sofia Airport (SOF) is the airport we list for Sofia.
Do I need a visa to visit Bulgaria?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda and Argentina currently enter Bulgaria visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Sofia? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.