A two day itinerary for Sofia
Sofia is the perfect weekend destination. It’s not a big city and all the best sites are within walking distance. Wondering what the best itinerary is? Don’t worry, in this article I will give you the best two day itinerary for Sofia. Let‘s start with some practical information.
How many days in Sofia?
Personally, I think that two days is the perfect amount of days. It gives you enough time to experience the best of what Sofia has to offer. You can spread this itinerary out but I’m a bit of a restless soul, so if you want to spend more than 2 days in the Sofia area, I recommend going on a day trip to either Plovdiv or Rila. Check out my Plovdiv itinerary to check what the charming city has to offer.
How to get to Sofia
Sofia is well connected to the rest of Europe, making it quite easy to get to. Depending on where you are traveling from, there are several options on how to get there. The easiest option is by air. It has an international airport with several international departures every single day, so you’ll have a lot of options.
Tips:
- To book your flight, I recommend using a search engine, such as Momondo or Skyscanner, to check what airlines are flying and at what times
- To book hotels, I prefer either Booking.com or Hotels.com
- To get the most out of your trip, book an activity with GetYourGuide. They have so many great tours and I especially recommend it if your traveling alone! A great way to meet new people as well
When to visit
I recommend planning the visit for either spring or fall when the temperature is just perfect for walking around. The summers get quite hot and the spring and fall is for sure more charming than the winter. Walking around will let you see every place worth seeing, picking up tips for where to eat as well as stumble upon local markets.
Getting around
I recommend just walking around but if walking around is not your thing, public transportation is also possible. It’s cheap and works perfectly. Tickets can either be bought on machines or staffed metro counters. The metro is also great for getting to and from the city from the airport. The taxi isn’t too expensive, but the metro is so cheap and works like a charm, so a perfect way to save some money as well as getting a more authentic experience of Sofia. Oh, and my favorite part: You can pay with your debit/credit card at the gates and your debit/credit card becomes your ticket! I loved it. Meaning, you don’t need to buy a physical ticket, you just swipe your card at the gates. No cash needed! I usually try to not withdraw any money while traveling, so this was perfect.
Who should visit Sofia?
Before listing all my recommendations for you, I would like to say that Sofia can be the perfect trip for couples, solo travleres, a group of friends or for a bachelorette/bachelor party. You have activities to do during the day and a lot of restaurants and bars for the evenings. Sofia is quite cheap to visit, so this is also the perfect destination for traveling on a budget.
So, here it is, the best two day itinerary for Sofia:
Day 1
Visit:
- Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
- St Sofia Church
- Church of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker
- Ivan Vazov National Theater
- Hang out at Vitosh Boulevard
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Start with visiting the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. This has become the symbol of Sofia and the most popular tourist attraction. This is one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in the world, the second biggest cathedral located on the Balkan Peninsula after the Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade.
St Sofia Church
St Sofia Church (Sveta Sofia Church) is located close to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral so just walk right over after you’re all done admiring the beautiful cathedral.
The church was constructed in the 6th century on a site of several former religious buildings. For centuries, this location has been a place for worship. It is believed that St Sofia is the fifth religious building at this location.
It is also possible to visit the tombs underneath the church.
Church of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker
Depending on how you get to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, you might see this one on your way there. It is located only a few hundred meters from the Cathedral.
The Church of St. Nicholas is a Russian church, built as the official church for the Russian Embassy in Sofia. It was constructed in 1907 and it houses the grave of the Saint Archbishop Seraphim.
Ivan Vazov National Theater
The Ivan Vazov National Theatre is the biggest, oldest and most outstanding theatre in Bulgaria. Due to its location and beautiful architecture, its become one of the the major landmarks in Sofia.
Hang out at Vitosh Boulevard
Vitosh Boulevard is the main shopping street in Sofia, with several restaurants and bars. It’s an expensive shopping street, with western brands, which means that the restaurants are also a bit more pricey. I recommend checking out the side streets as well
Day 2
Visit:
- Banya Bashi Mosque
- Central Bath (Tsentralnata Banya)
- Sofia Synagogue
- The Roman ruins, ruins of Serdica
- The former Communist Party House, the Largo
- The St. George Rotunda
Banya Bashi Mosque
The Banya Bashi Mosque was constructed in 1576 and is a typical monument of Ottoman architecture. “Banya” means “Bath” in Bulgarian and the mosque has gotten its name from its neighboring Tsentralnata Banya (Central Bath).
Central Bath (Tsentralnata Banya)
One of the most beautiful buildings in Sofia, at least in my opinion, is the Central Bath. It was constructed in 1908 and was opened to the public in 1911. However, it’s not a public bath anymore. In 2015, it opened as Sofia’s history museum.
Sofia Synagogue
While you’re in the area, stop by Sofia Synagogue. It was constructed in 1909 and is one of the largest Sephardic (Spanish – Jewish) synagogue in Europe.
The Roman ruins, ruins of Serdica
Sofia is the former Roman city Serdica and ruins from the Roman times are therefore easy to find here. It’s been said that Constantine the Great considered making Serdica the capital of his Empire
The former Communist Party House, the Largo
Bulgaria was a part of the Sovjet Union and this building is an evidence of that. Being designed in the Socialist Classicism architectural style in 1955, it also used to have a red star and a monument of Lenin in front. However, this was removed together with the rest of the communist iconography in 1989, as a act of the process towards the new democratic ideology
The St. George Rotunda
The St. George Rotunda was built in the beginning of the 4th century and is the oldest and best-preserved monument of architecture since Roman times.
