The 5 Best Neighborhoods To Visit In Sofia

At first sight, Sofia might look quite homogeneous but if you spend more time in this Bulgarian capital, especially if you live here, you will start to notice differences within its neighborhoods – some are busier but have great nightlife, others quieter but are situated near awe-inspiring mountain views. This is Culture Trip’s guide to the coolest neighborhoods in the city.

Boyana

Church, Museum

Boyana is situated on the outskirts of Sofia, at the foot of Vitosha mountain. Some of the main attractions in Sofia are located here, like the National History Museumand the UNESCO-listed Boyana Church. The main Communist-era government residence was built here to meet foreign officials and is still used by the Bulgarian government when hosting important guests.

Lozenets

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Lozenets has been considered a cool area since the Communist era and it’s one of the most expensive Sofia neighborhoods to live in. Depending on whether you reside in upper or lower Lozenets, you can sometimes see the whole of Sofia from your upper-floor balcony.

Ivan Vazov

Park

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This high-end neighborhood has a perfect location – on one side, the main pedestrian street – Vitosha Boulevard lies, on the other, the huge and neat Yuzhen Park (South Park) spreads out. Being in the center means Ivan Vazov dwellers are close to most amenities.

Mladost

Park

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Mladost, literally translates to ‘youth’, predictably attracts mainly young families and students. It mostly consists of blocks of flats and is easily accessible by subway – a huge advantage in a capital blocked daily by traffic jams. Mladost is one of the fastest developing areas in Sofia, one reason being that it’s where the biggest business complex in Eastern Europe, where thousands of people work – Business Park Sofia – is located.

Studentski Grad

University

Studentski Grad, or Students Town, is an area fun to live in when young but gets too noisy and crowded for families. This is where many student dorms are located (which means thousands of university students live, eat, study and celebrate here) and the neighborhood has a distinct party atmosphere all year round.

About the author

Maria Angelova

Maria Angelova is in love with Bulgaria, fortune-telling, photography and talking to strangers. She is the author of several travel books in Bulgarian and English, including "50 Secret Places to Discover in Bulgaria' and "203 Travel Challenges. Travel the World. Explore Your Inner Self."