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The following places of historical and
cultural interest are to be found in the very centre of town:
Alexánder Nevski Catehdral (built in 1912), the Iván Vázoff
National Theatre, the Russian Orthodox Church (1913), Banya
Basi Mosque, the National Assembly building (finished in
1884), among others.
In the parliament building of the Culture
various concerts they can be witnessed and folk spectacles
during all the year.
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The sights of interest include the magnificent St.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia University, the
National Theatre, the Russian Orthodox Church, NDK,
etc. No use describing them. You just have to see
them… In the outskirts of the city
you can visit Boyana Church, Dragalevski and
Kremikovski monasteries and the famous Vitosha
Mountain, which is a national park, is over 2,000m
of height and you can enjoy its fresh air, its
unique species and natural beauty during all the
seasons. It is just at one hour distance from Sofia. |
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Shopping in Sofia is a delight. Quite a
number of the multinationals have moved to Sofia within the
past 5 years. Jewels, religious art, art in general are a
good value.
The favourite shopping street is the
Vitosha Blvd. passing through the centre of Sofia. It is a
pedestrian area. Vitosha is also full of restaurants,
fashion and cosmetics outlets. Walking along Vitosha Blvd.
you may also see some of Sofia’s nicest buildings, such as
the Sofia Court of Justice, Sveta Nedelya Orthodox Church
and Banya Bashi Mosque. The building of the former Sofia
Public Mineral Baths, located near mineral water spring is a
marvel.
The Central Department Store, TZUM is located at the very
heart of the capital city, very close to the Council of
Ministers, the Presidency and the National Assembly.
Another department store just opposite TSUM is the HALI -
Central Market Hall.
It is full of shops, boutiques, offices, studios, fast-food
restaurants, etc. The building is a monument of culture for
its remarkable architecture.
Mall of Sofia was opened in 2006 and is located at the
intersection of Aleksander Stamboliyski Boulevard and
Opalchenska Street in the centre of the city. You can find
everything there... Mineral and thermal
springs Sofia is known for its
numerous mineral springs. One of them is located in the
Sofia centre; others are located in the outskirts of Sofia,
such as Grona Banya, Bankya and Pancharevo and offer a
series of rehabilitation and curative procedures.
Public transport
Trams are the easiest and fastest way of getting around.
Lines 1 and 7 cross the city from north to south. Lines 3,
6, 20 and 22 go from east to west.
Sofia also has trolleybuses. Try 2 and 9
if you go north to south and 5 from east to west.
The main transport in Sofia are the
buses. There are more than 50 lines that reach all areas of
the city and its suburbs. For instance, the 94 and 280 go to
the student’s campus, 84 and 284 go to the airport, 76 and
213 go to Mladost, 309 and 310 go to Lyulin and 64 to
Dragalevtsi.
There are also private minibuses which
run across the city and the outskirts. You buy the ticket
directly from the driver, it is the double price than the
public transport ticket, but they are very speedy.
You can buy tickets from special kiosks
at transport stops or direct from the driver. It is
advisable to use a 10-ticket slip or a monthly “karta”. The
tickets are perforated on the vehicle. Tickets are valid for
all means of transport, except the Metro. The metro has just
one line but is rapidly expanding covering the east-west
direction. |