Is Sofia Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Couple travel

Overall, the city is beautiful and has so many gorgeous buildings with clearly different influences from history. Sofia feels very lived in, but overall it’s a chaotic place in my opinion. It’s a very walkable city with lovely public parks and green spaces to chill. We were really lucky with the weather and had a lovely time walking around. We stayed near Serdica metro, which was very convenient. However, at night time we felt a bit unsafe as there were a lot of people drinking on the street and being rowdy together. I also spent some time on my own and was followed from a cafe all the way to the Main shopping street by a man. That was very scary, and in broad daylight where nobody intervened as he was saying things to me. We visited some museums - the National Gallery which had a beautiful host of Bulgarian painters, as well as French and a (slightly misleading) Picasso exhibition. We also went to the museum of natural history which was charming, but mostly for kids and a little stuck in the 90s aesthetic wise. I also did the free Balkan Bites tour, it was so fun and my tour guide was really knowledgable. We got to try local cuisine, fusion items, and some Bulgarian wine. You are expected to tip though! Food wise: I highly recommend Kuzina for Greek food, Mezza for Turkish and Middle Eastern food, and I do not recommend Happy as my chicken was bright pink even after I send it back to be recooked.

Solo travel

Even though a few streets seemed sketchy literally nothing happened, the transportation was extremely well organized and not too overcrowded, plus even when it was nobody pushed personal boundaries. I stayed in an apparent next to the biggest square and it was amazing

Solo travel

I felt safe, but I did not do a lot of things. I met cool people and tried some bars and a flea market. The problem was also the friends I visited on my stay, who did not make it easy. Overall I would recommend

Solo travel

Hi, in January 2025 I was in Sofia gor two days with a friend. We slept at a host place an it was really nice! We loved the city! With a free walking tour we learned a lot about the history and the main places of the city. The other day we went to the big mountain and walked trough the snow. The public transportation was really cheap. It was a nice trip! :)

Solo travel

I had an amazing time in Sofya! The city has a charming atmosphere, and the food was absolutely delicious. We tried some traditional Bulgarian dishes, and everything was fresh and flavorful. The service was also excellent—fast and friendly. We explored some beautiful places like Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Vitosha Boulevard, which had great shops and cafes. In the evening, my friends and I went to a karaoke bar, and we had so much fun singing together. The whole trip was unforgettable, and I’d love to visit again to discover even more!

Group travel

I felt very safe in Sofia, but I was with a group, so I don't know if the experience would have been the same alone. Sofia is an amazing h city, very vibrant and friendly. If you like iconic art, it's the best place to be. The food is also incredibly good. We also went mountain climbing outside the city, which was beautiful.

I feel safe in my city, especially in my neighborhood. In the center there are some weird people but nothing has ever happened to me or my friends. Tourist spots aren't very crowded. Main streets are well lit. But there are a lot of stray dogs.

Well, if you are walking late at night in Sofia in the center, you should be worried. There are a lot of drugged people and Arabs who are trying to manipulate you and steal something from you. You should be also aware in the Studentski Grad, there are a lot of troubles here too.