Last year I travelled alone to Transylvania, Romania. It was a very enjoyable experience and would like to go back to see more of the country. I am also interested in spending a few days in Sofia. What are the best tourist sights to visit in Sofia, and is Bulgaria a safe country to travel alone in? - Rebecca Tibbotts
Tucked into the southeastern corner of Europe, Bulgaria is best known for its long Black Sea coast, speckled with historic seaside towns, remote beaches and brash clubland resorts. Elsewhere, however, you'll find wild, heavily forested and hugely varied landscapes ideal for hiking, cycling, mountaineering and wildlife watching.
Bulgaria's capital, Sofia, is an energetic and largely modern city at the base of towering Mt Vitosha. Don't expect to uncover the "new Prague" here; there's a lingering Soviet tinge to the city with its blocky architecture and stubborn Red Army monuments, but there are also some fine parks, absorbing museums, beautiful churches and buzzing nightlife.
The city has many significant historic buildings, such as the neo-Byzantine Aleksander Nevski Church with its bold gold dome and striking Sveta Nedelya Cathedral, admired for its vibrant murals and an equally colourful history.
Other landmark buildings house museums and art galleries, such as the Archaeological Museum, a treasure trove of Thracian and Roman oddments located in a former mosque. The National Art Gallery can be found in the former Royal Palace, displaying a seemingly endless parade of Bulgarian oils. Sharing the palace is the Ethnographical Museum that displays folk costumes, carpets and carvings.
