Top Things to do in Sofia Region
Top Hotels in Sofia Region
10 Free Things to do in Sofia Region That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Sofia Region, Bulgaria including Rila Mountains, Rila Monastery, Rila National Park, St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral, Catedral de Sveta-Nedelya, Vitosha Mountain, Saint Nikolas Russian Church (Tsurkva Sveta Nikolai), The Rotunda Church of St George, Saint Sofia Church, Boyana Waterfall.
Restaurants in Sofia Region
1. Rila Mountains
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 83 reviews
Reviewed By didih123 - Strasbourg, France
Bulgaria is without a doubt one of my favorite places to visit and shoot photos in . The wide open places ,natural lakes ,beautiful mountains and endless landscapes keep me coming back over and over again ...Musala (Bulgarian: Мусала; from Arabic through Ottoman Turkish: Musalla, "near God" or "place for prayer" is the highest peak in the entire Balkan Peninsula, standing at 2,925 m (9,596 ft). The summit of the Rila mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria, Musala is the highest peak between the Alps and the Caucasus and the highest in Eastern Europe bar the Caucasus. With a prominence of 2473 m, Musala is the 7th most prominent mountain peak in Europe (Wikipedia)
2. Rila Monastery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,885 reviews
Founded in the 10th century, this monastery was restored in the 15th and again in the 19th century.
Reviewed By 118val - Shepparton, Australia
Rila Monastery is considered to be one of Bulgaria's most holy sites and is UNESCO listed. It is situated in the Rila Mountains in the deep valley of the Riska River. Apparently named after the hermit Ivan of Rila from 876 - 946 AD. The Monastery was founded in the 10th century and was the spiritual and cultural center during the 12th to 14th century. The richly engraved gates lead into a stunning view of the Monastery. Our first visit was to the Museum which housed some amazing artifacts such as old books, beautifully embroidered robes belonging to the clergy and an incredible wooden cross that was intricately carved. We then viewed the stunning external vivid coloured paintings covering the external walls, the interior is equally as stunning but you cannot photograph the interior. Once outside we could see the towers where guards use to protect the site, around the edge of the complex are the monks rooms. The building is well maintained and painted with a series of wooden stair cases and balconies. It is well worth a visit.
3. Rila National Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 253 reviews
Reviewed By yankohr - Sofia, Bulgaria
Very beautiful nature, a lot of things to do like Rila Seven lakes, Rila Monastery, Stobski Pyramides, Borovets Ski Courort and a lot of others. Food in this region is very delicious, people are very nice guestly. But you can see such nature and pure air very rare.
4. St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,403 reviews
Completed in 1912, St. Alexander Nevsky Patriarchal Cathedral Stauropigial Memorial-Church is an impressive landmark in Sofia. The church was built as a memorial to the 200,000 Russian soldiers who died in the Russo-Turkish Liberation War (1877-1878).
Reviewed By loukiap550 - Nicosia, Cyprus
A Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral in Sofia (Bg). Built in Neo-Byzantine style, it serves as the cathedral church of the Patriarch of Bulgaria and it is one of the largest Christian church buildings, as well as one of Sofia's symbols and primary tourist attractions. There is a museum of Bulgarian icons inside the cathedral crypt, part of the National Art Gallery.
5. Catedral de Sveta-Nedelya
6. Vitosha Mountain
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,208 reviews
Reviewed By Sharpehunter - Island of Malta, Malta
When you arrive in Sofia your attention is immediately drawn to the Mount Vitosha range which stands tall in the backdrop. Beautiful snow-capped mountains fringed by lush green mixed woodland and forest draws you in immediately. Easily accessible by car, buses and trams, you can even jump the various chairlifts to get higher up the range. My favourite starting point for any hike in Vitosha is Boyana Church. From here there is a myriad of routes to choose of varying difficulty all clearly marked. Take your pick from The Golden Bridges, Boyana Lake and Boyana Waterfall, or just choose a path that looks good, hit the trail and go with the flow. Advisable to wear good walking shoes, the terrain is very diverse and changeable and varies from easy-going paths to steep rocky (and slippy) climbs. Always take plenty of water, make sure you have some food. There are lots of mountain huts that serve great traditional Bulgarian food, beers, wines and soft drinks, but you have to get to them first. Fabulous days out, I still haven't done the actual Black Peak yet, but it's on the agenda.
7. Saint Nikolas Russian Church (Tsurkva Sveta Nikolai)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,089 reviews
8. The Rotunda Church of St George
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,648 reviews
Built in the 4th century, this is the oldest building in Sofia.
Reviewed By MumbaiRiders - Mumbai, India
" St George Church(Rotunda Church)"is a red brick rotunda edifice . This Church is the oldest building in Bulgaria and also in Europe situated within the excavated ruins of the ancient Roman city of Serdika..The building is famous for the 12th-, 13th- and 14th-century frescoes inside the central dome. The Church is situated in close proximity to the Presidency building.
9. Saint Sofia Church
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 939 reviews
Reviewed By charlielG9293DR
This church has an amazing history and is built on an old Roman necropolis. It is well worth taking the time to watch the video of the history of the church in order to really appreciate it and to have a wander among the ancient tombs underneath.
10. Boyana Waterfall
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 241 reviews
From Boyana neighborhood and Boyana church go up in the mountain using the marked green path - about 2 hours or steep ascent along the river for an hour and half. Ask or go with someone local or join the daily tours of Sofia Green Tour
Reviewed By Jolanda1997
We hiked up to the Boyana Waterfall on our first day in Sofia. The whole trail is within the forest and full of shades. You aren't really bothered with the sun there. We had a bit of trouble finding the start of the trail, as we tried to find the start of the green route. We ended up walking with some people to the left after entering, but that is not the correct way. For Green (easy) just walk straight ahead once you passed the sign on the front. The hike up took about 2 hours, and down about an hour and a half. There are plenty of small rocks so make sure to wear comfy shoes for walking. The easiest way to get to the starting point is to take a cab to the Boyana Church, which costs around 8-10 leva (be aware of "fake" taxis, though. Some try to rip you off with high prices.)
