Off-the-Beaten-Path in Sofia, Bulgaria

Get to know Sofia

Head out on the Free Sofia Tour to get to know the capital city. You’ll pass by the grand Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a giant Eastern Orthodox Church right in the center of town that’s the largest church in all of Bulgaria. The tour goes by ancient Roman ruins and communist-era buildings that are still standing since the Iron Curtain fell. St. George's rotunda is inside of a giant communist building in the courtyard. The rotunda is an old cathedral from 300 A.D. 

Visit cultural sites

Rila Monastery is about an hour and a half from downtown Sofia, and the World Heritage Site is one of the oldest Eastern Orthodox monasteries in the world. Aim to arrive midday, as it gets cold in the mountains. 

After you walk around, have lunch at the restaurant outside the monastery then drive half an hour to the Medi Valley Winery for wine tasting and incredible views of the mountains. 

The Belogradchik Fortress is breathtaking. It was a Roman fortress and became an Ottoman Empire fortress later on, so the space has a very rich history. Climb the rock formations that stick out from the side, overtop and behind the fortress for gorgeous views. Have lunch in town before heading back to Sofia.

Melnik is Bulgaria’s celebrated wine region. Head to the Rozhen Monastery which is a time capsule of medieval and Eastern Orthodox history. It overlooks the beautiful Melnik wine country.

Visit Plovdiv, the oldest inhabited town in all of Europe. Get to know the town on the Free Plovdiv walking tour. You’ll see ancient Thracian walls, the Roman Amphitheater, stroll through Old Town and see the outside of the Ethnographic Museum, and walk to a viewpoint of the 6 hills of Plovdiv. Have lunch in a cafe on Dzuhamaya Square before heading back to Sofia.

Get a dose of nature

Take a day to explore Bulgaria’s caves. The Prohodna Cave is called the eyes of God because it has two distinguished holes in the roof of the cave that shine a light down. In the winter when it rains into the cave, people say that God is crying. It's also an extremely high cave but very short so anybody can walk through. The Devetashka Cave is also worth visiting, both can be seen in one day.

Dinner

The Social Cafe Bar and Kitchen: A great indoor-outdoor cafe on Vitosha Street. Order the Kafta Kabab.

Carnivale: Go here for really good shawarma and excellent Mediterranean food.

Tenebris: A five-course tasting menu serving fusion Western and Asian dishes. Quirky place with an interesting design.

The Cake Lab: Delicious parfaits with layers of light cream and custard.

Drinks

Hidden Pub Crawl: Organized by the same company that does the free walking tours, this pub crawl is amazing. They take you to all these little wooden pubs that don't have names.