Digital Nomad Guide for Sofia, Bulgaria
Sofia is not the first city you’d have in mind when thinking about a place where digital nomads flock to. It’s the capital city of Bulgaria, a country that sits right below Romania, next to Turkey and above Greece.
However, in recent years it has grown in popularity, especially for entrepreneurs looking to establish a tax residency in Bulgaria, as the country has a very attractive tax regime.
Quicklinks:
Things To Do
The a stroll on Vitoshka Boulevard
The main shopping and walking street in Sofia is the Vitoshka Boulevard. You can find many restaurants and shops along this street, and if you walk all the way up you will get to the Cathedral of Saint Nedelya, one of the main churches in the city.
Do a Walking Tour
A walking tour is the best way to explore the main sights in any city and the same is true for Sofia. I did the Free Sofia Walking Tour, which was super interesting. Did you know that Sofia is one of the oldest cities in Europe? You’ll hear this fact and many more on the walking tour 😊
Check out the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Perhaps the most iconic building in Sofia is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, an orthodox church right in the heart of the city. It was finished in 1912 and was built to honour the Russian soldiers that died during the Russo-Turkish war in 1877.
It’s a pretty church to see from the outside - from the inside it is grand, but not very big. Be aware that you’re not actually allowed to make pictures inside this church; if they see you taking any, they might come and ask you for a ‘fee’!
Go to the Vitosha Mountain
If you are an avid hiker, or just enjoy being in the mountains, then you should definitely check out the Vitosha Mountain. It’s just a 30-40 minute drive up the mountain or you can also get there by public transportation. It’s lovely to see the view on Sofia from the top of Vitosha! In the winter, it’s also a great place to do some skiing.
Check out some of the many parks
Sofia has many parks and green spaces - it’s rare to find a city that has so much green space! Some of them are proper big, like the South Park, where you can cycle or even hike. Other parks are a bit smaller but more picturesque, like the park near the National Art Gallery building.
Day trips to other cities
Cities such as Plovdiv and the digital nomad favourite Bansko are both about a 2 hour drive from Sofia and are well worth visiting as a day trip or even a weekend trip. You can also get there by train.
Plovdiv is certainly a very picturesque smaller city and many people actually like it more than Sofia.
Bansko is a mountain village and ski destination that somehow attracts a lot of digital nomads each year so there is a cool community of nomads.
Do a Day Trip to the Rila Lakes and the Monastery
The 7 Rila lakes are a stunning place a few hours away from Sofia. You can very easilty join a tour and check out the beautiful landscapes in this part of the country. Check out the tour on GetYourGuide:
Where To Eat & Drink Coffee
Food in Sofia is abundant and pretty cheap! We also thought the Bulgarian cuisine itself is delicious, in part because of the country’s proximity to Greece and Turkey, both of which are countries that have amazing food cultures.
You should definitely try some banitsa, my new favourite breakfast pastry, which is a flaky filo dough pastry filled with Bulgarian cheese and egg. They also have other versions, like with lamb and also sweet fillings, like with apple and cinnamon. And also kebabche, which are grilled meats, quite similar to kebab, as the name suggests. Another big national dish is the Shopska salad, which is a tomato, cucumber and peppers salad (and sometimes some other veggies too), topped with Bulgarian cheese.
All in all, there are a lot of dishes to try from the Bulgarian cuisine! Here are some restaurants that I tried and liked:
Bulgarian Restaurants
Under the Linden Trees, Traditional restaurant - This traditional restaurant was right next to our airbnb and we enjoyed the vibe and the food there. They’ve got all sorts of local dishes.
Shtastlivetsa restaurant Vitoshka, Bulgarian restaurant - This restaurant is right on Vitoshka boulevard and serves some amazing Bulgarian dishes. Also, the interior decor is quite pretty and unique so definitely check it out if you have the chance!
Moma Bulgarian Food and Wine, Bulgarian restaurant - This restaurant has a bit of a modern take on Bulgarian food and also serves excellent wine.
HleBar, Bulgarian pastries and bread - If you’re looking for a traditional Bulgarian breakfast pastry, look no further, because this place has delicious Banitsas! I especially loved the one with apple, cinnamon and walnuts 🤤
Specialty Coffee Places & Brunch
Coffee Syndicate, specialty coffee - This was my favourite coffee place in Sofia, partly because they had an amazing Espresso Tonic that is probably my favourite iced coffee drink ever!
The Family Coffee Roasters, specialty coffee - A specialty coffee shop right in the centre of Sofia, that also roasts their own coffee.
sabale, brunch and coffee - probably my favourite cafe in Sofia, sabale makes really amazing breakfast and lunch dishes. It’s simple food but super high quality.
Drekka, specialty coffee - Excellent coffee in a quaint neighbourhood.
International Restaurants
Emesa Restaurant - Syrian Food, Syrian restaurant - Kind of a hidden gem as we found this quiet place randomly. They serve very delicious and fresh Syrian food.
Mezza, Turkish resturant - A cute restaurant that serves delicious Turkish dishes.
