Sophia, the capital of Bulgaria, is home to an old city centre that has a lot of charm and great attractions. With a history spanning more than 2,000 years, Sophia has scant evidence of the earliest settlers, except for sections of mosaic flooring in St Sofia Church and the fourth-century Rotunda of Sveti Georgi. Most of the city’s architecture dates to the 1700s and 1800s.

After decades under communist rule, Sophia is today a city on the rise. Myriad open-air cafés and espresso bars continue to sprout along the trendier avenues and in the city’s verdant public parks. These make ideal spots to take a break from wandering the worn cobblestoned streets of its older district.

The grandeur of its Eastern Orthodox churches and their stunning icon art is a major facet of this city. Museums like the Icon Museum and National History Museum are some of the best in Eastern Europe, but much of the charm of Sophia is found in the subtleties of daily street life.

The accommodation scene in Sophia also continues to grow and improve with each passing year. There is little in the way of luxury here, but a couple of five-star hotels adequately handle the demand. Most lodging falls into the middle range of quality and price. It’s worth the extra cash to stay near the city centre, however, where all the best sights are within easy walking distance. Book online in advance to secure the hotel of your choice.

Visitors can fly into Sophia from most major European and Middle Eastern cities. Taking the train or a coach offers a more scenic route, but can be time consuming. You won’t need a car to get around Sophia, but if you want to explore some of the many highlights in the surrounding area a hired car is the way to go.

The climate in Sophia is one of its main draws. The city lies at an elevation of 550 metres on an open plain partially surrounded by mountains. This topography creates summers that are warm and often sunny, with temperatures that only occasionally top 30°C. Most of the rain falls during the summer, but it usually comes in the form of brief and refreshing afternoon thunderstorms. July and August are the hottest months of the year, with several days seeing temperatures over 35°C.

The winters in Sophia are cold and snowy, as you’d expect from continental Europe. Temperatures range from 10°C to 15°C so be sure and bring warm clothes. Spring and autumn are typically pleasant with intermittent rain and sun. Spring sees a burst of life as trees and flowers emerge from their long winter slumber. Autumn is even more pleasant as crisp blue skies are punctuated by the changing colours of the trees.