In February 2019 two Croatian couples with kids came to visit my family in Sofia, Bulgaria. I had the rare opportunity to view my home town with new eyes! The eyes of a tourist! It was about time I write a blog post about Sofia, right?
You’ll find the info below very useful if traveling to Sofia with a baby, toddler, kids or teenagers.
Is Sofia a good destination to visit with children?
Sofia is a cool city to visit, but not the best to visit with children as there is little entertainment for the little ones. For example, there is no Disneyland or any other similar amusement park. If your kids are looking forward that kind of fun, they’ll be unpleasantly surprised.
Sad to say it, but the zoo is disappointing, too. It was constructed long time ago and it hasn’t seen any major investments for the past decades. Visitors can still see interesting animals at a very cheap price. The entrance is free up to 3 years of age, BGN 2 or EUR 1 for 4-18 year olds and BGN 4 or EUR 2 for grown-ups.
Teenagers will enjoy Sofia the most out of the other age groups. They will probably love the hipster vibes at the city center, enjoy the great internet all around and appreciate the city for its past and present.
As for babies and toddlers, Sofia is getting more friendly. The roads and sidewalks at the city center are now mostly redone. Plus, most of the restaurants have baby changing rooms and baby chairs available. If they don’t, it is safe to assume they are not targeting families with babies as clients.
Roads and sideways around Sveti Sedmochislenitsi church are being repaired in the city center of Sofia
Moving around Sofia with children
Sofia is not very easy to move around with baby strollers as the infrastructure is not repaired in most of the city. The roads and sideways can be bumpy. Of course, you would not have an issue with the roads if traveling with children who walk. Plus, most of the city is flat. As of February 2019, there are reconstruction works in Sofia’s city center, which will resolve the situation with the bumpy roads.
All of the attractions in Sofia are in the city center, so it is much better to book a place here. My hubby and I don’t have enough place at home to welcome two more families. Naturally, we booked a place in the city center.
Secession Style is the guest house we booked in the center of Sofia
I found this awesome guest house Secession Style, which is in walking distance to many of Sofia’s attractions. All of us stayed there and didn’t have to use public transport at all. The place is rated with the amazing 9.7 points on Booking, which is impressive.
The hosts were very nice and gave us lots of suggestions on where to go and where to eat. They provided a discount of 15% for you, my readers, after I mentioned I am a travel blogger! Book through their booking form or DM them on Instagram using the promo code “ilkarocks”. The offer stands until the end of April 2019. Hope it is helpful!
Anna and I playing in the garden
We booked the whole first floor of the guest house. This was our room
Anna playing with the furniture at our room
Entertainment for children in Sofia
Although Sofia is not that fun for kids, I managed to put down a separate longer review of three places in Sofia that your kids will love! Well, they will love at least one of the places. Let me mention a few words about the places:
- Muzeiko, a science museum for children.
Anna explores Muzeiko for the first time
- Vitosha Mountain, a mountain located right next to Sofia.
Baby Anna enjoying a picnic at Vitosha, spring 2018
- The Bells, an old school socialist monument, where visitors can sound a large number of bells from around the world.
Anna and I posing at the Bells in Sofia
What to have in mind when traveling with children in Sofia
Sofia may not be the most entertaining city for children, but it has a great advantage over other locations in general. Namely, it is cheap. Located in the most eastern country of Europe, Sofia is still much cheaper compared to Western Europe.
Even if you’re on a budget, you’ll be able to afford a lot more fun, shopping and enjoying fine restaurants here than in Germany, France or the UK. Money is important, so if you are looking for a cheaper place to visit this time, why not Sofia and Bulgaria?
Anna and I taking a walk in front of the National Theater in Sofia
Side trip ideas in Bulgaria
As we established, Sofia is not the best choice for traveling with kids. However, Bulgaria in general offers great children’s vacations and experiences. Even though the cities don’t offer the typical entertainment parks or zoos, the sea and the mountains compensate for that.
If you’re coming in the summer, you’ll be probably heading to the seaside. Lots of sun, sandy beaches, aqua parks and small amusement parks are available at every seaside city in Bulgaria.
On the other hand, winter is also exciting to spend at the Bulgarian winter resorts such as Bansko, Borovets or Pamporovo. There are plenty of ski opportunities around.
Hope this was useful! Let me know how can I help you more with your adventure in Sofia!
Came across your blog and really appreciate your inputs from your experience in Sofia.
Interestingly, we are contemplating between Bulgaria and Croatia as to descent for a holiday in July/August. Our kids are 10 and 5 and it will surely help to have your inputs, in terms of what will be better from kids’ point of view between these 2 places.
Hi, Mukesh, I am the right person to ask!
Both Bulgaria and Croatia are very interesting countires with rich histories, but IMO Croatia is more entertaining and well-organized in terms of kids-friendy activities for the summer. Still, be aware that most beaches in Croatia are pebbly or rocky, while those in Bulgaria are sandy (maybe you prefer sand to pebbles).
Another major thing to consider are the prices – Bulgaria is cheaper than Croatia, so you could stay longer for less money. Let me know if you need more specific info!