SATSANGA Vegetarian, Indian restaurant - This buffet-style restaurant was surprisingly good. You can take a plate, load it up with any Indian food at the buffet and you pay for the weight of the food.
Caruso Pizza Center, Pizza - For authentic Neapolitan pizza, go to this little place!
CRAFT Bistro Sofia, Mediterranean restaurant - Cute restaurant with a very lovely garden terrace that serves excellent, Italian-inspired food.
Where To Work From
There are actually quite a lot of coworking spaces in Sofia, which kind of surprised me. However, it makes sense once you understand how many remote workers actually are in Sofia.
Networking Premium Coworking
Networking Premium Coworking has a few locations in Sofia. I tried the one in the city centre, which was called Gurko.
The coworking space is located on the top floor, has ergonomic chairs, as well as phone booths and meeting rooms. There’s also a shared kitchen and free coffee and water. The community is also really friendly, and it’s easy to meet fellow coworking workers! It also has a gorgeous rooftop terrace, with a lovely view on the city of Sofia.
A day pass is 20 euros and the monthly plan is around 200 euros. It’s quite easy to get a daypass, as you can just buy it online.
Other coworking spaces
There are also some other coworking spaces worth checking out. They are:
Barter Community Hub - This is a coworking cafe that we tried on the last day. It is free to work from provided that you get some drinks or food. They also have pretty good coffee and a beautiful rooftop terrace. Really enjoyed working there for a day!
SOHO Coworking - another coworking space that feels a little more creative and has a lovely outside patio too.
Where To Stay & Accommodation
There are a few areas in Sofia worth staying at. After exploring Sofia for 2 weeks, these were my favourite areas overall:
Oborishte - An area that is just in the north-east of the city centre, so you can basically walk to the centre, or it’s just a quick tram ride away. It’s really quaint and quiet, and there are loads of cafes, restaurants, and little shops.
North of the centre - The northern part of the city centre is a really cool area, with loads of cafes, bars and restaurants. It’s the area right next to the Serdika II metro station.
Lozenets - This is a neighbourhood located in the northern part of Sofia, sitting next to the South Park. It’s a bit more of residential area, but you’ll still find shops and restaurants, especially the area of Lozenets that is closer to the park (around here).
Accommodation
We went for Airbnb in Sofia, as the prices were really pretty cheap. The apartment we stayed at was in a good area and in a new building.
Here are some hotel options that looked decent as well:
Hyatt Regency - For a more upscale stay, check out the Hyatt Regency, which is close to the Alexandre Nevsky Cathedral, so very central.
B1 City Hotel - For a more mid-range option, check out this hotel that looks very modern and has really good reviews.
Sim Cards & Internet
Internet in Sofia is abundant and fast. Most cafes and even restaurants have free wifi and it’s very fast as well.
Bulgaria is in the EU so if you have a simcard from another EU country, you'll be able to use your 4G/5G data also in Sofia (depends on your sim plan though).
Otherwise, if you’re traveling from outside the EU, you can use services like Saily to easily get an E-simcard, which you can download directly on your phone.
When To Go
Sofia in the spring, summer and fall has lovely temperatures, as it’s actually quite close to Mediterranean destinations such as Greece. What’s nice in the summer is that temperatures drop in the evening, meaning that it doesn’t get too stuffy and hot in the summer months.
Sofia is situated on around 500m elevation, so in the winter it can get cold. If you aren’t a cold weather person, I would suggest skipping the winter in Sofia.
How To Get Around
In Sofia, there’s a metro as well as a tram that you can take, which work really well and are quite convenient. You can even use your credit card to check in and out and it’s very cheap too.
The airport is quite close to the city too, and it’s connected with the metro. A trip from the airport to the city by metro would take around 25 - 30 minutes.
Taxi’s are also abundant, though make sure you use the Yellow Taxi company, and use the main ride-hailing apps, because taxi scams do occur regularly I’ve heard.
Travel Insurance
Make sure that you have a solid travel insurance before going on your Digital Nomad adventure in Sofia. You never know what might happen on the road and by having one, you’ll have a peace of mind and can travel worry-free.
I highly recommend Safety Wing, as I think the user experience is really good and the value for money is very high. You can also buy additional add-ons to your insurance policy, for instance, electronics theft and extended coverage for so-called adventure travel (e.g. skiing or surfing).
You can purchase your Safety Wing insurance via this link.
My Thoughts on Sofia as a Digital Nomad Destination
While you can definitely feel the communist history of Bulgaria, especially when walking a bit outside the city centre and seeing the grey, decrepit communist blocks, Sofia is still a place loaded with culture and history - as can be seen from the historic city centre that features Roman ruins, Orthodox churches and grand palaces.
If you love food, culture and even nature, then Sofia is definitely for you. There is also a vibrant digital nomad community and it’s easy to connect, especially if you go to coworking spaces that organise events and social activities.
Additionally, Bulgaria is super cheap - everything from public transport to food to accommodation is extremely affordable. If you’re looking to experience the Eastern European culture then definitely visit Sofia!
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