Entertainment In Sofia

Sofians have a deep appreciation for the arts and social life and there is no shortage of entertainment in the city. The city’s cultural and artistic scene is well-storied and developed, as are its outlets for late-night fun.

Nightlife

Sofia is home to a fantastic and lively nightlife, with many flocking to bars in the early night-time hours only to hit the nightclubs after midnight. These night-time venues can be found in all pockets of Sofia, but the city centre has such a vast concentration of them that it is possible to walk from spot to spot and visit several places in one night. Music varies from techno and hip-hop to live rock music and jazz. Sofia also has several casinos, many of them again in the central part of the city. The casinos require patrons to show identification, although dress codes are not enforced.

Theatre and music

Sofians have a deep appreciation for ballet, opera and theatre, and performing arts standards are high here, making outings to the theatre enjoyable, even for those who don’t speak Bulgarian. The main venue for the arts is the National Palace of Culture, a huge and modern building that encompasses concert halls, exhibition spaces and the Lumière Cinema. For symphonies, check listings for the Bulgaria Chamber Hall, which is worth a visit just to see its showpiece pipe organ. Major opera and ballet performances are scheduled at Sofia National Opera, which is itself a fantastic building, with scenes from various operas painted all along its interior. For religious musical art, attend services at the Eastern Orthodox Church and enjoy the soothing chants of the choir amid the solemn candlelit interior

The theatre season runs from early October to late June, and offers a wonderful reason to visit the magnificent neoclassical home of the national theatre company, the Naroden Teatar Ivan Vazov. The theatre stages classics as well as works by Bulgaria’s top playwrights. Visiting theatre-goers will also find sophisticated puppet shows, a Sofia tradition that is not strictly child-orientated.  Most notable in this regard is the Central Puppet Theatre.

Festivals

There are a number of annual summer festivals that are unique to the city, with highlights including:

• The Folklore Festival brings traditional music to the streets on open-air stages. The opening ceremony entails a vast procession along the main thoroughfare, Vitosha boulevard, from the National Palace of Culture to Ivan Vazov National Theatre, which is followed by days of wild costumes and dancing (July).
• Sofia Music Week is a festival of classical music and ballet (May to June).
• St Dimitri’s Day is a major holiday on the Bulgarian folk calendar, marking the beginning of winter and the end of the traditional farming period for shepherds and farm workers. This holiday is marked by its culinary celebrations, and delicious food is abundant (October).