Sofia Entertainment - Cultural Events

The real forte of Sofia are drama, ballet and classical music, and all of them are very inexpensive and unforgettable. The main venue of the arts is in the Bulgarian capital is the National Palace of Culture - quite enormous and modern building, which encompasses lots of concert halls, exhibition spaces and Lumiere Cinema. If you are keen on symphonies, you will be glad checking some of the various music events in the Bulgaria Chamber Hall, which is worth visiting just to relish its beautiful ancient pipe organ. In addition, most opera and ballet performances could be scheduled at Sofia National Opera, which is other wonderful building with scenes from various operas, painted along its interior. On the other hand, you will be able to find some exciting religious services at the "St Sofia" church or the "St Alexander Nevski" Cathedral and enjoy the soothing chants of the choir amid the solemn candlelit interior. However, the youth culture is still less prevalent in Sofia, although it gradually begins to make its presence felt. It could be extremely worth for you to keep in mind that most detailed cultural listings are situated on the back pages of the daily press - otherwise, information and tickets for these events are available from the specialized Concert bureau at boulevard "Tsar Osvoboditel" 2 - it works form Monday till Friday and opens in eight in the morning to noon and then, from 3 to 7 in the evening, or in NDK. Additionally, you will be able to receive information on various theaters and concerts by calling phone 171, but bear in mind that, unfortunately, it is still difficult to find a foreign-language speaker.

Nowadays, cinema remains the most beloved form of entertainment among the different people in Sofia. Due to the great flood of subtitled American movies, currently sweeping Bulgaria, you will not have any problems understanding the dialogue. You could examine all movies collections in "The Sofia Echo". It sometimes can be reasonable for you to consider in advance that some of the best cinemas in Sofia include United New Cinema - underneath the NDK center, a modern multi-screen facility with decent sound, FX on "Angel Kanchev" Street 5, "Arena Mladost" in Mladost 4, Business Park, next to Technopolis and "Arena West" on boulevard "Todor Alexandrov" 64, Ilinden district, next to Vardar metro-station.

When plan to visit Sofia, it will be advisable for you to be aware of the fact that the theater season here runs from early October to late June, and usually provides lots of wonderful reasons to enter the magnificent neoclassical home of the National theater "Ivan Vazov". It stages great variety of classics as well as the interesting works of Bulgarian contemporary playwrights. In addition, different theater-goers could also find some exciting puppet shows in the Central Puppet Theater of Sofia, which is not strictly children-oriented.

　

Sofia Entertainment - Restaurants, Clubs and Discos

Today, Sofia already becomes an interesting holiday location with fantastic and lively nightlife in great diversity of restaurants and bars for the early night-time hours only and lots of lovely nightclubs after midnight. These night-time venues could be found in all pockets of our capital, but the city center typically provides such a vast concentration of them. So, it is often possible to have a walk from one spot to another and try several places in one night. Their music usually varies from techno and hip-hop to rock, folk and jazz. In Sofia there is also a great number of convenient casinos, most of them again in the central part of the city. But, keep in mind that they naturally will require your identification card on the entry, although dress codes are not enforced.

　

Sofia Annual Festivals

When you plan to travel in the Bulgarian capital, it often could be extremely worth for you to consider in advance that there is a number of unique annual summer festivals, taking place here, including -
- Traditional folklore festival - it presents traditional Bulgarian music to the streets on open-air stages. Its opening ceremony typically entails a vast procession along Vitosha boulevard - from the National Palace of Culture to National Theater "Ivan Vazov", and is followed by several days of wonderful costumes and dancing in July
- Sofia music week - takes place from May to June, and it is concentrated mainly on classical music and ballet
- St Dimitri day is a primary holiday on the Bulgarian folk calendar, which marks the beginning of winter and the end of the intensive farming period for shepherds and farm workers. That is why, it usually becomes celebrated by different culinary competions and belly-busting food is always abundant here. Typically, it takes place on 26 October.