Sofia

Bulgaria

Things to do in Sofia:

View the Gallery National Bulgarian Theatre

Sofia Restaurants

Cheap (23)

Taco Cafe

Perhaps the most authentic Mexican fare you'll find in eastern Europe. Feast on fajitas, burritos, beer and nachos in this fast and friendly food joint. read more
Affordable (26)

Pri Kmeta

The only beer brewery in Sofia exposes a big vat of fermenting froth, while serving pizzas and salad in an underground cave. read more
Good quality (25)

Elate Plaza

This glass-fronted bar and diner is stylishly designed in white and dark red colours, with comfortable modern furniture. Alongside the traditional Bulgarian specialities, the restaurant offers a... read more

Sofia Nightlife

Chilled (27)

Orisha Bar and Diner

This is a welcoming place situated in the city centre. The menu offers a wide range of cocktails from all over the world. Sit back and work your way through them all. read more
Live Music (23)

Ale House Pub

This place serves up delicious international meals and non-pasteurised beer alongside foot-tapping live music every Friday and Saturday night. read more
Clubbing (24)

Club Oscar

Clack down the dark stairs into this hideaway of beautiful people, serving martinis and playing house music. read more

This Month in Sofia (March):

By Maya Kozareva

Shopping: The vast open-air bazaar Zhenski pazar sells flowers, foodstuffs, cheap clothes, broomsticks, spare parts to machines you never even knew existed, and even kitchen sinks (Stefan Stambolov Ulitsa).

Sightseeing: The 14th edition of Sofia Film Fest will take place on 5-14 March. About 100 featured films, 30 documentary and over 50 short films will be shown. The event will be continued with an additional film programme on 15-21 March.

Key areas: Of all the places of worship in Sofia, the Russian Church is the most vivacious with its green steeple and five golden domes. A path on the left leads to the crypt where Sofians write prayers on scraps of paper before posting them into a box next to the sarcophagus (3 Tsar Osvoboditel Bulevard).

Day trips: The Dragalevski Monastery is situated on a forested hillside just 20 minutes' south of Sofia, near the suburb of Dragalevtsi. This medieval foundation offers both an idyllic woodland setting and valuable 15th-century frescoes in the monastery church.

Sofia News & Gossip

Sofia International Film Festival

4-14 MAR

The bustling Bulgarian capital of Sofia hosts the country's 14th International Film Festival in what is becoming one of the most influential cinematic events in Eastern Europe. The 10-day festival attracts crowds in excess of 80,000, with over 200 screenings catering to diverse tastes.

Particular attention is shown to domestic and regional output with the spotlight shining brightly on Bulgarian and Balkan features. But fans of world cinema, documentaries, shorts, seminars and retrospectives won't be left out.

WHERE TO WATCH THE FILMS

Venues throughout the city will take part, including the ornate House of Cinema, the Lumiere Cinema, and the Odeon, home of the Bulgarian National Film Archive.

WHERE TO WATCH THE STARS

Celebrities always go for the best, so check out La Capannina (9 Ploshtad Narodno Sabranie, tel: +359 2980 4438), with its impressive views and world-class wine list sure to entice industry movers and shakers. If you fancy a different type of moving and shaking, head to Yalta (20 Tcar Oswoboditel Boulevard), Sofia's hippest dance club.

Sofia Trivia

March: The world's first digital wristwatch was developed by the Bulgarian Peter Petroff.
February: As a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty, Bulgaria has taken part in the governing of Antarctica since 2000.
January: The only nations in the world to boast the bagpipe as a national instrument are Bulgaria, Ireland and Scotland.