Vitosha is a small but beautiful mountain range rising to heights of over 2,200 metres. The foothills of the Vitosha Mountains start right in Sofia.

Find hotels in the Vitosha Mountains

Thanks to its proximity to the city and very good transport links, the Vitosha Mountains are a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. The dominant feature of the mountain range, which covers an area of only 270 square kilometres, is the highest mountain Cherni vrah (2 290 m).

The hiking trails here are well marked and quite busy, especially on weekends when Sofia residents head to Vitosha. But you will also find plenty of quiet trails with a minimum of tourists.

The climb to Cherni vrah

The mountain range is so small that its highest mountain Cherni vrah is sometimes called Vitosha, after the name of the mountain.

There are many trails leading to the summit and most of them can be climbed by less trained hikers. If you're not too used to hiking in the mountains, set aside a full day to visit Vitosha.

For more sporty travellers, half a day will be enough.

By cable car Vitoshko-Lale

The easiest way to get to the top is via a pair of chairlifts, "Vitoshko Lale I" and "Vitoshko Lale II", which run from a height of about 1,580 meters almost to the top.

There is also a modern gondola lift from the outskirts of Sofia, but this is only in operation in winter and exclusively for skiers.

The lower station of the Vitoshko Lale lifts can only be reached by car. However, you can approach by bus line 66 from Vitosha metro station and get off at the "Romanski Lift" stop. From there, a 940-metre long trail leads down a gentle hill to the lower lift station (see map).

From the top station of the cable car to the top of the mountain, you only have 1 km more or less on flat ground.

• Price - 5 bgn for each direction and each cable car, upwards for a total of 10 bgn, because you have to change from Vitoshko Lale I to Vitoshko Lale II.
• Opening hours - weekends only (Saturday and Sunday) 9:30-17:00
• Official information: skivitosha.com/summer

From Hotel Moreni (Bus 66)

The most popular route is from the Moreni Hotel, where bus 66, running from Vitosha Metro Station, has its terminus. If you drive, you can go about 250 metres further to the parking lot of Aleko Cottage.

The road leads steeply down a winding ski slope, then along a dirt road and then through a stone field to the top.

• Distance - 3,200 metres one way
• Elevation - 480 metres
• Walking time - 2 hours at a slow pace
• Route map

You can take a different route back along the 4,600 metre route, see map.

From the Golden Bridges (Bus 63)

The most beautiful route leads from the final stop of bus 63, which is called Zlaté mosty (ЗЛАТНИТЕ МОСТОВЕ).

The route runs along the monumental stone moraine, through forests and meadows with beautiful views. It is considerably longer and steeper than the path from the Moreni Hotel, but even moderately trained travellers can manage this route at a slow pace.

• Distance - 8,200 metres one way
• Elevation - 900 metres
• Walking time - 3.5 hours at a slow pace
• Route map

We recommend combining the above routes. Take bus 66 up to Hotel Moreni, climb up to Cherni vrah and return via Zlaté Mosty to bus 63.

From Bojansky Church

The longest and most challenging, but beautiful route, leads from the famous Bojana Church.

The path leads through a beautiful valley with the Bojanský brook, dense forests and wide meadows and is a day hike for well-trained travellers.

• Distance - 13 km one way
• Elevation - 1,500 metres
• Walking time - 6.5 hours at a slow pace
• Route map

Other routes in the Vitosha massif

The Vitosha Mountains are interwoven with dozens of other kilometres of trails.

A very popular one is the long trail more or less following the contour line at the foot of the mountain just a few hundred metres from the Sofia border.

It runs between the towns of Zheleznitsa and Rudartsi, but you can only use the shorter sections between the Bojana Church and Dragalevtsi Monastery, for example. This stretch is very pleasant, it goes all through the forest and is about 6.5 km long.

From Dragalevtsi Monastery to Bojana Church you will go more or less continuously slightly downhill (see map).

Maps of hiking trails

The official website does not provide any clear maps of the marked trails.

We made the most use of a great app mapy.cz, where all the routes are marked and very accurately correspond to reality. You can also download offline maps via the mobile app, which is recommended because not everywhere has a mobile signal.

Buses to Vitosha

The Vitosha Mountains are easily accessible by public transport.

You can find timetables clearly on the official website sofiatraffic.bg/en/public-transport. The exact locations of the bus stops are marked on the map below.

Don't be fooled by the often incorrect sign on the electronic board behind the bus window, which may indicate the opposite destination to where the bus is actually going.

• Bus 63 - departs from the "Boulevard Tsar Boris III" (БУЛ. ЦАР БОРИС III) stop, where it connects to tram lines 4, 5, 15. The line also goes via the Krasno Selo metro station of the green M3 line to the Zlatnite Mostove stop in the western part of the Vitosha Mountains.
  • Frequency - 30 minutes on weekdays; 16-32 minutes on weekends
  • First bus from Krasno Selo metro station - 8:53 on weekdays; 6:53 on weekends (services marked in red in the timetable only go to the BЯЛАТА ЧЕШМА stop on the outskirts of Sofia)
  • Last bus from Zlatnite Mostove - 20:30
• Bus 66 - runs from the zoo via the Vitosha metro station on the blue M2 line to the Moreni Hotel on the northern slope of the Vitosha mountains
  • Frequency - 60 minutes (120 minutes in the afternoon) on weekdays; 25 to 35 minutes on weekends
  • First bus from Vitosha metro station - 8:30 on weekdays; 6:30 on weekends
  • Last bus from Hotel Moreni - 20:30,

Restaurant at Vitosha

You can buy refreshments at both starting points of the two most popular routes - at the Golden Bridges and at the big Aleko hut.

A very nice bistro with surprisingly low prices can also be found right at the top Cherni vrah.

Where to stay in the mountains?

Vitosha may well be your main destination on your trip to Sofia, as you can spend several days on the local hiking trails alone.

• Boeritza Hotel Complex ** - A very cheap mountain hotel with prices starting from 37 eur per night is located on the roadside about 2,5 km on foot from the terminus of bus 63 Zlatnite Mostove. The hotel can be reached by car
• Hotel and SPA Moreni **** - the highly rated hotel with a wellness centre and breathtaking views of Sofia is located directly at the terminus of bus 66
• Zvezditsa Chalet - a mountain chalet with hotel rooms in the beautiful countryside of the western part of Vitosha and good prices is located by the road (can be reached by car) and about 5 km from the terminus of bus 63
• Hotel Villa Magus **** - the luxury hotel in the less visited southern part of the mountains is easily accessible only by car

If you'd like to stay in the city right next to a huge shopping centre, but also just a few metres from the 66 bus stop and Vitosha metro station, stay at this Fashion *** hotel.

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