Sofia Tours and Vacation Packages
Sofia is Bulgaria’s capital and largest city and is located in the western part of the country on the lower slopes of Mount Vitosha. The city has been settled for hundreds of years. The city gained its present name at the end of the 14th Century in honour of the city’s major symbol, the Saint Sofia Basilica founded in the 6th century and one of the oldest churches in the capital to be experienced in Bulgaria vacation.
Sofia is a cosmopolitan city with tree-lined boulevards and pleasant parks. The city combines a wide range of architectural styles, some of which are hardly compatible. These vary from Christian Roman architecture and medieval Bulgar fortresses to Neoclassicism and prefabricated Socialist-era apartment blocks
Very close to Saint Sofia is the Alexander Nevski Cathedral, one of the world’s largest Eastern Orthodox churches and built as a memorial to the 200,000 Russian soldiers who died liberating Bulgaria from Turkey in the 1800s. It houses 53 bells, the heaviest weighing 10 tons. The church can hold roughly 5,000 people. Other interesting buildings include the St. Nikolas Russian Church with its beautiful ornate domes, the medieval Sveta Nedelya Cathedral and the Banya Bashi Mosque (a reminder of the Ottoman Empire occupation).
Other points of interest in the city on a Bulgaria vacation include the Lion Bridge, the Eagle Bridge, the Russian Monument, and the monument to Vasil Levski (a Bulgarian revolutionary hero who gave his life in the struggle to free Bulgaria from the Ottomans in the 19th century).
In the middle of the city, directly across from The Presidential Palace, is The National Archeological Museum, which has in its collection some of the most valuable treasures discovered in Bulgaria. Masterpieces of Bulgarian painting are on display at The National Art Gallery. The National Museum of History, with its collection from prehistoric times to the present day, has one of the largest collections anywhere, with over 700,000 items of cultural importance.
During the winter, the ski resort on Mount Vitosha is a favourite with skiers and snowboarders alike and during the summer it is a favourite place for hikers and picnickers. The Sofia Zoological Garden in the southern part of the city is the country’s largest zoo. Sofia and the immediate vicinity also boast a great many spa complexes. There are ten spa centres within the capital’s city limits if you want to indulge in a Bulgaria vacation.
Extend your Stay
Consider an additional stopover to your Bulgaria vacation at one of Goway's other European destinations. You can choose from a Paris vacation, a London vacation or an Amsterdam vacation. This can be done stopping over en route to or from Bulgaria.
Sofia, Bulgaria
- There are no matching trips
