Wondering what to do in your free time in Sofia?

If you study in Sofia, Bulgaria and you are wondering what to do when you have free time, enjoy our suggestions (and recommendations) for fun and cool stuff to do over the weekend! Make sure you don't miss the second part of this article with six more ideas for interesting things to do during your stay in Bulgaria!

Ride a horse

If you have never tried riding a horse or you have and you know how much fun it is, you should know that you can ride a horse in a couple of places in and around Sofia. The place that is quite easy to reach is the riding base located in the Borisova garden park. Go to Vasil Levski National Stadium subway station and walk towards the TV tower (Dragan Tsankov boul.). The riding base is max 10 minutes walking distance from the subway station - just turn left at the parking lot.

Go to Vitosha mountain

You can go hiking, skiing or snowboarding at Vitosha mountain! Every weekend a lot of Bulgarians prefer to escape from the city, the stress and enjoy the great view from Vitosha mountain. Going skiing on Vitosha mountain is not expensive, it’s quite affordable. There are three options to reach Vitosha mountain - you can either get there by car, taxi or by bus. Bus 63 goes to the "Zlatnite mostove" area where it is quite nice to enjoy a walk or a hike. If you want to reach Simeonovo lift, catch bus #123 from G.M. Dimitrov metro station. Keep in mind that the bus comes every 30-45 minutes. 

Escape rooms in Sofia

You like solving puzzles and playing in a team? You like dark creepy rooms full of surprises? Take advantage of the numerous escape rooms in Sofia! How does it work? You and your team are locked in a room full of clues and a history that you have to discover about that room. You have one hour to escape the room! Of course, if you are stuck and you can't understand what you have to do next, the staff will help you with some small clues (and share info over a mic). There are several escape rooms in Sofia, e.g. Room 66 and 3 Key Rooms. Keep in mind you have to book the room beforehand so get in touch with the staff in advance. 

Bungee jumping 

If you are an adrenaline lover then bungee jumping is just for you. There are a few places where you can experience bungee jumping close to Sofia. One of them is at the Klisura bridge. It is located 100 km away from Sofia and you have to go there by car - usually, the company that organizes the bungee jumping experience organizes transportation too. To reach Klisura bridge you have to go through Botevgratsko shose, and the sub-Balkan mountain road in the direction of Zlatitsa and Pirdop. The bridge is 70 meters high. You have to be at least 16 years old in order to be allowed to jump from the bridge.

Karting in Sofia

Another interesting idea for the weekend is to go karting. Do you want to compete with your friends? Sofia has a lot of places to offer when it comes to karting. One cool place where you can go is Ring Mall - there are many shops, a cinema, and a playground so you can do something else after or before the karting race. If you want to go to Ring Mall, you can go to Business Park Metro station - there is a free shuttle bus from there to the shopping mall. 

Visit Vrana park and palace

Vrana is a former royal palace and a park located close to Sofia. We recommend visiting it in spring, summer or autumn when the trees are green and colourful! How to go there? Just catch the bus #505 from Orlov most station. It leaves every hour and it goes straight to Vrana. Here is the schedule of the bus, according to the website of Vrana park. Keep in mind you are not allowed to bring food inside the park.

Climbing and adventure park Kokolandia

If your childhood was awesome or you still feel like a child and climbing trees is something you do for fun, visit Kokolandia! It is a climbing park in the Borisova garden park close to Nezabravka Str. The best way to reach the place is to catch a bus that travels along Tsarigradsko shose (e.g. bus #280 or #305) and get off at j.k. Iztok bus station. From there, you have about 10 minutes walking distance to Kokolandia park. There are different trails for different age groups and heights. Each trail costs about 5 leva (including equipment). The trails are not very high so you shouldn't be scared! Make sure you have comfortable clothes and shoes! 

Mineral Water Pool next to Pancharevo lake

The mineral water pool next to Pancharevo lake works throughout the whole year (there is a wet bar and a pool cave). There is even a SPA centre! How to go there? Catch bus #1 or #3 from Tsarigradsko shose subway station and get off at "Banya Pancharevo" bus station - it will take you about 30 minutes. Keep in mind that the buses come every half an hour. Of course, catching a taxi is also an option!

Target shooting in Sofia

There are a couple of places where you can go target shooting in Sofia. One of them is the Red Gym, 111 Haidushka Gora Str. You can go there by catching bus #73 or bus #204. Get off at Bulgaria boul. bus station. From there you need to walk about 15 minutes. Of course, you can also catch a taxi. The prices vary according to the gun you choose. The other place to go shooting is Gerena stadium. 

Go to the second part of this article!