Sofia

Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is a laid-back, green and increasingly stylish city that wears its long history lightly, its centre layering Roman ruins, Ottoman mosques, a synagogue and Orthodox churches within a few blocks, all set beneath the ski slopes of Mount Vitosha. Its landmark is the magnificent Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a vast neo-Byzantine church crowned with golden domes, and its yellow-cobbled boulevards, leafy parks, cafes and mineral springs make it a pleasant, unhurried European capital.

History

People have lived here for some 7,000 years, drawn by the hot springs, and the Thracian Tilataei and then the Odrysian kingdom held the area before Philip II of Macedon sacked the town in 339 BC; the Celtic Serdi gave it its name, Serdica, and after the Romans took it in 29 BC it became a municipium under Trajan, with walls, baths, a forum and an amphitheatre, and later the capital of Dacia Mediterranea. Khan Krum brought it into the First Bulgarian Empire in 809 as Sredets, the Byzantines held it from 1018 until 1194, and it flourished as an administrative and literary centre of the Second Bulgarian Empire until the Ottomans took it in 1382 (Wikipedia, Sofia).

What's there

• Alexander Nevsky Cathedral - the vast golden-domed cathedral.
• The layered centre - the Roman ruins, mosque, synagogue and churches together.
• Boyana Church - the UNESCO church of exquisite medieval frescoes nearby.
• Mount Vitosha - the mountain rising right at the city's edge.

When to go

Spring and autumn for the mildest weather; the city is pleasant and walkable, with Mount Vitosha offering hiking in summer and skiing in winter right on its doorstep. It is a relaxed capital best enjoyed strolling its boulevards and cafes.

What to expect

Sofia is a pleasant, low-key capital rather than a blockbuster city, so its appeal is the relaxed atmosphere, the layered history in a compact centre, the greenery and good value rather than must-see monuments. Some areas still show a post-communist grittiness. The UNESCO Boyana Church with its frescoes, on the outskirts, is a worthwhile trip. It is affordable and easygoing.

Nearby

The Rila Monastery, Mount Vitosha and Plovdiv are within reach.

Key facts