30 Day Trip Ideas Around Sofia

One of Sofia’s greatest assets is how close it is to the mountains. Our capital sits right at the foot of Vitosha, which has become a natural park and a magnet for Sofia’s residents at weekends. The easiest way to get to the area is by car or on bus number 63. Of course, you’ll be out on a mountain hike, so bring proper footwear, as some of the routes are fairly challenging. From the Golden Bridges you can walk to Kopitoto, Boyana Waterfall, Vladaya, Knyazhevo, Edelweiss Hut, Aleko Hut and even all the way up to Cherni Vrah.

A trip to the lake at Pancharevo is guaranteed to refresh you. Lake Pancharevo is a place where you can escape the noise and bustle of the city. The air is clean, and it’s definitely a great spot for a peaceful picnic.

The lake is just 12 km from the capital. It’s a special place for sunbathing, swimming, fishing and water sports. There’s also a really pleasant eco trail known as “Panoramic”. At its highest point there’s a viewing platform overlooking the whole lake, Pancharevo and part of Vitosha.

Tsari Mali Grad is a late Roman fortress on Sveti Spas Hill, on the ridge of the Verila mountains, above the village of Belchin.

The fortress has been declared a cultural monument of national importance and has been excavated since 2007, and the project to turn it into a cultural and historical complex was completed in 2013. The complex includes the late Roman fortress, a group of churches, and areas for leisure and sport. Belchin, known for its mineral springs, also has some lovely hotels and guesthouses where you can stay and spend the whole weekend.

Prohodna Cave is a tall karst cave in central Bulgaria, in the Iskar Gorge near the village of Karlukovo.

It’s an absolutely stunning cave and one of my favourites in Bulgaria. It’s becoming popular with photographers from all over the world thanks to the two holes in its roof that look like a pair of eyes, known as “the Eyes of God”.

Rila Monastery is without doubt one of the symbols of Bulgaria. It stands at 1,147 metres above sea level, between the Rilska and Drushlyavitsa rivers. Its founder is believed to be St John of Rila (the first Bulgarian hermit monk), and the saint’s relics are kept at the monastery. In 1778 the monastery was ravaged by fire, but it was rebuilt thanks to wealthy Bulgarians from all over the country. It covers 8,800 sq m and today is a working monastery for monks. The monastery museum has over 380 exhibits, the most interesting of which is the first geographical globe made in Bulgaria, crafted by Neofit Rilski. As well as being able to buy icons, souvenirs, albums and postcards, you can stay the night at the monastery, which is open all year round.

Koprivshtitsa is a National Revival town tucked away in the Sredna Gora mountains, and it definitely deserves your attention. It’s a little town that wows you with its narrow cobbled lanes lined with colourful houses – and lots and lots of history.

Koprivshtitsa works well  both as a day trip and for a whole weekend. There’s certainly plenty to explore around the town too.

If you love townscapes and enjoy cultural and social events, Old Plovdiv is a great choice for a day trip from Sofia.

When you visit Plovdiv, besides the Old Town, a walk up the city’s hills is a must – they offer wonderful views over the city. You can also visit the Kapana arts district, the Ancient Theatre, the Roman Stadium, the recently restored basilica and the main street. Plovdiv is definitely one of my favourite cities in Bulgaria.

Osenovlak Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin, better known as “the Seven Thrones”, was founded in the 11th century, according to legend. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, and the church as it stands today was built and restored in 1815. The monastery and the land around it have been declared a natural landmark. Here you’ll find a unique cultural treasure – the wooden chandelier known as the “Horo”, made up of 15 separate parts and donated by the people of the village of Leskovdol. The Seven Thrones is easy to reach by car from Sofia, following the road to Mezdra through the Iskar Gorge. You can combine your visit with a walk to the nearby Thracian and ancient fortress of Sersem Kale, also known as Latinsko Kale.

Destroyed and rebuilt several times over its long history, Zemen Monastery has managed to preserve its architecturally unique Church of St John the Theologian, built in the 9th century. Besides the building’s intriguing cube shape (it’s the only church of its kind in the country), the way a spherical dome has been set into a square is also fascinating. The walls were painted in the 11th and 14th centuries, and the frescoes have survived without restoration – they’ve only been cleaned and treated against ageing and erosion. The floor slabs also date back to when the church was built. The stone altar beneath the dome is said to work miracles: place your left hand on it and make a wish, and you have good reason to hope it will come true.

Vrana Palace and its park are a real gem on the edge of Sofia, just off Tsarigradsko Shose. It’s a wonderful place for a family outing at the weekend. You’re not allowed inside the palace, so you can only admire it from the outside, but the park is open to visitors every weekend. My advice is to set aside a whole afternoon for the park.

Vrana Palace was designed as a summer residence for the royal family outside the city. Its architecture is very distinctive – an intricate take on Byzantine architecture combined with motifs from National Revival-era monasteries.

About 2 km from the village of Brestnitsa (Lovech), Saeva Dupka is considered by many to be one of the most impressive caves in Bulgaria.

It’s about 400 m long and divided into 5 chambers. The tour takes around half an hour, and I promise you’ll be left speechless by the mighty rock formations, which in many places hang menacingly over visitors’ heads.

The Stob Pyramids are a fascinating natural phenomenon near the village of Stob, shaped by erosion and wind. You reach them along a path; the climb gets a bit harder towards the end, but on the whole it’s nothing to be scared of.

The pyramids stay at your feet while panoramic views of Rila open up in front of you. I recommend combining your trip with nearby Rila Monastery, as exploring the pyramids won’t take you long.

The Church of Sts Theodore Tyron and Theodore Stratelates in the village of Dobarsko is unique for all sorts of reasons. It’s best known for two icons that seem to show spaceships. In the scene of the Transfiguration of Christ, Jesus looks like an astronaut in a rocket, and space experts have likened the background painted behind Christ to the atmosphere and stratosphere. In the other icon, the Resurrection, you can again see a flying machine – this time a space capsule.

There are other unanswered questions surrounding the church too, such as when it was built. Officially it’s thought to date from 1614, but some evidence suggests the real year is 1122. The church is one of the 100 National Tourist Sites and is protected by UNESCO.

Rupite is home to Baba Vanga’s house. In 1994 she herself funded the building of a church named after St Petka, and the prophetess’s grave lies behind it. You can also visit her house-museum. The area around it is home to rare species of trees and animals, mineral springs and pools. Legend has it that the land here is charged with a special energy, and that it was no accident Vanga chose this spot for the church. From the church you can also see a cross set into the rocks. It’s made up of marble steps that symbolise Jesus’s path to Golgotha.

Tucked away amid greenery, silence and calm, Klisura Monastery is a working convent. It’s one of the best-known and most interesting sights around Sofia and the fourth-largest monastery in Bulgaria. It dates back to the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1240) and is easy to reach on the road to Montana via the Petrohan Pass.