Sofia (So-fia) is no Paris or Prague, but Bulgaria's capital and biggest city has a Balkan beguilement all its own. The old east-meets-west feel is still here, with a scattering of onion-domed churches, Ottoman mosques and stubborn Red Army monuments, and the city's grey, blocky architecture adds a lingering, interesting Soviet flavour to the place. Vast, leafy parks and manicured gardens offer welcome respite from the busy city streets and the ski slopes and hiking trails of mighty Mt Vitosha are right on the doorstep. With many of Bulgaria's finest museums and art galleries to explore and plenty of excellent bars, restaurants and entertainment venues, you may well end up sticking around for longer than you imagined.
Aleksander Nevski ChurchCHURCH
One of the symbols not just of Sofia but of Bulgaria itself, this massive, awe-inspiring church was built between 1882 and 1912 in memory of the 200,000 Russian soldiers who died fighting for Bulgaria’s independence during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78).
Aleksander Nevski CryptGALLERY
Originally built as a final resting place for Bulgarian kings, this crypt now houses Bulgaria's biggest and best collection of icons, stretching back to the 5th century. Enter to the left of the eponymous church's main entrance.
Sveta Sofia ChurchCHURCH
Sveta Sofia Church is the capital's oldest, and gave the city its name. A newly opened subterranean museum houses an ancient necropolis, with 56 tombs and the remains of four other churches. Outside are the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and an eternal flame, and the grave of Ivan Vazov, Bulgaria's most revered writer.
Royal PalacePALACE
Originally built as the headquarters of the Ottoman police force, it was here that Bulgaria’s national hero, Vasil Levski, was tried and tortured before his public execution in 1873. After the liberation, the building was remodelled to become the official residence of Bulgaria’s royal family. It houses the National Art Gallery and the Ethnographical Museum.
Ethnographical MuseumMUSEUM
Displays on regional costumes, crafts and folklore are spread over two floors of the palace, and many of the rooms, with their marble fireplaces, mirrors and ornate plasterwork, are worth pausing over themselves.
AIR
Sofia Airport ( www.sofia-airport.bg; off bul Brussels; 30) is 12km east of the city centre. The only domestic flights within Bulgaria are between Sofia and the Black Sea. Bulgaria Air ( www.air.bg; ul Ivan Vazov 2; h8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri; j20) flies daily to Varna, with two or three daily flights between July and September; the airline also flies to Burgas.
BUS
Sofia's central bus station (Tsentralna Avtogara; www.centralnaavtogara.bg; bul Maria Luisa 100; 24hr; j7) is 100m south of the train station. There are dozens of counters for individual private companies, an information desk and an OK-Supertrans taxi desk (GOOGLE MAP ; www.oktaxi.net; h6am-10pm). Departures are less frequent between November and April. Frequent buses depart Sofia for Plovdiv (14 lv, 2½ hours), Veliko Târnovo (22 lv, four hours), Varna (33 lv, seven hours) and more; the easy-to-navigate www.bgrazpisanie.com has full local and international timetable and fare listings.
TRAIN
The central train station is finally undergoing some much-needed renovations, scheduled to culminate in a shiny, user-friendly station in 2015. It's still operational, though travellers may find it easier to purchase tickets online (www.bdz.transportinfo.bg; you'll need to register) than battle the disruptions and typically chaotic ticket queues. Whatever you do, don't wait until the last minute to buy your tickets.
Destinations for all domestic and international services are listed on timetables in Cyrillic, but departures (for the following two hours) and arrivals (for the previous two hours) are listed in English on a large screen on the ground floor.
Sample fast train routes include Sofia to Plovdiv (12 lv, 2½ hours) and Varna (31 lv, seven hours): see www.bgrazpisanie.com (click on 'timetable') or www.bdz.bg for all domestic and international routes.
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