This guest article is about the Top Places to Visit in the Capital of Bulgaria & was written by Vladyslav Muzyka.

If you are a traveler, you should visit Central and Eastern Europe, as these regions have a charm that cannot be put into words. There are many great places to visit in Eastern Europe, and Bulgaria is one of them.

And, as a standard for all countries in this part of the world, the capital brings more attention. So if you wonder where to go in Bulgaria, one of the best travel tips you'd receive is: start with Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria.

There are plenty of things to see, and in this article, we will go through some of the most spectacular views you will witness in Bulgaria's capital city.

Where is Bulgaria located?

Bulgaria is one of the largest countries in South Eastern Europe and borders the Black Sea.

Turkey surrounds the country to the southeast, Serbia to the west, Romania to the north, and Greece and Turkey to the south. The landscape consists mainly of mountains and plains.

Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria and is located in the center of the country. Its rich cultural heritage has made it a popular destination for tourists. There are beach resorts on both northern and southern coastlines and spa towns along the Rhodope mountains. 

How big is Sofia?

Sofia is a great place. Sofia is:

• Home to around 1.3 million people over 492 square kilometers.
• The 13th largest city in the European Union by population and the 9th most populated capital city.
• When talking about territory, it's only behind Rome, Berlin, Zagreb, Madrid, Budapest, Warsaw, and Prague.
• In comparison, it's almost five times bigger than Lisbon, more than four times the size of Dublin, and 2.5 times larger than Amsterdam.

 This means only one thing: there is a lot to see in this city, an emerging R&D center in Eastern Europe where you can find many people with knowledge about new trends like the cryptocurrency market, and you can buy bitcoin with debit card in ATMs!

What to see in Sofia?

But, apart from technology, there is a lot of sightseeing happening in Sofia. It brings attention from both sides of the ocean, as many American tourists include Prague, Belgrade, Bucharest, and Sofia in their Eurotrip plans. But what's up there to see in the Bulgarian capital? Let's find out.

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

St. Alexander Nevsky Patriarchal Cathedral Memorial Church is an enormous building in Sofia. Famed for its faded, faux-gold exterior, it was built to memorialize the 200,000 Russian soldiers who died between 1877-8 during the Russo-Turkish Liberation War. It was built 110 years ago and is located in the city center.

It has spectacular golden domes, and if you're into Christian Orthodox icons, you must go inside.

While locals won't look impressed if you take photos (as it's in many places, by the way), this cathedral appears on postcards, fridge magnets, and many other things related to the Bulgarian capital. So don't go back home unless you visit it!

Vitosha Boulevard

Vitosha Boulevard is a pedestrian promenade winding along Vitosha Mountain. This boulevard offers a break from the hustle and bustle of Sofia's major thoroughfare. Along the road, numerous restaurants (fast food joints, rustic eateries, and trendy coffee shops) will draw you in for an unforgettably relaxing lunch or dinner.

It's also the place where you go shopping in Sofia. Most fancy stores accept customers daily, but even if you're for a quick glass of wine, you'd be impressed by the number of open restaurants and cafeterias even during the small hours of the day. This place never sleeps.

Vitosha Mountain

This time it's Vitosha Mountain (the name the city's most crowded boulevard inherited). As the mountain behind Sofia's southwestern suburbs, Vitosha offers endless adventures — from skiing to climbing. But if you're not an expert climber, fear not!

The easiest way to access this majestic peak is by taking the Simeonovo gondola lift from Aleko, the mountain's ski resort. After all, not all capital cities can be proud of having lush nightlife and a Winter resort in the suburbs. The best is that Vitosha isn't steep, so you don't have to be a professional to go up and take some magnificent pictures.

National Palace of Culture

Visiting the city of Sofia, some of its most exciting landmarks are a mix of communist and brutalist architecture. The NDK, or National Palace of Culture, is one such building — although its aesthetics aren't particularly pleasing to the eye, it still has a lot to offer the people that visit it.

Young people in Sofia use this place as a meeting place to hang out and meet. On top of that, many events happen inside, so if you're not scared from the exterior, you might find many things inside pleasing.

Ivan Vazov National Theater

The National Theater is at the center of Sofia and is a striking example of star-inspired architecture. If you don't speak Bulgarian, you may not be able to watch a play inside — but the building itself is worth admiring; it features design elements reminiscent of a star and was named for one of Bulgaria's most beloved poets and post-liberation minister of culture, Ivan Vazov.

Bulgarian cuisine

While it is not a place, you'd better taste Bulgarian cuisine as soon as possible. You'd be amazed by the variety of options available. You can pick up street food, sit in a restaurant, and spend less than $20 to get the main dish, a salad, and a drink, which is a pretty reasonable price, considering 2022's inflation worldwide.

Wrap up

If you leave your bag full of high expectations, there is a lot that you can see from one of Eastern Europe's pearls. Because Sofia has it all: a historical background, a solid communist presence, and modern buildings that will grab your attention immediately.

Francis Tapon Tip: Be sure to watch my 2021 WanderLearn episode about Bulgaria!