Attractions 1 Day in Sofia, capital of Bulgaria

Attractions 1 Day in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria? Sofia besides being the capital of Bulgaria is the country's largest city, What impressed us from the first minute we arrived in the city.

Sofia, It is not a traditional city for travelers in Europe, perhaps because a few years ago the country was communist and so it was not very open to tourism, but this began to change after the fall of the Soviet Union and communism.

In 2007 a Bulgaria It joined the European Union and from that moment the external resources entered the country and both the city and the rest of the country began opening its doors to tourism, but even so it is still a place little known, a good reason to go there since it will not have as many tourists as in other European capitals, there prices of hotels and food are very cheap, but the currency is not the euro, but the Bulgarian Levs (BGN), which helps in spending the trip.

Despite being the largest city in the Bulgarian population, with over one million inhabitants, It is a city that can be known in a few days trip. Many of its tourist attractions are located in the city center, so you can know everything on foot, we did not use anything public transport, only we took the rental car at the airport and left the hotel, We use the car only to go to other cities of the country as: Plovdiv, Nessebar, Sunny Beach, Golden Sands, Albena e Veliko Tarnovo.

Their cultural heritage, and architectural history is broad and, as other cities located in the Balkan Peninsula, It is currently immersed in a process of transformation becoming a more globalized city. This change is affecting their image and also direct its economy, therefore, it is possible that this target be more expensive in a few years.

We traveled to Sofia for a one-day visit in the city and 5 days in the country, long enough to know its main heritage and make a tour of the surroundings.

As we mentioned gives to know the city all walk, so that our hotel was not as central, but it was close to the center, only a 500 meter statue of Saint Sofia, the hotel we stayed at was the EasyHotel Sofia, We chose the hotel for the great price and for parking the car, since in Europe it is expensive to stop the car, Hotel's room is very small, but it is good for those who only go to the hotel to sleep and bathe, like us.

We stayed in Sofia a day, We slept two nights on the first night, We arrived early on the Sofia Airport on a flight from Barcelona, took our rental car with rentcars and we went right to the hotel, on the way we passed within the city and we've had a beautiful idea it would be like the next day's ride. In a day you get to know the city well, maybe two days were better, but I think in a day gives to get to know the city and its main tourist attractions.

As a result of our experience in Sofia, below, we what to do in Sofia.

Attractions 1 day Sofia and what are its main attractions?

All these points we got to know on the way to walk from the hotel, It is the point further Sofia Cathedral.

Statue Santa Sofia

Our first stop was the Statue Santa Sofia, this bronze statue and copper Santa Sofia, It is a landmark of the city and a great base to explore other major attractions of the city. The monument of St. Sophia is on a high pedestal in the middle of a busy intersection in the center of Sofia, This elegant monument, It honors the patron saint of Sofia.

erected in 2001, Santa Sofia Monument is on the same site as an ancient monument to Vladimir Lenin. Admire the bronze statue and copper 8 meters high, sculpted by artist Georgi Chapkanov. The monument is perched on a pedestal 16 meters high. Look for the crown, laurel wreath and owl, symbolizing power, fame and wisdom, respectively.

The statue and the Santa Sofia, They are considered by some very erotic and pagan people considered to be holy.

St. Joseph's Cathedral

A St. Joseph's Cathedral It is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Sofia, a point to be visited next to the Statue of Sofia, as the Cathedral do not think that is a highlight of Sofia.

Roman Ruins Serdica

Next to the Statue of Santa Sofia there is a small park inside the courtyard, there were discovered ruins of Serdica, a Roman city in the second century.

In this period, the Romans were replacing the Macedonians as the major power in South East Europe. In 50 d.C., after destroying the kingdom Thracian, the provinces were created in Moesia and Thrace. Serdica is a fine example of a city built by the Romans. The ruins are free to visit.

Igreja de St. Petka of Saddlers (Roman Church Sveta Petka)

A Igreja de St. Petka of Saddlers It is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox Church. It is a small building with a single nave partially excavated in the ground, located in the center of modern and ancient city, the church has a semi-cylindrical safe, a hemispheric apse and a crypt discovered during excavations after World War. The walls have 1 m thick and are made of brick and stone.

The church was first mentioned in the sixteenth century and was built on the site of an ancient Roman religious building. Today is a cultural monument known for its murals of centuries XIV, XV, XVII e XIX, depicting biblical scenes.

The church is dedicated to St Petka, a Bulgarian saint of the century 11. According to one theory, Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski is buried in the church. And according to another legend the church was hidden under the earth when the city was invaded by the Ottomans who were Muslims.

Banya Bashi Mosque

as discussed, Sofia today is a modern and free city, they live all religions, thus in a radius of less than 100 meters have a Mosque, an Orthodox Church, a Catholic church and a synagogue.

A Banya Bashi Mosque It was designed by the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan and completed in 1566, during the years when the Ottomans had control of the city. The mosque derives its name from the phrase Banya Bashi, which means many baths. The most striking feature of the mosque is that it was built over natural thermal, so much so that in front of the mosque has a park with fountains.

