The Sofia Zoo

Sofia Zoo sits in the green southern fringe of the city near Borisova Gradina park, reached easily by tram or a short taxi ride from the centre. Founded in 1888, it is one of the oldest zoos in the Balkans, and that age shows — some enclosures retain an older concrete-and-bar aesthetic that will feel dated to visitors used to modern naturalistic habitats.

That said, there is genuine charm to the place, and the grounds are shaded and relatively compact at nine hectares, making it walkable in half a day without rushing.

The animals that draw the most attention are the brown bears, European wolves, and the European bison — a species with a genuine recovery story behind it, and Sofia Zoo has participated in regional breeding efforts for this heavyweight of the continent's forests. The hippos are a perennial favourite with younger visitors, and feeding times draw a reliable crowd around their pool.

The zoo also keeps Balkan lynx and Eurasian otters, both of which reward patience at the enclosure edge.

Visitor numbers are modest by European capital standards — around 300,000 a year — which means it rarely feels overwhelmed, though weekend afternoons in summer bring school groups and local families in force. Pushchairs manage the main paths reasonably well, though some older sections involve uneven cobbling.

Shade is decent thanks to the mature tree cover, but bring water in July and August because the café options are limited and queues form quickly on hot days.

Arrive on a weekday morning when animals are most active and staff are running keeper talks near the big carnivore enclosures — it is the clearest window into what the zoo does well.