One of the best things you can do if you’re in Sofia is take a day trip to Vitosha, the huge mountain south of the city looming large over the skyline. A relatively short bus journey takes you out of the city and into nature, to the extent that you feel very distant from any kind of urban activity.
There are so many routes you could take, such as to Cherni Vrah (Черни връх), or ‘Black Peak’, Vitosha’s peak. There are also cable cars which operate infrequently, as well as some driving routes.
But by far the simplest, in terms of direction and proximity to the city, is the route to Boyana Waterfall. As the name suggests, the hike starts in Boyana, a neighbourhood south of Sofia. You’ll also find the Boyana Church here. In fact, the Waterfall route starts just south of the Church, so you could combine the two in a single trip.
However, make sure you prepare for the hike properly. We underestimated the walk and were sadly forced to turn back just before we finished. We still think everyone would find it worth going to the Waterfall, so long as you learn from our mistakes!
Preparing for your Hike
We read a fair amount about the trail to Boyana Waterfall before even arriving in Sofia, but we were still taken unawares with the difficulty of the route. Before you go, make sure to do the following:
1. Check the weather forecast
As is the case for many mountains, the weather can drastically change your walking experience, and conditions at the top are often very different from those at the bottom. In our case, it was sunny and warm at the trailhead, then icy and cold near the Waterfall itself. Luckily, there was no rain or strong winds, but make sure to check before starting to climb. There’s tree shelter some of the way up, but no buildings until after the Waterfall. Given that some parts of the route, especially on the Red Route, are a little precarious, you probably shouldn’t climb in adverse conditions.
2. Take the appropriate gear
Whichever route you take, you should take at least a jumper in a bag, even in warm weather. You will almost certainly want to change when you get higher. You should also take shoes with good grip. Sticky Rice decided to do the trail in running shoes and it was a mistake. Even Scone, in his Docs, struggled on the icy stretches. In the summer, grip would be less of a problem, but you’re still better using rigid shoes that will protect your ankles. Good shoes are especially recommended for the Red Route, which involves some climbing.
3. Bring food and water
It’s always nice to hike with snacks and drinks. After Boyana Church, where there’s a small kiosk, there are no places to buy food or drink until after the Waterfall, where, relatively close to the Golden Gates, there are a few food places. Even if you do venture that far, do not rely on these food places: we were told they are periodically closed, often without prior warning. Instead, bring along a small rucksack with a few snacks and water. Don’t miss out on munching on a banitsa while looking out over Sofia!
The Route
When climbing to the Waterfall, you have two options: the easier but longer Green Route or the shorter but harder and steeper Red Route. Both have their merits: the Red Route follows the river to the Waterfall at the top, so you’ll pass a few smaller waterfalls and be done quicker, whereas the Green Route gives a few more views over Sofia and can be done by anyone with a moderate amount of fitness, especially if you take breaks.
If you want, you could also do a loop with both routes, but it is really recommended to hike up with the Red Route then down with the Green, as the Red Route involves some climbing and use of chains. Unless you’re an experienced climber, we strongly recommend doing the Green Route, which was more than enough for us.
Both routes are signposted, especially well in the lower half but a little less frequently the closer to the Waterfall you get. As Google Maps is not too great on Vitosha, here are our Komoot maps. To save one of both of these routes, just click on the map’s title.
The elevation gain is just over 500M, most of which comes in the first hour. Both hikes start the same: the trailhead is 5-10 minutes of walking south of Boyana Church. There are a few places to verge off to the right to take up the Red Route here. For the Green Route, the first 30 minutes or so being a bit zig-zaggy, with not too many great views. But once you’ve gone past the mountain’s foot, you’ll pass a few nice places to stop for a quick break and a look over Sofia. Pictures really don’t do the view justice.
Note that the further you go, the higher chance of ice and snow. About an hour and a half in, we were consistently walking on solid ice. The path also gets a bit more precarious, so much so that we had to stop about 10 minutes away from the Waterfall. We could even see the Waterfall through the trees, but the slope was too difficult to walk on with our trainers and we slipped over a lot. In fact, although we saw only 7 people on the entire hike, we saw every single person slip to some extent, probably as everyone was wearing some form of trainers, rather than hiking shoes. Someday, we’ll go back and see the Waterfall properly, once we get some shoes with better grip!
Additional Stops
If you have some extra time, you can do two things: 1) Stop off before or after the hike at Boyana Church; and/or 2) Add a little bit more onto the route.
Boyana Church
Duration: 10 mins.
Price (per person): €6.14.
Must-see/Skippable: Skippable.
Location: Here.
One of the most visited attractions in Sofia and a UNESCO World Heritage site, this 10th-/11th-century church, which was expanded in the 13th and 19th centuries, is famous for its extensive interior murals. For many people, Boyana Church is a must-see.
While it certainly is pretty inside, if we are honest, we weren’t massive fans. Firstly, you only get 10 minutes inside, and you can only enter after booking tickets in advance, either in person or through a tour agency.
Secondly, there is pretty much no information inside about the murals or the history of the Church, so unless you did some research beforehand (see the Church’s website for a place to start), you might not know what’s on display. You can pay extra for a tour guide (another €6.14 per person) or you can try asking the workers a question, but don’t expect extensive answers unless you book a tour.
Thirdly, you can’t take photos inside. If you want pictures, you’ll have to go to the Church’s website, which has a gallery of HD images.
If you have the time, you might want to pop in to the Church, especially as it’s right next to the trailhead. But as we’d seen quite a lot of churches already, we much preferred the hike itself.
Did you hike to the Waterfall? Did you manage to go beyond? And how did you feel about Boyana Church, if you went? Let us know below. Whichever option you chose, we hope you prepared better than us and enjoyed the views!