Sofia holidays

Whether you’re souvenir searching or bargain hunting, The Women’s Market is a must. It’s the oldest and most famous marketplace in Sofia, and is known as the place where you can find everything you need. Take one step inside and it’s easy to see why. There are stalls selling fruit and veg, clothing, fresh meat, spices, embroidered tablecloths, jewellery and Russian dolls.

For a shopping spree at all your favourite shops like H&M and Zara, head to Vitosha Boulevard. This shopping street’s arguably one of the most famous in Sofia, so you won’t have any trouble finding it. Shishman Street, meanwhile, is a quieter and quirkier version with small wine shops and local galleries.

If you want to splash the cash, Vitosha Boulevard not only has high street labels, but there are a fair few designer names sprinkled in between, too. Think Versace, Bulgari and D&G, along with some Bulgarian vintage designers.

Sofia has plenty to keep you busy in the evenings. There are lots of cosy bars for drinks, and the National Opera and Ballet House hosts shows almost every night. There’s also a cinema and theatre which shows Bulgarian classics and new films. Or, if you want a low-key party night, head to a park, bring some drinks and join an infamous ‘bench party’.

If you’re after a lively night out with locals, Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the best evenings to go out. There are two main districts for bars and clubs – the city centre and the student’s town. The latter’s on the outskirts of the city, but everything is closer together than the main centre and it’s known for chalga music – Bulgaria’s mix of pop, folk and Oriental.

This dish is a favourite among the locals, so expect to see it on the menu in authentic Bulgarian restaurants. The refreshing salad is made up of diced tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and peppers then topped with grated Bulgarian white cheese – which tastes a bit like feta – to give it a little tang.

This is basically Bulgaria’s version of feta pie. Thin sheets of filo pastry are stuffed with crumbled chunks of salty feta, before being rolled up in a spiral, painted with butter and baked until golden and the pastry is crisp and flaky.

If you like a strong spirit, then you’ve found one. You may recognise the name from other European countries as it’s a widely used term for lots of fruit brandies. There are quite a lot of different varieties, but the most common are plum, pear, apricot, apple and grape. It’s not a drink to sip on, but a shot of it goes particularly well with a shopska salad.

If you’ve been to Bulgaria before, you’ll know they love their meat. This dish is a big plate of grilled meats in all different forms. Think meatballs, long sticks of grilled minced meat, pork steaks, skewers and Italian sausages. It really is the definition of a meat feast.

This rich, chocolatey cake is probably one of the city’s – if not the country’s – most popular desserts. Five fluffy walnut sponges are layered between a smothering of dark chocolate. Then the whole cake’s covered in a shiny chocolate ganache and topped with walnuts, desiccated coconut and sliced almonds.