Sofia

The extraordinary National History Museum displays fabulous collections concerning Bulgaria's history and civilisation. — Michelin Guide

About 5 miles south of central Sofia (a short taxi ride is easier than complicated public transport), and with Mount Vitosha looming over it in the background, this is both one of the city's best museums and a fascinating monument to the Communist era. — Fodor's

Tiny 13th-century Boyana Church is included on Unesco’s World Heritage list and its 90 murals are among the very finest examples of Bulgarian medieval artwork. — Lonely Planet

This gallery holds one of the country’s most important collections of Bulgarian art, with several galleries full of mainly 19th- and 20th-century paintings. — Lonely Planet

Near the entrance to Borisova Gradina, this gigantic monument was built in 1954 and is a prime example of the forceful socialist realism of the period. — Lonely Planet

A vast Communist-era exhibition space in the Bulgarian capital.  — Atlas Obscura

If you wondered where all those unwanted statues of Lenin ended up, you'll find some here, along with the red star from atop Sofia's Party House. — Lonely Planet

At the centre of this neat garden there is a monument, dedicated to the medics, who gave their life in the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878). — On the Grid

Lions, tigers, elephants and bears are among the animals at Sofia's small zoo, situated in a park about 2km south of the city centre. — Lonely Planet