Location: West Bulgaria

Population: 2,000,000 Religion: 95% Orthodox, 5% Muslims, Jews and others.

Time Zone: GMT +2 (GMT +3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October) Electricity: 220 V; 50 Hz; double plug.

On the site of a former Neolithic village, in VIII BC around a thermal springs, occur an ancient Thracian town, later called by the Romans who conquered the city- Serdica (city of the Thracian tribe Serdi).

From I - IV century AD, the Romans built massive stone walls, wide streets and impressive public buildings. This way Serdica became a major commercial center and was proclaimed a capital of the eastern Roman province of Inner Dacia. During the Roman government of the city was aslo built a theater (II - III century AD.) and late antique amphitheater (III - IV century AD). The discovery of this archaeological complex, including theater and amphitheater in one place, was announced by the specialists for unique, without parallel in the world!

During the so-called Great Migration of Peoples in the IV - V century AD. city experienced invasions of Huns, Goths and Barbarians.

Since the mid-VI century AD, Serdica revival as an important administrative and economic center of the Byzantine Empire.

From 809 year the town was included within the Bulgarian state and in the end of XII century  receives the slavic name of Sredets. He became an important administrative, commercial and cultural center of the First and Second Bulgarian Kingdom. In 1018 the Byzantines renamed it Triaditsa.

Since the end of XIV century till the seventies of the XIX century the Bulgarian State was under Ottoman rule. Since the beginning of the XV century dates also the last name of the city - Sofia (from the Greek word sofia - wisdom). The Ottoman conquerors conquered Sofia in 1382 and it began to decline.

With the founding of the Third Bulgarian state in 1879, Sofia again became the Bulgarian capital. The image of Sofia - ancient and modern, is changing fast. Today, many old buildings, old streets, monasteries and artifacts tell the story of the city, passed the test of time, but kept its wisdom and smile.