Sofia is an open-air studio thanks to Nu Boyana Film Studios, set at the foot of Mount Vitosha, where Expendables 2 and The Hitman's Bodyguard were shot. The complex holds full street sets able to mimic London, New York or bygone eras, making the city a favoured Hollywood double.
Beneath Serdika Square, reachable from the metro station, lie the ruins of ancient Roman Serdica, which Emperor Constantine fondly called my Rome. The city also hides, side by side in the centre, an Orthodox cathedral, an Ottoman mosque and a synagogue, a rare testament to religious tolerance.
To taste the warm mineral water locals collect for free, head to the public fountains on Banski Square, behind the former mineral baths. A data eSIM helps here: few signs are translated outside the centre, and an offline map paired with a reliable connection makes tram journeys far simpler.