Cheap Things to Do in Sofia Bulgaria
So you want to visit Sofia Bulgaria? Maybe you scored a cheap flight with Ryan Air? Maybe you love history and churches? Fancy a cheap European city break? Great affordable food? Well, Sofia offers a bit of it all. If you’re looking for cultural sites, shopping, parks, cafes and everything else in between, you’ll find plenty of cheap things to do in Sofia Bulgaria!
So keep scrolling for our favorite things we enjoyed over our week trip to Sofia.
What to Do in Sofia
Free Tour Sofia
1)Our favorite thing we did in Sofia is the free walking tour. We’ve done free ( tip based) walking tours in 20+ countries and find that you get so much more VALUE and understanding with a free tour. We highly recommend “Get Your Guide” for a free tour in Sofia for an easy platform to find free walking tours. Especially in Sofia which doesn’t have a clear ” tourist center” ( and for that reason, we ended up liking it more!), it can be harder to appreciate the complexity of the history of the city without a free walking tour.
Cultural Sites
2)Women’s Market– The Women’s Market is the oldest running market in the capital city. While some markets can run on the side of touristy, this one does not. Our Airbnb was right down the street so we passed through the market several times and each visit the market has a steady stream of locals shopping for produce, spices, or imported items. It’s definitely a local spot we recommend meandering through a few times on your trip to Sofia!
3)Alexander Nevsky Cathedral– If you’ve Googled images of Sofia, the cathedral is likely what you see of and know of when you think of Sofia! It’s iconic, large ( in the top ten largest Eastern Orthodox churches), and an architectural marvel. It’s free to enter and if you decide on the free walking tour then this is likely where your tour will end which is perfect for exploring after.
4) Regional History Museum of Sofia: Located in the beautiful and ornate formal mineral bathhouse, the Regional History Museum offers a brief over view of the history and development of Sofia. It’s not our favorite museum or best museum we’ve visited, but for an affordable price point of 10 Bulgarian Lev ( around $5 USD), we think it’s worth it ( even just for the architecture of the building alone).
5)Sofia Opera and Ballet House: Another beautiful building right across from the main park ( great for people watching). We didn’t see a show here, but they are always running programs and the prices can be affordable so it’s worth looking into for a rainy day activity.
6)Russian Monument Square– A dominate statue that is a tribute to the Russian soldiers during the Balkan war. Nearby to lots of restaurants and shops so while not necessarily worth seeking out individually, it’s likely you’ll pass it and then it’s worth a stop.
7)Boulivard Vitosha: Named after the iconic and dominating mountain you’ll ( hopefully see) in the distance, Vitosha Mountain), Boulevard Vitosha is THE main pedestrian friendly shopping street in Sofia. You’ll find everything from International chain shops like H& M to candy stores, toy shops, cafes, international fare, and pretty much everything in between.
If/when you are needing a break from cultural attractions, Sofia city center has plenty of shopping opportunities to explore. Here’s our list of our favorite shops in Sofia including a lot of second hand stores!
Shops/Thrifting
8)Elephant Book Store: A stylish bookstore with quirky gifts as well as a relatively large English book section.
9)Art. E: If you’re looking for a unique homemade souvenir, then explore Art. E’s collection of pottery mugs and art work. Everything is hand made and locally made.
10)Plus ( Second Hand): A variety of vintage and contemporary styles with a fully second-hand supply. The store is neat and organized and a great way to support small businesses in Sofia!
11)Trash Boutique: A tiny COZY second hand clothing shop with higher end brand names repriced at a more accessible price point. While we personally found most of the prices above our budget, it’s worth a look in case you find a true gem!
While shopping obviously will cost money, window shopping is one our favorite cheap things to do in Sofia! We love the people watching opportunities in these tiny local shops and appreciate the opportunity to meet locals ( who were all quite friendly).
Ready to indulge a bit? Here’s our recommendation of unique place to drink in Sofia.
Alcohol and Drinks
12)100 Beers: One of Pat’s favorite spots- a wide variety of craft beers to enjoy.
13)5L Speakeasy: A modern speakeasy in a cozy underground spot with exposed brick walls. It has a solid cocktail selection and is often praised for it’s environment and vibe.
14)Wine Generator- Bulgarian Wine Hub– Bulgaria is known for their wine so culturally, this is almost a required stop- right? But in all seriousness, after trying our hands at a few local wines from the grocery store back at our Airbnb in Sofia, it’s nice to have a bit of a more upscale experience with a solid variety of over 150 labels to choose from!
