Sofia

Sofia (Со́фия in Bulgarian) is the capital of Bulgaria. It is a city of 1.2 million inhabitants, located in the mountainous region in the west of the country at foot of the Vitosha mountain in the Sofia valley, 70km from the border to Serbia. Due to its location in a valley surrounded by mountains the air in Sofia is often polluted.
Sofia has been inhabited at least for the past 7000 years. It became the capital of the European provinces of the Ottoman empire in the 15th century. After 1878 Sofia became the capital of the newly formed independent state of Bulgaria.
The centre of Sofia consists of many historical buildings, many of them built in Neoclassical style in the 19th and 20th centuries. There are several Christian Orthodox churches of which the Alexander Nevski one is the most prominent. Boulevard Vitosha is the main shopping and recreation street in Sofia. It is a pedestrian area with countless cafes, restaurants and shops. At its southern end there is a large park which leads to the Palace of Culture.
How to get to Sofia
Sofia is well connected with the European motorway and railway networks and can easily be reached by plane.
Accommodation
Accommodation options include hotels and pensions, all bookable via the international booking portals.