Nowadays Banya Bashi Mosque is the only mosque in operation in Sofia, a remnant of the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria that lasted nearly five centuries and is used by the Muslim community of the city.

Parque Banski Square (Sofia)

O Parque Banski Square, or Bath Park is in front of the mosque is named after that in the past there was in the thermal baths of the city, today has a lovely fountain.

Sofia Regional History Museum

Across the source is the Sofia Regional History Museum, We did not have time to get, the building is beautiful, Valley through the park that is in front.

Sofia Central Market

Like many cities in Europe and the world, Sofia also has a Central Market, where everything is sold mainly fruits and vegetables and various types of meat. There has some restaurants to eat, but we prefer to have lunch at a place with a terrace open as it was hot.

Sofia Synagogue

A Sofia Synagogue It is the largest synagogue in Southeastern Europe, one of two operating in Bulgaria and the third largest in Europe, It can not seem to get or was closed when we went through there.

Romanian Orthodox Church Holy Trinity

A small Orthodox church next to the Cathedral of St. Joseph

Catedral de Sveta-Nedelya

Santo Domingo Cathedral or the Cathedral Sveta Nedelya Sofia is one of the cathedrals that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has in the capital of Bulgaria.

Although it is a monument whose beginnings possibly date back to the century 10 (Sveta Nedelya era originalmente, in season, a church built with stone and wood), It is a temple that has suffered frequent damage over the centuries, It was destroyed several times to be rebuilt again later.

The Cathedral is at the beginning of the most famous street in Sofia.

Bulevard Vitosha

Bulevard Vitosha, It is the most famous street in Sofia, with several restaurants, shops and bars, there had lunch and dinner in street restaurants.

The restaurant lunch was in Bar Happy Grill, Typical Greek food, which has influence in the country's food to be next to each other, did not like the restaurant the two dishes we eat were not tasty, the restaurant is cheap as all of Bulgaria.

oldest church Church St. George Rotunda

Igreja St. George Rotunda It is one of the oldest churches in Bulgaria and Europe, It is located in the inner courtyard of the Presidency Government Palace, well hidden, hardly know, but we. Thankfully, it is one of the city's postcards.

The temple was founded in the fourth century. In the sixteenth century, during the Ottoman occupation, the building became a mosque. The church is beside the Roman ruins.

National Gallery of Art

The National Art Gallery of Sofia is the main art museum in Bulgaria, containing a collection of about 50.000 Bulgarian art pieces. The museum is located in Battenberg Square, in Sofia, occupying the former royal palace of the Bulgarian monarchy.

We did not have time to get, We know only outside the building.

St. Nicholas Church, or Milagroso

A St. Nicholas Church, or Milagroso, known as the Russian Church, It is a beautiful and Russian Orthodox cathedrals temple with style Moscow e Saint Petersburg, It has arrendondas domes and the interior has not holy statues, as it is next to a plaza / park makes the scenario even more beautiful.

Statue Tsar Liberator

A Statue Tsar Liberator It is a monument of a man with his horse. It was built in honor of the Russian Emperor Alexander II, who liberated Bulgaria from Ottoman rule during the Russo-Turkish War 1877 e 1878.

That site occur demonstrations and festivals, on the day we were in town, I was going on the country's independence celebrations.

Cathedral of St. Aleksandar Nevski

The Cathedral of St. Aleksandar Nevski, It is the postcard of the city, almost all Sofia pictures abroad has the image of this beautiful cathedral, which can be visited for free.

The Cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals sixty Christian world, and one of the ten largest Orthodox cathedrals in the world. It is the second largest cathedral in the Balkans, after the temple not finished San Sava, in Belgrade, Serbia. The church was proclaimed cultural monument in 1924.

built in 1882 is a tribute to the Russian and Bulgarian soldiers who fought and died in Ruso-Turkish War that liberated Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire's domain.

National Academy of Arts and National Gallery

They are together the Sofia Cathedral, the most beautiful buildings and has several exhibitions there.

Church of Santa Sofia

A small church next to the St. Aleksandar Nevski Cathedral.

Lions’ Bridge

A Lions’ Bridge It was built in stone in place of an older bridge called Most Sharen which was decorated with red and yellow stripes. The name of Lions' Bridge comes from four bronze sculptures of lions, their most recognizable feature. Lions this bridge are printed on banknote 20 Bulgarian Lev currency of Bulgaria.

After visiting all these attractions on our Sofia just visiting 1 day, we have a beer in Park National Palace of Culture at the end of Bulevard Vitosha was the closest point of our hotel, It has a very beautiful outdoor bar called Boar Cinema, ai rested legs after walking all over the city.

The night we dined at Caffé 88 which is also on Bulevard Vitosha, a much better restaurant than lunch, but it was not the restaurant we liked the trip, the best of them was in the city of Plovdiv.

We hope you enjoy our tips on what to do in Sofia and do not forget to see the other posts about Bulgaria.