Sofia - Post Report Question and Answers
What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Not so much hidden, but there are some cool places like the fortress in Veliko Tarnavo, or Belogradchik. The Rila 7 lakes is supposed to be beautiful (hoping to get there soon). People like to go snow boarding in Pamporovo, and there some nice spa hotels in Velingrad. Bulgaria has things to do but you just have to be willing to find it. - Jun 2023
Park Center Mall was a great place to catch an English movie (subtitled in Bulgarian). Yuzen park (or south park) was directly behind the US embassy, and had tons of paths to discover, and events almost every weekend. 100 beers is a small beer shop downtown where you can get beer from all over the world. Even though its technically not legal, most people will have a beer in the park while enjoying a sunny day. When taking the subway be sure to visit to archaeological sites embedded in most stops along the way. - Mar 2019
Going up into the mountains, hikes, hot/mineral springs, caves nearby. Lots of fun if you are wiling to explore. - May 2016
Amazing weekend visits all over the country and Greece and Turkey are a car ride away. Some really cool old communist monuments to check out. - Dec 2014
Black sea and few old cities in Bulgaria, other countries around Sofia or flying to northern Europe. - Nov 2014
Buy a Martenitza on March 1, and wear it. It's a handmade bracelet that comes in only red and white that all the Bulgarians wear on that day. - Aug 2014
Travel to the Black Sea and the countryside. Bulgaria's nature is beautiful. Also cities like Belgrade, Bucharest, and Istanbul are about a 5-hour drive. Thessaloniki, Greece, and the Aegean are only a 3 to 4 hour drive from Sofia. With low cost carriers, traveling to all major Western European cities is affordable and easy. - Jun 2011
Opera, ballet, concerts, ice skating, hiking on Vitosha mountain, camping, mountain biking, walking (people walk a lot here) eating out, outdoor markets, there are 3 malls, there are movie theaters an IMAX. The Black Sea Coast offers beach resorts. The villages around Bulgaria are interesting. There are museums and cathedrals in the capital. Rila Monastery and different sites are within a couple of hours driving time, some very nice sites to see. - Oct 2009
Going out to eat, nightclubs in Sofia, and visiting expositions in museums. Skiing in Vitosha is only a short drive away (and that's only in Sofia). In the countryside there are numerous monasteries, ancient walled cities and fantastic skiing in Bansko and Pamporovo. In the summer the beaches of the Black Sea are refreshing. Greece, Turkey, and other great Balkan destinations are only a short drive or flight away. - Feb 2008
