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World Travel Guide > Guides > Europe > Bulgaria > Sofia

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Weather in Sofia

Sofia has a humid continental climate with wet summers and cold winters. The most pleasant months to visit Sofia are May, June and September, warm enough to enjoy the parks and outdoor cafés but without the crowds.

Spring (March to May) is warm but rainy, with temperatures rising from 6°C (43°F) in March to 15°C (59°F) in May. Time your visit with festivities such as Orthodox Easter, Liberation Day (3 March), and St George’s Day (6 May).

Nestled in the Sofia Valley at an altitude of 552m (1,812ft) and surrounded by mountains, the city usually enjoys pleasant summer months (June to August), except when heat waves strike, which can send temperatures to over 30°C (86°F). August can also be a month of high rainfall.

Autumn (September to November) is largely dry, before heading into chilly winter (December to February) with temperatures hover around freezing point and snow is common.

	Weather (day)		Temp (max day)	Rain (mm)	Wind (mph)	Humidity Pressure Visibility
Sunday	OccLightRain	Patchy rain possible	13 °C	1	14 wnw	20-40% 1004 mb moderate
Monday	OccLightRain	Patchy rain possible	13 °C	1	6 wsw	20-40% 1004 mb moderate
Tuesday	OccLightRain	Patchy rain possible	13 °C	1	8 wnw	20-40% 1004 mb moderate
Wednesday	OccLightRain	Patchy rain possible	13 °C	1	9 nne	20-40% 1004 mb moderate
Thursday	OccLightRain	Patchy rain possible	13 °C	1	6 ne	20-40% 1004 mb moderate
Friday	OccLightRain	Patchy rain possible	13 °C	1	6 n	20-40% 1004 mb moderate
Saturday	OccLightRain	Patchy rain possible	13 °C	1	2 nnw	20-40% 1004 mb moderate

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Last updated: 2024-05-25 05:16:30
We update the weather data for from our weather partner every four hours. The time the last update was received is detailed here.

Actual Forecast Location: We have 830+ weather locations on the worldtravelguide.net website. Where no exact location is available we have used the nearest appropriate forecast point.

Symbols indicate the predominant weather for the day in question, calculated based on a weighting of different types of weather. So if a day is forecast to be sunny with the possibility of a brief shower, then we will see a sunny or partly cloudy symbol rather than a rain cloud.

The maximum temperature is the highest temperature forecast between dawn and dusk, and the minimum temperature is the lowest temperature expected from dusk on the day in question to dawn the next day. The temperature is in °C, or Celsius.

Wind speed and direction are the conditions expected at midday. Wind direction is based on a 16 point compass. W, SW, SSW, etc. The wind direction states where the wind originates. Wind speed is listed in MPH or miles per hour.

Humidity levels indicates how much water vapour the air contains compared to the maximum it could contain at that temperature. As a general guide:

0 to 30 is very low
31 to 50 is low
51 to 70 is moderate to low
71 to 80 is moderate
81 to 90 is moderate to high
91 to 100 is high

Pressure is measured in millibars (mb)

Visibility based on whether the human eye can see the following distances:

Very poor - less than 1km
Poor - between 1km and 4km
Moderate - between 4km and 10km
Good - between 10km and 20km
Very good - between 20km and 40km
Excellent - more than 40km

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

City Highlight: Sofia

A city as beautiful as its name, Sofia boasts onion-domed churches and Soviet-era monuments interspaced with manicured gardens and wide cobblestone avenues plied by rattling trolley buses.

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Featured Hotels

Scotty's Boutique Hotel

In a central location, opposite the synagogue, Scotty's Boutique Hotel is built in a graceful four-storey renovated house (no elevator). Its rooms are spacious and modern, each one different in décor but all enjoying a quirky and contemporary look. Rooms are uncluttered and bright, with wooden floorboards, most with a private balcony.

Central Hotel Sofia

This modern hotel with a good central location has 70 well-furnished rooms, each with free Wi-Fi Internet access and most with a balcony. Facilities include spa, sauna, meeting rooms and conference halls, and a large restaurant with a terrace. The 'apartment' (more like a suite) has room for up to four people.

Hotel Cheap

An unfortunate name for a hotel that, while great value for money, doesn’t feel stingy or like a place that prioritises savings over services and good quality. Located near the train station, a ten-minute walk from central Sofia, Hotel Cheap’s 18 rooms offer everything you need for a short or long stay. Free Wi-Fi throughout, breakfast is extra.

Sense Hotel

Billed as Sofia’s first upscale design hotel, Sense, which opened in 2013, offers stylish design and a great location. The hotels 71 rooms and suites come with all mod cons, and feature large windows commanding impressive views out over the city. Together with the hotel’s rooftop bar, it makes for a great place to get a feel for the city below.

Hotel Maria Luisa

In a graceful, early 20th-century apartment building on Sofia's main road, the Hotel Maria Luisa offers simple and quiet rooms, with flatscreen TV and tea and coffee-making facilities. Apartments occupy the corner rooms, with good views over the busy shopping street - with double-glazing throughout ensuring a peaceful stay. With standard rooms on the small side, the suites are worth the extra.

Holiday Inn Sofia

This spectacular contemporary 5-star hotel nestles under Mount Vitosha and is adjacent to Business Park Sofia, Bulgaria's largest business park. With excellent meeting rooms and conference facilities it attracts business visitors, but its proximity to the mountain region and a luxury spa, treatment and fitness centre means plenty of leisure visitors also. The hotel's shuttle bus takes around 20 minutes to the city centre, 11km to the north.

Introducing Sofia

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