Hotels in Sofia

Sofia: Roman Layers Beneath a Balkan Capital

Sofia sits at 550 m elevation in the Sofia Valley, flanked by Vitosha Mountain — a 2,290 m peak reachable by metro from the city centre in under 30 minutes. Founded as Serdica by the Romans in the 1st century AD, the city preserves the Church of St. George (4th century), Serdica II metro station where Roman ruins line the platform walls, and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (completed 1912), one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in the Balkans at 5,100 sq m of floor space.

Where to Stay in Sofia

Most hotels concentrate around bul. Vitosha, the main pedestrian boulevard, and the National Palace of Culture (NDK) district to the south. The Oborishte neighbourhood, north-east of the cathedral, holds several boutique properties in late-19th-century buildings. Budget travellers gravitate to Studentski Grad, 5 km south-east, connected by tram line 9.

Practical Tips

• Getting around: Metro lines M1 and M2 intersect at Serdika station; a single ride costs BGN 1.60 (≈ €0.82).
• Currency: Bulgaria uses the Bulgarian Lev (BGN), pegged at BGN 1.956 per euro; card payments are widely accepted.
• Timing: The Sofia Film Fest runs each March; the Rose Festival season begins in late May with rose-oil markets in the city's shops.
• Airport access: Sofia Airport Terminal 2 is 10 km east; metro line M4 connects it to the centre in about 20 minutes.