Just a few reasons why you should see Sofia, Bulgaria
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, Bulgaria (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/25 s)
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I must admit, when I think of places I want to go see, Sofia doesn’t come to mind. When I make a second list of places I would like to see, that I’m not as excited about…Sofia, still doesn’t come to mind.
I found myself here on a weekend break. I’ve wanted to see more in this part of Europe and the flights and the timing were on my side so I decided to take the plunge. What I didn’t realize was that there is a significant amount of Roman ruins beneath the streets of Sofia. While building the Sofia metro system, excavation efforts revealed the an amphitheater from the Roman city of Serdica. Also, what is especially notable are how distinctly different the churches are here. Since the main religion is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, church designs are vastly different than those from countries whose primary religion is Roman Catholicism. After learning about all this, I became a bit more excited to see what Sofia was all about.
As a new member of the EU, Bulgaria is not a part of the Schengen zone just yet (they are not the same). They also don’t use the Euro but actually the Bulgarian Lev (Lev meaning ‘lion’ in Bulgaria). What you will come to notice immediately is how cheap this country is with regards to others in Europe.
This is apparent the moment you land and take a taxi to the city center. This costs around 10 Lev ($6), but of course you can also take bus numbers 84 or 184 which cost only 1.6 Lev, but take considerably longer. Here is a useful guide on transport to and from the Sofia airport. And as always, there is a Google Map of all the places I will talk about at the end of this post.
Check out my drone video of Sofia, Bulgaria below!
Though not a religious person, I do appreciate the architecture of churches. I had never been to this part of the world so naturally, I had not seen many (if any) Eastern Orthodox churches before. Luckily, there were three within a short 10 minute walk of where I was staying. The centerpiece church of the city has to be Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (or Cathedral Saint Aleksandar Nevski).
This church sits in the center of a traffic circle and is massive. What is especially nice is its emerald and gold colored domes. I went inside during a prayer service and found the experience to be fascinating. Taking photos inside is allowed, however this is usually after paying a fee (usually 10 Lev).
Sitting nearby is the St. Sophia Church, the oldest church in Sofia dating all the way back to the 4th century. As Sofia sits on old Roman ruins, the church sits on the site of an ancient necropolis from the Roman city of Serdica. The church was once a mosque as well due to invading Ottoman forces during the 16th century.
St. Sofia Church, Sofia, Bulgaria (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 s)
Lastly, within eyeshot of these two is the Russian Church "Sveti Nikolay Mirlikiiski" (or Saint Nicolas the Wonderworker). This church is dramatically smaller than most in the city but is considerably more ornate. It is situated right next to a park, popular among Bulgarians on the weekends and was built on the remains of a destroyed mosque after Bulgaria was liberated by the Russians from Ottoman influence.
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Further south in the city is the Church of Sveti Sedmochislenitsi (Seven Saints Church). This church used to be an Ottoman mosque (named the Black Mosque) before its conversion in 1901. The only elements that are from the original mosque is the main hall and dome with other features added in a Bulgarian style, inspired by the Romanticism Movement.
The center of the city has to be The Largo, known for its yellow cobblestoned streets that line Nezavisimost (Independence) Square. This area was built in the 1950s and was the center of the former Communist Party House, which is currently the National Assembly. What you won’t find here are remnants of Soviet communist symbols. The hammer and sickle imagery as well as the five pointed red stars that evoke Russian influence have since been removed with the fall of the Communist regime in 1989. Indeed, the former Communist Party House used to display a giant red star until it was removed by helicopter during these years.
The Largo, Sofia, Bulgaria (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/800 s)
What you WILL find in The Largo however, through the three glass domes are the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Serdica. The old city is displayed as an underground open-air museum. As I walked underneath passages to cross some of the city streets, I saw many remnants of this old city in the form of preserved foundations of antique buildings and roads. The preservation of the 2,000 year roads is really most impressive. What I enjoyed the most was that there was no entrance fee or tour guide needed, you can access this site any time of day.
Serdica Roman Ruin, Sofia, Bulgaria (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/4, 1/1000 s)
Like many of the buildings in Sofia, the Church of St. George was constructed originally as a Roman bath in 4th century AD and is considered the oldest building in Sofia. Inside the central dome are fascinating frescoes dating back to the 12-14th centuries. In fact, during the Ottoman period, these frescos were painted over, only to be rediscovered centuries later.
The St. Kyriaki Cathedral Church (also known as the Sveta Nedelya Church) was a place I first discovered at night. I really enjoyed the lighting of the church and decided to fly the drone as best as I could in the darkness (no easy feat!). This church is within eye-shot of The Largo and can also be seen at the Northern end of Vitosha Boulevard. Its origins are a bit unknown considering the fact that the structure has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries but it is surmised that its existence was first established around the 10th century.
St. Kyriaki Cathedral Church (or the Sveta Nedelya Church), Sofia, Bulgaria (ISO 570, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/5 s)
NDK, or the National Palace of Culture is the biggest exhibition center in Southeast Europe. It’s really just a space for hosting conferences and events, but the gardens and fountains on the grounds make for great places to relax at. I managed to fly the drone a bit around this area and got some pretty cool timelapses.
Vitosha Boulevard is a street that goes right through Sofia and is a main thoroughfare with restaurants and shops and is named after the mountain that stands next to Sofia. You can walk along the street, heading north, starting from the National Palace of Culture up to The Largo and Nezavisimost square.
Sofia History Museum, Sofia, Bulgaria (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/8, 1/1000 s)
What I enjoyed most about the Sofia History Museum is its outside facade. It is just a stone’s throw away from the Largo and is most recognized by the bricked path leading up to it as well as the bold colors on its exterior. The building was a bath house before being restored and renovated to now house over 1000 relics dating back to 6000 BC.
Ivan Vazov National Theater, Sofia, Bulgaria (ISO 100, 16 mm, f/4, 1/500 s)
If the weather is nice, you will find many of the locals to be at the City Garden. Every park bench was taken when I strolled through, as it seemed like the entire city was there in that moment. The most defining landmark in the area has to be the Ivan Vazov National Theater, named after the prominent Bulgarian poet and writer. If you’re unable to see the theater in person, just look on the back of a Bulgarian 50 Lev note, it’s on there too.
I’m a sucker for nice cafes. After my first full day in a city, I like to sit down and chill out somewhere cozy. I happened to stumble onto Rainbow Cafe, just a minute walk from the Largo. They had excellent coffee and a lot of traditional Bulgarian food. The staff was extremely friendly and there are cacti everywhere.
Just around the corner by the Church of Sveti Sedmochislenitsi is a bakery by the name of HleBar (I am not sure how to translate this, but it’s on the Google Map). The lady recommended a traditional Bulgaria breakfast wrap with egg, spinach, and cheese called a Banitsa.
Protip: If you have a few days in Sofia, look into getting a SofiaPass, which gives you discounts on public transport and tourist attractions within the city.
