Founded seven thousand years ago, Sofia is the second oldest city in Europe. It has been given several names in the course of history and the remnants of the city’s millenary history still can be seen today alongside modern landmarks .

Sofia is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Bulgaria. Today the population of Sofia is 1 377 531 people. Sofia's development as a significant settlement owes much to its central position in the Balkans. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of the mountain massif Vitosha, and is the administrative, cultural, and economic centre of the country. It’s in the Sofia Valley that is surrounded by mountains on all sides. A number of low rivers cross the city, including the Vladayska , Perlovska and Iskar River. The city is known for its numerous mineral and thermal springs. Artificial and dam lakes were built in the last century.

Sofia is one of the oldest capital cities in Europe, blending its past and present in a remarkable architectural style. Historic landmarks include the 10th-century Boyana Church, the Alexander Nevski Cathedral (one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the world), and the early Byzantine Church of St Sophia. More modern architecture is represented by the Bulgarian National Opera and Ballet, the “Bulgaria” Hall, the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, the Rakovski Street, Slaveykov Square - outdoor book market, and the National Palace of Culture - NDK, which is Southeastern Europe's largest cultural and congressional centre. The architecture of Sofia's centre is mostly typically Central European.

Sofia is very popular tourist destination. There are a number of places of special interest and tourist attractions include:

      The Church of St George (4th century)

      The Church of St Sophia - built in the 6th century

      The Church of St Petka of the Saddlers from the 14th centurу

      The Russian Church “St. Nikolai”

      The St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University - is the oldest and most significant modern higher education institution in Bulgaria, founded on October 1^st 1888.

      Sts. Cyril and Methodius National Library - founded on April 4^th  1878

      Sofia City Art Gallery

      The Sofia Synagogue, the largest in the Balkans

      Sofia's central boulevards paved with Viennese yellow cobblestones

      The Largo, an architectural complex in downtown Sofia which includes the embassies and headquarters of many national institutions

and many more.

Sofia has also a huge nightlife scene with many different night clubs, pubs, Bulgarian traditional taverns, and restaurants.

Sofia has well-developed infrastructure and transport and it is an important centre for international railway and automobile routes. Three Trans-European Transport Corridors cross the city. All major types of transport (except water transport) are represented in the city, which is home to 8 railway stations, and the Sofia Airport. Public transit is well-developed, reliable and important to the city's economy; it is provided by means of underground trains (the Sofia Metro), buses, trams and trolleybuses. There are over 15,000 licensed taxi cabs operating in the city.