By: Sandra Lightowler

Sofia, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Bulgaria, is one of the oldest capital cities in Europe. Its history dates back to the 8th century, when the Thracians came and established a settlement in the city. It is located in the western region of the country and has a population of 1,270,450; making it the 14th largest city in the European Union. It is also the administrative, economic, educational and cultural centre of the country. The city gets its name from The Church of St. Sophia, which was constructed by Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the middle of the 6th century. The official language of Sofia is Bulgarian.

Geography

Situated in western Bulgaria at the northern foot of the Vitosha Mountain, Sofia is surrounded on all sides by mountains. With an area of 457.9 sq miles (1,186 sq. kilometres), the Sofia Valley is the largest one in the country. It has an average altitude of 1,804 feet (550 metres) and is traversed by three mountain passes that connect the Aegean and Black Seas with Central Europe and the Adriatic Sea.
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Tags: Bulgaria, Bulgaria tourism, Bulgaria Travel, Bulgaria travel notes, Sofia

By : Matt Davies

Bulgaria’s capital city of Sofia has been around for quite a while. Depending upon who you believe, it was established anywhere between 7,000 and 3,000 years ago by ancient Thracians. What is agreed is that it was the thermal springs that proved the big attraction and led to the development of a thriving metropolis. At 1804ft above sea level the climate tends to moderately hot summers and cold, snowy winters providing great summer sun, pleasurable city breaks and numerable ski opportunities depending upon when you visit. As you would expect from such an ancient city there is a plethora of old buildings and cultural points of interest smattered around Sofia. Whether it is the architecture, museums or the pleasures offered by a modern city that you are after, you’ll find them all in abundance in sparkling Sofia.

Vibrant nightlife is alive and well in Sofia. Although the majority of Sofians don’t boast massive incomes they still love to party! As a result there are a number of great pubs and cafes dotted throughout the city catering to a wide range of tastes and interests. For example, find yourself in Sofia at the time your favourite football team is playing an important game and you needn’t miss it, head for Murphy’s Irish Bar and catch all the action! And the handful of 24 hour restaurants that operate in the city centre provide respite if you are out between 1.00 and 5.00 a.m. and find that the great public transport system has closed down for the evening! While in Sofia, do as the Sofians do, and drink in the bars until midnight, then head off to the nightclub; there are plenty about that offer a wide range of dance and music styles.
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Tags: Bulgaria, Bulgaria tourism, Bulgaria Travel, Bulgaria travel notes, Sofia

Doug Ragan

Sofia has a huge nightlife scene with many different night clubs, live venues, pubs, mehani (Bulgarian traditional taverns), and restaurants. Sofia is one of the oldest cities in Europe with ruins spread across the city center. Sofia offers an excellent opportunities for international congresses,symposia,meetings,conferences and fairs. Sofia has a continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. Besides the city of Sofia, the capital province encompasses three other cities and 34 villages, being split into a total of 24 municipalities. The architecture in Sofia centre is a unique mixture of Western and Central European Architecture. The Largo, an architectural complex in downtown Sofia which includes the headquarters of many national institutions.

After the abolishment of Communism in 1989, Sofia has witnessed the construction of whole business districts and neighbourhoods, as well as modern skryscraper-like glass-fronted office buildings, but also top-class residential neighbourhoods. Some of the biggest and most popular telecommunications companies, TV and radio stations, cable television companies, newspapers, magazines, and web portals are based in Sofia.
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Tags: Bulgaria, Bulgaria property, Bulgaria Travel, Bulgaria travel notes, Sofia

creswebs

Few words about Sofia and Sofia International Airport:
Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria, well connected with all the other cities of the country. It is situated in the vicinity of Vitosha and Lyulin mountains on the southern parts of Sofia valley. It has been called by different names in the history. This name Sofia was finally given to it due to the presence of a [Photograph by Alexander Dimitrov] church St. Sofia. Sofia is the hub of tourism in Bulgaria due to ancient ruins, galleries, pubs, beaches, restaurants and churches. In 2010 there were almost 500,000 passengers dealt with at Sofia airport.

Sofia Airport Transfers:

To facilitate this large number of passengers, there is an efficient Sofia Airport Transport service in place available for 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. It is fast, safe, affordable and comfortable, providing for all the possible needs of travelers. It is very good to hire airport transfer services in advance to avoid delays and facilitate the mobility.
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Tags: Bulgaria, bulgaria tour, Bulgaria tourism, Bulgaria Travel, Bulgaria travel notes, Sofia, tour bulgaria, tourism bulgaria

Edds

Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria and a great place of history and tradition. Today, Sofia is a modern city that is very proud of its heritage. The city motto is “Grow but do not grow older.” This really sums up what Sofia is all about. It is a city that progresses toward the future, but always remembers the past. There is a plethora of interesting places to visit in and around the city of Sofia. For the easiest transportation, you should reserve a cheap car hire Sofia. This will allow you to travel around to the most destinations during your holiday.

There are plenty of interesting places to visit both inside and outside of the Sofia city limits. Tourism in Sofia has always been a fun way to spend a Bulgaria holiday. The only hard part is deciding what to do and where to go. There are historical sites that date back thousands of years as well as modern attractions that will astonish any visitor. Apart from the exciting attractions in Sofia, there are many great places to explore outside of the urban area. A cheap Sofia car hire really comes in handy for discovering western Bulgaria.

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Tags: Bulgaria, bulgaria tour, Bulgaria tourism, Bulgaria Travel, Bulgaria travel notes, Sofia, tour bulgaria, tourism bulgaria

Stephen Jones

GRAND HOTEL SOFIA 5* – The newest 5-star luxury hotel in Sofia, located in the very heart of Bulgaria’s capital, overlooking the City garden and the National Theatre.

HOLIDAY INN HOTEL SOFIA 5* – Sofia’s newest 5 star hotel, adjacent to the Business Park Sofia, located at 9 km from the city center and 6 km from Sofia International Airport.

SHERATON SOFIA HOTEL BALKAN 5* – One of the best hotels in Sofia, located in the very heart of the city, within walking distance from all governmental institutions and tourist sites.

ART HOTEL SOFIA 4* – Located in the city centre of Sofia, on a quiet spot between Vitosha and Rakovski boulevards, within walking distance to all major sites.

FESTA BARCELO HOTEL SOFIA 4* – The hotel, which is part of the world hotel chain Barcelo Hotels & Resorts, is situated in the fast developing district of Sofia city, at the foot of Vitosha Mountain.
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Tags: Bulgaria, Bulgaria tourism, Bulgaria Travel, Bulgaria travel notes, Hotels in Sofia, Sofia