Vitosha and Ignatief boulevards offer the largest selection of shops, cafes and boutiques frequented by both locals and foreign visitors.
Souvenirs and typical products in Sofia
If you want to take a souvenir or buy a gift from Sofia, you can find the typical reproductions of religious icons and handcrafted products made of ceramics or wood.
Also typical are the handmade products derived from roses (Bulgaria is a major producer of roses), ranging from essences to jams.
In Bulgaria there is a great variety of wines, Melnik and Rakiya are the most popular. Mastika is a typical Bulgarian liqueur and is an aniseed very similar to the Greek Ouzo.
Shopping centres
Modern shopping malls have long since arrived in Bulgaria, where you will find the typical international chain shops.
Sofia’s long-established (or at least the oldest) shopping centre is TZUM. A department store opened in the 1950s with designer boutiques and located in the city centre, at the junction of Maria Luiza Avenue (next to the big government buildings) and Sveta Nedelya Square.
Other shopping centers are City Center Sofia (Arsenalski Blvd., 2), Sopharma Shopping Center (Lachezar Stanchev, 5), Mall of Sofia (A. Stamboliyski blvd., 101) or Serdika Center (Sitnyakovo Blvd., 48).
Markets in Sofia
The Central Market
The Sofia Central Market or“Tsentralni Halite” is located in a remodeled building in the center of Sofia just across the street from the Banya Bashi Mosque.
In the market shops you can find a selection of local products such as fresh food, meat, vegetables, fruit, etc.
In the streets adjoining the Central Market is what is known as the Zhenski Pazar (Women’s Market), which is a real street market with cheap prices, where everything from fruit to underwear is for sale.
Alexander Nevsky Street Market
If you’re looking for souvenirs or gifts to buy in Sofia, take a stroll through the centre and stop by the street stalls in the area between the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the government buildings of the Presidency and the Council of Ministers.
In this flea market you can find not only all kinds of old gadgets, gizmos and objects with typical communist iconography, but also antique objects, matryoshkas, reproductions of icons and some other typical handicraft objects at good prices.
