How to Spend a Layover in Sofia, Bulgaria

So how did we end up in Sofia, Bulgaria? We were asking ourselves the same thing… Since we travel so often we are airline loyal and we have a million miles and the flight attendants know our names buy the cheapest thing we can find on Google Flights regardless of the layover location and duration. We were in Spain and wanted to get to Greece. This led to taking a train from Sevilla to Malaga, flying from Malaga to Sofia, having a 13-hour layover, then flying from Sofia to Athens. But hey, it was cheap!

Funny Story: The airline we flew to Sofia was called WizzAir so naturally every time we said it we used a Lil’ Wayne voice or referred to it as Wiz Khalifa Air. What can we say, we like rap music!?

Where to Stay in Sofia, Bulgaria

So with 13 hours in Sofia, we decided to leave the airport and explore this old city. But first, we needed to sleep a bit and drop off our bags. We booked an Airbnb last minute and since we knew we were going to be arriving very late we filtered for super host and self-check-in. When we arrived in our cab to a less than desirable looking building we were a bit concerned, but the actual apartment was gorgeous. It’s probably one of the best we’ve stayed in. Check it out here.

Haven’t tried out Airbnb yet? Click here to get a $40 travel credit.

What to Do in Sofia, Bulgaria in One Day

Start by visiting the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. This iconic building is beautiful inside and out. The ceiling is especially gorgeous. Afterward, head over to the St. George Rotunda. This church was built in the 4th century, so old! It has a lot of interesting history that you can read about inside. It is also funny how out of place it seems now, surrounded by hotels and modern buildings. If you have more time than we did swing by some of the other historical buildings. Everything is located pretty close to each other so we walked everywhere.

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Fun Fact: There are re-purposed bomb shelters that now serve as little stores. When walking you may notice someone’s head at ground level!

Where to Eat in Sofia, Bulgaria in One Day

Vitosha Blvd has several nice cafes and dining options. We ate at Social Cafe Bar and Kitchen and it was so delicious. If we were there at dinner time, I would have liked to check out Happy Pig, a Japanese Bulgarian fusion restaurant. We usually steer clear of the word fusion, but it sounds intriguing.

So if you find yourself with a Bulgarian layover, get out and explore Sofia!

Read about our entire Europe trip here.

Strolling through Sofia,
-Ray