7 Hidden Gems in Sofia Only Locals Know About
If you have already ticked the main attractions in Sofia off your list, or if you have a reputation for seeking out hidden gems wherever you are, you’ll love this. The following list will take you to some of the off-the-beaten-track places in Sofia, where the majority of the visitors you’ll run into will be locals.
1. The University Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden, Park
Doctor’s Garden and Zaimov Park
Sofia is a very green capital, full of huge parks and tiny green spaces that invite nature to thrive throughout the city. You may have already strolled along the paths of the Borisova gradina (the huge park in the city center) or Yuzhen Park (South park), but there are other small parks that will tickle your fancy, like Doctor’s Garden (right behind the National Library) and Zaimov Park, just a five minute walk away. These two parks host festivals, live concerts and special events on summer nights. During the days, they are a shady refuge from the heat, complete with ice cream and coffee vendors and perfect sitting areas for enjoying conversation.
2. The Bells Monument
Park
3. Dragalevtsi Monastery
Forest, Monastery
Dragalevtsi is an outlying district outside Sofia that has a village atmosphere. It is worth a visit for many reasons, especially if you are into hiking. This is where many of the Vitosha Mountain trails start, and it’s where two lifts are located that take hikers closer to Cherni Vrah peak. Hidden in the forest, just a short hike from Dragalevtsi, is the Dragalevtsi Monastery. This religious complex is nearly 700 years old and it is still active today with several nuns charged with taking care of it.
4. Cherni Vrah
5. Cultural Center G8 Cinema
Cinema, Movie Theater, Theater
Byufetŭ (Бюфетъ)
This boutique restaurant will make you feel as if you have been dropped in the middle of a fairy tale. The cozy, yet eccentric interior turns on the imagination, as old dolls, ladders, trinkets and bicycles hanging from walls surround you. The menu contains a variety of mouth-watering meat and veggie dishes inspired by local cuisine. There’s a lunch menu available throughout the week as well.
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