Sofia is the capital and the largest city of Bulgaria. The history of the city is believed to had begun by the Roman Empire in 29 BC. During the decline of the Roman Empire, the city was raided by the Huns, Visigoths, Avars and Slavs.
During the Russian-Turkish war in 1877, most of the mosques were destroyed in this war. Seven of them were destroyed in one night, when a thunderstorm masked the noise of the explosions arranged by Russian military. After the war, majority of the Muslim population left Sofia. Bulgarian rule was restored in 1878, and Sofia was selected as the capital city.
8:30am: Arrive at Sofia, Central Bus Station, Check-in to Airbnb
Upon arriving at Sofia, proceed to check-in to Airbnb located near to “Vitosha” Boulevard. I found this beautiful 2-bedroom apartment that is going at only $42/night!
10am: Breakfast at Chucky’s Coffee House
An all white and wood cafe that does proper specialty coffee! It can be difficult to find good coffee cafes in countries like Bulgaria. Chucky is one of the pioneers for introducing specialty coffee to Sofia.
11am: Seven Saints Church (Sveti Sedmochislenitsi Church)
Also known as The Black Mosque, it is a Bulgarian Orthodox church built in 1528, which was later converted into a mosque in 1902 during the Ottoman Empire. It was built on the order of Sultan Suleiman I, with the intention to be more impressive and beautiful than the Christian churches in the city. It was nicknamed as “The Black Mosque”, after the dark granite used to build the minaret, which collapsed during an earthquake in the 19th century. The building was then abandoned by the Ottomans in 1878, and was used as a military warehouse and prison.
12:30pm: Lunch at Spaghetti Kitchen
Spaghetti Kitchen is an Italian restaurant, as its name suggests. It has a lovely garden that looks so comfortable and welcoming. They have a huge menu and a wide range of wine.
1:30pm: Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
The Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral built in Neo-Byzantine style, was completed in 1912. It serves as the cathedral church of the Patriarch of Bulgaria, and is believed to be one of the 10 largest Eastern Orthodox church buildings, and one of the 50 largest Christian church buildings in the world. It is one of Sofia’s symbols and primary tourist attractions. The church has 12 bells with a total weight of 23 tons (1 ton = 1000kg), with the heaviest at 12 tons and the lightest at 10kg. The interior is decorated with Italian marble in various colours, and other luxurious materials.
3pm: Saint Sofia Church
The Saint Sofia Church is the oldest church in Sofia, dating back to the 4th century. The city was named after this church in the 14th century, which was previously known as “Sredets”. In the 16th century during the Ottoman Empire, it was converted into a mosque. The church is now one of the most valuable pieces of early Christian architecture in Southeastern Europe. As Saint Sofia represents “holy wisdom”, icons within the church illustrate Sofia as Christ Emmanuel, a young figure of Christ seated on a rainbow.
4:30pm: Break at Barka Coffee Gossips
Another great place for a good cup of coffee! This cafe has great reviews for both their coffee and service.
6pm: Dinner at Avtentichno
I love the exterior design of this place, it reminds me of “Ratatouille” - a traditional Italian restaurant! They do Bulgarian dishes, as well as Italian. They offer a wide range of wine too.
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