Sofia is the lively, multicultural and developing capital city of Bulgaria that is part of the European Union. Bulgaria is situated in Southeast Europe and has borders with Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, and Turkey. There’s a beautiful coastline along the Black Sea and stunning mountain ranges throughout the country. The benefits of life in Bulgaria include the moderate climate, beaches, mountains and countryside. In short you can enjoy a relaxed lifestyle among friendly and welcoming people.
Living in Sofia you get all the typical benefits of living in a big city without the hectic pace of life in places like London or Rome. Time with family and a positive work-life balance are highly valued in Bulgarian culture. Sofia offers many small and big parks where you can take a walk or just relax. Sofia is at the foot of Vitosha Mountain and you can feel the nature it brings in the city.
Bulgaria is one of the oldest countries in Europe and has a very rich history. The Thracians, Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and the Ottoman Empire have all left behind a multitude of interesting monuments throughout the country. The city center is home to numerous museums and art galleries. Bulgarians are well known for keeping traditions alive and there are many traditional festivals and events during the year in Sofia and neighboring cities.
There are multiple low cost airlines based at Sofia airport and you can find inexpensive fares to many destinations within Europe and its neighboring countries. The local and international central bus station and railway station are located next to each other on the outskirts of the city center. Sofia’s Metro is modern and continuously expanding. There are extensive tram and bus networks within the city.
The Software industry is one of the fastest growing of all Bulgaria’s industries and there are many well-known companies with headquarters or offices in Sofia. Some of them are SAP, VMware, HP, IBM, CISCO and Sega. According to Eurostat, Bulgaria had the sixth highest percentage of women employed in science and technology in the EU in 2021. Sofia is known for its fast, stable and inexpensive internet connection and is host to many technology focused conferences throughout the year.
There’s a strong foreigner community in Sofia. There’re many social and themed meetups that are organized through Facebook and Whatsapp groups. You can search the “Foreigners in Sofia & Friends” Facebook group for lots of tips about moving and settling into Sofia. There’s also a “Sofia Foodies” Facebook group to search for tips on where to find certain ingredients and for restaurant reviews.
In Sofia you can find a lot of options for indoor and outdoor sports activities. There’s facilities and clubs for football, tennis, hiking, skiing, swimming and more. During the winter you can make a short 30-minute trip to Vitosha mountain for skiing. There are also internationally recognized ski resorts like Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo situated within a three-hour drive from the city center. During the summer there’s many trails for hiking and city pools for swimming.
Bulgaria’s cuisine features fresh regional vegetables, fragrant spices and quality barbecued meats. There’re many traditional and international restaurants at every price level throughout the city. New restaurants, bars and cafes are often opening so there’s always somewhere interesting to try. Many restaurants have a daily lunch menu for a lower than usual price.
Sofia has a full selection of competitive international schools that uphold high European standards. There are schools conducted in English and several other languages as well.
Sofia Airport: https://www.sofia-airport.bg/en/passengers City mobility: https://www.sofiatraffic.bg/en/transport/schedules Sofia Municipality: https://www.sofia.bg/en/web/sofia-municipality/ Sofia guide: http://www.sofia-guide.com