48 Hours In: Sofia

Now’s the perfect time to chew over the bite-sized capital of Bulgaria, says Nick Boulos.

Sofia is a city packed with surprises and hidden delights yet small enough to explore in detail in only a couple of days. The bite-sized Bulgarian capital – one of Europe’s cheapest to stay in – is built upon ancient foundations of culture and history. Standing among the striking Stalinist-era architecture are ancient Byzantine masterpieces, built during the 500 years of Ottoman rule, as well as ruins of a Roman metropolis.