
Meet Sofia
Sofia is not only the capital of Bulgaria but also the heart of the country. The city is a cultural, enlightened, administrative and industrial center, and its motto is rightly growing but not aging. Sofia is the largest city in Bulgaria and is located in the Sofia Field. It is surrounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, Vitosha to the south, southeast of the Lozen Mountains and Lyulin Mountain to the southwest. Sofia is emerging as a modern European capital with many business and shopping centers, dynamic nightlife and cultural attractions.
History of Sofia
Sofia is a city with a 7000 year history. In the 8th century BC, the ancient Thracian town of Serdika emerged on the site of a Neolithic settlement – named after the Thracian tribe of Serdi. The reason for the settlement of these lands is the warm mineral springs, which abound in the Sofia Field. Today healing mineral water flows in the center of Sofia. During the Roman Empire, the city was the center of the Roman province of Lower Dacia. Towers, fortresses, administrative and religious buildings are being built, and Emperor Constantine the Great calls it “My Rome”. During the 5th – 6th centuries the city was repeatedly attacked by Huns, Goths and other barbarian tribes. After the death of the Hunan leader Attila, the city became an important administrative and economic center of the Byzantine Empire. In 809, Han Krum joined it to the borders of Bulgaria.


Modern Sofia
On January 4, 1878 the city of Sofia was liberated from Ottoman rule. At that time its inhabitants were no more than 12 thousand, but because of its favorable strategic location on April 4, 1879, it was proclaimed the capital of Bulgaria. Sofia gradually began to acquire a European appearance. Streets are paved, schools, gardens, administrative buildings are being built. A sewage system, telegraphs and telephones were installed and the first tram was launched on January 1, 1901. A very modern Sofia became in the 1930s during the reign of Tsar Boris III. During the Second World War the city was partially destroyed by Allied bombers. After September 9, 1944, political changes took place in Bulgaria, which also influenced the image of the capital. Urban-style buildings are being built.
Today, Sofia has undergone many architectural changes and is becoming a modern European city.
Parks
The parks occupy a considerable part of the area of Sofia. The Boris Garden and the park around the Soviet Army Monument are centrally located. In the different parts of the capital are South Park, West Park, North Park, Geo Milev Park, Hunting Park. In addition, many other smaller parks and gardens are scattered throughout the city.
Vitosha Nature Park is a preferred place for recreation and tourism because of its close proximity to Sofia. In general, Vitosha is a harsh mountain and offers great conditions for trekking, skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, rock climbing, caving, paragliding and more.


Eating and entertaining
n terms of entertainment, Sofia is again number one. The nightlife here boils, and the pleasant surprises and pleasures literally spring. Some of the capital’s clubs have won the reputation of being one of the best and most impressive in the world. The restaurants and restaurants are innumerable, and besides traditional Bulgarian cuisine, you can taste dishes from Japan, India, the Middle East, Europe, Russia, Latin America and just about every corner of the world. There are also many hotels that meet both the most demanding and sophisticated people and those with fewer opportunities.