Sofia & Surrounding Region Travel Guide

This is one of the most beautiful Eastern Orthodox Monasteries you can think of, and is considered one of the top 5 attractions in Bulgaria. There are some risks however. Forget about sleeping there unless you have a tent and don't mind moving a couple of kilometers up in the mountain to pitch it. There is a hotel next to the monastery but it is the very symbol of misery, run by a gang of total jerks (sorry). You may get some small stomach problems if you deside to try the famous local combination of mekitsi and boza (the formar is food, the later is a drink). It is indeed an incredibly tasty thing byt the mekici are fried and if you have a sensitive stomach...

A nice walk to get to know Sofia for a day is from the Orlov most Square straight ahead to Sveta Nedelja place along the Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd. Along the way you'll see: The University St. Kliment Ohridski (to the right), the little garden bearing the same name, the Parliament (again right) with the monument of the Russian king Alexander II (Tzar Osvoboditel) in the center of the square, then you turn right to take a look at St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral (no way to miss it, big thing woth golden domes) and the National Gallery (same square as the Cathedral). Back to the main track - Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd. - on your walk to Sveta Nedelja you'll see the so-called Russian Church (it's a good place to take pictures of) to the right, then the Nature Museum (right again) and after that you'll reach the Alexander Batenberg square. There on the right you have an art Gallery (former king's palace). When you reach it, you turn to the left for a short walk to the national theatre (it's worth it), and when back on track you'll see to the left the National Bank, the Archaeological museum and the Presidency. Nice little fountain there. Then you reach a big square with buildings of the government. If you turn to the right, you'll see an old mosque and a nice building across ("Halite"). Back to the big square (of the Government, Statue of St. Sophia etc.) and a little further straight you'll reach the Sveta Nedelja church, after which the suare is named. Further on the right-hand side is the Palace of Justice and if you go straight along the tram line  (two or three stations), you'll reach the NDK (National Palace of Culture). Now you've earned a beer for all the patience you had to read it all ;)