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Welcome
Welcome to Sofia. Sofia (Bulgarian: София), is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city by population in the European Union, with 1.4 million people living in the Capital Municipality. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha, and is the administrative, cultural, economic, and educational centre of the country.
Prehistoric settlements were excavated in the centre of the present city, near the royal palace, as well as in outer districts such as Slatina and Obelya.[citation needed] The well-preserved town walls (especially their substructures) from antiquity date back before the 7th century BC, when Thracians established their city next to the most important and highly respected mineral spring, still functioning today. Sofia has had several names in the different periods of its existence, and remnants from the city's past can still be seen today alongside modern landmarks.
Sofia Airport
You will firstly see the Sofia airport. It is located 5 km (3.1 mi) east of central Sofia. In 2009 the number of passengers was 3.13 million. You will be picked up by someone of our team. There are many low cost companies which fly to Sofia airport.
Sofia Central Bus station
Or you probably will arrive on the Central Bus Station. You also will be picked up.
Students' dormitory
You will be placed in Studentski Grad. Studentski grad (Bulgarian: Студентски град, "Students' town/city") is the student campus area for most universities in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, and also one of the 24 districts of Sofia. It was created in the 1980s and now has over 40,000 residents - young people only. Students' accommodation is in Studentski grad and the hospitals are in the city center. There is comfortable city transport(bus line 94), which goes directly to the city center. Our LC Sofia team will give you detail instructions about that.
University hospitals
Our exchange students make their clerkship in one of the University Hospital of the Medical University of Sofia - Alexandrovska Hospital, St Ekaterina Hospital, Tsaritsa Ioanna - ISUL (Queen Ioanna), St Ivan of Rila ect.
The St. Ekaterina University Hospital (Bulgarian: университетска болница „Св. Екатерина“) is a university hospital in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It was formed in 1985 as a national centre for cardiovascular diseases led by professor Aleksandar Chirkov. A second centre was established in 1989 also under Chirkov, with the uniting on 3 February 2002 to form the present hospital.
The St. Ekaterina Hospital is known for the first heart transplant in Eastern Europe (the then-Soviet bloc) in 1986.
The hospital consists of three dynamic complexes — a diagnosis department, a hospital and an administrative and economic department.
The Aleksandrovska University Hospital (Bulgarian: университетска болница „Александровска“) is a university hospital in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It was founded in 1879 and was named after Bulgarian Prince Alexander I Battenberg in October 1884. A military hospital between 1912 and 1919, it was the site where the Sofia Medical University was founded in 1917.
The hospital is situated on 258,000 m2 (2,780,000 sq ft), having a capacity of 1,100 beds and a staff of 540. It has almost all kind of departments and is one of the biggest hospitals.
City centre
A number of ancient Roman, Byzantine and medieval Bulgarian buildings have been preserved in the city and its outskirts. Most notably, the 10th century Boyana Church (one of the UNESCO World Heritage protected sites), the Church of St. George, considered the oldest building in Sofia, and the early Byzantine Church of St Sophia.
A medieval monument of significant interest is the Church of St Petka of the Saddlers located in the very centre of the city providing a sharp contrast to the surrounding three Socialist Classicism edifices of the former Party House, TZUM, and Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan.
National parlament
The St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Bulgarian: Храм-паметник „Свети Александър Невски“, Hram-pametnik „Sveti Aleksandar Nevski“) is a Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Built in Neo-Byzantine style, it serves as the cathedral church of the Patriarch of Bulgaria and is one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in the world, as well as one of Sofia's symbols and primary tourist attractions
National cathedral St Alexander Nevski
The Ivan Vazov National Theatre (Bulgarian: Народен театър „Иван Вазов“, Naroden teatar „Ivan Vazov“) is Bulgaria's national theatre, as well as the oldest and most authoritative theatre in the country and one of the important landmarks of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It is located in the centre of the city, with the facade facing the City Garden.
National theater Ivan Vazov
Social program
Social Program is available in summer months (July and August).
Music and nightlife
Sofia has an extensive nightlife scene with many Nightclub|night clubs, live venues, pubs, Meyhane|mehani (Bulgarian traditional taverns), and restaurants. The city has played host to many world-famous musical acts including Madonna, George Michael, Tiesto, Lenny Kravitz, Kiss], Kylie Minogue, Depeche Mode, Rammstein, Metallica ect.
Museums
Sofia houses numerous museums, notably the National Historical Museum (Bulgaria), the National Museum of Natural History, the Earth and Man National Museum, the Ethnographic Museum, ect. In addition, there are the National Art Gallery, the National Gallery for Foreign Art as well as numerous private art museum|art galleries.
Places of special interest
The city also offers many places of special interest such as the SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library (which houses the largest national book collection and is Bulgaria's oldest cultural institute), the SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library, the British Council, the Russian Cultural Institute, the Polish Cultural Institute, the Hungarian Institute, the Czech and the Slovak Cultural Institutes, the Italian Cultural Institute, the French Cultural Institute, Goethe-Institut, Instituto Cervante, and the Open Society Institute. The city is also known for the Boyana Church, which is a UNESCO world heritage site. In addition, Sofia houses the Sofia Zoo, which was founded in 1888.
Several international film productions were made here. Vitosha Boulevard, also called Vitoshka — ranked as the world's 22nd most expensive commercial street — represents numerous fashion boutiques and luxury goods stores and features exhibitions by world fashion design ers. Sofia's geographic coordinate system, situated in the foothills of the weekend retreat Vitosha mountain, further adds to the city's specific atmosphere.
Our team in action
Our Sofia SCOPE team is waiting for you!!! If you have any questions or comments, do contact us ANY TIME.
LEO Sofia - Viktoria Stoyanova; e mail : viktoriqgs@yahoo.com