Best Bulgarian Foods to Try in Sofia
15) Enjoy the Bulgarian food culture: We really enjoyed the food culture in Bulgaria and found a handful of Bulgarian dishes to be naturally vegetarian friendly. If you’re curious about our favorite spots to eat in Sofia, we wrote a whole post about our top picks for restaurants and cafes in Sofia.
Where to stay in Sofia: Airbnb
Airbnb in Sofia
Our Airbnb in Sofia was the perfect centrally located spot for us to explore Sofia by foot for a few days. Our Airbnb was less then $30 USD a night for a full apartment in a traditional old Bulgarian house. If you love vintage, creaks and cracks and lots of charm ( and don’t mind a spiral staircase walk up), then we definitely recommend our Airbnb in Sofia!
If you’re looking for other accommodation recommendations in Sofia, check out Agoda! We love using Agoda.com to compare accommodation options! Consistently, we find the lowest rates for hotels here.
Best Day Trips From Sofia
There are plenty of cheap things to do in Sofia to enjoy a few days ( we were there for five days and didn’t feel ” bored” but we also travel slower then most). But, if you are itching to explore more areas outside of Sofia, then these are our favorite day trip options.
Rila Monastery
By far the most popular day trip from Sofia is the Rila Monastery. And guess what, we chose not to go! We really enjoyed our time in Sofia and didn’t feel like we were ” out of things to do” which would warrant spending money on a Rila Monastery Tour. If you are craving another religious building experience, then there are plenty of Rila Monastery tours that you can book online before you even arrive. The biggest perk of organizing with a tour is that the transportation is provided and navigating the public transportation around Sofia isn’t the easiest task.
Plovdiv
Bulgaria’s second largest city is only a 2 hour bus ride away. Steeped in history ( it’s actually the OLDEST city in Europe and one of the oldest cities in the WORLD), Plovdiv is an easily accessible addition to your Bulgaria itinerary. Honestly, we really enjoyed our time in Plovdiv and recommend staying in Plovdiv for a few days. If you are short on a time, it’s definitely doable in a day, but it’s worth it’s own shine in our eyes!
So now that you know the top cheap things to do in Sofia Bulgaria, we hope you are feeling amped for your trip. Here’s our take on a few common questions we ” googled” as well before our trip to help in your planning process:
Planning for Sofia: Questions
Is Sofia Bulgaria Worth Visiting?
We definitely think there are lots of things to do in Sofia and that is definitely worth a visit. While some may only stay for 1-2 days, we enjoyed our 5 days in Sofia and felt like there was more to explore ( especially in regards to the nearby surrounding nature) which wasn’t an option with the snowy weather we had).
What is Sofia Bulgaria Famous For?
Sofia is Europe’s third oldest capital after Athens and Rome! Sofia is also home to many cultural institutions like the National Theater. Sofia as a city is known as the ” city of layers” for it’s complex ( and very long) history. Physically, you can now see refinements of some of those layers around the city center thanks to well-persevered ruins. Sofia city center also sits on over 40 mineral springs!
How many days do you need to visit Sofia Bulgaria for the first time?
If you’re short on time, we think you can enjoy Sofia in 2-3 days. We spent 5 days in Sofia and weren’t bored, but we understand that pace may be too ” slow” for some.
Do People Speak English in Sofia?
Yes, overall we found a lot of people do speak English and are willing to help communicate and problem solve. When we walked in the Soup Bar , there isn’t an English menu, but the servers found us not only someone who spoke English, but who could also ( patiently) identify all of the vegetarian options they had!
Is Sofia a walkable city?
Yes, Sofia is a small, walkable city. If you don’t feel like walking, there is also a modern tram system that cuts through different parts of the city center and runs directly to the bus/train station. We didn’t end up taking any public transportation within the city center, but it’s always nice to know it’s an option.
Where to go after Sofia?
If you have more then a few days in Sofia, we recommend extending your trip to historic Plovdiv. It’s only a two hour bus ride away, and offers a nice glimpse into traditional Bulgarian life and has a very modern amenity filled city center so you’ll get the best of both worlds.
From Sofia, it’s also easy to take a bus over to North Macedonia. After 5 days in Sofia and going to Plovdiv ( and back to Sofia), we decided, ” what’s one more bus ride?” and booked a bus over to North Macedonia. In just 4 hours, you’ll be able to explore the unique and quirky capital city of Skopje North Macedonia which is one of our favorite European capitals now!
Ready to find your favorite places to eat in Sofia? Check out our budget food guide with ( vegetarian) recommendations all under $10 USD!
Want to figure out what to do in Plovdiv ( Europe’s OLDEST city!)? We’ve got our budget recommendations after a short three day stay.
Looking for recommendations and where to go next?
Check out some of our best budget itineraries here:
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