0
Hello,
Favourite properties (0)
Saved searches
Selected for you
Notifications
Subscriptions
Settings
Sign out
Close

36 Hours in... Sofia

2018-10-03   |  https://www.telegraph.co.uk

What to do on a short break to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, including hotel recommendations, and top spots for foodies and fans of history.

Bulgaria is not a country that has enjoyed the warmth of good publicity in recent years. Its admission to the EU was seized upon by mud-slingers keen to stoke fears of a looming UK invasion of Bulgarians. In the end, however, the exodus of Eastern Europeans never happened - and a trip to the capital of Sofia may yield a few clues as to why.

From the air, the cityscape is not immediately inspiring. Rows of Soviet-era buildings – many in a state of disrepair - pepper the fringes of the city. Yet at the centre Ottoman mosques sit side by side with grand Stalinist architecture, and artists find spaces in the cracks in between. This is a proud city that has been sculpted over more than two millennia by Thracian, Roman, Ottoman and Russian influences.

This is a proud city that has been sculpted over more than two millennia by Thracian, Roman, Ottoman and Russian influences.

More Telegraph Travel expert guides

The local drink rakia is a fermented fruit distillate that comes in several varieties, all equally potent. With an average alcohol content of around 40 per cent – and maybe double that for the popular home brew – it is alarmingly drinkable. A glass with salad is a typical (and rousing) start to any evening.

The food, meanwhile, is consistently good, and while there remains an impatient disregard for ostentatious presentation, it is possible to eat and drink well for very little.

For this reason Bulgaria has become a popular go-to for stag and hen parties, but their influence on the capital should not be overstated. The bars and casinos they frequent can be easily avoided, and the best drinking dens are tucked away in this old city.

Getting there
Bulgaria Air operate comfortable return flights from London Heathrow to Sofia’s centrally located airport; returns this month from around £200. Easyjet flights start from around £66 return

On arrival
6pm

Head to the rooftop bar of Sense Hotel to catch the sun setting over the St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and see the city sprawled beneath your feet. Possibly a good time to sample your first glass of rakia, too.

8.30pm

Make a beeline for Hambara, tucked away down an alleyway behind an unmarked door on Septemvri street, in the north western corner of the Sveti Sedmochislenitsi Church. It has no website, no telephone number and inconsistent opening hours, but if you take the time to track down this smoky, candlelit converted barn your persistence will be well rewarded.

Day one
10am

Get in a taxi and head straight out of the city to the wealthy suburb of Boyana in the south west. From here you should make for Boyana church, a 900-year-old private chapel hidden in a copse. Its frescoes are dazzling and the views overSofia are beautiful.

12pm

Make your way back to the city and ask the taxi driver to drop you at Sofia's centrepiece: the Aleksandâr Nevsky Cathedral. Dim, hushed and cool, it is 100 years old and, at 174 feet tall, imposingly cavernous.

12.30pm

Wander towards the centre of the city down Tsar Osvoboditel, pausing to take in the charming bauble-capped Saint Nikolas Russian church on your way. Head to the very centre and pause for a drink in the sun outside the gilded Ivan Vazov National Theatre.

3pm

Make for the Rotunda of St George - the oldest monument in Sofia. This early Christian red brick rotunda hidden in a courtyard dates from the fourth century, when it was a pagan temple. It is itself a potted history of the city, housing layers of frescoes dating back to the 10th century.

4pm

Around the corner from the Rotunda you'll find the National Archaeological Museum - easy enough to stumble on because of the smattering of stone relics that litter its fringes. The facade of the museum belongs to a 15th century Ottoman Empire mosque, and its interior holds artefacts from the many empires of old that have occupied the city.

5pm

The Hagia Sophia Church is the landmark that gave Sofia its name, and this angular 6th century landmark has a simple elegance that is a neat contrast to the dramatic Aleksandâr Nevski Cathedral.

7pm

Jump in a taxi and head Hadriganov's Houses, a kitsch but charming restaurant serving traditional Bulgarianfare. Built in 1866 and spread across four restored houses, the stylings are theatrical but the food is good. Three course meal £40.

9pm

Avoid the stag parties at the Bavarian beer hall and head to the Thirsty Dragon instead - a pub that also sells very fine margaritas which can be had for around £2.

Day two
10am

Start the day with a visit to the Central Market Hall to pick up some Bulgarian cured meats and cheese for your friends and family.

11am

There's enough time to drop into the natural history museum and witness its fantastic assortment of taxidermy that includes a stuffed bear, a two-headed tortoise and hundreds of birds. Entry £2.

12pm

At the other end of the scale from the aforementioned Hadriganov's Houses comes Made In Home - a modern, hipster-ish restaurant with doors for tables and an ever-changing menu. Antonio Banderas is reputedly a fan.

City checklist
Spring is a fine time to visit Bulgaria, when its boulevards are peppered with flowers and pavement cafes. In winter tourists face freezing temperatures.

Taxis are the best way to get around the city and are cheap to hire at around 30p a kilometre.

In restaurants and taxis, tipping is generally expected. Rounding up is sufficient.

View our top properties in Sofia


  Read more news

Share
Properties in the Bulgarian Beach Resorts!
Check our selection of properties on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast! Attractive prices, regular flights to Burgas and Varna international airports. Perfect for frequent visits, summer holidays and more.
See More
Euphoria Club Hotel & Resort - your paradise in Borovets!
Fully furnished studios and 1-bedroom apartments in a unique complex in Borovets. All-year-round complex with all needed facilities for your comfortable stay - lobby bar, reception, bar and restaurant, outdoor and indoor pool, SPA center, underground parking and many more. Choose your holiday home here! No buyer's commission! Suitable for rental income.
See More

More News

latest news
We've opened a new office in the heart of Dupnitsa: Visit us at Knyaz Boris I Street, No. 1

We are proud to announce the opening of our new office in the city of Dupnitsa, located at Knyaz Boris I Street, No. 1, Floor 1.

This strategic move is part of our mission to be as close as possible to our customers and to provide high quality local service for both buyers and sellers.

In our new office, clients will be able to take advantage of the ful...

28 March, 2024
latest news
Selling property in Bulgaria? Check out what documents you will need!

In a series of materials, we present you with useful information on how to best prepare your home for viewings and how to determine the right price of your property.

Here we will focus on the heart of the transaction. Buying and selling real estate often seems a complicated and cumbersome procedure, requiring a number of documents and communication with various institutions. And buy...

22 March, 2024
latest news
How much is your property worth and how to set a perfect listing price?

When deciding, or even just considering listing a property for sale, our first question is often: What price should I be looking for my property.

Every homeowner is probably trying to do their own mini market research. They look at the listings in their area, read the latest statistics on property transactions, turn to an agency to get an idea of what they can get.

Ve...

18 March, 2024
Company news
BULGARIAN PROPERTIES Agents of March 2024

Spring comes with new opportunities in the real estate market in Bulgaria!

February showed us significant activity in the real estate market, spanning the entire country, and that gives us plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

Latest market data and trends:

- We are seeing an increase in issued new building permits - a sign of growing interest in new dev...

05 March, 2024

REQUEST DETAILS